Ice hike and climb into the glacier Perito Moreno
Operated Between: Mid September to End of April
Ice Climb Perito Moreno Glacier
About 80km west of El Calafate is Ventisquero Perito Moreno (Perito Moreno Glacier) – the “big one” that everyone comes to see. It has a 5km long, vertical wall of glacial ice face rising to heights of around 60m flowing some 30km from its source in the Andes Mountains.
The ice climb into Perito Moreno Glacier is part of the “Big Ice”, which is a full-day activity and will require two nights in El Calafate, which we will arrange. One night before the activity and one night after the activity. This can be included as a pre or post add-on to the rest of your Patagonian itinerary. This activity has age restrictions and participants must in good physical shape.
Ice Climb (called Big Ice)
Age Restrictions: 18 to 50 years of age at the time of the activity
Physical demand: High and participants must be physically fit and in good shape.
Morning departures every day with pick-up at your hotel around 08:00hrs.
The excursion begins in the embarking pier located in “Bajo de las Sombras” port, about 6km before the Perito Moreno Glacier viewing platforms – where you embark for a 20 minute navigation across the Rico Arm of the lake, enjoying breathtaking views of the Perito Moreno glacier wall.
You disembark on the opposite shore, where a specialized bilingual mountain guide will welcome you and lead you to a small shelter. After checking the details, groups of not more than 20, follow their guides for about 1.5hhrs along the lake’s shore towards the edge of the glacier. Once on the ice the guides instruct each participant to put on a pair of crampons and a harness, and will also explain how to use them.
There is a breathtaking view of the immense plateau of ice. During the walk you will come across the various features that are found in a glacier such as huge moulins, crevasses and caves, the formation of which will be explained by the guide. Then, at some point as you look around you will get a unique feeling of wonder as you realize you are on top of a frozen river moving incredibly slowly making cracking and straining noises as it does so.
Expert bilingual mountain guides will always lead you, looking after your safety and teaching you the “ways of the ice”. You will hike for about 3 hours and a half, and spend some time having lunch somewhere on the ice.
Back on the moraine we start our descent back to the port, to take the boat and navigate for twenty minutes, very close to the southern, glacial wall of Perito Moreno.
Included: Guide, Crampons, Harness, Transportation
