Big Ice: Perito Moreno Glacier Ice Trek

Big Ice is a full-day adventure beginning with pick-up in El Calafate. As you travel to Los Glaciares National Park, guides share insights about the region and the Perito Moreno Glacier. At “Bajo de las Sombras” port, 70 km from town, you’ll board a boat that crosses Lake Rico in a 20-minute sail along the glacier’s dramatic south face.

After landing, the group reaches a shelter where mountain guides divide participants into smaller teams. The trek starts with a two-hour hike across the moraine, offering sweeping views of the glacier and the surrounding forest. For the ice portion, groups are limited to a maximum of 10 people with two guides who provide crampons, helmets, and harnesses, as well as essential safety instructions.

This is a demanding experience that requires strong physical condition. Once you step onto the ice, the landscape transforms: blue pools, deep crevasses, towering moulins, shimmering caves, and an immense frozen horizon. Over roughly three hours on the glacier, the guides explain glacial features while you take in views of nearby peaks such as Dos Picos, Pietrobelli, and Cervantes. A 30-minute break is included to enjoy lunch surrounded by icy scenery.

The return follows the same path back to the shelter, after which you board the boat again to sail close to the glacier’s sheer south wall before heading back to El Calafate. The full trip lasts about 12 hours, including a guided one-hour visit to the glacier walkways. Travelers arriving by their own means can complete the experience in about seven and a half hours.

Because Big Ice takes place in a wild and ever-changing environment, conditions vary daily—making each outing a truly unique encounter with one of the world’s most extraordinary glaciers. We look forward to hosting you!

What should I bring?

·         Wear warm, comfortable clothing: jacket, trekking or sports shoes, gloves, wool hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a backpack.

·         Bring your own food and drinks, as nothing is sold during the tour.

·         Park tickets must be shown at the entrance and can be purchased online or in cash (Argentine pesos).

BEFORE PURCHASING YOUR TICKETS, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING:

Due to the effort and difficulty levels (HIGH, with steep and uneven ascents and descents) of this activity, and in order to preserve their health, the following persons cannot take the tour:

• Obese persons. People with obesity may not participate. In the case of adults, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as when a person has a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30. The BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person in kilos times the square of their height in meters: (kg/m2).

• Pregnant

• People with any degree of physical or mental disability that affects their attention, ability to walk and/or coordination.

• Suitable for people between 18 and 50 years ONLY. No exceptions.

• People with a cardiac history. Persons who suffer from central or peripheral heart or vascular disease, whose heart or capabilities are limited, or people with stents, bypass, pacemakers or other prosthesis. Example: anticoagulant medication, stage 3 varicose veins (multiple thick varicose veins that can noticed).

• People who suffer from diseases caused by respiratory disabilities such as COPD, asthma, emphysema, among others.