Glaciares Gourmet Premium Lounge boat Tour + El Calafate pick up

Icebergs can make a morning feel unreal. This Glaciares Gourmet Premium Lounge cruise combines Lake Argentino’s biggest glacier views with a four-course lunch, open bar, and a private indoor and outdoor area. I especially like the chance to see Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim, and Seco in one long day, plus the quiet walk at Puesto de las Vacas.

The premium space also matters when Patagonian weather turns wet. You get a private terrace, a better-positioned lounge, and a private bathroom, so you can keep watching the ice without spending the entire trip outside. The main drawback is the price, $445 per person, and a maximum group of 16 can feel crowded for a VIP experience.

The essential details at a glance

• Five major glacier areas: See Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim, and Seco during the boat route.
• Premium-only booking: The experience includes a private lounge, its own terrace, open bar, private bathroom, and four-course meal.
• Long but well-filled day: Pickup begins around 7:00 a.m., boarding starts at 8:30 a.m., and you return to El Calafate around 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.
• A rare shore stop: Get off at Puesto de las Vacas for a quiet, guide-led walk among old estancia buildings and traces of early Patagonian life.
• Weather protection: The indoor lounge and private balcony are useful if rain or cold makes the open decks uncomfortable.
• Park admission costs extra: Your guide helps you buy the Los Glaciares National Park ticket, but it is not part of the $445 price.

Why the premium lounge changes the boat day

This is not a basic sightseeing cruise. The boat is a large catamaran with four outdoor decks, but your booking is for the VIP section only. That premium room has its own terrace, a private bathroom, and an open bar for people over 18.

That setup gives you choices. You can sit inside with a drink and watch through the windows, step onto the private terrace for photographs, or use one of the ship’s outdoor decks when you want a wider view. The private balcony proved especially useful for Rama and Devi when rain arrived during the first three glacier stops.

The lounge also includes a four-course tasting menu: two starters, a main course, and dessert. Appetizers and the meal received strong praise, and one person described the food and drinks as a major part of the day. I would still book this for the ice rather than the dining alone. The meal makes the long ride more comfortable, but the glaciers remain the reason to pay the premium.

There is one important limitation. The VIP area can hold up to 16 people. That is a small group compared with a standard boat, but it may not feel intimate enough for the price. If you expect a quiet private cruise with plenty of empty space, keep this in mind.

Getting from El Calafate to Puerto Privado La Soledad

Pickup begins at about 7:00 a.m. from main hotels in El Calafate. Some people may be assigned a meeting point elsewhere in town, so check the pickup details carefully when booking. The port, Puerto Privado La Soledad, is about 29 miles from El Calafate.

The early start is necessary. Boarding begins around 8:30 a.m., and the total day lasts about 11 hours. You will spend much of it on the water, with a return around 6:00 p.m. if you skip the Perito Moreno walkways, or around 7:00 p.m. if you include them.

At the port, guides help you purchase the entrance ticket for Los Glaciares National Park. This fee is not included, and there are different admission options. Have this expense in mind when comparing the tour price with other glacier cruises.

The transfer is included both ways, which makes the morning easier. You do not need to arrange a separate ride to the port or find your way back after a full day in the cold.

Upsala Glacier and the first icebergs

Soon after departure, the catamaran enters a world of floating ice. Icebergs calved from Upsala Glacier can be several times larger than the ship, making this one of the most memorable parts of the route even before the main glacier walls appear.

Safety rules keep the boat about six miles from the Upsala Glacier front. That distance may sound disappointing, but the scale of the ice explains it. The glacier wall is so enormous, and the floating ice so unpredictable, that a closer approach is not permitted.

The captain typically spends about 30 minutes near a glacier wall or large block of ice. The boat moves so people inside and on the decks can get a clear view. From the premium lounge, you can watch without rushing outside, then step onto the terrace when the ice catches the light.

One useful tip: do not treat the first iceberg sighting as a warm-up. Keep your camera ready from the start. The floating ice may be the best subject of the morning, especially when a large block turns to reveal its blue interior.

Heim and Seco, glaciers hanging above the lake

The route continues to Heim and Seco glaciers. Their appeal is different from Upsala’s. These are hanging glaciers, attached to the mountain slopes without reaching the water of Lake Argentino.

I like this section because it gives you another way to understand glacial ice. You are not only looking at a wall meeting the lake. You are looking upward at ice held high on the mountainside, surrounded by rock and open sky.

The boat spends about 30 minutes in this area. Weather can affect how clearly you see the hanging ice, so the premium lounge is useful here too. If rain arrives, you can stay dry and still follow the views. When conditions improve, the terrace gives you a good place to take pictures without losing the warmth of the indoor room.

Puesto de las Vacas and a quiet hour ashore

The stop at Puesto de las Vacas breaks up the boat ride. The engines go quiet, and you leave the catamaran for a walk led by the guides.

This is an old Patagonian estancia inside the national park. You may see horses, old houses, and other traces of the people who helped settle this part of Patagonia. The guides explain the story of the place as you walk.

The stop lasts about an hour. It is not a strenuous mountain hike described as part of the tour. Instead, it is a calm shore visit that gives you a closer sense of Patagonia beyond the famous ice walls.

This pause also helps the day feel less like a nonstop viewing platform. You have time to stretch your legs, listen to the silence, and notice the human traces in a protected natural area. If you prefer to spend every minute close to a glacier, this stop may feel like a tradeoff. I think it earns its place because it adds variety to an otherwise boat-heavy day.

Spegazzini Glacier and lunch above the water

Spegazzini is the dramatic height comparison. The ice rising above the lake reaches about 425 feet, or 130 meters, at its tallest point. That is almost twice the height given for Perito Moreno Glacier in the tour description.

The boat spends around 30 minutes viewing the glacier, with lunch served on board. The four-course menu includes two starters, a main course, and dessert. The open bar is included for people aged 18 and older, and one memorable detail is the option of whiskey served over ice taken from a glacier.

Lunch timing is practical. By this point, you have been up since early morning and have spent hours watching ice from the boat. A proper meal lets you warm up and recharge without giving up the view.

The food is not a small snack added to a sightseeing trip. It is central to the premium format. If you want a simple, low-cost boat ride and plan to bring your own food, this tour will probably feel too expensive. If you appreciate a comfortable meal and drinks while moving through a remote part of the park, the inclusion has real value.

Canal de los Témpanos and Perito Moreno’s changing ice

After lunch, the catamaran travels through Canal de los Témpanos toward the northern side of Perito Moreno Glacier. This is the glacier many people know from photographs, but seeing it from the water gives you a different view from the famous walkways.

Perito Moreno is active. You may see cracks form in the ice and hear a loud roar when a section breaks into the water. The sound can come without warning, so keep watching even during quiet stretches.

The guide’s explanation of the blue ice is worth listening to. The striking color is linked to the way light passes through the ice, rather than the ice simply being painted blue. The water’s color also relates to mountain minerals, water depth, and light. You do not need to remember every scientific detail to appreciate the result: the blue can be startlingly bright.

The boat remains near the glacier for about 30 minutes. That is enough for a focused look, but not a long private viewing session. The catamaran’s movement helps people on different decks see the ice, though you may need to shift positions for the best angle.

The Perito Moreno walkways option

Depending on the option selected, you may disembark after the boat ride and spend more than an hour at the Perito Moreno walkways. A minibus then returns you to El Calafate, with arrival around 7:00 p.m.

The walkway visit adds a land-based view of Perito Moreno. From shore, you can spend more time facing the glacier rather than seeing it during a passing boat approach. The extra hour also gives you another chance to hear ice cracking and watch for a calving event.

If your booking does not include the walkways, you return to the port and take transportation back to El Calafate around 6:00 p.m. That shorter option may suit you if you want a full glacier day but prefer to avoid an even later return.

Check which version you are selecting before you pay. The walkways are not an automatic part of every option, and the itinerary notes that the admission ticket for the park is separate.

Is $445 a good value?

At $445 per person, this is a costly El Calafate excursion. You are paying for more than transport and a seat on a boat. The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off, the premium lounge, the private terrace, the open bar for adults, the private bathroom, and a four-course meal.

The route also covers a lot in one day. You see five glacier areas, floating icebergs, a Patagonian estancia site, and possibly the Perito Moreno walkways. For someone with limited time in El Calafate, that concentration can make the cost easier to justify.

The value depends on how you like to travel. I see a strong case for the premium option if you want comfort, food, drinks, and a sheltered viewing area. The case is weaker if your main goal is simply to get close to ice at the lowest possible price.

The group limit of 16 is worth weighing against the cost. It keeps the experience smaller than a large public cruise, but the VIP section may still feel busy when everyone wants the same photograph. One person felt that eight to ten people would have suited the private area better.

Who should book this glacier cruise?

I would recommend it most strongly to you if:

• You want a full-day glacier route rather than one viewpoint.
• You value a private indoor and outdoor area.
• You want a proper meal and open bar during the cruise.
• You are comfortable with an early pickup and a return around 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.
• You want a guide-led stop at a historic Patagonian estancia site.
• You have limited time and want to combine several major sights in one outing.

It is also a sensible choice for anyone worried about weather. Rain during the first three glacier stops did not prevent the private terrace from producing good photographs, and the indoor lounge gave the day some shelter.

I would hesitate if you dislike long boat days, do not drink alcohol, or want a small private charter. The premium format still includes up to 16 people. Families can participate, but the open bar is only for adults over 18, and the day is long.

The activity is listed as suitable for most people, with public transportation nearby and a maximum of 16 participants. The supplied details do not give a more specific accessibility description, so ask the provider directly if you need help with boarding, walking at Puesto de las Vacas, or the Perito Moreno walkways.

Booking advice and cancellation terms

Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. This experience is often reserved about 84 days ahead, so I would not leave it until the last minute, especially during a busy visit to El Calafate.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund, and the cutoff uses local time.

Bring the practical mindset this route requires: you will be collected early, spend hours on the lake, walk ashore for about an hour, and possibly stay out until 7:00 p.m. The premium lounge removes some of the discomfort, but it does not shorten the day.

Should you book the Glaciares Gourmet Premium Lounge?

Book it if you want the most comfortable version of a full-day glacier cruise from El Calafate. The combination of Upsala icebergs, Spegazzini’s towering wall, active Perito Moreno, hanging glaciers, a shore walk, and a four-course meal gives you a broad day in Los Glaciares National Park.

Skip it if you are looking for the cheapest way to see Perito Moreno or if you expect a truly private boat. At $445, this is a special-occasion outing, not a budget transfer. For the right person, though, the sheltered lounge, private terrace, attentive service, and food make the long Patagonian day much easier to enjoy.

FAQ

What is included in the Glaciares Gourmet Premium Lounge tour?

The tour includes pickup and drop-off in El Calafate, access to the Premium Lounge, a four-course lunch, and an open bar for people over 18.

Is the Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee included?

No. The park entrance fee is not included. Guides assist you with purchasing the ticket, and different entrance options are available.

What time does pickup begin?

Pickup begins around 7:00 a.m. from main hotels in El Calafate. There are also different meeting points around the city.

When does the boat depart?

Boarding begins at approximately 8:30 a.m. at Puerto Privado La Soledad, located about 29 miles from El Calafate.

Which glaciers can I see?

The route includes Upsala, Heim, Seco, Spegazzini, and Perito Moreno glaciers. You can also see floating icebergs from the Upsala Glacier.

Does the tour visit the Perito Moreno walkways?

That depends on the option selected. With the walkway option, you spend more than an hour there before returning to El Calafate around 7:00 p.m. Without it, you return to the port and arrive in El Calafate around 6:00 p.m.

Is alcohol included?

Yes. Alcoholic drinks are included in the open bar for people over 18 years old.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 16 people. The Premium Lounge is a dedicated area with its own terrace and private bathroom.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.