Your guide to Perito Moreno Glacier: a must-see natural wonder in Argentina
Our South America tours are ready to impress you, and if there’s one place we think should be getting more attention, it’s Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina’s Patagonia region. Here’s our guide to everything you need to know about this ice-cold natural wonder, which you can visit on our Chile to Argentina: Santiago, Patagonia & Buenos Aires tour.
Where is Perito Moreno Glacier located?
If you’ve never heard of Perito Moreno before, fret not. While the glacier itself might not be the most well-known attraction in South America, the area of Argentina it’s in is quite famous. Perito Moreno Glacier is in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Argentina, in the province of Santa Cruz. The closest town to the glacier is El Calafate, which is full of shops and restaurants that accommodate the travelers who pass through. The glacier itself sits within Lake Argentino, and the 600,000-hectare national park is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On our Chile to Argentina: Santiago, Patagonia & Buenos Aires tour, following an incredible week exploring Chile, you’ll cross over to Argentina’s side of Patagonia to spend two nights in El Calafate. This will give you ample time to get to know this town a little more, have a meal or two, and maybe even pick up a few souvenirs. Maybe a few alfajores, the dulce de leche biscuit that’s beloved in the region, will make their way into your carry-on suitcases. What’s a trip to South America without a treat or two, right?
What is Perito Moreno Glacier?
We think glaciers are some of the most awe-inspiring of the planet’s natural wonders and often include them in many of our favorite mountain itineraries. Argentina’s Perito Moreno is special—and to many, the world’s most special—because while many other glaciers are retreating, Perito Moreno, which is about 18,000 years old, is advancing. It’s one of the few glaciers we have that is growing, but that could change at any moment given current climate conditions.
At 200 feet tall, 19 miles long, and 97 square-miles big, Perito Moreno is enormous. It’s one of the 48 glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, which is the world’s third largest fresh-water reserve. So as a whole, not only is Perito Moreno a massive natural wonder that’s beautiful to look at, it’s also part of an incredibly important water system. Seeing it on a South America tour is an opportunity to learn more about its fragile nature.
What’s it like to visit Perito Moreno Glacier?
Like any awesome natural destination, seeing this Argentine glacier is truly an eye-opening experience that you won’t be able to replicate. It’s one of our favorite places to visit in Argentina. Because it’s part of our goosebump-inducing Chile to Argentina: Santiago, Patagonia & Buenos Aires tour, where you’re seeing one bucket-list sight after another, you’re really getting to see the immense natural bounty that defines our South America tours.
Staffer Jamie took this tour in November 2022, and she said going to Los Glaciares National Park to see Perito Moreno was surreal, and it’s one of the best places to visit in Argentina. On tour, you’ll board a boat on Lake Argentino to get a closer look at the glacier. (Pro tip: keep your eyes peeled for condors and flamingos!) As you approach, you’ll only get more and more captivated by the glacier’s size.
“I don’t have enough words to describe the experience, and can still feel the refreshing chill that was in the air as we floated near the ice,” Jamie said. “The views were surreal, but I found myself equally captivated by the water—it was an ethereal greenish color due to the glacier particles, and my Tour Director explained it’s often called ‘milky water.’”
As you take in these glorious views of Perito Moreno, make sure you keep your ears open. Chunks of ice regularly break off the glacier and loudly splash into Lake Argentino. It’s a process called calving, and it’s one of the most captivating moments you can witness during your visit.
After sailing along the face of the glacier, you’ll have a few hours to explore the surrounding park. There’s an opportunity to join your Tour Director on a guided hike, or you can walk around and explore at your leisure. Either way, you’ll have time to get to know this stunning, unique ecosystem a bit more.
