Parque Nacional Los Glaciares

Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is the second-largest national park in Argentina and one of the most spectacular corners of Patagonia. Spread across more than 7,200 km² of Santa Cruz Province along the Chilean border, it protects an immense Southern Patagonian Ice Field that feeds over 40 glaciers — the largest body of ice outside Antarctica and Greenland. Roughly 30% of the park lies under ice that can rise as much as 1,500 m. It was established on 11 May 1937 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its outstanding natural beauty.

The park divides neatly into two halves, each organised around one of the long glacial lakes that the park partly contains. In the south, around Lago Argentino — the largest lake in Argentina — sits the celebrated Perito Moreno Glacier, famous for the icefalls calving off its towering front wall, and the larger but boat-only Upsala Glacier. The gateway town here is El Calafate. In the north, around Lago Viedma, rise the jagged granite spires of Cerro Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre above the trekking village of El Chaltén, about 220 km away. Calafate is the base for glacier excursions and boat trips; Chaltén is the base for hiking and climbing.

The landscape is sub-Antarctic forest — greener than the surrounding Patagonian steppe but less dense than the Chilean rainforest — and shelters pumas, Andean condors, black-crested buzzard eagles, hummingbirds and the rare, endangered huemul (a small native deer). The climate is dry, so the park can be visited year-round: summer (Dec–Feb) daytime temperatures reach 20–25 °C, while winters hover around 0–5 °C with little snow. Summer is the prime season for trekking and longer daylight; expect strong, persistent Patagonian wind in any month.

By Plane

The nearest airport is El Calafate "Comandante Armando Tola" International Airport (FTE), with regular flights from Buenos Aires, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Gallegos and several smaller Patagonian towns. The airport is about 20 km east of El Calafate town centre; shared shuttle vans and taxis serve the route into town.

By Car / Road

The only paved route into the region is via Ruta Nacional 3 to Río Gallegos, then RP 5 west to El Calafate. From Río Gallegos this is the standard approach. El Chaltén lies roughly 220 km by road from El Calafate (about 150 km north as the crow flies) and is connected to it by frequent buses. Numerous gravel roads exist, but with an ordinary (non-4×4) car they are extremely slow and breakdown-prone — stick to the paved route unless you have an all-terrain vehicle. Both Calafate and Chaltén are served by buses and are well networked with each other; regular long-distance lines mainly run from Río Gallegos, with more options during the travel season.

Within the park, never leave the official paths — calving glacier walls are genuinely dangerous, and ice pieces up to 50 m long can break off without warning. Most visitors reach the park on organised land excursions (to Perito Moreno) or boat tours (to Upsala and other glaciers that can only be seen from the water), departing from El Calafate. In the north, trails radiate directly from El Chaltén on foot — no vehicle needed for most day hikes. Bicycles can be rented in both El Calafate and El Chaltén for getting around the towns and nearby routes.

Glaciers

• Perito Moreno Glacier — the park's most famous sight, a geographical curiosity that splits an arm of Lago Argentino in two. When the upper arm's water rises high enough, the ice dam ruptures with a deafening roar — a spectacle that occurs only roughly every 4–10 years and lasts no more than 2–3 days. Reached by land from El Calafate. The Mitre–Glaciar Moreno Corridor has access hours: Sep–Apr entrance 08:00–18:00 (stay until 20:00); May–Aug 09:00–16:00 (stay until 18:00).
• Upsala Glacier — the largest glacier in the park, on Lago Argentino, approached by boat. Its wall is less dramatic than Perito Moreno's, but the tour brings you close to the glacier and the icebergs calved from it, amid Antarctic-like scenery. The hike to the viewpoint at Refugio Upsala also starts from a boat landing.

Peaks

• Cerro Fitz Roy — the highest peak in the park, its sharp, pointed silhouette a magnet for climbers worldwide. Best seen and approached from El Chaltén.
• Cerro Torre — the slender, notoriously difficult spire near Fitz Roy, equally renowned among mountaineers.

Lakes & quieter corners

• Lago Roca — a less-frequented area in the southern park, a good base for climbing the Cerro de los Cristalles panoramic mountain or multi-day hikes to the glaciers at Laguna Fría.

• Hiking and trekking — the park's signature activity, concentrated around the Fitz Roy massif near El Chaltén. Hikes can be done independently or with a guide. Registration at the Park Information Center is mandatory for climbing and for trekking in remote areas, and for trail hiking from May through September; online registration is also available.

• Kayaking — paddle on Lago Argentino near the Perito Moreno Glacier.

• Sport fishing — permitted and regulated Nov–Apr, mainly for salmonids and trout, in Lago Anita, Lago Argentino, the Caterina River, Lago Roca and Lago Viedma. Enquire about permits at [email protected].

• Horseback riding — with a National Park-authorised guide; in the southern Lago Roca zone you can take a full-day ride or a two-day, one-night trip to the Chilean border.

• Cycling — rent a bike in either gateway town.

Dining is concentrated in El Calafate and El Chaltén rather than inside the park, and Patagonian cuisine here centres on cordero patagónico (slow-roasted Patagonian lamb), trout from the local lakes, and hearty fare suited to cold weather. The calafate berry features in desserts and jams. Both towns offer a spread from budget parrillas (grills) and cafés to upscale restaurants, with vegetarian options increasingly available in the tourist-oriented towns.

Argentine Malbec and other regional wines accompany the lamb-heavy menus, and craft beer has a foothold in both gateway towns. A local curiosity is the calafate berry, used in jams, sweets and liqueurs — tradition holds that whoever eats it will return to Patagonia. Mate, the shared herbal infusion, is ubiquitous. Tap water in the gateway towns is generally considered safe to drink; glacial meltwater encountered on trails should be treated with the usual backcountry caution.

Most lodging is in El Calafate and El Chaltén, which together offer plenty of choice across all tiers; inside the park itself, accommodation is limited to a small number of complexes and campsites.

• Budget: Hostels and guesthouses in both El Calafate and El Chaltén cater to trekkers.
• Mid-range: Numerous hotels in both towns.
• Upscale / heritage: The most exclusive option is a hut-and-hotel complex set directly opposite the Perito Moreno Glacier, with front-row glacier views.

Camping: There is no campsite near the Perito Moreno Glacier, but the organised campsite at Lago Roca, south of El Calafate, is particularly attractive — you can even swim there in summer. Free (wild) camping is prohibited throughout the park.

The park itself has no shopping; stock up in El Calafate or El Chaltén, which between them carry the region's outfitters, supermarkets and souvenir shops. Calafate is the larger commercial hub — the place to buy trekking gear, supplies, and Patagonian crafts and regional specialities (the calafate berry that gives the town its name appears in jams and sweets). Buy fishing permits and provisions before heading into the park, as there are no shops along the trails.

• El Calafate (southern gateway, on Lago Argentino) — the launch point for all southern glacier excursions and a town worth a day in its own right.
• El Chaltén (~220 km north of El Calafate) — Argentina's self-styled trekking capital, base for Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, and overnight excursions to the Marconi Glacier.
• Lago Roca (south of El Calafate) — quieter park sector with swimming, panoramic climbs and multi-day hikes to Laguna Fría.
• Río Gallegos (~300 km southeast) — the provincial transport hub and main road/bus link to the rest of Patagonia.
• Torres del Paine, Chile (across the border, southwest) — the natural continuation of any Southern Patagonian itinerary, reachable via the same Chile-border routes.