Glaciar Perito Moreno and the wall of ice near El Calafate
Published on 09/04/2026 at 16:20 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Glaciar Perito Moreno is a broad wall of ice in Los Glaciares National Park, west of El Calafate in Santa Cruz Province. It lies on the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and forms one of Patagonia’s defining glacial landscapes.
Glaciar Perito Moreno’s ice front and lake edge
The glacier stretches for about 30 km and reaches the edge of Lago Argentino in a front about 5 km wide. Its visible ice cliffs rise to more than 60 m above the lake, with much of the ice mass extending below the waterline.30 km long
The front belongs to a temperate glacier fed from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the Andean icefield that supplies many Patagonian glaciers. Los Glaciares National Park carries UNESCO World Heritage status, and the glacier forms part of that protected mountain-and-ice setting.Los Glaciares National Park
Glaciar Perito Moreno and its moving terminus
The glacier is closely associated with its advancing terminus, which reaches towards the opposite shore of the lake. At times the ice blocks a channel between Brazo Rico and the main body of Lago Argentino, and the broken ice edge changes the shape of the front.
That changing outline is the feature many visitors come to see: a lake, a cliff of ice and the broken surface at the glacier’s edge. The scene combines dense blue-white ice with dark water and the wooded slopes of southern Patagonia.advancing ice front
Glaciar Perito Moreno in the landscape of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Province and the El Calafate area place the glacier within a wider Patagonian scene of lake shore, mountain valley and icefield. The glacier sits west of El Calafate, with the lake and Andean foothills framing its front.
The wider glacier belongs to a glaciated landscape shaped by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, one of the major ice masses in the Andes. In that setting, Glaciar Perito Moreno stands out through scale, lake contact and the long, exposed face of its terminus.Southern Patagonian Ice Field
Visiting Glaciar Perito Moreno: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Glaciar Perito Moreno lies in Los Glaciares National Park, west of El Calafate in Argentina. Provincial Route 11 runs along the southern shore of Lago Argentino toward the park.
- The visitor area includes hillside walkways, stairs and metal surfaces. The approach involves sloping ground and open viewpoints over the lake.
- Boat excursions operate on Lago Argentino below sections of the glacier front. They give a lower viewpoint on the ice wall and the lake surface.
- 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?
It lies in Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, west of El Calafate. The glacier reaches Lago Argentino on the edge of the park.
What should visitors expect on a visit?
The main viewing area uses walkways and platforms on a hillside opposite the ice front. The setting combines stairways, open lake views and a large wall of ice.
What makes Glaciar Perito Moreno distinctive?
Its front is broad, tall and directly set against the lake. The glacier’s advancing terminus and changing ice edge give the place a strong physical presence.
