Why El Calafate
El Calafate is the base for Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the few glaciers in the world you can watch head-on from boardwalks as blocks of ice crash into Lake Argentino. It is also the starting point for boat trips to other glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park.
The choice is centre or view. The centre keeps everything on foot; the hills give you the lake in front of you; and estancias offer Patagonian ranch life.
Choosing by type of trip
- No car: an apartment or inn in the centre.
- Couple: a lake-view cabin in the hills.
- Family: a self-catering apartment or cabin near the centre.
- Ranch experience: an estancia outside town.
- Tighter budget: self-catering, in the shoulder season or winter.
When to go
- Good time to save
- Peak season: pricier and busier
- A guide only: varies each year.
Season (October to April)
All tours and boat trips run. December to February is the busiest and most expensive; October, November, March and April usually combine good weather with lower prices.
Winter (May to September)
Perito Moreno can be visited year-round, and in winter with very few people. Some boat trips and services run less often and it is cold, but prices drop considerably.
Getting there
- Fly into El Calafate airport, with flights from Buenos Aires and other cities. It is about 20 minutes from town.
- From Chile, travel overland from Puerto Natales to combine Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno in one trip.
- The glacier is about 80 km from town: there are regular buses and tours, or you can drive.
