How to Visit the Perito Moreno Glacier

The Perito Moreno Glacier has to be one of the most jaw droppingly stunning sights I've ever had the pleasure to witness in my life. I'm talking just staring and gawking silently for a few minutes while people walked by giving me strange looks. The best part? Unlike a majority of Patagonia, I didn't have to trek one bit to get to it (hey don't judge. Some of those treks are hard!).

If you are considering a trip to Patagonia or anywhere else in South America, read my tips for your first trip here

For a visit to the massive glacier, you really only need half a day or a few hours at most and it's an easy trip from El Calafate. Also, don't forget to spend some time in El Calafate! Even if you can only squeeze out a day, it's a charming little town and we absolutely fell in love.

How to Get to the Glacier

Option 1: Take a Tour

You can sign up with a tour group before your trip or even once you get to Calafate. Most of these groups will pick you up from your hotel/hostel and you just have to sit back while they take care of the rest

Option 2: Take the Local Bus

This is my recommendation. Public buses in Argentina are very nice and comfortable. You can ask your hotel/hostel front desk to call the bus company for you and book your bus in advance. I was surprised at how easy the process was. We had our confirmation in all of five minutes. Then all you need to do is show up at the bus station with your ticket. I do think it's best to go the route of someone booking for you rather than just showing up to the station because the buses can fill up. We ended up going in the early afternoon. I recommend going early morning so you still have half the day in Calafate after your visit.

Option 3: Take a Taxi

If the times of the local bus don't work with your schedule, then you can always take a taxi. Keep in mind this is the priciest of the options, especially if you don't have enough people to fill up the car.

What to Do at the Glacier

 Boat Tour - Not That Impressed

Once you get to the glacier, you will see a stand that sells boat tickets for a boat that will take you up close to the glacier and let you see it a different angles. In my opinion, don't waste your time and money on the boat. It's crowded with people who are just trying to take 10 million photos and being up close to the glacier doesn't give you the full effect. That being said, it's relatively inexpensive and we did meet a new friend on the boat so if you do decide to take it, just don't expect anything glamorous

Trek on The Glacier

This needs to be booked in advance and will be a part of a tour. This will give you an opportunity to walk on the glacier. Though I did not take part in the tour myself, I spoke to several travelers who thoroughly enjoyed the tour and highly recommended it. Here are two sites that allow you to book in advance: You could also wait until you get to Patagonia to book a tour just keep in mind that you may not be able to secure the time/date you want in case the group is full

 Go Up Higher for Stunning Views

It's not all that clear once you get to the glacier that there is in fact a higher viewing point. We finally realized that after walking around aimlessly and thinking to ourselves, this is gorgeous but this can't be it? Can it? Are we just ungrateful Americans? Turns out, that there is a shuttle right near the boat ticket stand that will take you up higher where you will see stunning panoramic views of the glacier with a lot of walkways

Seeing the Perito Moreno Glacier is a once in a life time experience! Make sure it is on your Patagonia itinerary.

In the next coming weeks, I will be posting lots and lots (don't worry, nothing too obnoxious) on Argentina and Chile. If you don't want to miss any posts, drop your email below to be notified when something new is on the blog. Otherwise, be sure to check back for some great content!