Minitrekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier

Description

The excursion begins with the pickup of passengers in El Calafate. On our comfortable buses, on the way to Los Glaciares National Park, our tour guides will provide information about the area, the glacier, and the excursion.

Once at the “Bajo de las Sombras” port (Route 11, 70 km from El Calafate), you will board a boat to cross Lake Rico, reaching the opposite shore after approximately 20 minutes of navigation, right in front of the impressive southern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Upon disembarking, you will be greeted by our expert mountain guides, who will lead you to a cozy refuge with a privileged view of the glacier. From here, the trekking adventure begins! We will start the journey with a walk along the lake’s shore, keeping an eye on the glacier in the hopes of witnessing ice calving. The guides will then provide a talk on glaciology.

Upon reaching the edge of the glacier, with the stunning blue ice tones framing the landscape, small groups of no more than 20 people will be formed. The crampons and helmets provided by the company will be fitted. This excursion is highly personalized (one guide for every 10 passengers maximum). Once on the glacier, you will receive a safety briefing before walking to enjoy this frozen paradise, declared a World Heritage Site in 1981.

The glacier circuit is of medium difficulty, and the ice surface is uneven but firm and safe. During the walk, you will encounter a variety of typical glacier formations such as deep crevasses, blue sinkholes, massive seracs, and turquoise lagoons.

After finishing the ice walk, you will explore the periglacial zone and the lateral moraine, from where you will get a panoramic view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, the surrounding mountains, and the lake. You will then return along a trail that passes through the lush Andean Patagonian forest, completing the three-hour walk along the lake shore, moraine, ice, and forest (about one hour of which is spent on the glacier). Once back at the refuge, you will be treated to a hot beverage and given a souvenir. Shortly afterward, you will board the boat to return to the Bajo de las Sombras port, but not before taking in the enormous walls of the glacier from the boat.

The duration of the excursion, including transportation, is around ten hours in total, and includes about one hour visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier walkways, located 7 km from the port. There, you can enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the glacier and explore some of the self-guided trails. If you choose not to use our transportation and prefer to go on your own, the Mini Trekking lasts approximately four and a half hours, starting and ending at the port.

The Mini Trekking takes place in a natural environment, so weather conditions and the characteristics of the glacier and its surroundings change daily. However, the excursion will not be canceled as long as safety conditions allow.