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Traverse ancient blue ice on a full-day Big Ice trek at Perito Moreno Glacier. This demanding guided hike pairs moraine approaches, a boat crossing, and 3+ hours of glacier walking with crampons and expert guides.
Traverse ancient blue ice on a full-day Big Ice trek at Perito Moreno Glacier. This demanding guided hike pairs moraine approaches, a boat crossing, and 3+ hours of glacier walking with crampons and expert guides.
You step off the skiff onto moraine gravel with the glacier wall to your right — a fractured, living cliff the color of old sapphires. A cold wind pushes across Rico Lake and the guide’s voice becomes the map you follow as the group threads a valley that opens onto blue ice.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Howlanders · El Calafate, Santa Cruz
You step off the skiff onto moraine gravel with the glacier wall to your right — a fractured, living cliff the color of old sapphires. A cold wind pushes across Rico Lake and the guide’s voice becomes the map you follow as the group threads a valley that opens onto blue ice.
Perito Moreno is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and sits inside Los Glaciares National Park (a UNESCO site since 1981). Unlike many retreating glaciers, Perito Moreno advances in cycles, cracking and calving dramatically into Lago Argentino. The rock here is young in geological time: glacially carved valleys, moraine ridges and striated bedrock tell a story of repeated ice advances. Culturally, the region is framed by gaucho history and modern conservation efforts centered in El Calafate, the gateway settlement to the park.
The Big Ice trek spends about 3–3.5 hours on the glacier after a 2‑hour approach across moraine and forest; guides fit crampons, teach basic techniques, and route you around crevasses and ice caves. Expect uneven ice, walking over sastrugi and occasional pockets of deep blue meltwater. Bring layered clothing, sturdy waterproof boots, sunglasses and high SPF — the ice reflects sun intensely. Hydrate and carry snacks (lunch is a short communal stop on the ice). The operator provides technical gear and bilingual guides, but the tour requires good cardiovascular fitness and no serious back or heart conditions. Timings vary — plan for a full day with early pickups from El Calafate and a return in the evening. For photographers, golden-hour approaches and the whiskey-ice toast on the return are highlights; for adventurers, it’s the sensory clarity of walking across an active glacier that lingers.
You’ll spend about 3 to 3.5 hours walking on the glacier after a 2-hour approach across the moraine and forest.
No previous glacier experience is required; guides provide crampons, instruction, and route choice tailored to conditions.
Lunch is a short communal stop on the ice; operators recommend bringing extra snacks and a refillable water bottle as on-site purchases are limited.
This tour is typically restricted to healthy participants between 18 and 50; it’s not recommended for those with heart, spinal, or pregnancy-related conditions.
Howlanders operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step off the skiff onto moraine gravel with the glacier wall to your right — a fractured, living cliff the color of old sapphires. A cold wind pushes across Rico Lake and the guide’s voice becomes the map you follow as the group threads a valley that opens onto blue ice.
You step off the skiff onto moraine gravel with the glacier wall to your right — a fractured, living cliff the color of old sapphires. A cold wind pushes across Rico Lake and the guide’s voice becomes the map you follow as the group threads a valley that opens onto blue ice.
Perito Moreno is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and sits inside Los Glaciares National Park (a UNESCO site since 1981). Unlike many retreating glaciers, Perito Moreno advances in cycles, cracking and calving dramatically into Lago Argentino. The rock here is young in geological time: glacially carved valleys, moraine ridges and striated bedrock tell a story of repeated ice advances. Culturally, the region is framed by gaucho history and modern conservation efforts centered in El Calafate, the gateway settlement to the park.
The Big Ice trek spends about 3–3.5 hours on the glacier after a 2‑hour approach across moraine and forest; guides fit crampons, teach basic techniques, and route you around crevasses and ice caves. Expect uneven ice, walking over sastrugi and occasional pockets of deep blue meltwater. Bring layered clothing, sturdy waterproof boots, sunglasses and high SPF — the ice reflects sun intensely. Hydrate and carry snacks (lunch is a short communal stop on the ice). The operator provides technical gear and bilingual guides, but the tour requires good cardiovascular fitness and no serious back or heart conditions. Timings vary — plan for a full day with early pickups from El Calafate and a return in the evening. For photographers, golden-hour approaches and the whiskey-ice toast on the return are highlights; for adventurers, it’s the sensory clarity of walking across an active glacier that lingers.