Guide · Kayaking

Perito Moreno glacier kayak tour: the ice at paddle level

Sitting low on the water, with floating ice around you and the glacier wall ahead, a kayak gives the quietest view of all. Here is how kayaking near the Perito Moreno works and how to book it.

Check availabilityfrom $69 · free cancellation

Editorial team, perito-moreno-glacier-tours.comUpdated October 16, 2026Read time: 7 min5 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

01What it is: A guided paddle on Lago Argentino inside the national park, among large icebergs.¹
02Price: One operator starts from 370,000 Argentine pesos.¹
03How to book: Sold through travel agencies or WhatsApp, not online marketplaces.²
04Park ticket: Buy it separately; no excursion includes it.³
05Alternative: A short boat ride below the ice front starts from $62.

Why kayak near the Perito Moreno glacier

The usual views of the Perito Moreno come from the walkways or from the deck of a boat. A Perito Moreno glacier kayak tour offers something different: silence. Sitting a few centimeters above the water, you hear the ice creak and crack without an engine in the background, you feel the cold rising from the lake, and the floating blocks drift past at eye level. It is a deeply personal way to meet the glacier, and it suits travelers who like their landscapes slow and quiet.

The setting is extraordinary. Kayaking takes place on Lago Argentino, within Los Glaciares National Park, and the operator describes a landscape of large icebergs and glaciers all around.¹ The glacier front itself is long and tall, running more than 4 km from side to side and rising more than 60 meters above the lake.⁴ From a kayak those numbers stop being abstract: the wall fills the view, and the scale of the ice becomes almost overwhelming.

Kayaking near a glacier is also a serious activity. Ice can break off without warning, and waves from a collapse travel far across the water. Guided outings keep a careful distance from the front and follow routes chosen for the day's conditions. Here it is a guided activity, not a rental you take out on your own, and the guides have the final say on where the group paddles. Respecting that judgment is part of paddling safely here.

Your outing

How a kayak day unfolds

Days before

Book

Through a travel agency or WhatsApp.²
Before leaving

Park ticket

Buy it yourself; it is not included.³
At the lake

Briefing and gear

Safety talk and protective clothing.
On the water

Among the icebergs

Paddling on Lago Argentino inside the park.¹
Afterward

The walkways

See the front from the balconies.

The Perito Moreno Kayak Experience

The El Calafate tourism office lists kayaking among the activities at the glacier, and one named product is the Perito Moreno Kayak Experience run by Mil Outdoor. The operator describes it as a unique activity: paddling on Lago Argentino inside the national park, among large icebergs and glaciers of Argentine Patagonia.¹ It is the outing to look for if you want to paddle in sight of the glacier itself rather than elsewhere on the lake.

The operator's own page gives a starting price of 370,000 Argentine pesos for this experience.¹ That is a from-price, and the amount in your own currency depends on the exchange rate on the day you pay. As with every activity at the glacier, the national park ticket is not included and must be bought separately.³ Ask the operator exactly what the price covers, such as transport from town, equipment and guiding.

Booking works differently from the tours on this site. The tourism office notes that the Perito Moreno Kayak Experience is sold only through travel agencies or via WhatsApp.² It does not appear on the large online marketplaces we use for the other trips on this site. In practice, that means contacting a travel agency in El Calafate or the operator directly, ideally a few days before you want to paddle, as places in kayaks can be limited.

Weather

Average daytime highs in El Calafate

°C

Average daily maximum by month at the El Calafate airfields, NOAA records.⁵

Compared

Kayak, boat ride or boat safari

Option	Booking	Feel	Price from
Kayak experience	Agency or WhatsApp	Silent, close	370,000 pesos
Short boat ride	Online	Quick, easy	from $62
Boat safari, small group	Online	Calm, guided	from $145
Blue Safari	Online	Boat plus ice walk	from $117

From-prices per person; the park ticket is extra for every option.¹ ²

On the water

Three ways onto the lake

Quietest

Kayak experience

Paddle among icebergs

Where: Lago Argentino
Booking: Agency or WhatsApp
Park ticket: Extra

See the trip

Perito Moreno Glacier 1 hr. Boat from Glaciers National park

Easiest

Short boat ride

Below the ice front

Duration: 1 hour
Guide: Spanish, English
Ticket line: Skipped

See the trip

Calm

Boat safari

Small group day

Duration: 8 hours
Group: Up to 15
Guide: English, Spanish

See the trip

Decision helper

Should you kayak?

Kayaking is wonderful, but not for every trip.

I want silence and closeness to the ice I want to book online with free cancellation I am visiting in winter I want ice under my feet too I have only a few hours

Kayak

A guided paddle among icebergs inside the park.¹

A boat trip

The short sailing allows free cancellation.

Boat or walkways

July highs average 5.8°C in El Calafate.⁵

Blue Safari

A boat trip with a short ice walk.

Short boat ride

A 1-hour sailing below the front.

A unique activity in which you will have the chance to kayak on Lago Argentino, located inside Los Glaciares National Park, enjoying a marvelous landscape among large icebergs and glaciers of Argentine Patagonia.

Mil Outdoorrendered from Spanish · Source 1

What a kayak outing is like

Every operator runs its own program, but glacier kayaking follows a recognizable pattern. You travel from El Calafate into the park, receive a safety briefing and are fitted with the protective clothing the operator provides. Then the group launches from the shore and paddles in formation behind the guides, stopping where the ice and the light are most impressive. Afterward you usually have time to visit the walkways and see the front from above.

On the water, expect to paddle at a gentle pace with regular stops. The guides choose the route according to wind, waves and ice, and they may change it at short notice if conditions turn. Floating ice is beautiful but needs respect: you never touch or climb on icebergs, which can roll over without warning. Follow the guides' instructions closely and keep the spacing they ask for between kayaks.

Previous kayaking experience helps but is not always required for guided outings on calm water. What matters more is basic fitness, comfort on cold water and the ability to follow instructions. Ask the operator about minimum ages, weight limits and what happens if the weather cancels the trip. Honest answers to those questions before you book prevent disappointment on the day. Write them down when you ask, so nothing is lost in translation.

Kit list

Paddle prepared

Wear

Thermal base layers and a fleece, no cotton
Gloves and a warm hat
Sunglasses and sunscreen

Arrange

Your national park ticket
Booking via agency or WhatsApp
A spare day in case of wind

Calculator

Boat alternatives for your group

If kayaks are full, compare the boat trips for your group.

Short boat ride1 hourfrom $62 Boat safariUp to 15 peoplefrom $145 Blue SafariBoat plus ice walkfrom $117

People 2

Total from$124

per guest from $62

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

GLACIER KAYAKING IN PATAGONIA - Perito Moreno Glacier Kayak Tour

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When to kayak: weather by month

Kayaking is a warm-season activity on Lago Argentino. In January the average high at El Calafate is 20.2°C and the average low 7.6°C.⁵ In July the high is only 5.8°C, with an average low of -4.3°C.⁵ Water near a glacier stays cold all year, and the air above it is cooler than in town. Even summer outings call for proper protective clothing. A dry layer kept in a bag for the ride home is a small comfort you will appreciate after an hour on the water.

The shoulder months can be lovely but cooler. In October the average high is 14.5°C.⁵ In April it is 13.8°C, with autumn colors in the forest around the lake.⁵ Operators decide each season when to run their kayak program, and some offer it only in the warmer months. Check availability for your dates early if kayaking is a main reason for your trip. Late spring and early autumn also bring softer light that suits photographs of the ice, and the walkways are quieter than in the height of summer.

Wind matters more than temperature on the lake. Patagonia is famous for strong winds, and a calm morning can become choppy within hours. Kayak outings are planned around the forecast, and cancellations for weather are part of the game. Leave a spare day in your plans if you can, and have a boat trip or a visit to the walkways ready as a backup. Patience with the weather is a valuable thing to pack for a kayak day in Patagonia, and it costs nothing.

Kayak or boat: choosing your way onto the water

If kayaking is not available on your dates, or feels like too much, a boat trip brings you onto the same lake with far less effort. A short boat ride below the ice front lasts 1 hour and starts from $62. It is rated 4.54 from 42 reviews. You see the glacier from water level, with the crack of falling ice carrying across the lake. For travelers who want the water view without any effort, this is the simplest choice, and it fits easily around a visit to the walkways.

For a small-group feel closer to a kayak outing, look at the sightseeing tour with a boat safari limited to 15 participants, which starts from $145. It is rated 4.82 from 193 reviews. The Blue Safari combines a boat trip with a short walk on the ice and starts from $117. All of them sell online, and cancelling stays free until a day before the trip. The boat safari also suits travelers who want a calmer group without the physical effort of paddling.

Your decision hinges on the kind of encounter you want with the lake. A kayak gives silence, closeness and a sense of adventure, at the cost of more planning and a greater dependence on the weather. A boat gives comfort, warmth and certainty, with a view that is still unforgettable. A good plan is to combine a boat trip with the walkways on your first day and keep a kayak outing as an option for another day.

Practical tips for paddling near the ice

Dress in layers you can manage under the protective gear the operator provides: thermal base layers, a fleece and warm socks. Avoid cotton, which stays cold once wet. Bring gloves, a warm hat and sunglasses, as the glare off the water and the ice is strong. Sunscreen is essential even on cloudy days, and lip balm protects against the dry, cold wind of the lake. A small towel and a change of socks in your daypack make the ride back much more pleasant.

Keep your camera safe. A waterproof case or a dry bag is the only sensible way to carry a phone or camera in a kayak, and a wrist strap prevents accidental drops. Take photos when the group stops rather than while paddling. Striking images often come from low angles, with ice in the foreground and the glacier wall behind, and a kayak gives you those angles like nothing else. Keep spare batteries warm in an inner pocket, since cold drains them quickly.

Finally, remember the park. Buy your national park ticket before the day, since no excursion includes it.³ Carry your passport, water and a snack, and confirm the meeting time and place the evening before. With the formalities sorted, you can give your full attention to the ice, the water and the extraordinary quiet of paddling in front of the Perito Moreno glacier. It is an experience you will not forget.

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