As someone who loves adventure travel, few places stand out to me as much as El Calafate in Argentina because of the combination of incomparable landscapes, thrilling activities, and delicious food. This little gem in Argentina Patagonia is the gateway to some of the most breathtaking natural wonders you can explore. In this 4 days in El Calafate itinerary, you will learn about all the spots you need to hit to fall head over heels in love with this glacier paradise!
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4 Days in El Calafate Itinerary
In the 4 days in El Calafate, you will visit and experience some incredible places, and (I’m not exaggerating) a few life-changing moments!
Day 1 – Get acquainted with El Calafate and plan for the days ahead
Whether you fly into El Calafate, take a bus, or drive into the city, spend the first day exploring and getting to know it better. El Calafate has plenty of unique and quirky things to do to keep you entertained for more than a day.
Are you wondering if you need a rental car on your Patagonia trip? Read this post covering the pros and cons that I put together to help you make that decision!
Day 1 Morning – Explore the town, Reserva Laguna Nimez, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares visitor center
In the morning, head over to Reserva Laguna Nimez, a protected bird habitat area on the lakeshore north of El Calafate. You can enter for a nominal amount (around 7 USD), and take a self-guided tour to see over 50 species of birds within this small area. The best part? You can see flamingos frolicking and looking for food with the backdrop of the beautiful El Calafate town in the background.
After this, head into town and walk around to see El Calafate’s main streets lined with countless restaurants. In some restaurants, you may see spinning barbeque grills deliciously cooking Argentinian lamb and other meats. If you have time before lunch, pop into Parque Nacional Los Glaciares Visitor Center to learn a bit about the history of this part of Argentina.
By now, you will be hungry. Grab a mouth-watering asado meal at Mi Viejo.
Day 1 Afternoon – Experience an Ice Bar, Grab dinner at Pura Vida
After lunch, if you have not booked a tour to go mini trekking on Perito Moreno yet, head over to the office of a tour agency that offers this activity. While the actual hike on the glacier is offered only by one company Hielo y Aventura, many third-party tour groups offer this experience including a pick up and drop off at your hotel. Some of them may include a discount if you’re lucky!
You can also visit the Hielo y Aventura office at Av. del Libertador 935, Z9405 El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina. They may have last-minute tickets available for purchase in person.
With that being said, your best bet is to book online here well in advance of your travel dates. Trust me, if there is one thing that you should book in advance for your Argentina Patagonia trip, it is this.
This is the best Mini Trekking Perito Moreno tour offered by a third party.
Note: You can choose to include transfer to and from your hotel. Adding transfer will be more expensive. Different tours and timings may be available based on whether you choose to include transfer or not.
In the evening, indulge in a tourist trap that is well worth it – an Ice Bar. You buy a ticket for 30 minutes inside a bar made of literal ice. You can get a ticket with one drink, and a shot (or unlimited drinks), suit up in a furry layer, and essentially, freeze (sort of) inside a very cold room decorated with cutesy ice and glacier-themed artifacts. We had loads of fun there!
For dinner, head over to Pura Vida Restaurant. A vegan/vegetarian-friendly restaurant that also lip-smacking Patagonian lamb, this place will leave you feeling full, as well as, in awe of the local cuisine.
Day 2 – The Iconic Perito Moreno Glacier Walkways and Mini Trekking
On Day 2 of your 4 days in El Calafate itinerary, you get to experience the best things this place offers.
Day 2 Morning – Drive to Perito Moreno Glacier, Explore the Walkways
Start your day early to drive over to the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, the most popular spot in El Calafate. It takes about 45 mins to drive there from the city. The Perito Moreno Glacier is part of a National Park, so skip the drone and other prohibited items.
Buy a ticket online in advance here as this is way more convenient than buying at the entrance. Continue driving to reach the parking lot. When we were visiting Perito Moreno, the park had a shuttle we needed to take from the main parking lot to the walkways around the glacier. So, keep some time allocated for that.
The walkways, with the first section made accessible for people with disabilities, were marvelous. These extensive paths, stretching hundreds of feet in various directions, lead you to different viewpoints, heights, and areas of the glacier. You can stand directly in front of the glacier’s incredible face, with the stunning Southern Patagonian Ice Field as a backdrop. It was truly an “I-can’t-believe-what-I’m-seeing” moment.
While exploring the Perito Moreno Glacier walkways, keep an eye on the glacier face to observe iceberg calving (huge chunks of ice falling into the lake in front of the glacier). Seeing nature in action here led me to fall completely in love with Patagonia.
If you fancy exploring the glacier by boat, you can also book a Perito Moreno Glacier boat tour that will take you even closer to the glacier face. However, we chose not to do this as we were planning to go mini trekking on the glacier.
Day 2 Afternoon – Mini Trekking Tour
In the afternoon, go mini trekking atop the glacier. Because a single company runs the hike, space is limited, and it is an extremely popular activity accessible to most people. Hence, make sure to book in advance.
This tour starts at a port about 6 km away from the walkways. So, either make sure to have a car, or choose to get picked up from your hotel. We had a car, therefore, we could explore Perito Moreno walkways in the morning and go mini trekking by driving over to the area from where the boat started.
From the port, a boat takes you to the opposite side of the lake. On the other side, there is an office and rest area (with bathrooms) from where the hike starts. A tour guide leads and educates the group about the glacier, the conditions that created and maintained the glacier, and best practices for trekking.
After hiking for about 30-45 minutes, you reach the edge of the glacier where you get fitted with crampons and helmets. Be sure to wear the right shoes (hiking shoes are fine), a hat to keep you warm, and gloves to protect your hands from the sharp ice.
And then, the adventure begins. You get to walk on the living surface of a glacier that changes its topography every day. Throughout the mini trek, you get to learn how the operators change the walking paths every day, how to walk to get a good “grip” over the ice, and also, where to look to see the bluest-of-the-blue crevices, that glaciers are famous for.
At the end of the trek, you get to sample some whiskey on glacier “rocks” with chocolate. To sum up, it was an incredible experience, and I would go for it again. Don’t miss it!
Day 3 – Hike to an Iceberg Lake or see a museum
On Day 3, you have the option to lay low and take it easy. Or go on a different hike to see some more amazing sights of Argentinian Patagonia.
Day 3 Morning – Iceberg Lake hike with Glaciar Sur, or Glaciarium Patagonian Ice Museum
On this day, you will go for an exclusive hike with Glaciar Sur to see a lagoon fed by not one, or two but 3 glaciers!
We did this tour at the suggestion of our hotel manager who showed us some pictures of the tour. You can see them on their website here.
This tour is completely private; only the people in your small group can access this location. They pick you up at your hotel and drive you to the Glaciar Sur pier located on the shores of the South Arm of Lake Argentino. This is in the southern area of Los Glaciares National Park, so you will be far enough away from the walkways and Perito Moreno.
Then, you take a ferry through Brazo Sur, hike around 1.5 km up and downhill, and finally take a zodiac to Laguna Frias Superior.
You then deboard the zodiac, and hike another 5 km to see the most serene and unbelievable sights ever! Three glaciers all ending in Lake Frias. Plus, the entire lake is covered in icebergs. It is surreal!
This is one of the best spots to have an off-the-beaten-path experience in Patagonia. It is not cheap, but well worth it.
Alternatively, you can visit the Glaciarium Patagonian Ice Museum. It is a museum that showcases multimedia, interactive exhibits, models, and videos about glaciers and Perito Moreno. Plus they have an ice bar inside (in case you could not get to it on the first day).
Day 3 Afternoon – Go souvenir shopping
If you opt for the Glaciar Sur hike, you won’t be back until the evening. However, if you choose to skip that, spend this afternoon souvenir shopping in the city. There are tons of shops, with local artisan-created wares to keep you busy for several hours.
My favorite souvenirs were sheep-wool-based outerwear and other trinkets (such as a magnet!) made from Patagonian sheep and paintings of local wildlife. In the evening, go to Rustico for a lavish dinner of grilled local meats (Parrilla) with a side of tango dance show mid-dinner.
Day 4 – La Leona and El Chalten
On your final day in El Calafate, head north to La Leona.
Day 4 Morning – La Leona Petrified Forest
Drive north this morning to La Leona Petrified Forest. Located midway between El Calafate and El Chalten, this spot is ideal as a stopping point when traveling between these two locations.
In this unique location, you can see a terrain covered in dinosaur and tree trunk fossils from millions of years ago. I wish we had the chance to visit, but we ran out of time on our last day in El Calafate and had to rush to El Chalten right after visiting the glacier.
Day 4 Afternoon – Drive to El Chalten
After exploring La Leona, drive over to the next leg of your trip in El Chalten, a charming hikers’ paradise, where you can see the famous sight of Laguna de los Tres, also known as the Mt. FitzRoy hike.
For planning an epic trip in Patagonia, be sure to check out this comprehensive 2 week itinerary covering Chile and Argentina Patagonia! This includes useful tips and travel hacks to aid your trip planning.
Alternatively, if you do not have the time to stay over in El Chalten, use this day to make a day trip to this town. You will need to start super early (well before sunrise) to be able to drive up and down, as well as complete the 16-mile hike to see Laguna de los Tres. But, I assure you, it will be worth it.
Have more days in El Calafate? Here’s what you should do
Do you have a few more days in El Calafate? Here are some things you should do:
- Punta Walichu archaeological site – In this tour, you get to see cave paintings made by natives of the Tehuelche community thousands of years ago.
- Estancia Cristina – An estancia that has existed for hundreds of years, now offers tours and lodging (lodging comes at a steep price though!) and is best suited as a day trip. This Estancia is a historical sheep and cattle ranch located near Upsala Glacier. I recommend this tour for visiting the beautiful estancia.
- Day trip to Torres del Paine – Even if visiting Chile Patagonia is not a part of your travel plans, you can see the main viewpoints of Torres del Paine National Park on a day trip from El Calafate. Just be sure to have your passport ready. This fun tour shows you the highlights of the National Park as a day trip from El Calafate.
Have 1 full week in Patagonia? Here are 5 unique itinerary ideas for you to choose depending on the type of traveler you are!
How to get around El Calafate?
The best and the easiest way to get around El Calafate is by car. I highly recommend that you read this post about whether to get a rental car or not (based on your travel preferences) in Patagonia.
Alternatively, you can also Uber around the city. We found Uber to be competitively priced. You can also ask your hotel to arrange a taxi for you.
To reach locations outside of El Calafate town such as the Perito Moreno glacier without a rental car, book a tour that picks you up from your hotel. Plenty of tours have the option for hotel pickup and dropoff.
What is the best time to visit El Calafate?
The best time to visit Patagonia is during the summer season, which runs from October to March, peaking in December.
The holiday season in December brings a lot of crowds from all over the world. With Patagonia becoming a more popular travel destination day by day, there can be a lot of people. The crowds come with higher hotel prices, competition in booking tours, and rental car/bus reservations.
Therefore, to avoid these conditions, skip the holiday time, and visit El Calafate in November to early December, or late January to February.
