If you are planning a trip to Argentine Patagonia, this is a complete guide to visiting El Calafate and getting close to one of the world’s greatest natural wonders: the Perito Moreno Glacier.
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In early April, I embarked on a photography expedition across Argentine and Chilean Patagonia, heading to one of the most iconic glaciers in the world: the Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate.
For nine days, I joined a group of ten photographers and together, we explored the stunning landscapes of El Calafate, Argentina, and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. It was a memorable experience. I learned a lot, made new friends, and had a fantastic time. Every minute was worth it.
In this post, I’ll share a bit about El Calafate, located in southern Argentine Patagonia and the best base for exploring the region. I’ll take you along on our photography expedition in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.
Want to explore more glaciers? Here’s our experience in Alaska: we visited Matanuska Glacier and Root Glacier, in Wrangell St-Elias National Park. And when we were in Iceland, we hiked the Vatnajökull Glacier, check it out!
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How to get to El Calafate
El Calafate is well-connected by regional flights within Argentina, particularly from Buenos Aires.
From São Paulo (or anywhere in Brazil) to El Calafate it is necessary to make a stopover in Buenos Aires – and be careful because it may be necessary to airport change in the Argentinean capital.
There are also flights to the city from Córdoba, Bariloche, Ushuaia and Trelew (at the time I researched, but there must be others), which makes logistics easier if you want to take a tour of Argentinean Patagonia without wasting too much time traveling by land.
From El Calafate, you can easily overland to Torres del Paine (Chile) and El Chaltén (Argentina), two paradises for nature and mountain enthusiasts.
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Argentina is packed with unforgettable travel experiences, and here on the blog you’ll find plenty more to explore. From the dramatic landscapes of Ushuaia to the colorful mountains of Salta and Jujuy, it’s a destination that never disappoints.
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Where to stay in El Calafate
We stayed at Patagonia Queen Hotel, a cozy hotel very close to the town center.
I recommend choosing a hotel near Av. del Libertador, the main street lined with restaurants, bars, and shops. Good options include the Calafate Parque Hotel and Hotel Picos del Sur.
Check hotel availability and rates here:
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Where to eat in El Calafate
During our stay in El Calafate, we ate at this restaurants and I highly recommend:
– NINA Passion and Flavors : By far, the best meat I had in El Calafate. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
– La Zorra Brewery: Excellent selection of craft beers, great music, a really nice place to stop by and spend a few hours.
– The Black Sheep: Also offers fantastic beers.
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What to do in El Calafate
El Calafate is a top destination in Patagonia, set on the shores of Lago Argentino and surrounded by majestic mountains and glaciers. It’s a paradise for nature lovers.
In town, aside from eating, drinking, and browsing local shops — don’t miss the calafate sweets, a great souvenir to take home — there’s not much else to do.
The main attraction in town is the visitor center at Los Glaciares National Park headquarters, set within a pleasant park, with exhibits, antiques, and information panels about the region’s history, early settlement, and local flora and fauna.
For more details and to help plan your trip, visit the official Los Glaciares National Park website.
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Perito Moreno Glacier
The Perito Moreno Glacier is the main attraction in El Calafate, and many (if not most) visitors limit their visit to this tour, which is exactly what I did on my first trip there in 2008.
Much larger than it looks in photos, the glacier is absolutely stunning. Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that is not retreating (our guide mentioned it’s one of only two, with the other located in Greenland).
The glacier is about 75 km from the town. Unless you have your own vehicle, the easiest way to get there is by using transport from local agencies, several of which are located on the main street, or you can book your transfer in advance.
Once at the park, there are over 4 km of walkways with four main circuits: yellow, green, red and blue. You can explore them independently.
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The main viewpoint is along the yellow circuit. If you’re short on time, this circuit is enough, but I highly recommend exploring the others as well. I visited all of them except the green one due to time constraints. If you only have one day (or just a few hours) in El Calafate, this is a must-do.
At the end of the blue circuit, you’ll reach a pier where the boat tours depart and where you’ll also find a good restaurant, Restó del Glaciar Perito Moreno. We had lunch there during our visit. A free park shuttle will take you back to the entrance of the walkways.
Another popular way to experience the glacier is by boat. While the walkways offer a view from above, the boat gets you closer to the glacier from the water. It’s well worth it. The boat ride might be included in your tour, or you may need to book it on the spot, with the risk that it may be sold out. Use the free internal park bus or follow the blue walkway to reach the pier.
Perito Moreno is absolutely stunning, but the region has so much more to offer.
Glaciar hike
A classic must-do here is walking on the glacier!
These tours are always guided and done in small groups. There are two main options: the Mini Trekking, where the glacier walk lasts about an hour, and the Big Ice full-day trek, which includes a three-hour hike plus a break for a picnic.
Unfortunately, I left it until the day before to book, and there were no spots available for either tour. So I highly recommend booking in advance. I’ll definitely have to return to El Calafate to try it myself! 😉
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Mayo Spirit Trek
Since I missed out on the glacier mini-trekking, I decided to do the Mayo Spirit Trek, and it turned out to be a great experience.
This tour combines a boat trip with an easy hike through a part of Los Glaciares National Park that can only be reached by boat. The first stop is Bahia Toro, where you can take a short walk through Andean Patagonian forest and see a waterfall over 180 meters high.
After returning to the boat, it continues a bit further to the start of another hike. This 1 km walk takes you through a scenic valley to the Cerro Negro Glacier, a hanging glacier perched high on the mountain.
The boat then continues across Lago Argentino, getting close to the Perito Moreno Glacier. This part of the trip is one of the highlights, as you get a unique view of the glacier’s ice wall from below, a perspective very different from the walkways. On the day of our visit, there were several large icebergs, and the boat navigated through them, which made it even more memorable.
The boat then docks at the pier for about two hours, giving you time to revisit the walkways. I took the park’s free shuttle to the main entrance area and explored some sections I hadn’t had time for on the first day.
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Boat tour to the Upsala Glacier
There are also several other glaciers in the region besides Perito Moreno. One bout tour route follows another arm of Lago Argentino, leading to the Uppsala Glacier and Spegazzini Glacier, which has ice walls of up to 135 meters. I also had to leave this one for my next trip to El Calafate, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful, with a good chance of seeing lots of icebergs.
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About the Patagonia Photography Expedition
This trip was my first photography expedition in Patagonia, and I have to admit I was a bit unsure at first. Photography isn’t my area of expertise, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
However, our expedition leader, Marcello Cavalcanti, a photographer known for his work, was exceptional. Not only did he carefully plan the locations and timings, but he also ran everything smoothly and was incredibly patient, guiding everyone according to each person’s needs. (Just to clarify, this is not a sponsored post; I paid for this trip myself.)
The result was an unforgettable trip. I had a blast, met amazing people, learned a lot, and came back with great photos.
Our focus was landscape photography, so we made the most of sunrise and sunset each day. We would leave the hotel while it was still dark, spend the entire day exploring several beautiful locations, and return exhausted, often well after dark.
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On the first day in El Calafate, entry to Los Glaciares National Park only opened at 8 a.m., so our sunrise shoot took place at a spot that looked random but had been carefully chosen by our lead photographer. The sunrise was beautiful, with hues of yellow, orange, pink, and red shifting and blending together.
While driving through the region, we encountered some Patagonian wildlife, including a Chilean eagle, a large group of cauquenes (Patagonian geese), a fox, and a caracara. I was still getting familiar with my telephoto lens at the time, so I didn’t capture the moments as well as I’d hoped, but it was all part of the process.
In Los Glaciares National Park, there were plenty of photo opportunities along the walkways. The early morning orange light gave way to the glacier’s deep blue, with endless angles to explore. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for sunset due to park hours, so we headed back to town to prepare for our early departure to Torres del Paine in Chile.
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The drive from El Calafate to our hotel in Chile, near the border with Argentina, took about four hours via Paso Internacional Don Guillermo. Torres del Paine National Park was about 45 miles away.
The expedition continued for another five days in Chile, where we photographed some of the most impressive landscapes you’ll see. I’ll share more details about our photography expedition in Torres del Paine in another post.
This is NOT a sponsored trip. I paid for all expenses myself.
Here are the websites I always use to plan my trips:
– 🛌 Accommodation: Booking
– ☀️ Tours & activities: Civitatis & Get Your Guide
– 📱 eSIM for mobile data: Airalo e-SIM – use promo code DANAE2375
– 🚗 Car rental: RentCars – use promo code DANAE
Check out all our posts about traveling in Argentina and Chile:
- El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier – the best of Argentinan Patagonia
- The best of Ushuaia – A 4-day itinerary for spring and autumn
- Northern Argentina: complete 10-day itinerary through Salta and Jujuy
- Torres del Paine photographic expedition – Chilean Patagonia
Here are our posts about other destinations in South and Central America:
Guatemala
Colombia
- The best of Colombia – 12-day itinerary
- What to do in 3 days in Bogotá
- What to do in Cartagena de Indias – Colombia
- How to visit Tayrona National Park – the most beautiful beaches in mainland Colombia
Chile
Belize
- One week in Belize: a perfect itinerary for first-time visitors
- What to do in Belize: the best of San Ignacio, Caye Ambergris and Caye Caulker
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