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Considering booking a tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier? I have to say, that’s a smart move!
After visiting this glacier multiple times, both with and without tours, I’ve definitely found that booking a tour helps you to get more out of it. After all, doing a tour actually allowed me to walk on the glacier’s surface, which was a truly magical experience!
Whether you want to trek on the glacier, kayak around it, or relax on a scenic cruise, I’m going to help you choose the right option for you with this guide to the best Perito Moreno tours. So wrap up warm, and let’s get into it.
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE tour is this full-day glacier mini-trek which lets you hike onto the gorgeous glacier and learn a ton from the guides. Check out the 150+ 5-star reviews and book this tour here.
Tip: This tour is popular, so secure your spot in advance and have free cancellation 24 hours before you go!
Perito Moreno Glacier Tours
1. Perito Moreno Glacier Trekking Tours
Mini Trekking Tour
- Fitness level required: Moderate
- Price: $370+ USD
- Time spent on the glacier: 1.5 hours
- Time of year the tour operates: July through May
- Pickup from: El Calafate
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 170+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
Big Ice Trekking Tour
- Fitness level required: High
- Price: $770+ USD
- Time spent on the glacier: 4 hours
- Time of year the tour operates: September to May
- Pickup from: El Calafate
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
From the boardwalk, you can see the glacier from pretty close, but the only way to actually touch the glacier is on a glacier trekking tour. The tour was always a “bucket-list experience” for me that I regretted not doing on my first visit here.
So when I returned the second time, I made sure I didn’t make the same mistake!
There are only two different glacier trekking tours you can do on Perito Moreno: Mini Trekking, and Big Ice. Both tours include round-trip hotel pick up and drop off, a 10-minute ferry ride, a professional guide, and the necessary gear.
Once you’re all geared up and had your safety briefing, the fun begins! You’ll walk along the shoreline to the base of the glacier and with instructions from your guide you will begin to scale it to earn the epic views from the top.
The biggest difference between the two tours is the time spent on the glacier. On the Mini Trekking tour, you’ll spend about 1.5 hours on the actual glacier, and on the Big Ice tour, you’ll get 4 hours. The Mini Trek tour goes for around 10 hours total from pick up to drop off, whereas the Big Ice Trek is a 12-hour day.
I have personally done the Mini Trekking Perito Moreno Glacier tour and loved every minute of it! To me, it was more than enough time on the glacier and the perfect way to spend a few hours.
Tip: During the peak season of December to March these tours are booked full well in advance. It is important that you book your glacier trekking tour in advance to avoid missing out.
Book the Mini Trekking tour here (our top pick) or the Big Ice full-day trek here – both offer FREE cancellation options!
Related Read: If you like trekking, there are some really great tours in Torres del Paine National Park that you should check out!
2. Perito Moreno Glacier Kayaking Tours
- Fitness level required: Moderate
- Price: $410+ USD
- Duration: 10 hours
- Time of year the tour operates: Year-round on select days
- Pickup from: El Calafate
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the glowing reviews here!)
- Free cancellation: No
Another hands-on tour is this Perito Moreno Glacier kayaking tour. This adventure tour will have you mere inches from the freezing cold water of the lake and paddling past icebergs.
Kayaking was definitely a tour I wanted to do, and if I could do it all I would have! However, watching the kayakers from the viewpoint was all I got to do – and let me tell you, I was extremely jealous!
You will get to look up at the vastness of the iceberg from down below which is such a unique perspective!
This tour doesn’t require any previous kayak experience, as you’ll learn everything you need to know from your experienced guide. You’ll get geared up in provided clothing and then enjoy a guided kayak around the glacier for 1.5 hours before having 2 hours of free time onshore to explore the walkways around the glacier and take tons of pictures.
It lasts for around 10 hours total which includes transportation from your hotel in El Calafate. You’ll also get snacks and hot drinks after you’re kayaking experience – what a bonus!
Don’t miss out on this bucket-list experience, book this kayak tour before you go here.
3. Perito Moreno Scenic Cruises
Full-Day Sightseeing Glacier Cruise
- Fitness level required: Low – Most travelers can participate
- Price: $270 USD
- Duration: 9 hours
- Time of year the tour operates: September to January
- Pickup from: El Calafate
- Rating: 4.5 Stars (Read the 200+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
If you want to see the glacier in the most relaxing way possible then a scenic cruise is your best option. Of course, there are many different cruises available with the main difference between them all being how long the cruise is and how many glaciers you’ll get to see.
This full-day tour from El Calafate is your best option for seeing the glacier from the water. You’ll cruise down the Iceberg Canal and see Seco, Heim, and Spegazzini Glaciers, and even get some time to stop and go for a walk through this scenic area! You’ll also see the Upsala Glacier along this route, and the guides on board do a fantastic job of explaining the history and changes of all these old hunks of ice – it’s truly fascinating.
This tour includes lunch on board and spends pretty much all day cruising around on the water. Prices start at $335 USD including transportation from your hotel and lunch.
Secure your spot on this cruise here!
Full-Day Glacier Tour + Optional Boat Ride
- Fitness level required: Low – Most travelers can participate
- Price: $137+ USD
- Duration: 8 to 9 hours
- Time of year the tour operates: September to May
- Pickup from: El Calafate
- Rating: 4.5 Stars (Read the 450+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
I also have to mention this full-day tour to Perito Moreno from El Calafate, as it’s the highest-rated tour out there!
The main difference between this one and the last tour is that you’ll have more time to explore the walkways at the park on your own, before taking off on the cruise. This tour definitely focuses more on exploring the Perito Moreno Glacier by land (which is undoubtedly cool) and you can add on the 1.5-hour boat safari for around $80 USD extra.
We definitely recommend this option if you want a little bit of everything – you’re already there, so you might as well add on the extra experience! Seeing the glacier from the water is super neat. I didn’t realize how big it actually is until I was sailing around it!
Check out the availability and book your spot here!
Where to Stay in El Calafate, Argentina
El Calafate is a big tourist destination, so there are plenty of places to stay! However, I always recommend booking in advance so you can snag the best deals on your ideal accommodations. If you’re not sure where to start, check out some of my favorite options below!
Luxury – $$$
Aparts Calafate Suites – This place specializes in self-contained apartments for optimal privacy. The apartments are modern, well-furnished, and perfect for those wanting more comfort and quality in El Calafate. They have kitchens, a seating area, and private bathrooms.
Rooms start at $148 USD, and some can fit up to four people and include balconies. If you want a home-away-from-home, book your apartment well in advance.
Mid Budget – $$
Hotel Amado – This beautiful hotel is located as close as you can get to the center of town. It’s clean, modern, and a great place to stay for those looking for a quiet room. It has 24-hour reception with a currency exchange. They offer a continental breakfast, but there are also plenty of restaurants around. With prices starting at $79 USD per room, you’ll want to make a reservation in advance!
Del Glaciar Libertador Hotel – This simple hotel is located only 5 minutes from town and includes a good breakfast. They also have a social bar, a restaurant, and a mini movie theater screening movies nightly! This is a great option for groups or families, with everything from a twin room to a family room. Prices start at $105 USD, and you can reserve your dates online here!
Budget – $
Hostel Lago Argentino – A really good budget option that I have stayed at before. These guys include a nice breakfast, a well-equipped kitchen, and very friendly staff. The location is also perfect – right in the center of town!
They have shared rooms for up to 4 people and private rooms with en suite bathrooms starting at $49 USD. After my positive experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to book Hostel Lago Argentino online with either Hostelworld.com or Booking.com!
Red House Hostel – a very highly rated hostel at a very good price. The hostel is very modern and clean and has a great social vibe. A bunk in their 8-bed dorm costs $25 USD, while a private ensuite starts at $53 USD. To snag this deal, you’ll want to book Red House Hotel in advance on Hostelworld.com or Booking.com.
Planning your Trip to Argentina
Accommodation in Argentina
Booking accommodation is one of the biggest aspects of your trip, and we should know as we stay in a new hotel up to 40 times per year! Funny enough, we make 99% of these bookings on one website and that’s Booking.com – and there are a few reasons why we use this site!
Number one is the website is easy to use and sorts accommodation options. That takes the stress out of planning which honestly still affects us and we do it more than not.
Second, is the price guarantee. We have literally booked a hotel months before and then 1 week out found it cheaper (we always do a quick search), and they’ll match that price from anyone’s website including the hotels!
And third, is the Genius loyalty program. If you make a certain amount of bookings per year you get a Genius discount. We are level-two geniuses because we make more than 5 a year. At participating hotels, we get things like free breakfast included, early check-in, and up to 15% off.
You can check out all their accommodation options throughout Argentina!
Renting a car in Argentina
We enjoyed a rental car for our second trip to Argentina when we traveled in Patagonia – and wow, what a way to travel! But the best part was that we only paid $40 USD per day for a 5-person sedan!
But how? Well, if you’re renting a car in Argentina, the cheapest company is Discover Cars. We often get questions from readers asking us if the website is fake because it seems too cheap! It’s a great website and the one we used for our rental.
If you do want to compare prices (and you should), do a quick search on Airport Car Rentals too. They’re another big competitor and each company often has its own deals to offer!
Tours in Argentina
We love booking online because we can check reviews of the tour and know exactly what to expect on the tour, such as the itinerary and inclusions. Sometimes the tours are pricier online than booking directly in person, but this is why we always book with Viator. If we happen to find the exact same tour for a lower price once we’re at the destination, Viator will actually refund the price difference!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
And there you have it – a complete guide to the best Perito Moreno Glacier Tours. I hope this blog has answered some questions you might’ve had and that now you’re ready to visit the incredible Perito Moreno Glacier!
For more info, check out the rest of our blogs about Patagonia and Perito Moreno Glacier including a few of my personal favorites here:
Exciting things to do in El Chalten