How To Get From El Calafate To The Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
The biggest tourist attraction in the area, nothing draws more people to El Calafate, Argentina, than the famous Perito Moreno Glacier! But how do you actually get to the glacier from town?
The Perito Moreno Glacier is accessible through the Los Glaciares National Park, a conservation area dedicated to protect the beautiful glacier and surrounding areas. To get from El Calafate to Los Glaciares National Park to see the Perito Moreno Glacier, you are able to choose from the following.
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1. Join a Tour Group
The easiest and most hassle-free way to get from El Calafate to the Perito Moreno Glacier is to sign up for a tour through an established travel agency. The tour group will send group transportation directly to the address of your hotel, provided at the time you register for the tour, to pick you up wherever you’re staying.
From your hotel, they will drive you straight to Los Glaciares National Park. And just like that – you’re at the Perito Moreno Glacier!
Traveling with tour groups is a popular choice because your package will already include entrance fees to the park, your guide knows exactly where to go, and the agency often provides additional excursion options for the glacier if it interests you!
2. Take a Bus
The public bus terminal is located at C. 510 87, Z9405 El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina. From here, several companies are able to pick you up and transport you to the entrance of Los Glaciares National Park, if your travel dates align with their schedules. The ride by bus from El Calafate to the Perito Moreno Glacier should take about an hour & a half by bus.
To plan your trip in advance, be sure to check the bus schedules in advance – some of the options available are: Taqsa Marga, 12Go, and Chaltén Travel.
3. Drive by Car
If you’re looking for a bit more autonomy in when you depart and how many stops you’d like to make along the way, you could choose to rent a private car. There are several rental companies available to choose from at the Calafate Airport (FTE – Comandante Armando Tola International), including Budget, Avis, Europcar, Fox, Alamo, and Hertz.
Journey by car should take about the same amount of time as traveling by direct bus: an hour & a half in each direction.
4. Hire a Private Transfer Car
For the best of both worlds – if you would prefer to leave on your own schedule while still not having to worry about figuring out where to go on your own – you could hire a private car service for the trip. There are several options to request a private transfer from – the front desk at your accommodation should be able to recommend a local service to take you directly to Los Glaciares National Park.
Recommendation
For a complete list of tour companies and transfer companies local to the area that offer transport between El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier, check out the primary website for the Los Glaciares National Park here. From our experience, the best option to get to Perito Moreno is to join a tour group. Through a tour group, everything is handled for you ahead of time, you are picked up directly from you accommodation, and you are with a group of tourists excited to enjoy the same activities you are!
By meeting other travelers, you’ll often learn things you wouldn’t have thought to ask, or even glean new experiences to try in the area that you were not aware of.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the distance between El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier? The distance to Los Glaciares National Park from El Calafate is about 47.5 kilometers (~ 30 miles) by road.
- How do you access the Perito Moreno Glacier? The Perito Moreno Glacier is accessible only through entrance to Los Glaciares National Park, as the glacier is a protected area. Other options include boat or hiking treks that can be organized through tour companies.
Where to Stay in El Calafate
Check out the accommodations below to find a great spot to stay in Calafate that fits your travel style!
- Budget Hostel: The Calafate Hostel
- Popular Picks: The Hotel Kosten Aike
- Luxury Resort: The Hotel Posada Los Alamos
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About the Author: Hi, I’m Jill! I am a biomedical & mechanical engineer who loves traveling during my free time. My hope is to help make it easier for others to plan their dream trips by providing firsthand experience from the places I’ve been! Read More.
