What to see in El Calafate?
El Calafate is the gate to visit the incredible Perito Moreno and other glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park. But there are many other great activities like a visit to a typical estancia in the Patagonian steppe, or some adventure activities that can be enjoyed during your visit to the area. The following is an overview list of what to see in El Calafate:
Perito Moreno Glacier
No doubt, Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the highlights in Patagonia and of course a must-see when you arrive to El Calafate. This is an amazing collosus of ice, with enormous blocks of ice falling into the Argentino Lake with a thonderous crash. Be ready to take hundred of photos and look at this 70-meters-thick slab of brilliant blue ice.
The 250 km2 ice formation, 30 km in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile. This ice field is the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water! The Perito Moreno Glacier, located 78 kilometres from El Calafate, was named after the explorer Francisco Moreno, a pioneer who studied the region in the 19th century and played a major role in defending the territory of Argentina in the conflict surrounding the international border dispute with Chile.
Once there, you can walk along different trails to enjoy unforgettable views of this wonderful mass of ice. Be ready to take photos! There are some optional activities you can do once there. One of them is a boat navigation to see the glacier from the Argentino Lake in an excursion called Safari Nautico. You also can choose to walk over the ice of the glacier with crampons in an unforgettable experience.
More Glaciers: Boat navigations in Los Glaciares National Park
Another great option, and also a must-do, is boat navigation of Argentino Lake, in Los Glaciares National Park. There are many options available in the market but basically is an activity aboard a catamaran across the milky turquoise waters of Lago Argentino to see different glaciers in the national park. The only way to get up close and personal with the glaciers is by boat. Some of the glaciers you can enjoy are the Upsala, Seco, Spegazzini, Mayo, and more. There are some excursions to Estancia Cristina, that combine navigation with disembarkation and adventure activities. Take a look to the options available in our activities section.
Mini trekking: Walking over the Perito Moreno Glacier
If you love adventure, and your health conditions are ok, you can take this unforgettable experience. The mini trekking is an ice walking over the Moreno Glacier. The company will provide crampons, to walk over the ice for around 1 hour. The Minitrekking is oriented for people who enjoy nature, adventure and who want to live the experience of walking on the ice of the most beautiful glacier of the world.
Once you disembark, you will be greeted by mountain guides, who will lead you to a shelter with sanitary facilities. From there, you will begin a brief walk along the shore of the lake, which includes a talk on glaciology in general and the Perito Moreno Glacier in particular. Upon reaching the edge of the glacier, the guides will form subgroups of a maximum 20 people each, and will fit you with crampons and helmets. Once on the ice, you will receive a brief safety talk and will begin the walk.
Always with the help of our mountain guides, you’ll enjoy this natural ice paradise. The trekking difficulty is moderate and has many ascends and descends, the route on the glacier lasts approximately one and a half hours and, in its course, you will be able to appreciate a variety of typical formations of glacier-like cracks, sumps, seracs, lagoons, etc.
At the end of the walk, you’ll return to the shelter along a walkway crossing the lush Patagonian Andean forest. Shortly afterward, you’ll board the boat to return to the port and see the glacier walls. This tour includes a one-hour guided visit to the walkways of the Perito Moreno Glacier, which is 7 km from the port. There, you’ll enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the glacier and walk along some of the self-guided paths.
Visiting a typical Patagonian Estancia
Of course, another great activity to do during your visit to El Calafate is a visit to a typical estancia or farm in the patagonian steppe. There are many nearby estancias or ranches to get a feel for the rural, patagonian gaucho way of life. The visit include a tour of a working farm, demonstrations like sheep shearing or cattle driving, and a traditional Argentine asado of grilled meats. Taste the unique patagonian lamb! It`s delicious. Some of the estancias that offers this visit are 25 de Mayo, El Galpon, and Estancia Cristina. Take a look to our list of activities and choose one of them for your visit to El Calafate.
Daytrip to El Chalten
Of course, if you`re a trekking lover, I`m sure you will organize a 2 or 3-night stay in El Chalten, to enjoy the incredible Fitz Roy Massif and different trails available in the area. But, you also can take a full day trip to visit the small village of El Chaltèn for a day, and may be take a short trekking too. The visit also can include a visit to Lago del Desierto. It`s a nice activity to do from El Calafate during your stay
The Glaciarium and the Ice Bar
The Glaciarium is a small science museum and it`s a nice visit to learn more about glaciers around El Calafate. A good idea is to go first here to learn all about them beforehand. They have displays explaining how glaciers are formed, how they vary, and how they differ around the world. Also learn more about how climate change is affecting glaciers and the evolution of Los Glaciares National Park. This visit can be combined with the Ice Bar, which is located next to the Glaciarium. The visitors have to pay for entry to enjoy unlimited cocktails in ice glasses, on ice furniture, surrounded by ice sculptures in freezing temps for around 20 minutes.
Daytrip to Torres del Paine National Park
Crossing to Chile, you can enjoy one of the most famous national parks in the world, and a highlight in Patagonia. Of course and again, if you`re a trekking lover, we suggest to stay there for 2-3 nights at least, to enjoy different trails available in this awesome area. But you also can take a tour for a day, and see the amazing Patagonian landscapes. The trip goes across the steppe and into Chile at Cancha Carrera before heading south to Torres del Paine National Park. Be ready to take an overview of this park, take hundred of photos and return to El Calafate.
Walichu Caves
A nice visit is the tour to Walichu Caves. This site is just next to Lago Argentino, and you will learn more about the history surrounding this prehistoric place. These caves are home to 4,000-year-old cave paintings and incredible rock formations and eaves. Experts believe they were used as shelter by men as early as the Upper Paleolithic Era (also known as the Late Stone Age). You can also catch wildlife like guanacos and foxes roaming around the rugged terrain here.
Cerro Frias
Another nice visit to do, after visiting the glaciers in your visit to El Calafate, is the tour to Cerro Frias. It`s a hill located just 22 km away from El Calafate within the Patagonian Steppe. Of course landscape is unique, because it’s not surrounded by other mountains, Cerro FrÃas is an epic viewpoint 1,300 meters high from which visitors can see Mount Fitz Roy, Torres del Paine, and Lago Argentino.
There are many adventure activities to do in Cerro Frias, like 4wd trips, horseback ridings, trekkings and more. There is a nice fauna too. You might catch sights of condors, grazing cattle, guanacos, and hares along the way.
