Illustration.
Los Glaciares National Park · walks on the ice
Perito Moreno Glacier Walk: Which Trek on the Ice?
Three ways to walk on the Perito Moreno glacier in crampons, from about an hour on the ice to about three: what each costs, who may go and when each runs. Hielo y Aventura runs the walks on the ice and sells its short Mini-Trek here.
Pick your walk
Three Walks on the Ice, One Port
You can walk on the Perito Moreno glacier in three ways, and the difference is mostly time on the ice: about an hour on the Mini-Trek, 2 hours on Minitrekking 2 and about three on Big Ice. All three start at the same port and cross the same water. Hielo y Aventura runs the walks on the ice, and the one to start with is its own Mini-Trek: Hike on the Perito Moreno Glacier with crampons, from US$346 a person (checked November 2026). That price is the 4.5-hour option from the port, with no transport; the 10-hour day with hotel pickup cost US$412 on the January and March 2027 dates we read.
Mini-Trek: Hike on the Perito Moreno Glacier with crampons
Sold by Hielo y Aventura itself: the boat across Brazo Rico, a walk along the shore, crampons and an approximately one-hour hike on the ice, about three hours of hiking in all. Ages 8 to 65, fitness moderate.
Check dates →Perito Moreno long glacier hike + Boat tour / Minitrekking 2
Howlanders' Minitrekking 2: a 4-hour hike including 2 hours on the glacier and a meltwater waterfall, in a group of up to 10. Not for people under 17 or over 55. US$445 with transfers on the dates we read.
See the walk →Big Ice: Explore the Heart of the Perito Moreno Glacier
Hielo y Aventura's Big Ice: about two hours through moraine and forest, then about three on the ice in crampons and a harness. Ages 18 to 50, fitness high, a medical form after booking. Hielo y Aventura runs it from 15 September to 30 April.
See the walk →El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Trekking Tour and Cruise
Patagonia Dreams sells the same short walk with a sail along the north wall and the walkways. Its from-price includes the hotel pickup; the option without transfer cost more, US$519, on the dates we read.
See the walk →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026); option prices from the booking calendars for 20 January and 27 March 2027. Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
The park entrance is extra on every one of them: the general rate is ARS 50,000 a day (Administración de Parques Nacionales, from June 2026), paid at the gate or online.
- 4.9 / 5 57+ Reviews
- About 71 km By road from El Calafate to the Bajo de las Sombras port, where the walks on the ice start
- ARS 50,000 The park's general entrance rate (APN, from June 2026), not included in any walk
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Mini-Trek Includes
Hielo y Aventura's short walk: the boat across Brazo Rico, crampons and helmets, and about an hour on the ice.
Hielo y Aventura S.A's own highlights, inclusions and notes, as listed on GetYourGuide in November 2026.
Highlights
- Hike on the Perito Moreno Glacier with crampons
- Explore crevasses, seracs, and unique turquoise lagoons
- Accompaniment by specialized bilingual guides
- Includes sailing in front of the southern wall of the glacier
- Toast with whiskey and ancient ice
What's Included
- Boat cruise
- Tour guide
- Mountain guide
- Guided hike
- Technical equipment for glacier trekking
- Transfer to the National Park (optional)
- Transfer to the walkways (optional)
Good to know: Physical fitness: MODERATE. · The excursion will not be canceled due to rain. · The excursion start time may be changed for operational reasons. If there is a change in the start time, you will be notified by email. · Pickup is from the front desk of your hotel in El Calafate and starts from 8:30 AM. Don't worry about delays: The pick-up route can take up to 45 minutes, depending on the location of the hotels. This time is included in the activity, so it will not affect or change the itinerary and/or duration of the excursion. · Not suitable for: Children under 8 years, Pregnant women, People with back problems, People with mobility impairments, People with heart problems, Wheelchair users, People with vertigo, People with respiratory issues, People over 65 years, Visually impaired people, People with pre-existing medical conditions, People with recent surgeries, People with low level of fitness, People with motion sickness, Hearing-impaired people · Not Included: National Park entrance ticket, Meal, Personal trekking gear
How Every Walk on the Ice Starts
The walks leave from the same port and cross the same water. What differs is the time on the ice.
Get to the Port
Every walk on the ice starts at Puerto Bajo las Sombras, about 71 km by road from the centre of El Calafate. Take an option with a hotel pickup, or drive yourself and meet at the port.
Cross Brazo Rico
A boat ride of about 20 minutes across the water in front of the glacier's south wall, to the shore where the mountain guides meet the group.
Crampons On
A walk along the shore or through the forest to the edge of the ice, where the guides fit crampons and helmets. The Mini-Trek works with one guide for every 10 walkers.
On the Ice
About an hour on the Mini-Trek, 2 hours on Minitrekking 2 and about 3 hours on Big Ice. Then the walk back and the boat to the port.
Photo Gallery
Crevasses, Seracs and Blue Water
The south wall from the boat, the shore walk and the surface of the glacier.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Hielo y Aventura's Mini-Trek. The from-price is the 4.5-hour option from the Bajo de las Sombras port with no transport; the 10-hour day with hotel pickup is the second option on the calendar. The park entrance is not included. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Before the Ice
Before You Pick a Walk
How the three walks differ, how you reach the ice, who may go, what each costs, when each runs and who runs them.
More on the walks
Prices are each page's featured tour: GetYourGuide checked November 2026. Tour prices on GetYourGuide and Viator are in US dollars; the park entrance is paid in Argentine pesos.
Four Ways onto the Perito Moreno Ice
The Mini-Trek, Minitrekking 2, Big Ice and the Mini-Trek with a cruise: who sells each, the time on the ice, the length of the day, the ages and what each from-price buys, with the month it was checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Mini-Trek | Minitrekking 2 | Big Ice | Mini-Trek and cruise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$346 per person (4.5 hours from the port, no transport; checked November 2026); the 10-hour day with hotel pickup cost US$412 on 20 January and 27 March 2027 | From US$370 per person (5 hours from the port, no transfers; checked November 2026); with transfers US$445 on the same dates | From US$459 per person (with or without transport, the same price on 27 March 2027; checked November 2026) | From US$424 per person (with hotel pickup; the option without transfer cost more; checked November 2026); without transfer US$519 on 20 January and 27 March 2027 |
| Sold By | Hielo y Aventura S.A, the company that runs the walks on the ice | Howlanders | Hielo y Aventura S.A | Patagonia Dreams |
| Time on the Ice | An approximately one-hour hike, of about three hours of hiking in all | A 4-hour hike including 2 hours on the glacier | About three hours, after about two hours through moraine and forest | Approximately 1 hour hike on the glacier |
| The Day | 4.5 hours from the port, or 10 hours with hotel pickup and the walkways | 5 hours from the port, 1:00 PM start on the dates we read, or 10 hours with transfers and the walkways | 7.5 hours from the port, or 12 hours with transport and a one-hour walkways visit | 11 hours with hotel pickup, a sail along the north wall and the walkways, or 5 hours from the port |
| Ages | Not for children under 8 or people over 65 | Not for people under 17 or over 55 | 18 to 50 | 8 to 65 |
| Fitness | Moderate | More challenging than the classic Minitrekking, less than Big Ice | High; a medical form after booking | Not for people with a low level of fitness |
| Best For | A first walk on a glacier, from the company that runs it | Twice the time on the ice of the Mini-Trek, in a group of up to 10 | Fit adults who want most of a day on and around the ice | The short walk plus a second look at the glacier from the water |
| Check dates | See the walk | See the walk | See the walk |
Other Ways onto the Ice
More Ice Treks, and One Without Ice
Other sellers' Minitrekking days on GetYourGuide and Viator, with or without a transfer from El Calafate, and Hielo y Aventura's Blue Safari for anyone the age limits leave out.
WITH THE WALKWAYSAdventure on Ice: Minitrekking in the Perito Moreno Glacier
Gray Line Argentina's Minitrekking day: the boat from Bajo de las Sombras port, 40 minutes of navigation in front of the south face, a walk along the shore, crampons and helmets on the ice, and the forest on the way back. The walkways visit and the hotel transfers come only with the option that includes transfers. Ages 8 to 65 inclusive; bring your own food.
FROM THE PORTFrom El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Ice Trekking
Tangol's Minitrekking from Bajo de las Sombras port: a 20-minute boat ride, a walk along the shore to the edge of the ice with a group of no more than 20, crampons, a moderate circuit on the ice and a short walk through the forest back to the shelter. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Participants must be between 8 and 65.
ON VIATOR, PICKUP INCLUDEDPerito Moreno Glacier Minitrekking Tour
All Patagonia's Minitrekking day on Viator: hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide and the Minitrekking on the glacier, about 10 hours in all, in one option. Food and drinks and the park fee are extra.
FROM THE PORT OR WITH TRANSFERSMinitrekking Perito Moreno: Ice hiking tour (optional transfers)
Howlanders' Minitrekking on Viator: the boat ride, the walk on the ice with equipment and a Spanish-English guide. The from-price is the tour without transfers, meeting at Puerto Bajo las Sombras; the option with transfers adds a hotel pickup and the walkways. Meals and the park fee are extra.
NO WALK ON THE ICEBlue Safari: The Perito Moreno Glacier in your hands.
Hielo y Aventura's Blue Safari, a walk beside the glacier rather than on it: the boat across the Rico Arm, an easy 1.5 km nature trail along the beach and through woodland to the south wall, where you can touch the ice, then a sail close to the ice wall; with the transfer option, two hours on the walkways too. Not for children under 6 or people over 70.
Walking on the Perito Moreno glacier
The Walks, the Rules and What You Pay
Why every walk on the ice is guided, how the walks differ, where they start, what the price leaves out, who may go and what walkers say.
Can you walk on the glacier on your own?
Not that we found. Every walk on the ice sold on GetYourGuide or Viator is a guided one in crampons, and the national park’s list of concessionaires for Los Glaciares names one company for walks on the Perito Moreno’s ice: Hielo y Aventura, for “Trekking sobre hielo (Minitrekking y Big Ice en Glaciar Moreno)” (Administración de Parques Nacionales, read November 2026). Hielo y Aventura runs the walks on the ice; we don’t. Bookings go through GetYourGuide or Viator.
Other companies sell days built around the same walks under their own names, often with a transfer from El Calafate added: Patagonia Dreams, Gray Line Argentina, Tangol and Howlanders among them. Who runs the walks sets out who sells what.
From the walkways, the network of metal balconies facing the glacier’s front, you look at the ice. You do not walk on it.
Three walks, three amounts of ice
Hielo y Aventura's Mini-Trek begins with a 20-minute boat ride across Lake Rico in front of the glacier’s south wall. Mountain guides meet the group on the far shore, walk it along the lake to a short talk on glaciology, then fit crampons and helmets at the edge of the ice. On the ice you walk for about an hour, one guide for every 10 people, past crevasses, seracs and small blue lagoons, and come back over the moraine and through the forest: about three hours of hiking in all. Before the boat back there is a hot drink, a souvenir and a toast with whiskey and ancient ice. Hielo y Aventura puts the whole walk at about 3.5 km on its own pages.
Howlanders' Minitrekking 2 crosses the same water, then follows the lake shore and the glacier’s lateral moraine to the ice: a 4-hour hike including 2 hours on the glacier, a stop at a small waterfall of meltwater and the boat back from Puma Bay. It is limited to 10 participants, and it is more challenging than the classic Minitrekking but less than Big Ice. It is not for people under 17 or over 55. Hielo y Aventura prints 12 to 60 for its own Minitrekking2, so ask Howlanders before booking if you are near either end.
Hielo y Aventura's Big Ice is the long one: the boat, about two hours through moraine and forest, then about three hours on the ice with crampons, helmets and harnesses, and a 30-minute lunch break with food you bring. It is physically demanding and for ages 18 to 50, and a medical form comes by email after booking; not completing it can disqualify you. From the port it takes 7.5 hours; with transport from El Calafate, about 12.
The table below the booking box sets the four side by side, with Patagonia Dreams’ walk-and-cruise day. Big Ice or Minitrekking goes through the choice.
Where the walks start
Every walk starts at Puerto Bajo las Sombras, the landing on Brazo Rico about 71 km by road from the centre of El Calafate (Hielo y Aventura gives 70 km). The walkways are about 6 km further on by road. You either take an option with a hotel pickup, or drive yourself and show your park ticket at the gate on the way in. The boat to the ice has the two ways to start in detail.
What the price leaves out
- The park entrance. No walk here includes it. The APN’s general rate for Los Glaciares is ARS 50,000 a day from 1 June 2026; at the Perito Moreno gate you can pay by card or in cash in Argentine pesos, or buy online beforehand (APN tariffs, read November 2026). The APN prints no separate rate for foreign visitors: on our reading of its categories, anyone without an Argentine ID pays the general rate.
- Food. No walk includes a meal, and Hielo y Aventura sells no food on its walks. Bring lunch from El Calafate.
- The walkways, if you go without transport. On the Mini-Trek the walkways visit comes with the 10-hour option; if you reach the port on your own, the walkways are not part of the walk.
- Your own gear. Crampons and helmets are provided, and harnesses on Big Ice; warm clothes, gloves and hiking shoes are yours.
What a glacier walk costs puts every price side by side, with Hielo y Aventura’s own peso rates.
Who cannot go
The age limits are firm: 8 to 65 on Hielo y Aventura’s Minitrekking and 18 to 50 on Big Ice, “without exception” on its own pages. It also turns away anyone with a body mass index of 30 or more, pregnant women, people with a heart or circulation history and people with breathing conditions such as asthma, and its terms say a guide may refuse anyone who does not meet the requirements, which counts as a no-show. Who can walk on the glacier has the full lists, the listings’ and Hielo y Aventura’s.
What walkers say
Hielo y Aventura’s Mini-Trek has 57 reviews on GetYourGuide, the oldest from 26 April 2026, and we read every one on 8 November 2026. 53 give five stars and 2 give two stars. One of the two has text (25 July 2026): the reviewer found the price very high and the day rushed, and says their guide did not answer questions, so they listened to the English-speaking guide of the group ahead. Many of the five-star reviews name the guides, and one (29 October 2026) found that a group run in both English and Spanish did not take longer for it.
Big Ice’s 34 reviews, read the same day, include 31 at five stars and one at one star (19 December 2025), from a rainy, windy, cold day: “A LOT of hiking before you even cross on the ice”, a fast pace, and guides with little patience for anyone who fell behind. In bad weather Big Ice is a long, hard day; the Mini-Trek asks far less.
Walk on the Perito Moreno Glacier
Hielo y Aventura's Mini-Trek: a boat across Brazo Rico, crampons and helmets, and about an hour on the ice. The park entrance is not included; free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from US$346 per person (4.5 hours from the port, no transport; checked November 2026).
Check datesAround El Calafate
More Tours from El Calafate with Open Dates
Glacier boats, the walkways and day trips from El Calafate with live availability. What each includes and its cancellation terms show before you book.
Perito Moreno Glacier Walk: Questions
Which walk, whether you can go without a tour, the time on the ice, ages and fitness, the park fee, rain, the season and who runs the walks.
For a first walk on a glacier, Hielo y Aventura's Mini-Trek, from US$346 a person (checked November 2026) for the 4.5-hour option from the port: about an hour on the ice, ages 8 to 65. With more time and fitness, Howlanders' Minitrekking 2 (from US$370) gives 2 hours on the glacier, and Hielo y Aventura's Big Ice (from US$459) about three, for ages 18 to 50 only (checked November 2026). See Big Ice or Minitrekking.
Not that we found. The Administración de Parques Nacionales' list of concessionaires for Los Glaciares names one company for walks on the ice of the Perito Moreno, Hielo y Aventura, for Minitrekking and Big Ice (APN, read November 2026), and every walk on the ice sold on GetYourGuide and Viator is a guided one in crampons. From the walkways (the balconies) you look at the glacier but do not walk on it.
About an hour on the Mini-Trek, 2 hours on Minitrekking 2 and about three on Big Ice. The Mini-Trek is about three hours of hiking in all, along the shore, on the ice and back through the forest. Hielo y Aventura puts the whole Minitrekking walk at about 3.5 km and its Minitrekking2 at about 5.5 km (its own pages, November 2026).
Moderate. The Mini-Trek's fitness level is moderate, and Hielo y Aventura's website gives 'Physical Demand: Medium'; the ice is uneven but firm, and you walk it in crampons with a guide for every 10 people. Big Ice is rated high. See who can walk on the glacier.
8 to 65 on the Mini-Trek, 18 to 50 on Big Ice. Hielo y Aventura applies both 'without exception' on its own pages. Howlanders' Minitrekking 2 is not for people under 17 or over 55. Hielo y Aventura also excludes anyone with a body mass index of 30 or more, pregnant women and people with heart or respiratory conditions.
No, on every walk on this site. The Administración de Parques Nacionales' general rate for Los Glaciares is ARS 50,000 a day from 1 June 2026; at the Perito Moreno gate you pay by card or in cash in Argentine pesos, or buy online beforehand (APN tariffs, read November 2026). The APN has no separate line for foreign visitors: on our reading of its categories, anyone without an Argentine ID pays the general rate.
Yes. Hielo y Aventura does not cancel the Mini-Trek or Big Ice for rain, and its own pages say a walk goes ahead whenever safety conditions allow. If Big Ice is cancelled, the passenger receives a full refund. On GetYourGuide every walk on this page can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before.
From 15 September to 30 April. Those are the dates on Hielo y Aventura's rates page for the 2026/27 season; it runs Minitrekking all year and Minitrekking2 from 15 August to 31 May. See when the walks run.
Your own food, warm and waterproof layers, gloves, sunglasses and hiking shoes. The Mini-Trek's list also has sunscreen, rain gear, a daypack and cash. Hielo y Aventura does not sell food on the walks, and no listing here includes a meal; crampons and helmets are provided.
Hielo y Aventura. The national park names it as the concessionaire for walks on the ice, and the Mini-Trek and Big Ice on this site are its own GetYourGuide listings. Hielo y Aventura runs the walks on the ice; we don't. Bookings go through GetYourGuide or Viator. See who runs the walks.
Still have questions? Email us at info@peritomorenoglacierwalk.com