Newcomer Excursions to Perito Moreno

[sammy]

Hello! We're planning a trip down south and want to organize our itinerary to include a day in El Calafate, where we'll be doing the minitrekking at Perito Moreno Glacier the next day, and then heading to Ushuaia the following day. Do you have any recommendations for activities in El Calafate for that first day? We'll be traveling during the last week of May, My stay is short, so the option I have seen is to take a flight from Buenos Aires arriving 8 am to El Calafate.
So we are considering the schedule. We can take a morning flight from Buenos Aires or catching the last available flight, depending on whether we can do something that day in El Calafate.

 

[Traveler]

The main attraction in El Calafate is the glaciers, such as Perito Moreno, as well as others like Spegazzini and Upsala. However, these are not close to the city, and the excursions to see them usually take several hours.
As for activities in the city, the Glaciarium stands out. It's a museum dedicated to glaciers from Argentina and around the world. It's very educational and helps visitors understand how glaciers work. Additionally, it features an ice bar included in the admission ticket, where you can enjoy two alcoholic beverages. The museum is about 10 km from the city center, and there's a free bus that runs from the center to the museum. Keep in mind that the museum typically closes at 8:00 PM, and the last bus from the center leaves at 6:00 PM. I'm not sure if they maintain the same hours in May, but you can check on their website.
I hope this information is helpful for planning your visit. If you have some free time on the day of arrival, you might consider visiting the Glaciarium. Otherwise, you can use that time to organize how to get to Puerto Bajo las Sombras the next day, either by renting a car, taking a taxi, or joining an excursion.

 

[Akira]

Hi @sammy, I'll try to help you with your questions. If your flight arrives at 8 in El Calafate, it seems almost impossible to reach Puerto Bajo las Sombras by 9 am. You still have to pick up your luggage, rent a car, or arrange some transportation to get there, and that alone might take you an hour. From El Calafate to Puerto Bajo las Sombras, it's 70 km. It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes by rental car, and they ask you to arrive half an hour before the departure time. They have a list of names for each person on every tour of the day.

It's possible that in May, the excursion only runs in the morning, as it's autumn and the days significantly shorten. I was there last week, and it was daylight until almost 11 at night, but in May, it might be dark by around 6 pm.

I hope I have helped you!

 

[sammy]

Hi @sammy, I'll try to help you with your questions. If your flight arrives at 8 in El Calafate, it seems almost impossible to reach Puerto Bajo las Sombras by 9 am. You still have to pick up your luggage, rent a car, or arrange some transportation to get there, and that alone might take you an hour. From El Calafate to Puerto Bajo las Sombras, it's 70 km. It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes by rental car, and they ask you to arrive half an hour before the departure time. They have a list of names for each person on every tour of the day.

It's possible that in May, the excursion only runs in the morning, as it's autumn and the days significantly shorten. I was there last week, and it was daylight until almost 11 at night, but in May, it might be dark by around 6 pm.

I hope I have helped you!

Also, if the Mini-Trekking isn't possible, do you think just doing the walkways and the boat navigation around Perito Moreno is worth it? Or should I at least consider the Safari Azul tour?

Regarding the weather, if anyone here has done the Mini-Trekking in May, is the cold tolerable?

 

[Akira]

I'm not sure if I would opt for the Safari Azul... It might feel a bit underwhelming to me. It's a good option for those who might not feel up to the other option. Or I don't know... You get closer to the glacier by land and can touch it.

In May, it's not as cold as in winter yet. Keep in mind that the Mini-Trekking excursion runs from July 15th to May 31st. I'm not sure which day you were planning to go.

Regarding the cold, don't worry because it's not extreme yet. It'll be around 7 degrees Celsius approximately. You'll need warm clothing, though. Even in the middle of summer, we were wearing snow gear (trekking boots, snow jacket). Also, it was drizzling and stopping all the time, whereas in El Calafate, just an hour away, it was sunny. It seems that the weather around the glacier area is quite unstable almost all year round; that's what the guides told us. They even celebrate the rains for the forests. They don't cancel the excursion due to rain because they would have to cancel all the time. They just go with appropriate waterproof clothing as if nothing happened.

I believe the walkways are essential because from there, you get a full view of the glacier and see its dimensions panoramically. The 1-hour boat navigation is also a good option to get closer if you don't have much time; it goes in front of the glacier.

 

[MaxP]

Hello! I'm going to share my experience here since the thread seems a bit quiet. I just returned from El Calafate, where I did the Mini-Trekking excursion on the Perito Moreno Glacier and the Todo Glaciares navigation to see the Spegazzini and Upsala glaciers.

The Mini-Trekking excursion needs to be booked well in advance because spots fill up quickly. I booked mine 20 days in advance and almost missed out because there was only availability for the last day I was in Calafate. The only company that offers this excursion is Hielo y Aventura. You can book it through their website (https://www.hieloyaventura.com/) or through certified agencies like Patagonia Chic and Patagonia Dreams. They all sell it at the same price since Hielo y Aventura offers discounts to wholesalers so they can sell it at the same price (check before buying).

The excursion departs from Puerto Bajo las Sombras in the National Park (80 km from Calafate). Before reaching the port, you'll arrive at the park entrance gate, where park rangers will collect the entrance fee based on age, nationality, or senior status. They'll ask for this fee again at the port to verify payment, and it's valid for two more days, offering a 50% discount if you need to return for another excursion or to continue exploring.

Our group thoroughly enjoyed the Mini-Trekking excursion. We departed by boat or catamaran, depending on the group, for about 20 minutes to cross the channel. After an introductory talk, we walked to the domes where they fitted us with crampons, about an hour along the lake shore, getting closer to the glacier.

There, friendly guides fitted us with crampons, and the boat group divided into small groups of 10 or 12 members. We began ascending the glacier along paths already marked by the guides. Each group was accompanied by two guides. It seemed challenging at first, but the crampons provided excellent traction, and the guides set a good pace, making occasional stops to explain fascinating things about the glacier and allowing us to catch our breath if needed. We ascended in some parts, walked on flat terrain in others, and even entered a crevice, which was a lucky find as the routes are adapted based on what the glacier offers since it continually changes. The glacier walk lasted approximately an hour, and it was very enjoyable and surprising. It's a circular walk that returns to the starting point. After removing the crampons, we began the return walk to the boat, but this time, instead of along the stone shoreline, we walked through the forest above on a wooden walkway among beautiful trees, taking about 40 minutes.

Then, we returned to the port by boat. In total, it took about 4 hours; we departed at 3:00 pm and returned a few minutes before 7:00 pm.

A friend of ours did the Safari Azul because she didn't feel comfortable walking on the ice, although she regretted it afterward. The excursion is essentially the same, except she got closer to the glacier ice but didn't walk on it, and she arrived half an hour before us at the port.

Other people we met later did the Safari Azul because they couldn't book the Mini-Trekking in advance. So, the Safari Azul is the alternative to the Mini-Trekking, the closest option if the Mini-Trekking isn't available.

The walkways with views of the Perito Moreno Glacier are about 5 km further from Puerto Bajo las Sombras. Since they're in the same direction and about an hour from Calafate, you can plan to visit them on the same day.

We reached there by rental car (we rented one in Calafate), parked in the parking lot, and then took a free bus to the walkways to save some walking distance.

Where the bus drops you off, there's a spacious, enclosed, heated area with tables, chairs, microwaves, and bathrooms where you can comfortably eat your own food. There's also a kiosk-style shop selling some groceries, drinks, and souvenirs.

 

[sammy]

Thank you very much for all the recommendations, everything is very clear, we are already organizing our itinerary according to your advice!

 

[Akira]

I leave you the link to a website that has a lot of information about the Perito Moreno Glacier;

Excursiones Big Ice/Minitrekking -Perito Moreno (Argentina)

El glaciar Perito Moreno es el más conocido e imponente de los glaciares del Parque Nacional de Los Glaciares . Está ubicado en el extremo sur del parque, frente a la Península de Magallanes, a 78 Km. ⭐ 225 Opiniones de viajeros sobre Excursiones Big Ice/Minitrekking -Perito Moreno (Argentina)...

www.losviajeros.com