When to go to El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: November to March (southern summer)
At a glance
Why go to El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier?
El Calafate is the gateway to one of South America's greatest natural spectacles: the Perito Moreno Glacier. This small Patagonian town on the shores of Lake Argentino lives to the rhythm of the visitors who come to admire the nearby giant of ice, in the UNESCO-listed Los Glaciares National Park.
What makes the Perito Moreno unique is its speed: it advances about two metres a day, even though it has been retreating since 2019 after long being in balance, and its face, five kilometres wide and thirty storeys high, regularly releases blocks of ice that crash into the lake with a spectacular roar.
You reach El Calafate by plane from Buenos Aires in just over three hours, and the town also serves as a base for trips out to El Chaltén, the trekking capital, three hours' drive away.
Map of El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier: what is where?
The map shows the 5 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Perito Moreno Glacier
- Los Glaciares Park (walkways)
- El Calafate
- Laguna Nimez
- El Chaltén (Fitz Roy)
How much does a trip to El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier cost?
Patagonia is the most expensive region in Argentina: accommodation, excursions and the flight weigh on the budget, especially in high season. Here are ballpark figures per person per day, excluding the flight.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €55-85/day | Hostel in El Calafate, shuttle and park entry, simple meals, few paid excursions. |
| Comfort | €110-180/day | Comfortable hotel, walkways plus boat trip or mini-trekking, restaurants, hire car. |
| Luxury | €300/day and up | Lodge or estancia with a view, private excursions (big ice, Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers). |
Is El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier safe?
Patagonia is one of the safest regions in Argentina; you can travel here with peace of mind. The real thing to watch is the weather: violent wind, rapid changes, intense sun. Bring warm layers and a windproof jacket even in summer, good shoes for the walkways and sunscreen.
What to see and do in El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier
- the Perito Moreno Glacier
- the walkways of Los Glaciares Park
- mini-trekking on the ice
- boating on Lake Argentino
- El Calafate, the base town
The Perito Moreno Glacier
An hour's drive from El Calafate, Los Glaciares National Park lays out a network of walkways (the pasarelas) facing the glacier's front. You spend two to three hours there, on different levels, waiting for the magic moment when a slab of ice breaks off and collapses into the lake. The show never stops: cracking, rumbling and that bluish tint typical of compacted ice. Arrive early to enjoy the morning light and beat the groups.
Mini-trekking on the ice
To experience the glacier from the inside, guided excursions strap on crampons and take you walking on the ice, between blue crevasses and turquoise streams: this is the ‘mini-trekking’, over half a day, or the ‘big ice’, longer and more athletic. The activity is paid and in high demand, so book ahead; it begins with a short boat trip across the lake.
Boating on Lake Argentino
Boats run as close as possible along the glacier's face, giving a striking sense of the height of the ice wall and of the drifting icebergs. Some longer excursions also head to other glaciers in the park, such as the Upsala and the Spegazzini, among the largest in Argentina.
El Calafate, the base town
Beyond the glacier, El Calafate is a pleasant stop: a main street buzzing with restaurants (where you can try Patagonian lamb), shops and microbreweries, and the Laguna Nimez nature reserve on the edge of town, where you can watch flamingos and waterbirds. It is the place to stock up before heading off onto the trails.
The Laguna de los Tres hike (Fitz Roy)
Three hours' drive from El Calafate, El Chaltén is Argentina's trekking capital, and its crown jewel has a name: the Laguna de los Tres hike. Regularly ranked among the finest walks in Patagonia, if not the world, it covers around twenty kilometres there and back (8 to 10 hours' walking) to a glacial lake at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy, whose granite spires blaze at sunrise. The last hour, very steep, has to be earned, but the reward is unforgettable. The trail starts right from the village and is free to access: no guide or permit, just good shoes and kind weather. If you were to do only one hike in Patagonia, this would be it; many people in fact combine the region's two faces, the glacier from El Calafate and the mountains from El Chaltén.
A day on a Patagonian estancia
To touch the soul of Patagonia, nothing beats a day on an estancia, one of the vast livestock farms of the steppe. On the programme: a sheep-shearing demonstration, a horse ride with the gauchos and, as the grand finale, cordero al palo, lamb slow-roasted over a wood fire. An authentic interlude, for the day or overnight.
The Glaciarium, the ice museum
On the edge of El Calafate, this modern, well-designed museum tells the story of Patagonia's glaciers: how they form, how they move, the climate stakes, with superb views over the icefield. Ideal on a grey day or to understand what you will then see at the Perito Moreno; you can finish with a drink in its ice bar.
The Laguna Nimez nature reserve
On the shores of Lake Argentino, a stone's throw from El Calafate's centre, this small reserve can be explored on foot in one to two hours. It is home to a fine variety of birds, including flamingos, against a backdrop of steppe and mountains. A peaceful, inexpensive walk, ideal at the end of the day.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Two days are enough for the Perito Moreno Glacier: one day on the walkways, another for mini-trekking or a boat trip. Add two to three days if you push on to El Chaltén to hike at the foot of Fitz Roy. It is the flagship stop of any trip to Patagonia.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Argentina
Getting there and getting around
El Calafate has its own airport (FTE), linked to Buenos Aires (Aeroparque) by several daily flights of just over three hours, and to Ushuaia and Bariloche in season. Book early: it is one of the most sought-after routes in Patagonia, and prices climb fast in summer.
On the ground, shuttles and organised excursions run to the park and the glacier (about an hour's drive); a hire car gives you more freedom to manage your timings and to push on to El Chaltén via the legendary Ruta 40. In town, everything is within walking distance.
Where to stay in El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier?
El Calafate has a wide choice of accommodation, from hikers' hostels to comfortable hotels and lodges with lake views, along and around the main street. For a wilder interlude, Patagonian estancias welcome travellers in the surrounding area, at a higher price. If you are planning El Chaltén, bear in mind the village is tiny: book well in advance for high season, from December to February.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier?
Patagonian food revolves around lamb (cordero) roasted on a cross, lake trout and comforting stews, all washed down with a local craft beer. For dessert, try calafate, the small blue berry that gave the town its name: legend has it that whoever eats it will one day return to Patagonia.
Entry requirements
Visa-free for 90 days for EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier
How do you visit the Perito Moreno Glacier?
From El Calafate, an hour's drive takes you to Los Glaciares National Park and its walkways facing the glacier. You can stick to the viewpoints (half a day to a full day), book a mini-trek on the ice, or get close by boat. The morning offers the best light, before the groups arrive.
How many days should you spend in El Calafate?
Two days are enough for the glacier (walkways, plus a boat trip or mini-trekking). Add two to three days if you push on to El Chaltén to hike at the foot of Fitz Roy.
When is the best time for the Perito Moreno and Patagonia?
From November to March, at the height of the southern summer, when the days are long and the trails open. October and April are quieter but windy; in winter, many excursions and places to stay close.
How do you get to El Calafate from Buenos Aires?
By plane: just over three hours' flight from Aeroparque airport to El Calafate airport (FTE), with several flights a day in season. Book ahead, it is a very popular route.
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