Argentina
Best of Calafate Glaciers 5 Day Tour Package
Calafate
From
US$1,397
≈ €1,198 · billed in US$ ≈ £1,025 · billed in US$ per person
In short
El Calafate is the town you sleep in to see the Perito Moreno glacier, 80 km away inside Los Glaciares national park. Four days is enough for the glacier from the walkways and from the water, plus a day of steppe and estancia food.
Everything in Calafate points at the ice. The town sits on Lago Argentino, the largest lake in the country, and the road west runs into a national park that holds 47 major glaciers — of which Perito Moreno is the one you can stand in front of, on balconies, while it calves.
The second half of the glacier is seen from the water. A nautical safari puts you a few hundred metres from a 60-metre ice wall, which is the only way to understand the scale the balconies flatten.
The third day is usually the surprise: an estancia in the steppe, lamb cooked over a cross, condors overhead and nothing else for forty kilometres in any direction.
What El Calafate is known for
- Perito Moreno from the balconies — the ice cracks like thunder
- The nautical safari along the glacier's south face
- A steppe estancia day with lamb and condors
- Ice trekking on the glacier itself (upgrade, booked separately)
- Lago Argentino at sunset from the Laguna Nimez reserve
Practical detail
- How long you need
- 4 days
- Best months
- November and March — long days, thinner crowds
- Nearest airport
- El Calafate (FTE), 20 min from town
- Glacier distance
- 80 km, about 90 minutes each way
What a trip to El Calafate costs
Per person, including hotels, transfers and the guided days each trip lists. International flights are never included.
Argentina
5 Day Best of Calafate Tour Package
Calafate
From
US$1,426
≈ €1,223 · billed in US$ ≈ £1,046 · billed in US$ per person
Argentina
Calafate & Chalten 6 Day Tour Package
Calafate
From
US$1,547
≈ €1,326 · billed in US$ ≈ £1,135 · billed in US$ per person
Argentina
Buenos Aires & Calafate 10 Day Tour package
Buenos Aires
From
US$3,026
≈ €2,594 · billed in US$ ≈ £2,219 · billed in US$ per person
Argentina
Ultimate Buenos Aires & Calafate 10 Day Tour Package
Buenos Aires
From
US$3,055
≈ €2,619 · billed in US$ ≈ £2,241 · billed in US$ per person
Argentina
Buenos Aires, Calafate & Chalten 11 Day Tour Package
Buenos Aires
From
US$3,176
≈ €2,723 · billed in US$ ≈ £2,329 · billed in US$ per person
| Package | Length | Price p/p | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best of Calafate Glaciers 5 Day Tour Package | 5 days | US$1,397 | Book |
| 5 Day Best of Calafate Tour Package | 5 days | US$1,426 | Book |
| Calafate & Chalten 6 Day Tour Package | 6 days | US$1,547 | Book |
| Buenos Aires & Calafate 10 Day Tour package | 10 days | US$3,026 | Book |
| Ultimate Buenos Aires & Calafate 10 Day Tour Package | 10 days | US$3,055 | Book |
| Buenos Aires, Calafate & Chalten 11 Day Tour Package | 11 days | US$3,176 | Book |
No package matches that search.
Frequently asked
How many days do you need in El Calafate?
Four. One to arrive, one full day at Perito Moreno, one for the estancia or El Chaltén, one to leave. Three works if you skip the estancia.
What is the best month to visit El Calafate?
November and March. December to February is warmest but busiest and most expensive; June to August much of the infrastructure runs reduced schedules and the days are short.
Is the boat trip worth it on top of the walkways?
Yes. The balconies show you the width of the glacier, the boat shows you the height. They are not the same visit.