Glaciar Perito Moreno: a moving wall of ice near El Calafate
Published on 08/24/2026 at 22:31 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Glaciar Perito Moreno is a vast valley glacier in southern Patagonia, forming a towering wall of ice above Lago Argentino west of El Calafate in Argentina’s Santa Cruz Province. Its advancing ice front, fed from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, creates a rare landscape where a moving mass of ancient ice meets open water and Andean foothills in a single wide panorama.
An advancing Patagonian glacier in Los Glaciares National Park
Glaciar Perito Moreno lies within Los Glaciares National Park, a protected area in south-west Santa Cruz that was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its glacier landscapes and Andean scenery.Los Glaciares National Park The glacier itself is one of dozens that descend from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, a high plateau of compacted snow and ice in the Andes that forms one of the world’s largest reserves of fresh water.Southern Patagonian Ice Field
The ice of Glaciar Perito Moreno stretches for about 30 km from its high plateau source to the lake, covering roughly 250 km² as it flows through a mountain valley towards Lago Argentino.30 km glacier length Along the lake shore the glacier’s front is about 5 km wide, with ice cliffs that rise in places more than 60 m above the water and extend to around 170 m in total depth.ice front dimensions These figures give the glacier a clear physical presence among the surrounding hills, with the dense ice face standing opposite forested slopes and rocky outcrops on the lake’s shores.
The ice wall above Lago Argentino
At the lake the terminus of Glaciar Perito Moreno forms a high serrated barrier of ice beside the dark waters of Lago Argentino’s Brazo Rico and Canal de los Témpanos arms. The visible ice cliffs are generally around 60 to 74 m above the lake surface, with crevasses, towers and overhangs that catch the light differently across the front.height above the lake Below the waterline the glacier continues for roughly another 170 m in depth, so only part of the total ice thickness appears above the lake.
The glacier’s front advances slowly towards the opposite lakeshore, and at times its ice blocks a narrow channel of Lago Argentino, forming a natural dam between Brazo Rico and the main body of the lake.natural lake dam When water pressure from the dammed arm of the lake grows, the barrier can fail in sections, sending blocks of ice into the water and reshaping the channel. The cycle of advance, blockage and release is part of the glacier’s behaviour, visible in the changing outline of the ice front and the broken floes that drift away across the grey-green lake surface.
Walkways, viewpoints and Andean surroundings
A network of metal walkways and platforms runs along the shore opposite Glaciar Perito Moreno, giving a sequence of viewpoints on the glacier’s 5 km front from different levels and angles.walkways and circuits The paths are arranged as separate circuits on the slopes above the lake, so visitors can look straight across to the ice wall or down towards sections of the front from higher ground. The structure of the walkways keeps people on firm ground among low forest and rocky terrain while presenting the glacier face in a broad arc.
Beyond the immediate lakeshore, the wider setting of Glaciar Perito Moreno includes the wooded hills and peaks of the southern Andes, with the Southern Patagonian Ice Field hidden behind a line of mountains. El Calafate lies to the east as the main town of the region, linked to the park by a road along Lago Argentino’s southern shore.location near El Calafate The combination of glacial ice, lake water and mountain backdrop gives this part of Los Glaciares National Park a layered landscape, with the bright glacier front set against darker slopes and distant summits.
Visiting Glaciar Perito Moreno: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Glaciar Perito Moreno lies in Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz Province, about 80 km west of El Calafate, linked by Provincial Route 11 along Lago Argentino’s southern shore.
- The walkway circuits on the opposite bank involve stretches of stairs and sloping paths on a hillside, so a visit includes walking over metal grating and paved sections between viewpoints.
- Boat excursions on Lago Argentino operate below sections of the glacier’s front, reached from piers on the lake shore near the walkway area.
- The official language is Spanish and the currency is the Argentine peso.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Glaciar Perito Moreno
Where is Glaciar Perito Moreno?
Glaciar Perito Moreno is in Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, west of El Calafate on the southern shore of Lago Argentino.
What should visitors expect on a visit?
Visitors encounter a structured network of walkways and platforms on a hillside opposite the glacier, with views of the high ice front above Lago Argentino and surrounding Andean terrain.
What makes Glaciar Perito Moreno distinctive among Patagonian glaciers?
Its 5 km wide, more than 60 m high ice wall meets a large lake at close range, and its advancing terminus periodically blocks a channel of Lago Argentino, creating a natural ice dam.
