Ice Trekking on a Glacier: Is It Worth It? (Complete Guide + Tips)

By far one of my favorite activities I've ever done! We went ice trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate, Argentina, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our entire Patagonia trip. In this blog, I'll go over what to expect, the cost, whether it's worth it, and some tips to help you decide if this adventure is right for you.

If you're traveling to El Calafate, it's likely because you're planning to visit Perito Moreno Glacier, it's the main attraction here. Even though the glacier is about an hour outside of town, it's incredibly accessible compared to most glaciers around the world.

Perito Moreno is a young, fast-moving glacier, and one of the most common ways to see it is by taking a boat tour. The boats get you close enough to admire the glacier while staying a safe distance away, since chunks of ice are constantly breaking off and crashing into the water. Watching this happen is absolutely incredible.

A boat tour is a fantastic way to experience the glacier, get amazing photos, and learn about its history. It's also much more affordable than what we chose to do.

Ice Trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier

If you have the budget, I highly recommend doing the ice trekking tour. It truly feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Because Perito Moreno is so accessible, it makes it one of the easiest glaciers in the world to hike on. Most glacier treks require long hikes to get there or even helicopter rides to reach the ice. Here, you simply hike about 45–60 minutes before stepping directly onto the glacier.

Let me start from the beginning.

We booked our tour through Hielo & Aventura and chose the Minitrekking option. This is a half-day adventure that includes roughly one hour of trekking on the glacier itself.

There is also a longer option that includes around three hours on the ice. If it had fit within our budget, and if I had known how manageable the hike would be, I probably would have chosen that one. Still, the Minitrekking tour is a great option if you're not an experienced hiker or aren't sure how you'll handle walking on a glacier. A few days later we were hiking Laguna de los Tres, so I also wanted to conserve a little energy.

The tour cost roughly $300 per person, plus the entrance fee to the national park, which was around $30–45 per person. It's definitely expensive, but in my opinion, it's worth every penny.

We left our Airbnb around 7:45 a.m. and drove about an hour to the port where we met our guides. From there, we boarded a boat that took us across the lake to the starting point of the hike.

The boat ride itself was amazing. You get fantastic views of the glacier, so it almost feels like you're combining a glacier boat tour with the trekking experience.

Once we reached shore, we split into groups and began hiking. Along the way, our guide shared the history of the glacier, and we stopped several times for photos and to watch ice crash into the water.

Like I mentioned earlier, Perito Moreno is a very active glacier. It's hard to catch the ice falling on camera unless you're constantly recording, but we saw it happen multiple times throughout the day. The sound is unbelievable, it reminds me of a gunshot or distant thunder.

It's truly spectacular.

After about an hour of hiking and photo stops, we arrived at the station where we put on our crampons and helmets. You'll also want gloves. If you forget them, they can provide some for you. The gloves are important because they'll help protect your hands if you happen to fall.

Walking with crampons feels a little strange at first, but you get used to it quickly. You simply walk with a wider stance, pick your feet up a bit more, and adjust to the extra weight.

Fitness Level: Is Ice Trekking Difficult?

One of the biggest questions people have is how physically demanding this experience is. Honestly, it's not nearly as difficult as it sounds.

We saw kids around 11–12 years old doing the trek, and plenty of people of different ages and fitness levels participating. You don't need to be in amazing shape, but you should be comfortable walking for a few hours and going up and down some hills.

I promise it's nothing super strenuous.

The most important thing is listening to your guides and staying with the group. There is also a highly experienced glacier guide accompanying the trek whose job is to help anyone who needs assistance.

What It's Like Walking on a Glacier

Once you're on the ice, you'll follow a designated route and walk in a single-file line for safety. It's honestly hard to put into words what it feels like.

Walking across a glacier is completely surreal. It feels like you're on another planet. The vibrant blue colors, the unique ice formations, the endless landscape of ice stretching in every direction, it doesn't seem real.

And then there's the simple fact that you're standing on a massive glacier. It's one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.

There are plenty of opportunities to stop for photos and videos, and my biggest tip is to bring a GoPro if you have one.

To finish the trek, our guides surprised us with whisky and chocolates. The best part? The whisky was served with glacier ice that was directly from the glacier itself. Definitely a memorable way to end the hike.

Lunch with a View

The hike back was a little quicker, taking around 30–45 minutes. Afterward, we had about an hour for lunch overlooking the glacier.

It's important to know that lunch is not provided, so you'll need to bring your own food. We packed sandwiches, bananas, water, and some jerky sticks. They do provide water, tea, and coffee, but you'll definitely want to come prepared with a meal.

Honestly, ending an epic glacier trek with a picnic overlooking Perito Moreno felt pretty iconic. After lunch, we boarded the boat back to the port and wrapped up our Minitrekking adventure.

We started around 9:00 a.m. and finished around 2:00 p.m. The perfect half-day excursion.

Realist Expectations

I always like to include a few realistic expectations so you know exactly what you're signing up for.

First, you will not be the only people on the glacier. There are multiple groups trekking throughout the day, and you'll definitely see other hikers. However, there's still plenty of room to enjoy the experience and take photos without feeling crowded.

Second, you'll be hiking in a line. If you'd rather not spend the day looking at the backs of other hikers, try to position yourself closer to the front of your group. We moved at a pretty slow pace overall, which is something to keep in mind if you're naturally a fast walker like me.

You may also notice that some areas of the glacier appear dark or even black. This is completely normal. It's simply debris that has become trapped in the ice over time. Don't worry, you'll still see plenty of stunning blue ice throughout the trek.

Another thing to know is that you won't be able to wander freely around the glacier. You'll stay on designated routes approved for hiking, and there are even railings in a few steeper sections to help with footing.

I mention all of this because I don't want anyone showing up expecting a free-for-all adventure where you can explore anywhere you want.

The groups are relatively small, around a dozen people, and guides space everyone out well, so it never feels overly crowded.

If you choose the longer Big Ice trek, there may be fewer people along that route, but I can't personally speak to that experience since we only did Minitrekking.

Weather

We got lucky with incredible weather. It was sunny and around 55–60°F, which was perfect.

You might be surprised to learn that it's not actually freezing cold on the glacier. Since Perito Moreno is constantly moving and melting, temperatures are often milder than people expect.

That said, rain is common in Patagonia, and the tour operates rain or shine. Hopefully you'll get lucky like we did, but even if it's cloudy, windy, or rainy, I think you'll still have an amazing experience.

Any Cons?

Honestly, my only complaint is that I wish I had more time on the glacier.

Looking back, I probably would have booked the longer trek if I'd known how manageable the experience would be. I wasn't sure how difficult glacier hiking would be, but it ended up being easier than I expected.

I definitely could have stayed out there longer.

My Recommendation For You

If you have the budget and are in reasonably good physical condition, I highly recommend ice trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier.

It's one of those experiences that truly feels once in a lifetime. It's unique, surprisingly accessible, not overly strenuous, and the scenery is absolutely unreal.

I genuinely think it's one of the coolest things you can do in Patagonia.

Trust me, you won't be disappointed.