El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier - the best of Argentinan Patagonia

At the beginning of April, I embarked on a photographic expedition through Argentine and Chilean Patagonia , heading to one of the planet's most iconic glaciers: the Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate.

For nine days, I joined a group of ten top-tier photographers, guided by Marcello Cavalcanti . Together, we explored the stunning landscapes of El Calafate, Argentina, and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. It was a transformative experience — I learned a lot, made new friends, and had a fantastic time. Every minute was truly worthwhile.

In this post, I’ll share a bit about El Calafate, , which is located in southern Argentine Patagonia and serves as the best base for exploring the region. In another post, I'll describe our photo expeditionographic in Parque Torres del Paine, Chile.

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Detail of the Perito Moreno Glacier, in el Calafate, Argentina.

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How to get to El Calafate

El Calafate is well-connected by regional flights within Argentina, particularly from Buenos Aires.

Traveling from São Paulo (or anywhere in Brazil) to El Calafate requires a stopover in Buenos Aires — note that you might need to change airports in the Argentine capital. Interestingly, the flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate is longer than the one from São Paulo to Buenos Aires.

There are also flights to El Calafate from Córdoba, Bariloche, Ushuaia, and Trelew (though there may be more options now), which simplifies logistics if you’re planning to tour Argentine Patagonia without spending too much time traveling overland. El Calafate is also easily reachable by road, making it a great stop on any Latin American itinerary.

From El Calafate, you can easily travel by land to Paine's Towers (Chile) and El Chaltén (Argentina), , two paradises for nature and mountain enthusiasts.

El Calafate, Argentina. La Zorra Brewery

Where to stay in El Calafate

We stayed at the Hotel Patagonia Queen, a cozy hotel very close to the city center.

I recommend choosing a hotel near Av. del Libertador, the main street lined with restaurants, bars, and shops. Good options include the Calafate Parque Hotel and Hotel Picos del Sur.

Check hotel availability and rates here:

Where to eat in El Calafate

During our stay in El Calafate, I highly recommend:

- NINA Passion and Flavors : By far, the best meat I had in the city. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

- La Zorra Brewery: Excellent selection of craft beers, great music, and plenty of entertainment.

- The Black Sheep: Also offers fantastic beers.

Perito Moreno Glacier, El Calafate, Argentina

What to do in El Calafate

El Calafate is a top destination in Patagonia, set on the shores of Lake Argentino and surrounded by majestic mountains and glaciers. It’s a paradise for nature enthusiasts.

In the town, aside from dining, drinking, and shopping for regional products — don't miss the calafate candy, a perfect souvenir for friends and family — there isn't a lot more to do.

The main attraction in town is the Intendência do Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Los Glaciares National Park Authority), which features a small visitor center surrounded by a lovely park with exhibits, antiques, and informational boards about the region’s history, colonization, and local flora and fauna.

For more details and to help plan your trip, visit the official website of Los Glaciares National Park.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The Perito Moreno Glacier is the highlight of El Calafate and many (if not most) of those who go there limit themselves to just doing this tour – just as I did on my first visit in 2008.

The glacier is truly awe-inspiring . It’s much larger than you might expect — a breathtaking natural spectacle. Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the world that is not shrinking in size (our guide mentioned it's one of only two, with the other located in Greenland).

The glacier is about 75 km from the city. Unless you have your own vehicle, the easiest way to get there is by using transport provided by local agencies—several are located on the city’s main street, or you can book your transport in advance.

Once at the park, you'll find over 4 km of walkways with several circuits: yellow, green, red and blue. You can explore these walkways without a guide.

Walkways in Perito Moreno - Blue circuit

Girl in red blouse and black pants on the catwalk with Glciar Perito Moreno in the background - Red Circuit, El Calafate, Argentina

The main tour is on the yellow circuit . If you're short on time, this circuit will suffice, but I highly recommend exploring the other circuits as well. I visited all of them except the green one due to time constraints. If you only have one day (or just a few hours) in El Calafate, this tour is a must.

Walking to the end of the blue circuit, you'll reach a pier where boat trips depart and where there’s a great restaurant, Restó del Glaciar Perito Moreno. We had lunch there during our visit. A free park shuttle will take you back to the entrance of the walkways.

Another popular way to experience the glacier is by boat. While the walkways offer a view from above, the boat provides an up-close view from below . It’s definitely worth it. The boat ride might be included in your tour, or you may need to arrange it on the spot (with the risk of it being fully booked). Use the free internal park bus or follow the blue walkway to reach the pier.

Perito Moreno is absolutely stunning, but the region has so much more to offer.

Glaciar hike

A must-do classic is walking on the glaciers!

These glacier tours are always conducted with a guide and in small groups . There are two main options: the "mini trekking,” where the glacier walk lasts about an hour, and the “Big Ice” full trek, which includes a three-hour hike plus a picnic break.

Unfortunately, I left booking until the day before and there were no spots left for either tour. You might still have a chance to book in advance. I'll definitely have to return to El Calafate to try it myself! 😉

Mayo Spirit Trek

Since I missed out on the glacier mini-trekking, I opted for the Mayo Spirit Trek, which turned out to be a fantastic experience.

This tour combines a boat trip with easy trekking through a part of Los Glaciares National Park that is only accessible by boat. The first stop is Bahia Toro, where you can enjoy a short walk through Andean Patagonian forest and see a stunning waterfall over 180 meters high.

After returning to the boat, you sail a bit further to the start of another trail. This 1 km walk takes you through a beautiful valley to the Cerro Negro Glacier, a hanging glacier perched high on the mountain.

The boat then continues on Argentino lake, approaching the Perito Moreno Glacier closely. This part of the trip is particularly interesting as you get a unique view of the glacier’s ice wall from below, a perspective very different from the catwalks. On the day of our visit, there were several impressive icebergs, and the boat navigated through them, creating a truly spectacular scene.

The boat then docks at the pier for about two hours, allowing time to revisit the catwalks . I took the park’s free shuttle to the main parking lot and explored some sections of the walkways that I hadn’t had time for on the first day.

Navigation on the Upsala Glacier

The region has several other glaciers to explore. There are boat trips that navigate another arm of Lake Argentino, leading to the Upsala Glacier and the Spegazzini Glacier, known for its ice walls reaching up to 135 meters. I had to save this for my next trip to El Calafate, but it’s reputed to be breathtaking, with plenty of icebergs to admire!

About the Patagonia Photographic Expedition

This trip was my first photographic expedition of Patagonia, and I must admit I was initially quite apprehensive. Photography is not my expertise, and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

However, our expedition leader, Marcello Cavalcanti — a photographer known for his stunning images — was exceptional. Not only did he meticulously plan the locations and timings, but he also conducted the activities flawlessly and showed endless patience in assisting and guiding everyone according to their needs and expectations. (Just to clarify, this is not a sponsored post; I covered all expenses for this trip myself.)

The result was an unforgettable experience. I had a blast, met amazing people, learned a great deal, and came away with spectacular photos.

Our focus was landscape photography, so we made the most of the sunrise and sunset each day. We would leave the hotel while it was still dark, spend the entire day exploring various stunning locations, and return to the hotel exhausted, often well after dark.

Photographing the sunrise on some Patagonian road

On the first day in El Calafate, entry to Los Glaciares National Park was only allowed from 8 a.m., so our sunrise shoot took place at a spot that seemed random but was actually carefully chosen by our lead photographer. The sunrise was breathtaking, with hues of yellow, orange, pink, and red shifting and blending beautifully.

During our drive through the region, we encountered some Patagonian wildlife, including a Chilean eagle, a large group of cauquenes (Patagonian geese), a fox, and a caracara. I was still getting familiar with my telephoto lens at the time, so I didn’t capture the moments as well as I’d hoped, but it was all part of the learning experience.

In Los Glaciares National Park, the photo opportunities were abundant along the walkways. The early morning orange gave way to the glacier's dominant blue, offering countless angles and frames. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for sunset due to park hours, so we returned to the city to prepare for our early departure to Torres del Paine in Chile.

The drive from El Calafate to our hotel in Chile, near the border with Argentina, took about four hours via the Paso Internacional Don Guillermo. Torres del Paine National Park was about forty-five miles away.

The expedition continued for another 5 days in Chile, where we photographed some of the most breathtaking landscapes on the planet. For more details on our photographic journey in Torres del Paine.

This is NOT a sponsored post. All expenses for the trip were paid by me.

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