El Calafate

A true wonder of the natural world, Perito Moreno glacier is one of Patagonia’s genuinely unmissable sites, and is easily accessible from El Calafate.

Flowing unstoppably down from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, Perito Moreno’s 70 metre high cliffs ceaselessly calve into the fjords of Lago Argentina, sending icebergs the size of tower blocks crashing into the water. 

Perito Moreno is also one of the few glaciers that you can right up close to. It can be experienced in a host of different ways: from walkways that snake around the woods facing the glacier in a series of viewpoints, by boat or paddling in a kayak, and even by strapping on your crampons to crunch across its surface on an ice hike.

Los Glaciares is more than just a hiking destination: Estancias are great places to base yourself to really experience wild Patagonia.

Estancias offer a host of ways to discover the region. Foremost of course is to saddle up and ride like a gaucho. Horseback riding is embedded deep in the culture here: there are few better places to be than out under a wide horizon with nothing but your horse and your guide to teach about the ways of the gaucho. Invariably, you’ll return from the day to enjoy a hearty asado, or Patagonian barbecue. If horses aren’t your thing, explore the trails by mountain bike instead.

Alternatively, take to the water. Boat trips up the long finger of Lago Argentina can take you to the sparking Upsala glacier from one one of region's most estancias.

El Calafate is just three hours from the hiking hub of El Chaltén, a tiny mountain town nestled beneath the Fitz Roy Massif. From here, you can walk straight out onto the trail on any number of truly world class day and overnight hikes. 

However, you don't just have to go to El Chaltén to hit the great outdoors. The sweeping landscape closer to El Calafate also offers some brilliant wild hiking. The Los Glaciares Wilderness Trek spends six nights wild camping on the rough trails between Estancias Helsingfors and Cristina, along rivers and valleys and up windswept mountain passes to glaciers that few people have ever visited.

As befits the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, El Calafate and its surrounds have plenty of great accommodation options Within El Calafate itself, there is a wide variety of simple guesthouses (hosterías), friendly B&Bs and upmarket hotels – all within easy reach of restaurants and bars. There are also some great boutique hotels. Some of the best are on the edge of the city with stunning views across Lago Argentina.

Heading out of the city, you can also find a great selection of luxury lodges where you can connect in comfort to the great wilderness. The lodges are destinations in themselves and have their own private guides and fine cuisine. These include a number of estancias where you can truly embrace your inner gaucho.

El Calafate Airport (code FTE) is 13 miles (21km) east of the city and has excellent daily connections to Buenos Aires (three hours). There are further flight connections to  Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, Bariloche, the gateway to Argentina's Lake District and Trelew (for Peninsula Valdes).

By road, El Calafate is about 135 miles (215km) south of El Chaltén, Los Glaciares National Park's trekking capital.  For long distance buses, it takes roughly 27 hours to get to Bariloche, or 18 hours to get to Ushuaia.

Travel to Chile Cross-border buses run between El Calafate and Puerto Natales in Chile, taking between 5–7 hours depending on border control. From Puerto Natales it's 2½ hours by road to Torres del Paine.