DANCING ON PERITO MORENO GLACIER: PATAGONIA
Patagonia is one adrenaline rush after another.
After having completed the W Circuit in Torres del Paine and being on a very exhausted high, I gave my body a couple of days to recover. The feeling that I had completed one of the most amazing treks in Patagonia hadn't quite sunk in yet.
Little did I know it was about to get even better!
Trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier
Trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier is not only one of my highlights of Patagonia, but of my whole trip so far! It's a feeling I never could have imagined and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to walk, dance and jump on a glacier. An incredible feeling and experience and one that I will treasure for many years to come.
The Northern Patagonia ice field stretches 4,200km² and the Southern Patagonia Ice field is 16,800km². Perito Moreno Glacier is a small but unique part of that. It's one of the few glaciers in the world that is stable and hasn't been affected severely by climate change.
One of the snowiest places on the planet. The area receives between 30-40m of snow every year. At higher elevation, it snows 300 days per year. The ice flows slowly, around 15-25cm a day. The glaciers flow like rivers, faster in the middle and more slowly to the sides and close to the bottom.
Whoop whoop!!
What it's like hiking on Perito Moreno
Surreal.
I didn't even know it was a thing until my tour guide talked about a 30-day trek into the glacier.
Picked up from my hostel in the morning, we spent the first couple of hours viewing Perito Moreno from the trails inside the park, listening to the thundering clacks of chunks of ice falling off. After a brief boat journey, we arrived at the glacier where we were kitted up with some cool crampons and given instructions on how to walk on the glacier.
Our tour guide was amazing. He was informative, attentive and a bundle of jokes the whole way. It's by far one of the best tours I have ever done and totally worth it.
The water on Perito Moreno Glacier is the purest you'll ever come across and 100% drinkable. The rivers that flow through the glacier and caves scattered around are absolutely incredible.
The best part is avoiding the crowds that gather on the park trails and lookout points. As the tours are really well spaced out and limited in size, you'll have plenty of options to get some great photos. Not to mention a really unique experience.
Perito Moreno!
Trekking on ice!
How to organise your trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier tour
This isn't one you can just venture off and do on your own. As an inexperienced hiker on glaciers, you'll be obligated to take a tour. Luckily there isn't much shopping around for this as there's only one company in town that is authorised to carry out these excursions, Hielo & Adventura.
Located on the main road in El Calafate, you can either book with them or book via your hostel who will make the reservation for you. My hostel in El Calafate tried to charge a 10% fee for paying by card which I refused to pay. If this happens, just book directly with Hielo & Adventura, as they don't charge a card fee.
The prices aren't cheap but you have the choice of doing the Mini Trek where you'll walk around on the ice for 1-2 hours or the Big Ice trek where you'll go deeper into the glacier and trek for 4 hours or more.
How much does it cost?
Mini trek: $4500 pesos
Big Trek: $7500 pesos
On top of this, you'll have to pay for the bus which is $800 pesos and entry into the glacier park which is $700 pesos.
You might be able to negotiate a small discount if you're multiple people although the price seemed pretty much fixed.
What to wear on your glacier trek
Wrap up warm with long pants and a jacket. You'll also need gloves which are compulsory in case you trip and fall.
It can get sweaty as you're walking around. Just be aware that the weather can change pretty quickly in Patagonia.
Don't forget sunglasses and sunscreen too :)
The denser the ice, the bluer the colour
Other options to experience Perito Moreno Glacier
You can also do a day trip where you take the bus and visit the glacier. You need to pay for the bus and entry into the park. This comes in at $1500 pesos.
There are also boat tours. You can find many agencies in town to find one that suits you. Some tours even take you to neighbouring glaciers, so it's worth checking out.
Lookout points for Perito Moreno Glacier
How to get to El Calafate
There's a bus that goes directly from Puerto Natales to El Calafate in 3 hours. You can also arrive from El Chalten on a short bus journey.
To book your bus tickets or check the schedules, I'd recommend busbud.com or Platform 10. You'll probably need to print your ticket out before you board.
There are also flights from Bariloche and Buenos Aires with Aerolineas Argentinas which can be pretty cheap if you book in advance.
Amazing!!
Where to stay in El Calafate
The town El Calafate doesn't really have a whole lot to do apart from visiting the glacier. I spent a day wandering around, attempting to get to the lake which appeared impossible to walk to and going for a short hike.
You really only need 2 nights or 1 day before you head to your next destination.
I stayed at America del Sur after a few recommendations and it was clean, with a great vibe and a good breakfast each morning. Check out prices and availability here.
Folk Hostel, located close to the bus terminal has good wifi and is a comfortable place to crash for a couple of nights. Check out prices and availability here.
Calafate Hostel: In a very convenient location, a charming hostel with prices starting at $60 a night. Check out prices and availability here.
Planning a trip or fancy a freebie? These are some websites and services I love:
Booking.com: For the best hotel deals! 🏝
World Nomads: Travel insurance on the go 🌎
Airbnb: For the best apartment deals!🏡
Affiliate links above!
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