For many this beautiful glacier in southern Argentina is one of the wonders of the world. If you like glaciers and alpine landscapes the Perito Moreno Glacier awaits you in Argentine Patagoniaa at any time of the year.
The glacier is in the province of Santa Cruz and has about 250 square kilometers of surface. It is wonderful and one of the most important tourist magnets in the country. It makes thousands of tourists travel miles and miles just to appreciate it and hopefully witness one of its noisy and fantastic breaks. It is within the Los Glaciares National Park and is one of the glaciers that stands out the most because it is the only one that can be seen from land.
Characteristics of the Perito Moreno Glacier
The glacier has a height of around 74 meters and the ice has a depth of 170 meters. It is a glacier that advances over the waters of the Rico River of Lake Argentino and as it acts as a dam the water level rises several meters. The ice reached the mainland in 1947, touching the tip of the Magellan peninsula and killing a lenga forest. A kind of natural dam was then formed that cut the drainage of the south of the lake, the so-called Brazo Rico.
From then on, the pressure at that point is high and that is why a tunnel of more than 50 meters ends up being created that gradually erodes until, in a fantastic rupture, the tunnel collapses. This has happened several times and is estimated to take place every four to five years. Tourists who are lucky enough to witness it can see everything just 400 meters away. A luxury.
The glacier advances at an average speed of 4 kilometers from the front, which represents about 700 meters a year and about two meters a day. Geologists still do not agree on its constitution process, whether it is by accretion, equilibrium or decrement. Anyway, the imposing white mass creaks, moves, pieces of ice of various sizes fall and always knows how to put on a show.
This glacier, along with others in the area, It is part of the Patagonian Continental Ice that is 17 thousand kilometers long and that it is one of the largest drinking water reserves in the world. After the glacier zones of Antarctica and Greenland is the ice of Argentina.
How to get to the Perito Moreno Glacier
The glacier is within Los Glaciares National Park, in the province of Santa Cruz. Being in Buenos Aires it is best to take a plane since in Argentina the distances are very great. Once in Santa Cruz, you can take Provincial Route 11 from El Calafate to the town of Punta Bandera. Shortly before arriving there is the detour to the Magallanes Peninsula, which is where the walkways have been built to observe the glacier.
It is also possible to get there by taking Provincial Route 15 from El Calafate. It takes us right to the National Reserve that is next to Lake Roca and halfway there is the exit to the Magallanes Peninsula. It is 80 kilometers so you have to calculate an hour and a half of travel.
Excursions and walks through the Perito Moreno Glacier
There are many tourist agencies that offer tours and excursions on the glacier itself and its surroundings. It all depends on what type of tourist you are, calmer, more sedentary or more active. There are cruises that take you by boat to the soaring white walls, that allow you to hear the ice chunks fall and that either with sun or clouds provide unforgettable shows.
In addition to the cruises, which depart from Puerto Bajos Las Sombras, other excursions allow you to walk with crampons through the ice mass. There is a lot of walking and harness handling so it's not a ride for everyone. It is reached by boat after 15 minutes of navigation and from there, with the help of guides and special equipment, the walk begins that will allow us to know blue lagoons, deep screams, caves and frozen sinkholes. This type of walk lasts between four and seven hours, if it includes a walk in the forest, and also includes a picnic.
The most popular excursion of all, the mother excursion, we could say, consists of renting a car or joining a tour and leave El Calafate. This route allows to know the flora of the place and its landscapes, changing and beautiful according to the season. The first vantage point on the route is known as The Curve of Sighs and allows you to see the glacier surrounded by the nearby hills. Then the same path ends at the western end of the Magallanes Peninsula, in front of more than five kilometers of the ice mass and the gateway to the popular footbridges.
The footbridges of the Perito Moreno Glacier are arranged forming a three-level circuit with balconies and stairs that you provide views from different points of view. If you want to enjoy other panoramic views, you have to move to the north face walking along the coast, but this can only be done with a guide.
And what rates do these glacier tours have? If you contract them by agency, the prices are between 450 and 1500 Argentine pesos, between 40 and 150 euros respectively. The walk through the catwalks is around 450 pesos while the trekking on the glacier (trekking, navigation and footbridge plus transport from the hotel in Calafate) costs 1470 pesos or a full day of cruising through the rivers and glaciers is at 1550 pesos.
Recommendations to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier
You have to bring warm clothes, much more if we are going to dare to walk up the glacier. Comfortable shoes, glasses and a hat don't hurt either. And solar filter since the reflection of the white ice is tremendously strong.
Other walks near the Perito Moreno Glacier
Within the Los Glaciares National Park there is also the Upsala glacier that can only be reached by sailing. It is in an area of the northern arm of Lake Argentino and is much larger than the Perito Moreno. It has huge blocks of ice and it is speculated that its entire front is not supported by the bottom of the river, but rather floats. A kayak excursion to see it up close costs around 400 euros and is fantastic.