Patagonia (Argentina) - Part 2: El Calafate

18 April 2025

Getting to El Calafate seemed easier by airplane, a comfortable 1.5 hour flight from Ushuaia versus a 14 hour bus/ferry/bus/stopover/bus odyssey. It would also be our last flight before flying from Quito to the Galapagos, in Ecuador, almost two months later. We would see the rest of Patagonia and all of Chile, Bolivia and Peru exclusively by bus.

The big attraction in El Calafate is, of course, the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Glaciers form when large amounts of snow accumulate in an area quicker than the rate it melts, leaving behind a large mass of frozen ice. Over millennia this becomes so compacted that an ice river is formed.

Located about 80km from El Calafate (we took a group tour bus to get there), Glaciar Moreno is the stunning centrepiece of the southern sector of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. The glacier - named after Francisco Moreno, a pioneering Argentine explorer who studied the region in the 19th century - measures 30km long, 5km wide and is 60m high.

What makes this glacier truly exceptional is its constant advance – up to 2m per day, causing building-sized icebergs to calve from its face. That makes it as much an auditory as a visual experience when huge chunks of ice break off and collapse into the Iceberg Channel below.

It is close enough to guarantee great views, but far enough away to be safe. A series of color-coded steel catwalks (almost 4000m total) and vantage points allow visitors to see, hear and photograph the glacier. The sun hits its face in the morning and the glacier’s appearance changes as the day progresses and shadows shift.

There’s plenty to do here, from kayaking and trekking atop the glacier to boat rides that bring you face to face with the glacier in all its majesty. But the most budget friendly option is definitely the boardwalks, which offer spectacular views without breaking the bank (they are included in the National Park ticket).

Visiting Perito Moreno Glacier was more than just a trip; it was a journey to one of the planet’s great natural wonders. For us, it is really up there with Iguazu Falls.

El Calafate is a convenient stop-off point to visit the glacier and the town certainly has its charm, even if it is a little pricy. But it has all the amenities travelers would need. Our gastronomic highlight there was the Cordero al Asado, a grilled rack of lamb (locally raised) at the Asador Parilla Resto Merino, a first-class restaurant offering great wines and desserts too.