Perito Moreno boat tour from El Calafate: Glaciares Gourmet
Description
The El Calafate Glacier Boat Tour is the most extensive boat tour available in Glaciares National Park. Onboard a modern cruise vessel, your group will sail across Lake Argentino and visit the Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim, and Seco Glaciers. It’s the only boat tour that allows you to see all five of the park’s main glaciers in a single day. During the tour, you’ll also take a one-hour walk through the forest on Puesto de Las Vacas, a small island in the Spegazzini Channel. To finish, you’ll enjoy a delicious Patagonian meal served onboard. The tour offers three transportation options: Tour with transfers + Perito Moreno visit: Includes the boat trip, round-trip transfers from El Calafate, and a visit to the Perito Moreno walkways. Highly recommended! Tour with transfers: Includes the boat tour and round-trip transfers from El Calafate. Tour without transfers: Includes only the boat tour; you’ll need to get to the port on your own.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This tour includes transfers from El Calafate. If you choose the “pick-up” option, the tour begins at 7:00 a.m. when you’ll be picked up from your accommodation. If you select “without pick-up,” you’ll need to make your own way to Puerto Privado La Soledad, located about 29 miles (47 km) from El Calafate. By 8:15 a.m., all passengers will be at the port, and with the help of your guide, you’ll purchase your entrance ticket to Los Glaciares National Park, as it’s not included in the tour price.
The adventure kicks off! At 8:30 a.m., boarding starts on a spacious catamaran with four open-air decks, giving you plenty of room to comfortably take in the stunning views of Lake Argentino. The boat also offers a VIP section with a private outdoor deck. To enjoy this exclusive feature, be sure to choose the VIP upgrade when you book your tour!
The boat leaves promptly at 9:00 a.m., and within minutes, you’ll encounter the park’s vast ice fields, often stretching up to four times the size of the ship! Upsala Glacier is the second largest glacier in South America. The calving is so massive that, for safety reasons, the boat won’t come closer than ten kilometers. Even from that distance, the glacier looks enormous. The ice’s color is striking, almost as if it’s glowing with a mysterious light. Whenever the boat nears a glacier wall or a large ice block, the captain expertly maneuvers so passengers can get a perfect view from both inside the boat and from any of the decks. This way, everyone onboard can enjoy the glaciers no matter where they are.
As the captain navigates the boat across the lake, you’ll see some of the most fascinating hanging glaciers. Known as the Heim and Seco Glaciers, these glaciers cling to the mountainside without reaching the surface of Lake Argentino below.
The peaceful quiet of nature! During this part of the tour, you’ll get off at El Puesto de Las Vacas for a calm walk guided by our team. El Puesto de Las Vacas (The Cow Stall) is a historic Patagonian cattle ranch located in the heart of the National Park. Here, you’ll see horses, old buildings, and various artifacts left behind by Patagonia’s early settlers. Take in the fresh air and natural surroundings as your guides share the fascinating history of this special area.
The Spegazzini Glacier is stunning from every viewpoint. The section that hangs over the lake rises up to 425 ft (130 m), nearly twice the height of the Perito Moreno Glacier. And if the cold works up your appetite, it’s time to enjoy lunch! Savor a delicious Patagonian lamb sandwich served with baked vegetables. If you select the premium option when booking, you’ll be treated to a special four-course meal: two appetizers, a main dish, and dessert. Drinks are included with both options, and the premium package also offers an open bar throughout the entire El Calafate Boat Tour.
Now with full stomachs and happy hearts, the boat tour continues through the Canal de Los Témpanos toward the northern edge of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Perito Moreno is a massive glacier with constant activity. From the safety of the boat, you may see ice cracking and hear the powerful roar as chunks of ice break off and crash into the depths of Lake Argentino. At this point, two options are available: Option 1: Disembark at Perito Moreno After cruising alongside the glacier wall, the boat will arrive at a dock around 3:30 p.m., where passengers will get off to explore the Perito Moreno trails. You’ll have about two hours to stretch your legs and walk the paths of this famous glacier before heading back to El Calafate by shuttle bus. You’ll arrive in town around 7:00 p.m. TIP: Disembarking is highly recommended for travelers who don’t plan to join other Perito Moreno tours like the Minitrekking.
Option 2: Tour Without Disembarkation After cruising along the face of Perito Moreno, the captain will turn the boat around and head back to Puerto La Soledad, where you’ll disembark around 5:00 p.m. If you chose the option with transfers, a shuttle will be waiting to take you back to your accommodation in El Calafate. You’ll arrive in town around 6:00 p.m.—just in time to relax after an unforgettable day on the Gourmet Glaciers Tour. If your booking does not include transfers, you’ll need to arrange your own transportation back to El Calafate.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Transfers from your accommodations in El Calafate between 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. If you´ll be staying in accommodations without a reception desk (ex: AirBnB), you´ll be given a convenient meeting location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(98)
Boat trip was fine. It was very hard to understand the guide and the "gourmet" lunch was horrible. For the price, not worth it.
Kathleen, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry the tour didn’t meet your expectations. We take your comments seriously and will review them with our team. Please contact us via chat so we can discuss your experience further and address your concerns. Kind regards, Howlanders Team
Everything was amazing. We took the complete experience and we don’t regret it. We had ample time at all the glaciers we could visit. It didn’t feel rushed or overcrowded. The guides were nice, funny and provided a lot of explanations. It is expensive, but definetely worth it !
Hola! Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed Perito Moreno boat tour from El Calafate: Glaciares Gourmet! We’re thrilled to hear you had a great experience. Your kind words mean a lot, and we hope to see you again for more unforgettable adventures in Patagonia! Safe travels, The Howlanders Team
The experience was amazing. Absolute would recommend. Staff were friendly and very informative. The views were stunning, they give you ample time in front of each glacier they take you to see so you can truly enjoy it and take in the magnificent views. The food was good but the dessert was amazing. Truly a wonderful experience from start to finish.
Thank you very much for your comment! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the boat tour experience at the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate with Glaciares Gourmet. We work to make every detail of the journey memorable, and it makes us very happy that you highlighted the staff service, the views, and the food. We hope to accompany you again on another adventure in Patagonia. Howlanders team
The boat trip was fantastic; lots of glaciers and icebergs. The boat was comfortable and smooth. The on board commentary in English and Spanish was excellent. Key question is whether to take the walk off option at the Petito Moreno glacier or stay on the boat. If this is your only day in Glacier National Park, take the walk off one hour option. The 1 hour option on this tour does not do the walking trails justice, but it is better than nothing. The better thing to do is spend two days in the park (buy a 2 day ticket and the second day is half price). Take the boat trip on Day 1 and stay on the boat. Return to the park on Day 2 for the walking trails. There are four trails and it takes 3-4 hours to cover all the trails which is well worth doing. By the way, if you are doing the Day 2 trail option, hire a taxi to take you to the park, wait for you and return you to where you are staying. That cost us about $150 US (with tip) which was less than the price of another tour to the park, and you have much more flexibility about when you arrive and leave than with a fixed hour tour.
Thank you very much for your detailed and helpful review! We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the Perito Moreno Boat Tour from El Calafate: Glaciares Gourmet and the comfortable boat experience, as well as the English and Spanish commentary on board. We truly appreciate you sharing your suggestions about visiting Perito Moreno Glacier and the park trails — your tips may be very useful for future travellers planning their time there. Howlanders Team
Could be windy on deck but views are great inside with very large windows for viewing. So much to see beautiful lake and glaciers
Thank you for your review! We’re glad you enjoyed the views of the lake and glaciers. See you on board again! —Howlanders Team
The trip was fantastic, the glaciers were stunning and the views superb. The guides were helpful, informative and very friendly. I was expecting a more exciting lunch box it was disappointing and without any great taste. I think Gourmet should be removed from the title as it gives the impression of a more upmarket lunch. For the £250 each plus £30 each for the Glacier Park pass total £560 1 drink for a full day excursion seemed harsh. I felt they could have given a small bottle of water to my husband when asked for one to go with my glass of wine but it was limited to just 1 small drink. We did have an unforgettable time despite the lunch. Melody Svenson
Hi Melody, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the glaciers, the views, and the friendliness of our guides. It’s wonderful to know that the experience was unforgettable despite the lunch not meeting your expectations. We appreciate your comments regarding the lunch and drinks, and we will take your feedback into account as we continuously strive to improve our tours. Your insights help us ensure a better experience for all our guests. Thank you again for choosing Howlanders, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future. Best regards, The Howlanders Team
Although the trip was eelll planned and the service was good, this was not gourmet worth $382.00. To bunk six people on table for 12 hours and give them a sandwich that is not gourmet
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you found the trip well planned and enjoyed the service. We’re sorry, however, that the gourmet experience did not meet your expectations. Your comments regarding the seating arrangement and meal have been noted, as we continually strive to improve our tours and guest experience. We appreciate your feedback and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an even better experience on a future visit. Best regards
It's one of the most amazing and wonderful experiences I've ever had, it's kind of majestic and the service of the tour sublime.
Muchas gracias por compartir tu experiencia. Nos alegra enormemente saber que disfrutaste del majestuoso Perito Moreno y que nuestro servicio hizo tu visita aún más especial. ¡Esperamos verte pronto en otra aventura! – The Howlanders Team
Amazing experience!! The view and the overall feel is just captivating. Anyone coming to El Calafate should experience this..
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic review! ❄️ We’re delighted to hear that you found the views and overall experience of the Perito Moreno boat tour captivating. Your recommendation means a lot, and we hope to welcome you back to El Calafate for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, Howlanders Team
An amazing day spent in the world of glaciers - great way to transverse this vast untouched piece of earth.
Thank you for sharing your experience with Howlanders! We’re thrilled to hear that you had an amazing day exploring the glaciers. The Perito Moreno area is truly a unique and breathtaking place, and we’re glad you could enjoy it to the fullest. We hope to see you again on another unforgettable adventure with Howlanders!
