Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the most impressive natural spectacles in Patagonia. It is a large mass of ice 30 kilometers long, 5 kilometers wide and a height that reaches 60 meters. Their proportions are so great that it is necessary to see them alive to understand them.
One way to observe it is through the walkways of the Perito Moreno glacier, which line the front of the glacier and are 30 kilometers from the entrance to Los Glaciares National Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
The walkway
The walkways have three levels and add up to no less than 4 winding kilometers that take up to 300 meters in the vicinity of Perito Moreno. The route is made of stairs and balconies with wooden railings that allow you to see the glacier in the safest way from different perspectives. This trail is built with a modern system of metal truss, which allows a good flow of snow and water. The tours can be covered in several ways, as the paths are intertwined and allow you to appreciate the differences in the ice textures, the blue color and its different tones.
The main promenade has 2 balconies at different heights, facing the exact point where the glacier touches the rocks and the ice blocks break. It is important that you keep in mind that this happens 1 time every several years, and the break is generated over a period that is measured in hours, so you have to be very lucky to see it. In any case, there are constantly "small" breaks in the ice, which fall into the water and cause a big bang. On the main walkways, people with mobility problems can walk, as it is possible to walk on ramps and an elevator, instead of having to climb stairs.
How to get to the catwalks
The walkways are located
77 kilometers from the city of El Calafate, located at the southern end of Lake Argentino. There are three ways to reach them: by renting a car,
a bus or an
Perito Moreno Tour, where the transfer is included.
If you choose to go by car or bus, the trip begins on Provincial Route nº 11 that borders the southern shore of Lago Argentino. This first stretch is paved and is in very good condition. Then, it connects with Route N ° 60 and after 48 kilometers of the route you arrive at the entrance of Los Glaciares National Park, where you pay the entrance (in 2020 the daily prices are around AR $ 700 for the entrance general, AR $ 360 national residents and AR $ 170 for children from 6 to 12 years old).
The road continues along the Rico arm of Lago Argentino on the south side of the Magallanes peninsula, entering the nothofagus forest. Here you can observe the typical vegetation of the region with woods of lengas, larch trees, ciruelillos, cohigues and sour cherries. Next to the trail you will also find notros (red flowers), cauliflower bushes (yellow flowers and purple fruits) and Chinese lanterns (yellow, parasitic plant). In the autumn months, the forests fill with red leaves.
Six kilometers before reaching the destination, you will find a viewpoint with the first panoramic view of the glacier known as “La Curva de Los Suspiros”. Finally, the path ends at the western end of the peninsula in front of the glacier, where you will find access to the walkways.
How long the tour takes
When organizing your visit to the glacier through the footbridges, remember that the circuit can take about an hour and a half.
If after a long walk you need to rest or look for a warm place to have a hot coffee, there is a bar-restaurant (Bar Glaciar Perito Moreno) a few meters from the walkways. This place is open every day from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. You can have a coffee to warm up or consume some of the products on the menu: sandwiches, empanadas, salads, pasta, cakes and pastries: cakes, croissants and alfajores. There are all types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. They also allow you to bring your own food and consume it while watching the glacier from your windows.
Tips for enjoying the catwalks
The walkways are open all year round, regardless of weather conditions. In summer, maximum temperatures rarely exceed 15 ° C and those below 0 ° C are common. During the winter months (April - August) the temperature can reach -3 ° C.
Therefore, I recommend that you bring warm clothing, a hat, gloves and a waterproof jacket for rainy days. It is also important to wear comfortable shoes that keep your feet warm, as you will have to move around the circuit for a long time. Do not forget the sunscreen and sunglasses, they are necessary to observe the glaciers without risks and protect the skin from strong exposure to the sun's rays.
If you are a photography lover, we recommend that you bring along with your cell phone a wide-angle camera for general photos and a telephoto lens to capture details.
As for the length of the day, it varies a lot depending on the time of year: in the summer you can enjoy about 17 hours of light and in the winter the day is shorter, reaching 8 hours.
If you want more information about the walkways or the Perito Moreno Glacier,
contact us!