Perito Moreno Glacier, El Calafate, Argentina

The Perito Moreno Glacier Is Advancing. Most of the World’s Glaciers Are Retreating.

That distinction is the starting point. While climate change has caused dramatic retreat at glaciers across the planet, Perito Moreno in Los Glaciares National Park in Argentine Patagonia has remained in approximate mass balance – advancing at roughly 2 metres per day, periodically pressing against the Magallanes Peninsula on the opposite shore, building up pressure, and then rupturing in dramatic collapses that send ice the size of buildings crashing into Lago Argentino. The sound carries across the lake. The spray rises 20 metres. It happens multiple times daily during the austral summer.

The glacier’s face rises 60 metres above the lake surface and extends 5 kilometres wide. Standing on the boardwalk system above the water, you are looking at a face of ice that has been forming at altitude for centuries, moving slowly down the valley. The blue colouration of the deep ice comes from the compression that forces out air bubbles, absorbing red wavelengths and transmitting blue.

Getting There

El Calafate, 80 kilometres from the glacier, is the standard base. It has an international airport with connections to Buenos Aires (about 3 hours) and Ushuaia. The drive from El Calafate to the park entrance takes about 90 minutes. Organised tours with round-trip transport and entry included cost roughly USD 30 to 50; renting a car gives more flexibility and unlimited time at the viewpoints.

The Boardwalk System

The park has a well-engineered network of steel walkways and observation decks at multiple levels along the facing glacier wall. The platforms range from distant overview positions that capture the glacier’s full scale to closer vantage points where you can hear individual calving events building and wait for the release. Multiple levels mean you can spend hours watching from different angles without repeating yourself.

Big Ice Trekking

Several outfitters offer guided ice trekking on the glacier surface: crampon fitting, ice axe instruction, and a full-day walk across the upper regions, between crevasses, past ice formations. Groups are small and guides experienced. Suitable for people with moderate fitness who are comfortable with some technical instruction. Book in advance and expect to pay around USD 150 to 200.

When to Go

Summer (December through February) has the most frequent calving events, longest daylight (up to 17 hours), and milder temperatures. Winter (June through August) gives shorter, clearer days and far fewer visitors. The glacier is accessible year-round.

El Calafate

The town has hotels, hostels, and restaurants at all price points. Argentine grilled meats and Patagonian lamb are the correct things to eat. The ice cream is widely regarded as some of the best in South America. This is not exaggeration.