Perito Moreno boat tour from El Calafate: Glaciares Gourmet

Icebergs make excellent travel companions. The Glaciares Gourmet boat tour gives you a broad, dramatic look at Los Glaciares National Park, visiting five major glaciers from Lake Argentino in a single day. I especially like the captain’s careful turns, which give people on both sides of the catamaran a fair chance at photographs, and the option to leave the boat for Perito Moreno’s famous walkways.

I also like the comfortable ship, with four open-air decks, large inside windows, and a Spanish and English guide. The main caution is the length: this is a 10 to 12-hour outing, and the standard lunchbox may feel more like a decent packed meal than a true gourmet feast.

At about $245 per person, this is not a bargain day cruise. Still, it can be good value if you want Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim, and Seco in one organized outing, especially with hotel transfers and the Perito Moreno walk included.

Key points before you book

• Five glaciers in one day: You see Upsala, Heim, Seco, Spegazzini, and Perito Moreno from the water.
• Perito Moreno walkways are optional: Choose the disembarkation option if you want about two hours on land at the glacier.
• The trip begins early: Hotel pickup starts around 7:00 a.m., with boarding at 8:30 a.m. and departure at 9:00 a.m.
• The boat has useful indoor space: Four open-air decks provide views, while large windows offer shelter when the wind turns cold.
• Lunch quality depends on your expectations: The regular package includes a gourmet lunchbox, drinks, and dessert, while the premium option adds a four-course meal and open bar.
• The national park fee is extra: You purchase the Los Glaciares National Park entrance ticket at the port.

What the $245 price really buys

The price covers the boat ride, a professional Spanish and English guide, lunch with drinks and dessert, and hotel transfers if you select that option. You can also choose to disembark at Perito Moreno and continue to the walkways by shuttle bus.

The national park entrance fee is not included, so keep that extra cost in mind. The booking also offers a VIP section with a private outdoor deck and a premium food package, but those are upgrades rather than part of the basic fare.

I see the value here in the range of scenery. A shorter cruise might focus on one or two glaciers. This one takes you across a much larger part of Lake Argentino and gives you a look at five separate ice formations, each with a different character.

The tradeoff is time. You spend most of the day moving across the lake, waiting for the right glacier views, eating onboard, and making one shore stop. If you prefer a quick excursion with more time walking, this may feel drawn out. If your main goal is to see as much ice as possible from the water, the long schedule makes sense.

The word gourmet deserves a careful reading. The standard meal is a lunchbox with a sandwich, sides, dessert, and drinks. Some people find it filling and perfectly acceptable. Others find the sandwich and coffee disappointing for the price. I would book this for the glaciers, not for a fine-dining experience.

Starting in El Calafate and reaching Puerto La Soledad

With hotel pickup, your morning begins around 7:00 a.m. in El Calafate. The drive takes you toward Puerto Privado La Soledad, about 47 kilometers from town. By roughly 8:15 a.m., everyone should be at the port, where the guide helps with the national park entrance process.

If you do not choose transfers, you must make your own way to the port and arrange your return. That option can reduce the package price, but it shifts an important part of the day onto you. For most people staying in El Calafate, the transfer option is the simpler choice.

The port is listed as Cruise Port Marpatag, Puerto Bandera, also referred to as Puerto La Soledad. Check the exact meeting details on your confirmation, since the names can appear differently. The boat boards at 8:30 a.m. and leaves at 9:00 a.m., so arriving late is not a small problem.

Settling aboard the four-deck catamaran

The catamaran has four open-air decks, giving you room to move around as the ship crosses the lake. There is also an indoor area with large windows, which matters more than you might expect in Patagonia. The wind can be sharp on deck, even on a bright day.

I would board early and claim a useful place, then move around during the cruise. Some seating is reserved, and open seats may be limited if you arrive near departure. You do not need to remain in one spot all day because the captain turns the ship to show glacier faces from different angles, but a good starting position makes the first hours easier.

The VIP upgrade includes a private outdoor deck. That could appeal to you if open-air viewing is your priority and you want a less general seating arrangement. The standard boat still provides several decks and large windows, so VIP is not essential for seeing the ice.

The tour group can reach a maximum of 50 people. That is not a tiny boat outing, and the vessel can feel busy when everyone heads outside for a glacier approach. The indoor space gives you a place to warm up and rest your legs.

Upsala Glacier and the floating ice fields

The boat leaves at 9:00 a.m. and reaches the broad ice fields fairly quickly. Upsala Glacier is the second largest glacier in South America, and large pieces of floating ice may appear several times bigger than the ship.

For safety, the boat stays at least 10 kilometers from the main glacier wall because calving can send huge pieces of ice into the water. Do not expect a close-up approach to Upsala. The distance is part of the point: you see the glacier as a massive source of ice stretching across the far end of the lake.

The blue-white ice can look almost lit from within. The route also gives you a steady stream of icebergs, each with different shapes and shades. The captain positions the boat near large ice blocks when possible, turning so people inside and outside can see.

This section lasts about three hours, so it is the main test of your patience and cold-weather preparation. You can enjoy the views, listen to the guide, take photographs, and return inside when the wind becomes too much. Bring warm layers even if El Calafate feels mild when you leave your hotel.

Heim and Seco, the glaciers hanging above the lake

Next, the boat passes hanging glaciers along the mountainside. Heim and Seco are unusual because they cling to the slopes without reaching the surface of Lake Argentino.

This is a quieter section of the journey. The glaciers are not presented with the same scale as Upsala or Spegazzini, but they add variety to the day. You are not simply seeing five versions of the same wall of ice. Some glaciers spread across the lake, while others remain suspended high above it.

The boat spends about an hour in this area. The guide provides commentary in Spanish and English, although audio clarity can vary depending on where you sit. If you want to follow every explanation, stay near a speaker rather than relying on announcements from the far end of the boat.

A quiet hour at El Puesto de Las Vacas

The cruise pauses at El Puesto de Las Vacas, translated as The Cow Stall. You leave the boat for a guided walk in a former Patagonian cattle-ranch setting inside the national park.

You can see horses, old buildings, and objects connected with early settlement in Patagonia. The stop offers a useful change of pace after hours on the water. Fresh air and firm ground feel welcome, and the guide gives context about the area’s past.

This is not a major hiking section. It lasts about an hour and is intended as a calm walk rather than a demanding trek. I like the pause because it breaks up the boat ride, but if your only goal is glacier viewing, you may find the stop less memorable than the ice. The day is already long, so every extra hour matters.

Spegazzini Glacier, the great vertical wall

Spegazzini is one of the day’s strongest sights. Its portion rising above the lake reaches about 130 meters, nearly twice the height of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

The glacier’s vertical scale helps explain why the cruise spends time approaching different ice walls. Spegazzini does not simply look large from a distance. It rises sharply above the water and gives you a powerful sense of height.

This is also when lunch is served. The regular package includes a Patagonian lamb sandwich, baked vegetables, dessert, and drinks. The meal is substantial enough for a full day outside, but I would keep your expectations practical. The food is convenient and, for some people, tasty. It is not necessarily a restaurant-style meal.

The premium package includes two appetizers, a main course, dessert, drinks, and an open bar during the boat tour. If the meal matters greatly to you, the premium upgrade may improve the experience. If scenery is your priority, you can save money by treating lunch as fuel and focusing on the views.

Perito Moreno from the Canal de los Témpanos

After lunch, the route continues through the Canal de los Témpanos toward the northern side of Perito Moreno Glacier. This is the part many people anticipate most, since Perito Moreno is the park’s best-known glacier.

From the boat, you may see cracks form in the ice and hear the deep crash of a calving block hitting Lake Argentino. The sound can arrive after the movement, so keep watching even when the glacier appears quiet. Calving is not guaranteed on a particular schedule, but the glacier is active and the possibility gives this section real tension.

The boat approaches the glacier face, then turns so the group gets another view. This is a water-level perspective, different from the raised walkways on land. I recommend choosing the disembarkation option if you are not already planning a separate Perito Moreno visit.

The two Perito Moreno options

With disembarkation, the boat reaches the dock at about 3:30 p.m. You then have roughly two hours to explore the Perito Moreno walkways before taking a shuttle bus back to El Calafate, arriving around 7:00 p.m.

The boardwalks give you a more complete view of the glacier. From land, you can see its full front, watch for movement, and understand its scale in relation to the lake and surrounding mountains. The walk also lets you stretch your legs after a long day on the catamaran.

Without disembarkation, you remain on the boat after viewing Perito Moreno. The captain turns back toward Puerto La Soledad, where you leave the ship around 5:00 p.m. With included transfers, you should reach El Calafate around 6:00 p.m.

The no-disembarkation version is shorter and suits you if you have already visited the walkways or plan another Perito Moreno activity. It is less suitable if this is your only chance to see the glacier from land. The more expensive option does not mean walking on the glacier itself. It means leaving the boat to visit the boardwalks.

Comfort, crowds, and the weather factor

The boat is comfortable, but comfort does not remove the realities of a long Patagonian day. You may spend many hours sitting, standing, moving between decks, and stepping outside into cold wind. The large windows are a real benefit when the open decks become unpleasant.

Some seating can be reserved, and families who board late may have trouble finding seats together. I would arrive ready to move around rather than expecting one perfect seat for the entire cruise. A charged phone or camera battery is useful, since the glacier approaches provide many photo opportunities.

The guides provide commentary in Spanish and English. The quality of the explanation can depend on your position near the speakers, and some announcements may be difficult to follow if you sit far away. I would treat the guided information as helpful background, while giving yourself permission to simply watch the ice when the view is better than the speech.

Most people can take part, and the boat portion is accessible to a broad range of abilities. Still, the itinerary includes boarding, a shore walk at El Puesto de Las Vacas, and optional paths at Perito Moreno. If stairs or uphill walking are difficult for you, ask about the exact transfer and dock arrangements before booking. One booking problem reported elsewhere involved an unexpected return transfer and a difficult uphill walk, so confirm your transportation rather than assuming every option ends at your hotel.

Who will get the most from this cruise

I would recommend Glaciares Gourmet to you if you want a grand overview of the national park and prefer a boat to a demanding hike. Families can appreciate the indoor seating, organized transfers, and mix of glacier viewing and short walking. Couples and photographers will like the changing icebergs, wide lake views, and captain’s positioning of the boat.

It also suits you if your time in El Calafate is limited and you want several major glaciers in one outing. The cruise covers a lot of ground without requiring you to arrange separate transport between locations.

I would hesitate if you dislike long organized excursions or want close physical contact with the ice. This is not a glacier-trekking tour. Even the premium package does not put you on the glacier. For walking on Perito Moreno, you need a separate activity such as a minitrekking excursion.

Is Glaciares Gourmet worth booking?

For the right person, yes. The strongest part is the combination of five glaciers, floating ice, a comfortable catamaran, bilingual guiding, and the option to walk the Perito Moreno boardwalks before returning to town.

I would book the transfer and disembarkation options, arrive early, dress for wind, and judge the lunch as a convenient meal rather than a culinary event. At $245, the value depends on how much you want to see in one day. You are paying for reach, organization, and a full view of Lake Argentino’s glacier country, not just a meal with a fancy name.

Choose it if this is your main glacier day and you want variety. Skip it if you already have a full Perito Moreno itinerary and would rather spend the day on foot. With free cancellation available up to 24 hours before departure, you also have some flexibility if your plans change, but changes made within 24 hours are not accepted.

FAQ

How long does the Glaciares Gourmet boat tour take?

The full experience lasts approximately 10 to 12 hours. With hotel transfers and disembarkation at Perito Moreno, you may leave El Calafate around 7:00 a.m. and return around 7:00 p.m.

Which glaciers can I see on the tour?

The route includes Upsala, Heim, Seco, Spegazzini, and Perito Moreno glaciers.

Is the Perito Moreno National Park entrance fee included?

No. The entrance fee for Los Glaciares National Park is not included. You purchase the ticket at the port with help from the guide.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel transfers from El Calafate are included only if you select the pickup option when booking. Without that option, you must reach Puerto La Soledad on your own.

Can I get off the boat at Perito Moreno Glacier?

Yes, if you select the disembarkation option. You will have about two hours to walk the Perito Moreno paths before returning to El Calafate by shuttle bus.

Can I stay on the boat instead?

Yes. With the no-disembarkation option, the boat returns to Puerto La Soledad after viewing Perito Moreno. You leave the boat around 5:00 p.m.

What food is included?

The standard package includes a Patagonian lamb sandwich, baked vegetables, dessert, and drinks. The premium package includes a four-course meal, drinks, and an open bar during the boat tour.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 50 people. The catamaran has four open-air decks, indoor viewing areas, and a VIP outdoor section available with an upgrade.