Perito Moreno Glacier tour from Puerto Natales no vehicle changes

You stay in the same vehicle the entire 14 hours, which means no time lost switching between operators at the border.

A full-day tour from Puerto Natales to Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, departing at 6:20 am with hotel pickup and a bilingual guide who boards in El Calafate. The operator's vehicles are authorized to cross the border and enter the park directly, so you don't change vehicles or agencies en route. Park entry ($45,000 Argentine pesos for foreigners) is separate; you spend roughly 2 hours on the glacier's walkways and viewpoints, with the option to book a boat tour separately. The return arrives around 10 pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full-day tour to Perito Moreno Glacier

• Depart Puerto Natales at 6:20 am
• Complete border customs procedures
• Stop at La Esperanza cafeteria for 15 minutes
• Continue to El Calafate
• Meet bilingual guide in El Calafate
• Travel 80 km to Los Glaciares National Park
• Pay park entry fee (not included)
• Explore glacier walkways for 2 hours
• Optionally contract 60-minute navigation (not included)
• Return to El Calafate and leave guide
• Drive back to Puerto Natales
• Arrive in Puerto Natales around 10 pm

The Experience

Puerto Natales sits roughly 280 kilometers from Perito Moreno Glacier, a drive that crosses the border into Argentina. The tour leaves your hotel at 6:20 am and heads toward the border checkpoint; a 15-minute stop in La Esperanza lets you grab coffee or a snack before continuing to El Calafate. Once there, a bilingual guide joins the vehicle—this is the operator's own guide, not a handoff to another company—and you drive the final 80 kilometers into Los Glaciares National Park together. The vehicle never changes hands, which saves the confusion and waiting time that comes with switching between tour operators at the frontier.

At the glacier, you have roughly 2 hours to spend. Most travelers walk the system of boardwalks and viewpoints that face the ice face directly; the walkways let you move at your own pace and choose which angles you want to stand in front of. If you want to get on the water, a boat tour operates separately (about 60 minutes, not included in the tour price) and you can book it on the day if space is available. The park entry fee is payable on arrival and is not part of the tour cost.

The return journey retraces the route. Your guide leaves the vehicle in El Calafate, and you drive back to Puerto Natales, arriving around 10 pm. Groups run between 6 and 15 passengers depending on bookings, which keeps the vehicle feeling less crowded than larger tour buses but still shares the cost across enough people to make the long drive economical. The vehicle is air-conditioned, has wifi on board, and carries professional insurance.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Puerto Natales.
• air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver and passenger insurance.
• bilingual guide from El Calafate to the glacier.
• wifi on board.
• access to the glacier's viewpoint boardwalks for roughly 2 hours.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendly

Operated by Transprint Patagonia

Is this one for you?Small groups of 6 to 15 passengers suit this tour well—large enough to share the cost of the long drive, small enough that the vehicle feels manageable and the pace stays flexible. It works best if you're comfortable with a full day (departure at 6:20 am, return around 10 pm) and want to avoid the logistics of switching between tour operators at the border.

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Top questions

What's the difference between this tour and ones that change vehicles at the border?

This operator holds authorization to drive through Los Glaciares National Park directly, so the same vehicle and driver take you all the way from Puerto Natales to the glacier and back. Tours that require a vehicle swap at El Calafate add waiting time and the hassle of moving your belongings between vehicles; this one skips that step.

Is the park entry fee included in the tour price?

No. Park entry costs 45,000 Argentine pesos for foreigners and is paid separately when you arrive at Los Glaciares. The tour price covers transport, the guide, and access to the viewpoints once you're inside.

How much time do you actually spend at the glacier?

Roughly 2 hours. You can walk the boardwalk viewpoints at your own pace, choosing which angles and overlooks to spend time at. If you want to add a boat tour on the water, that's an optional 60 minutes you can book on the day if availability allows.

What happens during the stops in La Esperanza and El Calafate?

La Esperanza is a 15-minute break where you can buy coffee, snacks or a meal before the border crossing. In El Calafate, your bilingual guide boards the vehicle and you continue to the glacier from there—it's not a long stop, just the pickup point for the guide.

Can you bring children or use a wheelchair on this tour?

Yes. The tour accommodates infants and small children in prams or strollers, and all areas of the park's walkways and surfaces are wheelchair accessible. The vehicle itself is air-conditioned and suitable for all fitness levels.

What's included in the tour price and what do you need to pay separately?

The tour includes hotel pickup in Puerto Natales, the vehicle with professional driver, a bilingual guide from El Calafate onward, passenger insurance, and wifi on board. You pay separately for park entry, any meals or drinks (though stops let you buy them), and any optional boat tour on the glacier.