Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the park's lower car park by Puerto Perito Moreno, the Sendero de la Costa climbs along the shore of the Canal de los Témpanos, with the north face of the glacier ahead. At the main balconies opposite the ice, take the Sendero Central to the first and second balconies, then the stairs down the Sendero Inferior to the Balcón Inferior, close to the water and the ice front. Climb back by the Sendero del Bosque, rejoin the upper walkways and return down the Sendero de la Costa to the car park.
It is 4.2 km round with 123 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours, with time to watch the ice. The grade is Easy: metal walkways with handrails and many stairs.
The park charges at its Río Mitre portal on the road from El Calafate, and the road has fixed hours. Ice and rain make the grating slippery, so take short steps and hold the rails. Keep behind the barriers: falling ice throws splinters dozens of metres.
The glacier is 80 km from El Calafate by road. Private cars use the lower car park; the upper one is kept for visitors with reduced mobility.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- The glacier covers about 254 km², and its front on Lago Argentino is some 5 km wide
- Every few years the ice seals off the Brazo Rico, the water behind it rises and finally breaks through in a rupture that draws crowds
- It is named after Francisco Moreno, the 19th-century explorer known as the Perito, the expert, for his work on the border with Chile
- Los Glaciares National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981
Getting there
Start: Perito Moreno lower car park. -50.46248, -73.02434
Directions to the start
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.