El Calafate / City Tours

4 Days / 3 Nights

 

Day 1

Arrival and reception at the airport. Transfer to the selected hotel. If you have time, do not miss the opportunity to visit the Glaciarium, a glaciological museum, or enjoy one tour which will allow you to discover the steppe landscape with lunch or dinner.

Day 2

B

Departure from the hotel towards the Perito Moreno Glacier, within Los Glaciares National Park, declared a Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO. This glacier is an impressive ice river with a surface of 257 square kilometers (99 square miles) and the height of the front wall oscillates between 50 and 60 meters above lake level. This frozen river descends from the continental ice field and in its slow advance, causes detachments and outbursts that make the glacier a wonder in constant movement. The visit can be complemented (optionally) with a one-hour boat trip, which allows us to enjoy a different view of its front and get a better dimension of the height of its peaks. Time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, return to the hotel.

Day 3

B

Day at leisure ideal to take boat trip through Lake Argentino or enjoy one of the many activities which will allow to get to know unique landscapes.

Day 4

B

At due time, transfer to the airport.

To keep in mind:

The visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier could be replaced, with addittional cost, by the hiking on the glacier. Please consult us about the restrictions and the allowed age for this activity.

El Calafate Optional Tours

Nautical Safari.

Optional excursion to Perito Moreno Glacier tour. We sail through Rico Branch to admire the southern wall of the glacier. We are able to appreciate a totally different perspective of the glacier with walls in constant detachment.

Operates: daily

Duration: 1 hour

Moreno Spirit.

Optional excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier tour. We sail from Puerto Moreno, located on the footbridges of the coast. From there, the boat sails to admire the northern wall of the glacier, the zone of rupture, the height of its walls and its detachments.

Operates: daily

Duration: 1 hour

Glaciarium.

Close to the city, get to know the Glaciarium Ice Museum, a modern center dedicated to the dissemination of Patagonian icefield and its glaciers, besides being one of the few glaciological interpretation centers in the world. The contents are presented, with interactions and exhibitions. Visitors can enjoy a drink at the Ice Bar.

Operates: daily

Duration: 2 hours

Safari Experience.

It is ideal for an arrival or departure day and allows to discover the Patagonian landscape by seeing guanacos, condors, foxes, among others that are part of the native fauna. Season: NOV-APR Operates: daily AM/PM.

Duration: 5 hours

Meal: Lunch or dinner with drinks

Minitrekking.

From Bajo de las Sombras Bay we cross the Rico Branch to reach the southern wall of Perito Moreno Glacier. From there we walk along the coast of the lake until the place where we put on the crampons and receive instructions to walk along the ice and appreciate a great variety of ice formations such as crevices, sinkholes and small lagoons. At the end, we visit the walkways to get a different perspective of such an amazing landscape.

Season: AUG-MAY

Operates: daily

Duration: 10 hours (walk on ice for about 1.30 hours)

Difficulty: low intermediate

To keep in mind: Bring a box lunch. Check for restrictions.

Big Ice.

If you are looking for a more demanding trek, this is the right option. We begin a walk along a moraine and after an hour, we reach a viewpoint where we put on crampons, harnesses and access to ice. During the walk, we observe lagoons, crevices, sinkholes, caves and the unique feeling of being in the middle of the glacier. Before returning, we have lunch on the ice.

Season: SEP-APR

Operates: daily

Duration: 11 hours (walk on ice for about 3.30 hours)

Difficulty: high

To keep in mind: Bring a box lunch. Check for restrictions.

Perito Moreno Kayak Experience.

Experience Perito Moreno Glacier from a kayak, enjoying a different perspective. We start at the operational base where we put on our suits and receive a safety talk. Once ready, we go out in kayak from De Los Témpanos Beach, paddling towards the front of the glacier, approaching about 600 meters (0,3 mile) away. Finally, we return to the base, have lunch and return to the city.

Season: all year round except June and July

Operates: daily Duration: 7/8 hours (kayak 1.30 hour)

Meals: pic nic

Difficulty: intermediate. Experience in the activity is not needed.

To keep in mind: You must be older than 14 years old.

All Glaciers.

From Punta Bandera Port, we start sailing the Lake Argentino Northern Branch and Upsala Channel, in order to navigate among the big icebergs that fall out from the Upsala Glacier. Then, we enter the Spegazzini Channel, where we see the Seco Glacier, the front face of the Spegazzini Glacier, in addition to Heim Sur and Peineta Glaciers. At Spegazzini Base, we land and see the Glaciers Bay from a path. Return to El Calafate.

Operates: Daily. Please ask for MAY-JUL.

Duration: 9 hours

To keep in mind: Seeing Upsala Glacier is subject to weather conditions. Bring box lunch.

Estancia Cristina Discovery.

Boat trip through the Lake Argentino to admire the western front of the Upsala Glacier and visit the Estancia Cristina. After disembarking, we board a 4WD vehicle and start to ascend the Feruglio mountain chain to a point where we begin a short hike on glacial erosion terrain to reach the Upsala Glacier Viewpoint. Back to the hull of the ranch, where we have lunch (not included) visit the Costumbrista Museum and its surroundings.

Season: OCT-APR

Operates: daily

Duration: 11 hours

To keep in mind: Bring a box lunch or reserve lunch in advance.

 

PHOTO GALLERY

 

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