Perito Moreno – a huge glacier with easy access, Argentina

Perito Moreno is a very large beautiful glacier with excellent tourist infrastructure making it easy to visit. Until recently the glacier also was quite an exception in that it was a stable glacier, not retreating like many other glaciers around the world. However a recent study shows that that is changing now and Perito Moreno is shrinking away too.

Entrance to Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Entrance to Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

Perito Moreno is part of Los Glaciares National park, also including Fitzroy mountain and area around it. We bought online a multiday permit that enabled us to go to Perito Moreno and later to all our hikes in El Chalten. The rates for the park entrance tickets are here.

Road to Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Road to Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

Mirador de Los Susperos is the first lookout point of Perito Moreno Glacier that one reaches. It has a beautiful view of the glacier and Lago Argentino around it. As at some other major tourist sites, we saw Malvinas Argentinas sign. We also saw it near El Chalten and at Iguazu falls with respective distances to the islands. Malvinas other name is Falkland islands, British overseas territory that Argentina and UK fought a war over in 1982. It is clearly not a closed question in Argentina.

View of Perito Moreno Glacier and Malvinas Argentinas sign, Argentina
View of Perito Moreno Glacier and Malvinas Argentinas sign, Argentina

After the lookout point we headed to the parking lot for the Perito Moreno Glacier. Parking lot is very large and is far from the Glacier walking trails and platforms. One can walk it (uphill to the glacier visitor center) or take a shuttle. We took a shuttle. There are extensive walkways and viewing platforms to admire the glacier. It was busy with many tourist buses but the platforms have a lot of space to view the glacier. We have seen several chunks of ice breaking off, calving, while we were there. It is a very impressive spectacle.

Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
Perito Moreno Glacier closer view, Argentina
Perito Moreno Glacier closer view, Argentina

Unexposed and submerged part of the glacier has a different very blue color, because of its higher density. When pieces of glacier break off and flip over one can see this very beautiful, blue ice. Over time it cracks and starts to look white, like regular ice.

Freshly flipped piece of glacier with its blue ice, Perito Moreno, Argentina
Freshly flipped piece of glacier with its blue ice, Perito Moreno, Argentina
Water color changes near Perito Moreno glacier, Argentina
Water color changes near Perito Moreno glacier, Argentina
Perito Moreno Glacier and tourist boat, Argentina
Perito Moreno Glacier and tourist boat, Argentina
Floating pieces of ice that broke off glacier, Perito Moreno, Argentina
Floating pieces of ice that broke off glacier, Perito Moreno, Argentina

We walked all the platforms to appreciate different view points. We had our sandwich lunch admiring the glacier. And by the time we were leaving, most tour bases have departed and we enjoyed the Glacier without crowds.

Back to Los Glaciares National Park