The variety of excursions offered in El Calafate fulfills the most different requirements, allowing you to enjoy the magic in this area: its landscapes.
The most common excursions offered are the ones in which you visit Moreno and Upsala Glaciers.
You can also visit typical "estancias", ride on horseback, or do a 4x4 excursion, trek on some of the glaciers, and many other open-air excursions.

There are many different companies which take this 80km trip, reaching the 'pasarelas' area in front of the Moreno Glacier, within Los Glaciares National Park. Leaving times are between 7.30 and 9 am, arriving back in town at around 5 pm. And in the afternoon, and only during the high season, there are some excursions between 3 and 9 pm.

Regular Excursions

These fetch the travellers at well-known hotels (but not those lodged by families), arrive at the 'pasarelas', allow them three hours' time to enjoy the place, from where you can see the glacier from different angles, enjoy its height and colours, and witness its break-offs. Then, they come back to El Calafate, by Provincial Road Nº 11.

Alternative Excursions

They go to Moreno Glacier, but taking Provincial Road Nº 15, on a debris path, from where you can have a better chance of taking a look at the birds and some typical estancias. Once arriving at the pasarelas area, you take a walk on the right-hand side of the pasarelas, being able to walk through the forest in front of the glacier, and enjoying a different view from the one reached to on the pasarelas. You can also count on three hours' time to walk on the latter, and go back to El Calafate by the same regular-excursions road.

Minitrekking

It consists of a walk on Moreno Glacier, with a medium physical requirement. The excursion offers you to cross Argentino Lake's Rico branch, until reaching the glacier's southern shore. Having got out of the ship, the guides will give you some instructions as to how to do the trek, you'll be given 'grampones' (an iron-pointed platform on your feet, in order not to slip on the ice), and they will guide you over pre-established circuits on the glacier. The trek lasts approximately one hour, coming back through Rico branch again, and returning to Bajo las Sombras port. The same excursion includes approximately two hours' time for you to visit the pasarelas in front of the glacier.

There are two different excursions to visit this glacier, both of them by ship, as navigation is the only way to reach that area. For both of them you must hire a transfer service to Punta Bandera, 50 km away from El Calafate, from where you can board a ship going to the northern part of Argentino Lake.

Todo Glaciares / Ríos de hielo

This navigation goes through Spegazzini, Onelli and Upsala glaciers, making a stop at the bays they form. You may only get off the ship for two hours, at Onelli Bay, to have lunch and/or take a walk through the woods until reaching Onelli Lake, fed by icebergs from Onelli, Agazzis and Volado glaciers. In this excursion you'll be picked up at your hotel from 7.015 am on, returning between 5 and 9 pm, depending on the season and kind of ship. The area of Spegazzini Glacier is unreachable during winter, and this is why the excursion's time is shortened.

Upsala Explorer

This excursion combines navigation until Upsala Glacier's area, including spending some time at the countryside (Estancia Cristina), located at the glacier's right bank. Different activities can be done there, as horseback riding, walks, or 4x4 trips, besides tasting a marvellous grilled lamb and many patisseries' delicious specialties. The duration of this excursion is similar to the above mentioned, differing from it in that navigation time is shorter, and it's only available during December, January and February.

This activity gives the tourist the possibility of being closer to the activity of the first white inhabitants of the area, mainly Europeans.
The estancias which open their doors to the tourists nowadays are the ones which developed sheep rearing during the 1950s, and they still show it today as the place's typical activity.
The most visited are the following:

Estancia Alice

On your way to Moreno Glacier, on Road Nº 11, you can get to the Estancia, at approximately 40 kilometres' distance from El Calafate. The tourist is welcomed with tea and home-made patisserie, before a sheep shearing demonstration; and once the latter finishes, they have the opportunity of taking a look at the building, while waiting for dinner, served with a typical grilled Patagonian lamb and folklore show. This excursion takes place between 5 pm and 10 pm. You may also want to hire horseback riding trips.

The best-known trips are the ones which take place in the area of Redonda Bay, within El Calafate's urban area, from where you can enjoy the steppe, the great variety of birds that visit the area, and different views of tour touristic village. This activity may take place as a half-a-day excursion (leaving at 11am and 6.30pm), or as a whole-day excursion, visiting Cuevas del Walicho, which is located at around 12 km's distance from El Calafate, where you can enjoy rupestrian paintings, done by the first inhabitants of the area.
You can also take this kind of excursion in your different visits to the estancias. Another option is climbing Frías Hill on horseback. This mountain is near Magallanes Peninsula, from which summit you can see Fitz Roy and Macizo del Paine mountains, but only on sunny days. Leaving times for the above mentioned excursions are 9.30am and 5pm.

There are many circuits to go through in double traction vehicles, due to the soil's level of difficulty. Excursions offer the following circuits:

Cerro Frías

Climbing the mountain, near Magallanes Peninsula, from which summit you can see Fitz Roy and Macizo del Paine mountains, but only on sunny days. Leaving times for the above mentioned excursions are 9.30am and 5pm.

El Calafate's Balcony

Climbing Huiliche Chain of Mountains, a panoramic point is reached, located at about 900mts height. It is surrounded by fantastic rocky shapes, from which you can admire the area's geological evolution. This excursion lasts about three hours, leaving at different times all day long

Vuelta de la Colonia

Taking Road Nº 15, until reaching Roca Lake and Argentino Lake's Rico branch. Leaving at 10am. It includes lunch at Estancia Cerro Moreno.

Huiliche Hill- Roca Lake

It combines both trips above mentioned, reaching Estancia Nibepo Aike, where Road Nº 15 ends.

Calafate Fishing

It offers choosing between different exclusive places; including professional guiding services, own transport and equipment.

There are many circuits to go through in double traction vehicles, due to the soil's level of difficulty. Excursions offer the following circuits:

National Park Administration

In the cornet at Libertador Avenue and Bustillo Street, you'll find the National Park Administration office, which is located in a block surrounded by the typical trees of the area, creating a small forest almost at the very city centre. You'll find there information about the different species, and in the office you'll be given further information about the flora and fauna you'll see in the National Park.

Nimes Lagoon

This ecologic reserve can be found at only one kilometre distance from the city centre, at the end of Brown Street, where you can admire the great variety of birds in the area. Besides being able of contemplating them, you can ask for further information about their habits, the seasons in which they visit us, etc.

Centro de Interpretación Histórica [History Interpretation Centre]

On your way to Nimes Lagoon, you'll find this tiny museum, which contains many modern characteristics, where you'll be able to know and learn much more about man's evolution, the different times in which the area was occupied, its history, geography, flora and fauna. We recommend this visit to those who want to take home something else, besides the beautiful landscape.

Navimag FERRIES, will take it to cross the Patagonia between Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt. Sailing between fiords and channels, it will be able to be marvelled at the majesty of the Amalia glacier, the beauty of the virgin forest of the south of the world, the incredible species of birds and marine fauna that will greet the passage of the boat and to visit the magician populated with Puerto Edén.