Four Itchy Feet

February 17, 2025. Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, El Calafate, Argentina.

Today, we visited the Perito Moreno Glacier in Glacier National Park. This site is the pride and joy of the Argentinian Park Service, and it shows.

We are staying near El Calafate, which is still an 80-kilometer drive to the glacier along a well-maintained but winding paved road. We entered the park using the Flexipass we purchased in El Chaltén. Once we were within 500 meters of the glacier, we had to park our car and take a free shuttle bus up to the viewing area.

The access to the glacier is like nothing you could imagine. There are three main walkways that allow you to see the glacier from every possible angle. You feel incredibly close to it, and then you have to stop and listen. The glacier is constantly shedding ice—you can hear thundering cracks followed by the crushing sound of massive chunks breaking off, tumbling down the glacier’s side, and crashing into the water. We simply sat, watched, and listened for a couple of hours.

Perito Moreno is the second-largest glacier in South America. Its ice, on average, is approximately 560 feet tall. It is a glacier on the move! It advances at an impressive rate of 6.5 feet per day or 2,372 feet per year.

There are many ways to experience Perito Moreno—you can visit by large catamarans, small boats, kayaks, or even trek on the glacier itself. However, we found the prices for most of these excursions to be expensive and lacking in value, especially considering the incredible views and close proximity we had from the park’s walkways. The walkways were entirely made of grated galvanized steel with solid wooden banisters and rails, and they were in immaculate condition. If you visit El Calafate and don’t have a car, don’t worry—tour operators line the main avenue, offering trips to the glacier. Don’t miss this opportunity, which may be short-lived given the changing climate and the ever-evolving landscape of Patagonia. Hurry and come visit the Perito Moreno Glacier!