The Tour, in detail
Day 1:
Reception at El Calafate airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Free time.
Day 2:
Perito Moreno Glacier:
Some moments etch themselves into memory—not through words, but through silence. Among Patagonia’s most awe-inspiring excursions, the encounter with the
Perito Moreno Glacier remains unequaled: towering, alive, and in constant motion, a monumental wall of ice that
cracks, roars, collapses, and slowly
rebuilds itself.
The full-day excursion begins in the morning, departing from
El Calafate and tracing the shoreline of
Bahía Redonda, the rounded bay of
Lake Argentino. The journey reveals the solitary silhouette of
Isla Solitaria floating in the water’s expanse. From there, the route enters the windswept
Patagonian steppe, a vast landscape of ochres and silvers. Along the way, landmarks appear:
Cerro Comisión (also known as
Elephant Hill), the
Centinela River,
Cerro Frías, and traditional ranches like the well-known
Estancia Alice. After crossing the
Mitre River, the road enters
Los Glaciares National Park.
The scenery shifts dramatically. The dry steppe gives way to lush forests of southern beech trees.
In just a few miles, the environment transforms into a green, humid corridor of lengas, ñires, evergreen beech, and the brilliant red blooms of the notro. One of the most iconic moments of the journey occurs at the
Curva de los Suspiros—the “Sighs Curve”—named for the audible gasp that often escapes as the glacier appears for the first time in the distance.
Farther along, the road reaches the
main viewpoint, where the entire
3-mile-wide face of the glacier comes into view. But the most intimate encounter happens at the
walkways—a network of platforms and paths that bring visitors just a few hundred feet from the ice wall itself. Rising more than
200 feet above the lake’s surface, the glacier looms in silence, marked by deep blue crevices, translucent shadows, and jagged towers of frozen time. Every so often, a thunderous crack splits the air. A chunk of ice breaks free and crashes into the lake, sending ripples across the stillness.
The average time spent at the walkways is about two hours, allowing for unhurried exploration. Inside the national park, a visitor area offers
food and refreshments, with privileged views of the glacier and surrounding peaks.. The visit to the Glaciers National Park includes
Nautical Safari: This short but unforgettable navigation takes place on
Lago Rico, offering an up-close journey along the
southern face of the Perito Moreno Glacier, a section otherwise inaccessible from land-based viewpoints.
The experience reveals the glacier from a
completely new perspective, highlighting its towering ice walls and the frequent
calving of massive ice blocks, which break off with a thunderous noise and drift as
deep-blue icebergs, passing just meters from the boat and coloring the water with their ancient hue.
The vessel, with a capacity of approximately
70 passengers, maintains a safe yet close distance as it navigates the
entire southern front of the glacier.
Boarding takes place at
Puerto Bajo de las Sombras, located
3.7 miles (6 kilometers) from the main Perito Moreno Glacier viewpoint.
Day 3:
Transfer to private port for the splendid Gourmet Glaciers Experience:
This full-day journey aboard the
María Turquesa Cruise blends two of southern Patagonia’s greatest pleasures: sailing among glaciers and enjoying refined cuisine surrounded by breathtaking scenery.
The experience begins early in the morning with a transfer to
Punta Bandera, where boarding from the
Private Port La Soledad takes place . The navigation unfolds across the vast expanse of
Lake Argentino, offering a privileged perspective on the
Los Glaciares National Park—a perspective both immersive and remarkably close to the ice.
The first sights appear after crossing
Escuadra Bay and the
Condoreras Wall: the
Seco and
Heim Glaciers, suspended from mountain slopes and peaks—so-called “hanging glaciers.” The cruise continues south toward the
Spegazzini Channel, leading to the glacier of the same name. This towering ice front rises between
260 and 440 feet above lake level, allowing for an awe-inspiring close-up approach.
The next stop is
Puesto de las Vacas, a calm bay nestled within the channel. Here, the captain cuts the engines to allow a brief, guided walk along the shore, led by the onboard team of naturalist guides.
Later, the cruise approaches the barrier of icebergs that blocks access to the
Upsala Channel. The distant outlines of the
Upsala and
Bertacchi Glaciers can be admired from the deck. A
Gourmet boxed lunch, with non-alcoholic beverages included, is served amid this striking scenery.
The journey then continues through the
Iceberg Channel toward the northern face of the
Perito Moreno Glacier, where the vessel stops to observe the dramatic calving of ice blocks crashing into the lake—a spectacle of sound, movement, and stillness.
Return to port is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. followed by the transfer back to El Calafate.
Note: When booking with us, guests may request for an upgrade to the
VIP Premium Deck of the María Turquesa Cruise, an exclusive area with space for just
16 passengers. This option not only offers privacy but a full lunch with alcoholic beverages, plus complimentary cafeteria service throughout the navigation.
Day 4:
Breakfast and, at scheduled time, transfer to airport.
End of our services.
