In this post we leave you the 20 essential things to do in El Calafate to enjoy this place to the fullest and get to know all its corners.
El Calafate is surrounded by stunning natural Patagonian landscapes and a wide variety of outdoor activities to enjoy. Although this city is famous for its glaciers, El Calafate has much more to offer.
In addition to the essential visit to the Perito Moreno glacier, including the possibility of hiking on the glacier, there are many attractions that include Patagonian ranches, ice bar, museums, navigation between ice floes and much more. Let’s discover these 20 things to do in Calafate!
🔎 Check out the guide to travel to El Calafate if you are planning a visit to the city.
Table of Contents
1) Visit the imposing Perito Moreno Glacier
Perito Moreno National Park is home to one of Argentina’s greatest tourist attractions and one of the most impressive natural wonders of the world, the Perito Moreno Glacier.
It has a surface area of more than 250 kilometers and is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still in equilibrium, which means that there is a constant cycle of advances and retreats. Enjoy a walk along the walkways that border the glacier, where you can admire the variety of colors between white and blue, its great height and hear the sound of breaking ice.
📷 Reserve your place to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier.
🔎 Take a look at guide to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier.
🔎 Check the official website of Los Glaciares National Park for opening hours and ticket prices at the time of your visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier.
2) Hiking on the Perito Moreno Glacier
This activity is one of the most impressive things to do in El Calafate. In this excursion you will enjoy trekking over the glacier among its crevasses, caverns, lagoons and huge masses of ice. There are two excursions of this type in El Calafate:
- Minitrekking: a short walk on the glacier, with a duration of one hour and a half. This tour can be done from august to may inclusive, and its duration with transfers included is about 10 hours.
- Big Ice: unlike the previous one, the hike lasts three and a half hours, including half an hour for lunch on the Perito Moreno Glacier. This tour is available from september 15 through april 30.
Both tours include a guide in Spanish, English or Portuguese; bus transfer from El Calafate to the port, navigation to cross Rico Lake and equipment for walking on the ice.
🔎 Reserve your place to make your trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier.
3) Sailing on Lake Argentino
Lake Argentino is the largest lake in Argentine Patagonia and is surrounded by mountains and glaciers. You will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery while navigating through its arms between ice floes and the mountains where the Heim, Peineta, Seco, Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers are located. It is even possible to get a very close look at the latter.
This is a full day excursion, which includes a short hike, weather and season permitting, to the Spegazzini refuge, where you can have lunch on your own.
📷 Don’t miss this incredible excursion to sail lake Argentino.
4) Trekking in Los Glaciares National Park
Los Glaciares National Park is famous for its glaciers, but it has much more to offer. Enjoy its hiking trails that will take you through forests and mountains, ideal to experience nature first hand and be dazzled by the Patagonian landscapes.
Get to know the native vegetation such as the famous El Calafate bush and its edible fruit. As for wildlife, if you are lucky you may see an Andean Condor flying overhead or a Huemul walking among the trees.
📝 Travel tip: Download the Maps.me app, where you can find all the trekking routes, even without mobile data.
5) Tour the city of El Calafate
Be sure to visit the commercial and administrative center in El Calafate. Through its main avenue “Libertador” it is possible to find regional stores, bars and restaurants. Take the opportunity to visit the Nuestra Señora de la Paz Church, in the Perito Moreno square, a small building from 1950, and visit the Jorge Echeverría Artisans’ Walk.
🚘 See here the transfers from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate.
6) Walk along the coastal promenade
The coastal walk is a path that borders the shore of Lake Argentino and offers an incredible view of it. It has some viewpoints, where you can take beautiful pictures, and a huge sign with the name of the city, ideal to take a souvenir of your trip to El Calafate.
A good time to do this tour is at sunset, when the sky is painted in orange colors and gives a totally different tone to lake Argentino.
7) Visit the Nimez Lagoon
Very close to the city center is the Nimez lagoon, a wildlife sanctuary. This wetland surrounded by mountains and breathtaking views of lake Argentino, has several trails where you can see a variety of birds, such as flamingos, geese, herons, cormorants and swans. It is managed by a non-profit organization that collaborates with its conservation.
Practical Data:
- Opening hours: 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., closing hours may vary depending on the season.
- More information: Laguna Nimez social networks.
8) Get to know Estancia Cristina
Estancia Cristina is one of the oldest farms in Argentine Patagonia. Founded in 1914 by Joseph Percival Masters, an English immigrant who settled in Argentina with his wife, who were key in the history of the exploration of the Glaciers, giving refuge to researchers and cartographers. Estancia Cristina was named after the daughter of its founder.
Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the surrounding area with one of the excursions offered to enjoy during the day:
- Classic excursion: trekking to a waterfall while enjoying the viewpoints.
- 4×4 Excursion: the tour includes a ride in 4×4 vehicles and closing with a 20-minute trek to the viewpoint of the Upsala Glacier.
- Trekking excursion: a 14-kilometer hike to get to know the Cañadón de los Fósiles, an area completely covered with paleontological remains.
📷 Enjoy a day at estancia Cristina.
9) Learn about ice at the Glaciarium
The Glaciariums is an interpretive center dedicated to the history and science behind glaciers and ice. An interactive experience teaches about the formation of glaciers, their impact on the environment and the importance of their conservation.
It features multimedia exhibits, 3D projections and guided tours. The center also houses a collection of ice sculptures and a bar with food and beverage options. This is an excellent option to do in El Calafate with kids.
📷 Book your ticket with transfers to the Glaciarium.
10) Have a drink at the Ice Bar
Live a different experience in your trip to El Calafate visiting an ice themed bar. The visit to the Ice Bar begins in the warm sector where the temperature is 5 degrees. The staff will provide you with capes and gloves to go to the main hall: The Cavern. In this one, the thermometer drops to -10 degrees.
For 25 minutes it is possible to enjoy a drink among ice sculptures. After this time you return to the warm bar to enjoy drinks and sushi with no time limit. Non-alcoholic beverage service is available and minors are welcome.
🍸 Live this experience at the Ice Bar.
11) Learn about the history of El Calafate at the Regional Museum.
The Regional Museum of El Calafate is a small museum that shows the history and culture of the Santa Cruz region. The collection includes ancient artifacts such as bolas and arrowheads from the original peoples of this area, photographs, tools and objects related to life in Patagonia. Its historical journey goes from the dinosaurs to the present day. Admission is free.
12) Visit the cave paintings at Punta Walichu
Punta Walichu is an archaeological site located near El Calafate. It is a site of high historical value because it contains cave paintings dating back thousands of years.
The entrance fee includes a guided tour of the site, ideal to learn more about the historical and cultural importance of Punta Walichu. Be sure to enjoy its impressive rocky landscape and its panoramic view of Lake Argentino.
📷 Be sure to book your excursion to Punta Walichu.
13) Enjoy incredible views at Frías Hill
Cerro Frias is a 1095 meters high mountain, only 20 km west of El Calafate. It is possible to reach its summit on a five-kilometer hike to enjoy the panoramic views of Lake Argentino and the Patagonian Andes. Among the peaks that can be seen are Valle del Centinela and Torres del Paine, and if the weather permits, Cerro Fitz Roy can also be seen.
It is also an ideal area for adventure activities such as horseback riding and 4 x 4 vehicle rides. For adrenaline lovers, there is a zip line with five sections of 500 meters each.
💯 Enjoy an excursion to Cerro Frias with adventure activities included.
14) Get to know the Calafate Creek canyon.
Only 3 kilometers from the center of the city is the road to the Arroyo Calafate gorge. On this low difficulty trekking trail, you will see a variety of wildlife such as guanacos, foxes, eagles and condors, to name a few. You can find petroglyphs and other vestiges of ancient civilizations that populated this area.
💯 Don’t miss the Arroyo Calafate canyon trekking tour.
15) Learn about rural life in Estancia El Galpón
Estancia El Galpón has more than 40,000 hectares and is surrounded by a great variety of natural landscapes, from mountains to lakes and rivers. It is ideal for enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, bird watching and horseback riding.
Get to know its old sheep shearing sheds dating back to 1912, the production and quality of the wool. In addition, the estancia has a lodge and is ideal for enjoying a Patagonian dinner.
📷 Book your dinner visit to Estancia El Galpón.
16) Things to do in Calafate, enjoy its incredible night skies.
The sky of Argentine Patagonia is one of the cleanest in the world and offers a spectacular view of the stars and constellations. If you are interested in astronomy, live a magical night contemplating the firmament, observing with telescopes and identifying several nearby constellations.
📝 Travel tip: This activity is done outdoors at night, do not forget to bring a coat as night temperatures can be very low.
📷 Live this incredible night under the stars in El Calafate.
17) Enjoy sport fishing in El Calafate
If you are a fishing enthusiast, you will find several spots enabled for this sport in your trip to El Calafate. The Santa Cruz River is ideal for trout and salmon fishing, as is Lake Argentino. Rainbow and brown trout can be seen in Lake Roca. Always remember to comply with the regulations in force and check if it is necessary to request a permit for sport fishing.
18) I lived a trekking by the Frias Lake and know closely its icebergs.
Begin your journey with a boat ride on Lake Argentino until you reach the shore of the South side, where the trail begins about two kilometers that will take you to Lake Frias. From there, you take a second boat to cross the lake and walk a second trail of almost 5 kilometers to enjoy the Dickson, Cubo and Grande glaciers on the shore of Lake Frías Superior.
📷 Book today your excursion with trekking on Frias Lake.
19) Trek through the La Leona petrified forest.
The La Leona petrified forest has tree trunks more than 70 million years old. These were hidden to the naked eye for centuries, but thanks to the powerful winds of the area and the rains, they managed to come to light.
In order to see them, you will walk a trail through Cerro Los Hornos, where you can also see dinosaur fossils. Don’t miss one of the best excursions in El Calafate.
👉 Don’t miss the La Leona petrified forest trekking tour.
20) Cycling across the Patagonian steppe
A great way to get to know the Patagonian landscape is to complete this 16-kilometer route through the Calafate stream valley on all-terrain bicycles. The tour takes place in the surroundings of the 25 de Mayo ranch.
On the way you will see local fauna such as guanacos, foxes, choikes, condors and eagles. You will also visit an ancient Tehuelche burial site and enjoy views of the Verlika and Baguales hills.
📷 Enjoy your bike ride along the 25 de mayo ranch.
Where to stay in El Calafate
🏨 See here where to stay in El Calafate and get your ideal accommodation.
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