Glaciares Gourmet boat tour

Pick-up in El Calafate - Los Glaciares National Park

This tour offers transfers from El Calafate.

• If you select the “pick-up” option, the tour starts at 7:00 am when you will be picked up at your accommodation.
• If you choose “without pick-up,” you will be responsible for getting to Puerto Privado La Soledad, 29 mi (47 km) from El Calafate.

By 8:15 am all passengers will be at the port and with your guide’s assistance, you’ll purchase the entrance ticket to Los Glaciares National Park because it is not included in the tour price.

Puerto La Soledad

The adventure begins! At 8:30 am, boarding begins on a large boat called a catamaran with four outdoor decks, allowing you to comfortably observe the spectacular scenery of Lake Argentino. The boat features a VIP area with a private outdoor deck. To enjoy this area, just select the "premium lounge" extra when booking.

Upsala Glacier and Canal

The boat departs at 9:00 am sharp and in just a few minutes you will find the greatest expanse of ice floes in the park, often measuring up to four times bigger than the ship itself! 

Upsala is the second largest glacier in South America. The calving is so enormous, that for the ship’s safety it will not come within ten kilometers of it. Despite viewing it from so far away, it still looks immense. Even the color of the ice is an impactful sight to see, almost as if its been illuminated by a mysterious light. 

Each time the boat approaches a glacier wall or a large block of ice, the captain will skilfully turn the boat so that it can be seen perfectly from inside the boat as well as from any of the decks. This allows for passengers to enjoy each glacier no matter where they are on the boat.

Heim and Seco Glaciers

As the captain continues to steer the ship about the lake, you’ll come across the most curious hanging glaciers. These glaciers, called the Heim and Seco Glaciers, hang from the mountain without touching the lake that sits beneath it: Lake Argentino. 

Las Vacas Ranch 

The sweet silence of nature! In this portion of the tour you will disembark at El Puesto de Las Vacas and take a quiet walk led by the team of guides. 

El Puesto de Las Vacas (The Cow Stall) is an old Patagonian cattle ranch that sits in the heart of the National Park. Here you will find horses, old homes, and several creations left behind by the pioneers of Patagonia. Admire the crisp air and nature while your guides explain the history of this unique part of Patagonia.

Spegazzini Glacier - Lunch on board

The Spegazzini Glacier is impressive to see from any angle. The portion overhanging the lake reaches as high as 425 ft (130 m) and measures nearly twice as high as the Perito Moreno Glacier. And if the cold makes you hungry, this is your moment to enjoy a meal: it’s lunch time! Bite into a savory Patagonian lamb sandwich with a side of baked vegetables.

If you choose the premium option while booking, you’ll get to enjoy a special four-course menu: two starters, a main course, and dessert. For both options, drinks are included with the meal. The premium option also features an open bar during the entire El Calafate Boat Tour.

Los Témpanos Channel - Perito Moreno - El Calafate

The boat ride continues through the Canal de Los Témpanos until reaching one of the most breathtaking areas: the north wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier. This iconic and massive glacier captivates travelers with its dynamic activity—as it moves, it cracks and breaks, producing thunderous, awe-inspiring sounds.

After navigating in front of Perito Moreno, the experience varies depending on the option selected at the time of booking:

Option 1: Tour with pick-up and visit to Perito Moreno

After sailing along the glacier wall, around 3:30 PM the boat will reach a point where you’ll disembark to visit the Perito Moreno walkways. You’ll have about 2 hours to explore the walkways of the park’s most famous glacier, and then return by minibus to El Calafate, arriving at approximately 7:00 PM.

💬 Howlanders TIP: The option to disembark is highly recommended for travelers who do not plan on taking another tour at the Perito Moreno such as the Minitrekking.

Option 2: Tour with transfers

After seeing the glacier wall from the boat, the return navigation begins. Upon arrival at the port, a transfer will be waiting to take you back to your accommodation in El Calafate, where you’ll arrive around 6:30 PM.

Option 3: Tour without transfers

In this option, the tour ends upon arrival at Puerto La Soledad at 5:00 PM—the same place where the no-transfer tour began. You’ll have parked your vehicle at the port parking lot and return to El Calafate on your own.