DAY 1

• Arrive in El Calafate, Argentina and transfer to your hotel. 

  • There are direct flights from Buenos Aires to El Calafate on a daily basis.

• The main artery in El Calafate is Del Libertador Avenue (Main St.).

  • Here you will find the main stores, restaurants & coffee-shops, plus the travel agencies. <List>

• Car rental and transport information:

  • Renting a car, preferably a 4x4 is your best option. Although bigger roads in Patagonia are well paved, you will find many roads (such as the roads into the national parks) are gravel and dirt.

  • Visitors arriving at the airport, the car rental offices are located in the terminal.  

  • Visitors arriving by Bus from Chile—the car rental offices are located on Del Libertador Avenue (Main St.)

    • Taxis are available at the bus terminal to transfer you to the Main St. offices.

• Overnight: El Calafate (2 nights)

  • <Where to stay>

DAY 2

• The best way to explore Parque Nacional Los Glaciares Park is by boat — home to 47 colossal glaciers.

  • Massive glaciers of incredible beauty such as Upsala, Perito Moreno and Spegazzini are located here.

  • After Antarctica, the southern Andes is home to the largest area covered by ice in this hemisphere.

  • <General information>

• Experience the Majesty of a Lago Argentino Glacier Cruise.

  • Embark on an 8-hour journey departing from Punta Bandera. Witness the beauty of the Splegazzini Glacier, the expansive Lago Argentino, and the awe-inspiring Upsala Glacier, the largest ice cap in South America.

    • <Map of Lago Argentino cruise region>

• All hotels and tour operators offer booking services for the cruise.

• Departure Details:

  • Location: Punta Bandera Port. <directions>

  • Distance from El Calafate: 47 km west, 50 minutes.

  • GPS Coordinates: 50°18'04.5"S 72°47'57.6"W. 

• Overnight: El Calafate

DAY 3

• Journey to Perito Moreno Glacier.

  • Allow 90 minutes each way from El Calafate.

• Perito Moreno - is one of only three glaciers in the world that grows rather than retreat. Best known for the dramatic icefalls from its front wall, into Lake Argentino. The glacier is 30 km in length and 5 km wide at the face. Photo opportunities abound.

  • Accessing the Viewing Platform:

    • Park your car at the end of the road.

    • Access to the viewing platforms is through an easy boardwalk walk.

  • Exploring the Walkways:

    • The walkways offer multiple routes and directions.

    • Various viewpoints and balconies are strategically placed along the walkways.

  • Enhanced Viewing Experience:

    • These viewpoints and balconies provide the best views and perspectives of the glacier.

• A more rewarding activity is booking the “Ice Glacier Walk”.

  • <Book with Hielo & Aventura> The walk is a trek along the glacier. You will witness turquoise ponds, deep cracks and more. At the end of the amazing walk you will enjoy a whisky on the rocks where you take in the views.

  • To have an excellent experience in the Glacier, visitors must have sufficient physical capacity to walk 3 hours, of which 60 to 90 minutes is on the ice and with crampons.

  • FAQ’s about the Ice Glacier Walk.

  • Boats depart at “Bajo de las Sombras” Port, which is about 70 km from El Calafate on Route 11. <directions>

• In the afternoon, depart to El Chalten. <visitor information>

  • The town is the gateway to the nearby Mount Fitz Roy and the path leading to the Laguna de los Tres viewpoint.

  • The drive to El Chalten is spectacular.

  • One of the highlights in El Chalten is to stay at a Estancia. Experience the rural culture of a traditional estancia, complete with a horseback ride in wide-open spaces with stunning views. <Add a extra day>

    • Estancia La Quinta and Estancia La Estela are 2 favorites near town.

  • FAQ’s

• Overnight: El Chalten (2 nights)

  • <Where to stay>

• Distance:  

  El Calafate ---> Puerto Moreno Glacier (Bajo de las Sombfas Port.) 1.5 hr.

  El Calafate ---> El Chalten, 3.5 hrs.

DAY 4   

• Attempt the best hike in Argentina: the Fitz Roy Trek (Laguna de Los Tres).

• It is advisable to start the trek as early as possible between 7am-8 am in the morning, if weather permits.

• The trail head begins at the end of Avenida San Martín, where the urban area of El Chaltén ends and the car park is located.

  • The self-guided trek route is about 23 km (14 miles) RT and can be completed in 8-9 hours.

  • El Chalten is the point of departure and return. Bring plenty of food and water. <Learn more>

  • Great app to download on any hike: <All Trails>

  • Best time to do the Fitz Roy trek: In the summer between mid-October and early April.

    • Outside of summer, many of the restaurants and hotels are closed.

• If you had to choose just one hike to recommend in Patagonia, it would no doubt have to be the Fitz Roy trek.

• Overnight: El Chalten

DAY  5   

• Depart El Chalten to El Calafate for your flight home or continue by bus to begin your Chile Patagonia Extension.

• Distance: El Chalten ---> El Calafate. 3.5 hr / 210 km.

A Special Place:

• Historical Weather Data.

• The best times to visit are mid-October through February (springtime & summertime in the southern hemisphere).

• Cloudy days are very common around the glaciers and mountains.

• The warmest months are December through February.

• The coolest month is July.

• May is the wettest month.

• December & November are the driest months.

• Sunrise/Sunset times.