Santa Cruz Province

Family-friendly activities

Departure from your hotel in El Calafate around 10:00 a.m. and we head towards the Perito Moreno Glacier located within the Los Glaciares National Park. Travel to the western tip of the Magellanic Peninsula and have plenty of time to explore this natural ice formation. Begin your tour of the national park by strolling along a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) network of boardwalks. Admire the glacier from multiple perspectives as you climb to different levels and balconies. Spend 3 hours exploring the slopes and use this time to eat a packed lunch or stop at one of the restaurants. Take an optional 1-hour boat ride in front of the glacier wall. After the tour, return to El Calafate via the same route and arrival in the afternoon.

Discover the National Capital of Trekking on a private or shared guided day trip from El Calafate El Chaltén. Let yourself be amazed by this mountain town as you discover incredible landscapes and walk part of its trails. Start the morning with pickup from your hotel in El Calafate. Relax on the trip to the town of El Chaltén which is 220 km from El Calafate. Cross the Santa Cruz River and make a rest stop for a few minutes at Estancia La Leona where you can buy homemade cakes and a hot drink. Continue to El Chaltén, bordering Lake Viedma with its homonymous glacier. Take in stunning views of Cerro Chaltén (also known as Fitz Roy) and Torre on clear days, as well as the Viedma Glacier with its impressive icebergs. Upon arrival at Chaltén, have 5 hours to explore and enjoy this small mountain town. Enjoy a 700-meter guided walk to the Mirador de Los Cóndores viewpoint and visit the Chorrillo del Salto with a 300-meter walk over flat terrain. To return, meet at a previously arranged meeting point for the drive back to El Calafate, arriving at approximately 8 PM.

Discover Patagonia on this trek in Los Glaciares National Park. Explore the park on foot, and trek on glaciers with crampons. Learn about the flora and fauna from your guide along the way, and sail in front of a glacier on Argentino Lake. This unmissable experience begins at the “Bajo de las Sombras” Port, within Los Glaciares National Park. Take a boat to cross the Brazo Rico, to the west coast. After crossing, take a rest stop and meet your guides who will brief you on the activity. Strap on your crampons and trek along the glacier, following along with your licensed guides. See unique ice formations and learn about glacier ruptures and the natural life of the region. Return to the refuge through the Magellan forest where you can enjoy your lunch (not included) with a view of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Return through the Brazo Rico of the Argentino Lake, sailing in front of the glacier. You can also enjoy the view of the Perito Moreno from the catwalks: another way to see and appreciate its immensity.

Embark on a fascinating excursion to Torres del Paine, departing from El Calafate. Hike through a stunning national park, surrounded by glaciers, lakes, and waterfalls. Take in mesmerizing landscapes, explore a variety of natural landmarks, and enjoy an included lunch. Get picked up from your hotel and take the road to the Republic of Chile border crossing. After the customs and immigration procedures, meet your guide and begin to travel the last 80 kilometers to the National Park. Gaze at the Mirador del Lago Sarmiento de Gamboa, the Saltos del Río Paine, the upper viewpoint of Cerro Almirante Nieto/Cuernos del Paine, and the entrance to Laguna Amarga. Once inside the Torres del Paine National Park, dive into the different trekking trails and receive your packed lunch. Follow a trail from the Salto Grande and enjoy a low-difficulty walk towards the Mirador de Los Cuernos del Paine, on the shores of Lake Nordenskjold. Then, back in the vehicle, begin the ride to Lake Pehoé, the last viewpoint, overlooking the Cuernos del Paine and the French Valley. Continue exploring and getting to know the southernmost part of Chilean Patagonia. Learn about its flora and fauna on your return to Calafate.

Start the tour with a pickup from your hotel in El Calafate around 7:00 AM to undertake the 47km route to the Punta Bandera Port where your boat departs at 9:00 AM.  The first part of the trip takes place in the north arm of the Argentino Lake before crossing into the Boca del Diablo, the narrowest part of the lake. Then, go to the Upsala and Spegazzini channels where you can view the respective glaciers. The Upsala Glacier is the largest on Argentino Lake and can be seen from about 20km away. The Spegazzini Glacier is the highest and you can also see the Dry, Heim Sur, and Peineta glaciers. After entering the Spegazzini Channel, a 300-meter path will be crossed without difficulty through the forest along the coast of the lake making stops at viewpoints overlooking the entire Bay of Glaciers.  Arrive at the Spegazzini Refuge where you can enjoy an optional 3-course lunch with drinks, visit the shop, and contemplate the landscape from the terrace.  For those who enjoy walking, the mountain path offers a 700m trek of medium difficulty through a wooded path with natural viewpoints of the Spegazzini Glacier ending at the landing point. Return to the boat and head back to El Calafate where you’ll be dropped off back at your hotel.

This is a unique experience that will allow you to spend a magnificent day visiting the most spectacular Glacier! One of the seven most wonderful places in the world according to The Condé Nast Traveler magazine: Perito Moreno Glacier! We leave early in the morning from El Calafate and after 80 km we arrive in the walkaway area in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier. During this morning you will have time to walk around the walkways which connect different viewpoints through paths and stairs and where you can enjoy different views of this spectacular Glacier! You will also be sailing for approximately 1 hour through the Rich Branch of Argentino Lake at a distance of 150 meters from the South face of Perito Moreno Glacier! You should purchase the National Park park tickets on the webpage, the ticket you need to buy is for Rio Mitre y Glaciar Perito Moreno, the 1-day option, you can also purchase the entrance the day of the tour, in cash or credit card in pesos at the park entrance.

It is a challenging walk along the Fitz Roy path, 20 kilometers in total. The duration of the trek can vary according to the rhythm and physical condition of each person, but generally it is estimated between 8 and 9 hours, including short breaks and stops to admire the landscape, which will amaze you throughout the journey. The activity begins with the pick up from your hotel. During the journey, you take route 40, surely you can spot local fauna and if the weather is good, see the sunrise over the hills. Once at the destination, we give you a talk about the trail, we give you walking sticks and the map, and the trekking begins. During the first section you will cross the forest until you reach Laguna Capri, the first technical stop. You will be surprised by the color of the water and the nature that surrounds this lagoon, in addition, the views of Fitz Roy are unmissable. Returning to the trail, we cross the Río Blanco bridge until we reach Camping Poincenot, a totally wild camp in the middle of the native forest. Crossing Poincenot, we arrive at the beginning of the climb to Laguna de los Tres. Due to the altimetry it presents and the terrain conditions, this last kilometer is the most difficult of the path. During this climb, the views of the landscape are incredible, being able to appreciate Laguna Madre and Hija from the heights. When it seems that you are about to arrive, another 300 meter climb awaits you, but once at the top, all the effort was worth it. You are surprised by the immense nature and the color of the water. The feeling is impossible to describe in words.

We will begin our exciting day with a transfer from your accommodation in El Calafate to the imposing Los Glaciares National Park. Along Route 11, you will witness the fascinating Patagonian steppe, with its unique flora and fauna, while the majestic Lake Argentino unfolds before your eyes. Our expert guides will accompany you on a tour full of history, ecology and geology, revealing the best kept secrets of this incredible region. Upon entering the National Park, we will make a stop at the Mirador de los Suspiros, where you will have your first glimpse of the impressive Brazo Rico and the imposing south face of the Perito Moreno Glacier. This will be just the first of many unforgettable postcards. Next, we will venture along the walkways of Los Glaciares National Park, a network of trails that extends for 5 kilometers. Each level will allow you to discover this natural monument from unique perspectives, offering panoramic views that will leave you breathless. This ice giant, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, never ceases to amaze those who visit it. To complete this unique experience, we will take you on an exclusive boat ride (only if option with Navigation selected), sailing for an hour just a few meters from one of the majestic walls of Perito Moreno. From the water, you will feel the magnitude of this ice colossus and witness the spectacular landslides that echo over the waters of Lake Argentino. After living this unforgettable experience, we will return to El Calafate, with our hearts full of memories and the feeling of having discovered one of the most amazing natural treasures in the world.

The excursion begins at 6:00 a.m., when the company's minibus picks you up at your accommodation in El Calafate. Once all passengers are on board, the vehicle heads towards El Chaltén, which you will reach in about three hours, travelling along a good part of National Route 40. Halfway along this beautiful scenic route that runs through the vastness of the Patagonian steppe, you will be able to see the southern Andes, where the unmistakable silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy stands out against the rest of the granite needles that surround it. Once in El Chaltén, at approximately 8:30 a.m., a short stop is made for those who wish to use the bathroom before setting off. Here a second trekking guide joins the group who will accompany the group during the hike. The trailhead is at the Puente del Río Eléctrico, just 14 kilometers from El Chaltén. There, food is given to each hiker and the group begins the hike at approximately 9:30 am. In the first section of the route (6.3 km, which takes an hour and a half to cover), the trail gains altitude until it reaches the Mirador Piedras Blancas. After the Mirador del Glaciar Piedras Blancas, the trail slowly descends to the Meeting Point near the Poincenot Base Camp, where the group arrives at approximately 11:30 am. Those who hesitate to continue with the second section, much more demanding than the first, will continue the journey with one of the two guides as GROUP 2 to the beautiful Laguna Capri, another of the must-see attractions of El Chaltén. There they will have lunch before continuing the descent to El Chaltén. GROUP 1 continues the journey with one of the guides through the Poincenot Base Camp area, crosses the bridge over the Blanco River, and from there begins to gain altitude rapidly. In total, they climb some 430 metres of altitude for almost 3 km until they reach the highest point: Laguna de los Tres. As they ascend, they begin to discover increasingly panoramic views and the sensation of getting closer to the mountains, which, due to their imposing size, seem to be very close. After the effort, at approximately 1:30 p.m. the group reaches a morainic ridge from where the Fitz Roy massif can be seen in all its splendor and at its feet the Laguna and Glacier De los Tres. To reach the Laguna itself, you descend a few meters and once there, and if the weather permits, it will surely be the perfect time for lunch, enjoying an unforgettable view and moment. After exploring the area and taking many photos, GROUP 1 says goodbye to this magical place and begins the descent to El Chaltén. Once you reach the meeting point in the Poincenot Camp area (where GROUP 2 eventually split up), the way back goes through Laguna Capri. At approximately 7:00 p.m. the minibus leaves for the city of El Calafate, where the service ends, dropping off passengers at each hotel between 9 and 10 p.m.

Enjoy a full day experience aboard the María Turquesa Cruise that travels to the most impressive glaciers, sailing with the highest comfort. Begin with the transfer from your hotel to the Private Port La Soledad. After traveling 47 KM enter the National Park and board the boat. Cross a peninsulas encounter called "Boca del Diablo" to enter the North Arm of the lake. Navigate between icebergs through the Upsala Canal where you can observe the Upsala Glacier about 10 km away. Go to the Spegazzini Channel to see hanging glaciers such as Dry Glacier, Heim Sur, Peinetta and disembark at Las Vacas Post where you will make a 30-minute walk through a lovely forest. Continue to the front of the highest glacier in the National Park, the Spegazzini Glacier (135 meters above the lake level/440 ft above the lake level). Take advantage of the time, take pictures and contemplate in silence with the surrounding natural beauty. Head to your final destination at Perito Moreno Glacier, where you will disembark on the walkways to culminate a day full of magic and surprises. Finally, take a bus in which you will return to your hotel in El Calafate at the end of the day.