Guide · From further away

Perito Moreno glacier tour from Puerto Natales, and other starts

Not staying in El Calafate? You can still reach the glacier. Here is how a day trip from Chile works, and how visitors from Buenos Aires and El Chaltén fit the ice into their plans.

Check availabilityfrom $69 · free cancellation

Editorial team, perito-moreno-glacier-tours.comUpdated October 16, 2026Read time: 7 min11 sources

The tour for this guide El Calafate: Perito Moreno glacier day trip with optional boat 4.7 (2,735 reviews) 8 hoursBilingual guideOptional boat ride from$69per person Check availabilityFree to cancel until one day before

Quick answer

01From Puerto Natales: A day trip across the border lasts 16 hours, from $185.
02By bus: A bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate takes 5 hours, from $64.
03From Buenos Aires: Fly to El Calafate, which has daily flights from around Argentina.¹
04From El Chaltén: El Calafate is 220 km away on paved road.²
05Last stretch: From El Calafate, the glacier is 80 km by road.³

A long day from Chile to the ice

Puerto Natales is the base for Torres del Paine on the Chilean side of Patagonia, and it is natural to wonder whether the Perito Moreno is within reach too. The answer is yes, with an early start and a long day. A Perito Moreno glacier tour from Puerto Natales crosses the border into Argentina, continues to El Calafate and on to the glacier, and returns to Chile in the evening. It is a demanding outing, but it saves you from moving your whole base across the border.

One listing for this trip runs 16 hours, is guided in both Spanish and English and starts from $185. It is rated 4.36 from 117 reviews, and it offers free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead with the option to reserve now and pay later. Read the listing carefully for what the price includes, from the border formalities to the time actually spent at the walkways. The trip suits travelers who are happy to trade sleep for an unforgettable view.

Expect much of the day to be spent on the road. The drive through the steppe is beautiful in its own way, with guanacos, rheas and wide skies, but it is long. Bring snacks, water, a charged phone and something to do on the bus. If you can spare the time, spending nights in El Calafate makes the glacier visit far more relaxed, though the day trip remains a good answer for tight itineraries.

From Chile

A day trip from Puerto Natales

Before dawn

Leave Puerto Natales

The guided day trip sets off early.
Morning

The border

Passports and food checks between Chile and Argentina.
Midday

El Calafate and the road west

The last stretch to the glacier is 80 km.³
Afternoon

The walkways

Time on the balconies facing the ice.
Night

Back in Chile

The full day takes 16 hours.

Crossing the border between Chile and Argentina

Any trip from Puerto Natales to the glacier involves an international border crossing. Carry your passport, keep any entry documents you received when you arrived in Chile, and check the entry requirements for Argentina for your nationality before you book. Tour operators handle the logistics on organized day trips, but the documents are your responsibility, and a missing paper can end your day at the border.

Check the current rules on carrying food across the border before you travel, as both countries control what may be brought in. Packing sealed snacks rather than fresh produce keeps things simple, and declaring anything you are unsure about avoids trouble at the checkpoint. A little preparation here saves time for everyone on the bus, and it keeps the mood relaxed for the long road ahead.

Border waiting times vary with the season and the day, and your tour or bus may wait some time before crossing. If you travel independently, start early and leave a generous margin before any onward connection, especially if you plan to continue to the glacier the same day. Allow for these waits in your plans. A relaxed attitude at the border makes the whole day pleasanter, and the scenery on the far side quickly makes up for any delay.

Distances

Road distances to the glacier region

Road distances from the national parks administration and the El Calafate tourism office.³ ²

Compared

Reaching the glacier from further away

Start	How	Time	From
Puerto Natales	Guided day trip	16 hrs	$185
Puerto Natales	Bus to El Calafate	5 hrs	$64
Buenos Aires	Flight to El Calafate	Daily flights	Airline fare
El Chaltén	Bus or car to El Calafate	220 km	Bus fare
El Calafate	Day trip to the glacier	8 hrs	$69

Tour and bus amounts are from-prices per person; the park ticket is extra.¹ ²

Ways to reach the ice

Pick your route

Puerto Natales: Day Trip to Perito Moreno Glacier Argentina

Fastest

Day trip from Chile

Puerto Natales and back

Duration: 16 hours
Guide: Spanish, English
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours

See the trip

Bus from Puerto Natales (Chile) to El Calafate (Argentina)

Relaxed

Bus to El Calafate

Move your base

Duration: 5 hours
Driver: Spanish
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours

See the trip

El Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise

Most reviewed

Day trip from El Calafate

Once you are in town

Duration: 8 hours
Guide: Spanish, English
Boat: Optional

See the trip

Decision helper

Day trip or a night in El Calafate?

Your time and energy decide the route.

I have only one day in Patagonia south I can spare a few nights I am coming from Buenos Aires I am hiking in El Chaltén I want a second chance with the weather

Day trip from Puerto Natales

A 16-hour guided round trip.

Bus to El Calafate

A 5-hour ride, then easy glacier days.

Fly to El Calafate

Daily flights from around Argentina.¹

Bus south first

El Calafate is 220 km by paved road.²

Stay in El Calafate

A second park day costs 50% within 72 hours.⁴

Between El Calafate (Southern Zone) and El Chaltén (Northern Zone) there are 220 km, all of them paved.

Administración de Parques NacionalesSource 2

The bus option: moving your base to El Calafate

If you have a few days, consider moving your base instead of doing everything in one long day. A bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate takes 5 hours with a Spanish-speaking driver and starts from $64. Its 54 reviewers rate it 4.65, and cancelling stays free until 24 hours before departure. The same kind of service runs in the other direction for the return to Chile. Booking a seat a few days ahead is wise in the busy months.

Once in El Calafate, the glacier is easy to reach. It lies 80 km away on paved road, with the first stretch crossing open steppe before the park entrance.³ You can then choose any of the options covered on this site: a guided day trip with pickup, a scheduled bus, a rental car, a boat ride or a trek on the ice. Each of them is much more relaxed than the long day trip from Chile, and you choose the pace. El Calafate also has restaurants, shops and hotels for every budget.

Moving your base also gives you weather flexibility. If clouds hide the glacier on your first day, you can return the next day, and the national parks give a 50% discount on a second day of visit within 72 hours of the first entry.⁴ For travelers combining Torres del Paine and the Perito Moreno, a few nights in each town is a comfortable way to see both parks well. A slower plan also leaves room for the other glaciers on Lago Argentino.

Map

From El Calafate to the ice front

The glacier lies 80 km of paved road west of El Calafate, at the end of the Magellan peninsula.³

Map of Lago Argentino from El Calafate and its airport to the Perito Moreno walkways and Brazo Rico — El Calafate to the glacier

Map of the Magellan peninsula with the walkway balconies, the car park and the bus stop facing the Perito Moreno glacier — The walkways

Map of southern Patagonia from Puerto Natales in Chile to El Calafate and the Perito Moreno glacier — From Puerto Natales

1
El Calafate
The town on Lago Argentino where the tours start; the glacier is 80 km away by paved road.³
In Google Maps ↗
2
El Calafate airport
Comandante Armando Tola airport has daily flights from around Argentina and seasonal international ones.¹
In Google Maps ↗
3
The walkways
A network of balconies facing the ice front, with an area built for accessibility.⁵
4
Brazo Rico
The arm of the lake the glacier has dammed again and again since 1940.⁶
In Google Maps ↗
5
Mirador 1
One of the lower viewpoints on the walkway circuit, close to the water.
In Google Maps ↗
6
Balcón norte
The northern balcony, looking across the front toward the boat routes.
In Google Maps ↗
7
Bus stop
Where scheduled services from El Calafate stop; the glacier can also be reached by agency tour or car.⁷
8
Puerto Natales
The Chilean town across the border, the start of the day trips that cross to the glacier.
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Before the border

Pack for a cross-border day

Documents

Passport and any entry papers from Chile
Your Los Glaciares park ticket
Booking confirmation for the trip or bus

For the road

Water and sealed, processed snacks only
Warm layers for the walkways
A margin for border queues

Calculator

What the trip costs your group

Compare the day trip from Chile with moving your base by bus.

Day trip from Puerto Natales16 hoursfrom $185 Bus to El Calafate5 hoursfrom $64 Day trip from El Calafate8 hoursfrom $69

People 2

Total from$370

per guest from $185

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Glacier tour prices start from what GetYourGuide lists; for other currencies we apply the ECB reference rate, and checkout confirms the final sum.

Video

Patagonia Bus Travel Guide: Chile - Argentina Border Crossing | Puerto Natales to El Calafate

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Perito Moreno glacier tour from Buenos Aires

A Perito Moreno glacier tour from Buenos Aires really means a flight to El Calafate followed by a visit from there. Comandante Armando Tola, the airport just outside town, has flights every day from cities across Argentina, with international routes in some seasons.¹ Some travelers book a package that bundles flights, hotel nights and a glacier day; others arrange each part separately.

Whether you book a package or plan it yourself, the glacier day looks the same once you land. From El Calafate you can join a day trip with hotel pickup: the tour sold on this site lasts 8 hours, includes a bilingual guide and offers an optional boat ride, from $69. Allow a full day in El Calafate for the glacier, and ideally another for a cruise, a trek or a rest day. The rest of your time can go to the town, the lake shore and its birdlife.

Planning from Buenos Aires also means thinking about seasons. The park corridor to the glacier opens for entry from 8 am to 6 pm between 1 September and 30 April, and from 9 am to 4 pm between 1 May and 31 August.⁸ Flights and hotels fill up in the summer months, so book early if you travel then. Getting from the airport into town, and choosing where to stay, is covered by our sister guide to El Calafate.

Perito Moreno glacier tour from El Chaltén

El Chaltén, the hiking village under Mount Fitz Roy, is the gateway to the northern part of the same national park. A Perito Moreno glacier tour from El Chaltén means first traveling south to El Calafate, which is 220 km away on paved road.² Buses and rental cars connect the towns, and from El Calafate the glacier is another 80 km by road.³ Doing both in one day is possible but makes for a very long outing.

A better plan is to treat El Chaltén and El Calafate as separate bases. Spend your hiking days in El Chaltén, then move south and stay in El Calafate for the glacier. Both towns are gateways to Los Glaciares National Park, whose 726,927 hectares make it Argentina's biggest national park.⁹ ¹⁰ Each town has its own rhythm, and you will enjoy both more by not rushing.

Check the access rules for each zone of the park before you go: the area around El Chaltén and the glacier walkways lie in different zones with their own entry points. Keep your tickets organized and check the current rules before your trip. With good planning, hiking under Fitz Roy and standing in front of the Perito Moreno make a superb pair of experiences in one journey. Rangers at each entrance can answer questions about the rules for their zone.

Planning a trip that combines several bases

Southern Patagonia invites a journey that combines Torres del Paine, El Chaltén and the Perito Moreno. The key decision is how many nights to spend in each base. Day trips like the one from Puerto Natales are useful when time is short, but they trade comfort for speed. Where you can, sleep near the place you want to see, and use long transfers only to move between bases. Linking them by bus rather than on day trips makes the whole journey calmer.

Think about the order of your route too. A popular loop starts with a flight into El Calafate and a visit to the glacier, then takes the bus north to El Chaltén for hiking and continues south to Puerto Natales for Torres del Paine, or follow the same loop in reverse. Buses between the towns make this possible without a car, and the distances, while long, are on paved roads for the Argentine sections.

Whatever route you choose, keep a little slack in your schedule. Weather in Patagonia changes fast, border crossings can be slow, and the glacier is far more impressive under clear skies. A spare day lets you move a visit when the forecast looks better, and it turns a tightly packed itinerary into a trip you will actually enjoy. Patagonia rewards travelers who give it time, and the glacier is no exception.

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