El Calafate

Our most recommended things to do in El Calafate

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  1. Glaciers Gourmet Experience: Full-Day Cruise with Lunch

  Sail in luxury around Southern Patagonia's Los Glaciares National Park during this full-day sightseeing cruise. Board at La Soledad Port, before visiting the stunning Escuadra Bay and the Condor Nesting Wall. Watch these beautiful birds in action. Marvel at the majestic natural wonders of the Seco, Heim and Spegazzini Glaciers from the catamaran's four outer decks. Disembark at "Puesto Las Vacas" station for a short walk. Then, visit Upsala Canal, and enjoy panoramic views of the spectacular Upsala and Bertracchi Glaciers. Indulge in a gourmet lunch onboard. Admire the cruiser's glacier-themed decorations, which bring nature indoors. Let your kids play in the recreation area, which features illustrations of the National Park’s native fauna. Navigate along Canal de los Témpanos towards the Northern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier, and disembark at La Soledad Port. 

  An option to get off at Perito Moreno glacier to explore the walks and offer a convenient way to return to the hotel by road instead of the boat.

  Reviewed by Padmini, 09/03/2020
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  2. Perito Moreno Glacier with Optional Nautical Safari

  Start your day with pick up from your hotel and head out on Route 11, bordering Lake Argentino. Travel 80 kilometers from El Calafate to the Moreno Glacier. On the drive out of El Calafate, you can see beautiful Lake Argentino with its Redonda Bay and try to spot its wide variety of birds. Within the first 40 kilometers, you’ll travel through the Patagonian Steppe, then enter the national park. You will arrive at the “Curva de los Suspiros” or “Sigh Curve”, the first panoramic viewpoint of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Enjoy a short stop to take pictures before moving on to Bajo las Sombras Port. You will have the option of taking an additional one-hour boat trip through the southern arm of the Iceberg Channel in order to see different views of the Perito Moreno Glacier Wall. Back at the Port, a system of balconies and footbridges allow you to enjoy walks along different paths and to take...

  The pick up was on time. The staff were professional and very friendly, and gave great commentary and explanations of glaciers. The day was well paced the lunch was fantastic and the time spent at each point of interest was ideal. If you are short on time this must be the one you start with during your stay..

  Reviewed by Michael, Australia, 11/03/2020
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  3. El Calafate: Full-Day Chalten Tour with Hiking

  Your day begins at 7:30AM in the morning from El Calafate, from where you will take the mythical Route 40 which borders the Argentino Lake. Following that, cross the Santa Cruz River, before continuing to the La Leona River where you will walk through its canyon until you reach the old hotel of Paso La Leona. There you can enjoy a coffee accompanied by homemade cakes, and from there you will continue skirting the Viedma Lake with the Andes in the background. Before reaching the village you will stop at the viewpoint of the Viedma Glacier from where you will be able to appreciate beautiful panoramic views of the glacier, the Cordillera, and the emblematic Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. You will later arrive at the mountain village of El Chaltén after 3 hours of travel, having traveled a total distance of 220 kilometers. After visiting the interpretation center, there is a walk to Chorr...

  The guide Pia was v good- friendly and Well paced Lunch was only one course and a bit disappointing

  Reviewed by Jo, 17/01/2020
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  4. El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise

  Depart from your hotel in El Calafate at around 10:30 AM and set off for the Perito Moreno Glacier located inside the Los Glaciares National Park. Travel for 80 kilometers (50 miles) until you arrive at the west end of the Magallanes Peninsula. Then, enjoy plenty of time to explore this natural ice formation due to your early start.  Begin your tour of the national park by strolling along a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) network of boardwalks. Admire the glacier from multiple perspectives as you climb up to different levels and balconies. Spend 2 hours exploring the runways and use this time to eat a packed lunch or make a stop in one of the restaurants.  Next, take an optional 1-hour boat ride in front of the northern wall of the glacier. After the tour, return to El Calafate via the same route, arriving at approximately 6:30/7:00 PM.

  Very well organized trip. The guide was very knowledgeable and attentive. The views of the glacier were spectacular both from the boat and the balconies. Absolutely worth the flight from Buenos Aires!

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 19/03/2020
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  5. From El Calafate: Torres del Paine 4x4 Full-Day Tour

  Early in the morning a 4x4 off-road truck will pick you up at your hotel to start a 3-hour journey amidst the natural isolation which characterizes Patagonia, to get to the border of Chile The tour guide will assist travelers with customs documentation (no worries about the Spanish there). Enjoy a coffee at the café El Ovejero Patagónico, use the restrooms and buy some souvenirs if you’d like! Before entering the National Park, make a stop at the Sarmiento Lake panoramic viewpoint; get your first full view of the massive Paine landscape and its wild animals! Around midday, take a short walk along the coastline of Amarga Lagoon, reach Paine Fall and eat lunch outdoors while enjoying the views of Rio Paine and the Towers.  Once inside the National Park, make short stops at key viewpoints, and take a hike up the coastline of Lago Nordenskjold to get closer to the Horns. At the end of the...

  You travel in a big group - minus Pick up takes long And is late ( mine was late 30 min) - minus Steep Price- minus The scenery is incredible and you will have a time of your life

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 17/11/2019
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  6. 2-Day Perito Moreno Tour with Boat Ride & 4x4 Safari

  Spend 2 full days exploring the nature and scenic views of Patagonia with a professional guide. Day 1: On your first day, a minivan will pick you up at your hotel in El Calafate and you’ll head to Glaciers National Park. To get there, you will traverse 50 miles of paved road on a path between brown mountains and a blue lake. On the way, a specialized local guide will tell you about the park, which hosts the second largest icefield in the world after Antarctica. At the hop-off point, your guide will explain how to navigate the 2 mile-long boardwalks that showcase the front wall of Perito Moreno Glacier. These are low difficulty paths connected by stairways. You can read the informative signs in key viewpoints, and if you're lucky, you may even see a gigantic piece of ice breaking and falling into the lake. Join your guide again at the chosen time to take your hour-long boat trip acros...

  Well organized boat ride and viewpoint walk platform tour on the first day, with an excellent guude Natalia. 4x4 tour on second day very interesting and different scenery change humbling both by the inmensity of nature

  Reviewed by Roberto, 12/01/2020
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  7. From El Calafate: Full-Day El Chaltén Sailing and Hike Tour

  This exciting experience is one that combines walking, sailing, stunning views, and truly unforgettable sites. The adventure starts with a bus ride from El Calafate to Chaltén. On arrival to El Chalten head towards the stunning Lago del Desierto, Patagonia’s Lake District. Be sure to soak in the panoramic views of glimmering glaciers during the ride. Once you arrive in Punta Sur, you will set sail on a 50-minute journey, cruising by impressive glaciers such as Crestón and Huemul. After reaching Punta Norte, sail to Vespignani Glacier in the middle of the lake to begin your hike. Under the supervision of a safety expert, you will be able to choose from three well-marked trails through the Glacier Vespignani Reserve. Each differs in terms of duration and difficulty. The more demanding trail takes roughly 45 minutes to complete, reaching an altitude of nearly 500 feet (150 meters) and ove...

  Boat ride was amazing. It was a reasonably long drive from Chalten to the lake but pretty along the way. Driver didn’t really speak much English

  Reviewed by Andrew, Australia, 31/12/2019
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  8. From El Calafate: Torres del Paine Full Day Tour

  The day begins with pickup from your hotel in El Calafate, then travels to the border crossing at Cancha Carrera to enter Chile. After you’ve passed through customs, travel the last 80 km towards the breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park. Once inside the park, set out exploring a selection of different trekking trails, accompanied by your local expert guides. Throughout the day, learn about the park’s diverse flora and fauna as you wander through this unique landscape. Some of the highlights on this tour through the Chilean lands, include Lago Sarmiento de Gamboa, Rio Paine Falls, Almirante Nieto Mountains, and Amarga Lagoon. Midway through the day there’s also time to enjoy a picnic lunch to recharge for the rest of the adventure.

  We had a clear day so we saw a lot of beautiful views. Just be prepared to spend the entire day on a bus. The road is VERY bumpy at times and we were very happy to get off when the trip was over. Also, the lunch provided is a meat sandwich and meat empanada with some sweets and a water. There were multiple vegetarians pretty disappointed so make sure you reach out and contact the company directly, not your booking agency, about any food requirements before the trip. The guides on the bus spoke very little English, but once we passed the border into Chile our park guide was very fluent in both English and Spanish. Also make sure to bring enough local currency to pay the park entrance fee. It is about 5,000 Argentinian pasos for two people or 25,000 Chilean pasos per person. In the end we are happy we went.

  Reviewed by Mariah, United States, 05/02/2020
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  9. From El Calafate: Full-Day Tour to El Chaltén

  Immerse yourself in Argentina’s dramatic landscapes and take in panoramic views of mountains, glaciers, and lakes. See the nature that played a major role in Darwin’s and Fitz Roy’s research and discover Argentina’s youngest village, El Chaltén, founded in 1985. Start your full-day tour with a pickup from your hotel in El Calafate. Take the legendary Route 40, which runs alongside Lake Argentino with its blueish-white glaciers.   Cross the Santa Cruz River and hear about Charles Darwin’s and Robert Fitz Roy’s expeditions. Continue to La Leona River, and stop at La Leona Roadhouse, where you can learn the history of Route 40 over a coffee and homemade cake. Walk along the edge of Lake Viedma and see the breathtaking peaks of the Andes mountain range, including Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. After your 3-hour journey, arrive at El Chatén, located in the Southern Andes in a valley where the ri...

  The day is well timed but long. It allows you a choice of a short hike or a 8Km round trip with moderate to challenging track. The bus picks you up at your hotel or dwelling at about 9-9:30 am thence you travel the 220 Km to El Chaltén (with one stop) then arrive just after 12:30.pm The only downside is the lunch box provided - suggest yo get something more appealing and take it with you.

  Reviewed by Michael, Australia, 03/03/2020
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  10. From El Calafate: Argentino Lake and 4WD Discovery Tour

  On this excursion from El Calafate you’ll spend a day in awe of the spectacular natural wonders of Los Glaciares National Park. Begin with a sail from the Punta Bandera port on board a modern and comfortable boat. You’ll be surrounded by icebergs as you sail on Argentino Lake and marvel at the stunning views. Continue the sail through the North Arm and the Cristina Channel, finally disembarking at Estancia Cristina. When you arrive at the Estancia you’ll enjoy a history tour, and a visit to the museum and old shearing shed. Head out on a guided walk up to the Caterina River, where you’ll see the chapel and the old house of the Estancia. From here you’ll ascend by 4x4 vehicle to the 9.5-kilometer continental ice shelter, which is an area of significant geological interest. From the shelter you’ll take a 20-minute walk to the Upsala viewpoint, along terrain that has been eroded by the ...