Argentine Patagonia: Perito Moreno Glacier, Fitzroy, and Los Glaciares National Park
The Argentine side of Patagonia, centered on Los Glaciares National Park with its Perito Moreno Glacier and the Fitzroy climbing massif at El Chalten, complements the Chilean Torres del Paine experience with different landscapes and different adventure possibilities on a circuit that spans the Andean border.
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Perito Moreno Glacier Up Close: Ice Trekking and Boat Excursions
The Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park is accessible for both viewing from the boardwalk system opposite the calving face and for ice trekking excursions that walk on the glacier surface with crampons. The ice trekking program, including the Mini-Trekking option for casual visitors and the Big Ice option for more adventurous participants, provides direct physical contact with the glacier in a way that boardwalk viewing cannot replicate.
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Fitzroy Massif: El Chalten and the Climbers Mecca
El Chalten, the small Argentine mountain village at the base of the Fitzroy massif in the northern part of Los Glaciares National Park, is the rock climbing capital of South America and the starting point for trails to the Fitzroy and Cerro Torre viewpoints that are among the finest alpine panoramas in the world. The village has developed a community of mountain guides, craft breweries, and outdoor-focused restaurants that give it a character reminiscent of European alpine villages.
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Cerro Torre: The Pinnacle of Patagonian Climbing
Cerro Torre, the narrow granite spire that rises to 3,128 meters above the Patagonian ice field, is widely considered the most technically demanding mountain in the world due to the combination of extreme vertical relief, the mushroom of rime ice on the summit, and the ferocious weather systems that make summit attempts in climbable conditions extremely rare. The history of contested first ascents of Cerro Torre is the most controversial episode in the history of mountaineering.
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Los Glaciares National Park: Argentina's Patagonian Crown
Los Glaciares National Park in Argentine Patagonia, UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest national park in Argentina, protects the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and its outlet glaciers including Perito Moreno, Upsala, and Spegazzini. The combination of accessible Perito Moreno and the remote wilderness of the northern Fitzroy sector creates the most complete national park experience in Argentine Patagonia.
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The Southern Patagonian Ice Field: The Third Largest on Earth
The Southern Patagonian Ice Field, shared between Chile and Argentina along the Andes divide, is the third largest freshwater ice mass on Earth after Antarctica and Greenland, covering approximately 16,800 square kilometers of high-altitude ice that feeds the outlet glaciers visible from both Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares. The ice field is one of the most important freshwater reservoirs on Earth and is retreating measurably due to climate warming.
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El Calafate: The Argentine Gateway Town
El Calafate on the shore of Lago Argentino, the gateway town for Los Glaciares National Park and the Perito Moreno Glacier, has grown from a small provincial town to a well-equipped tourism base with international restaurants, comfortable hotels, and the full range of services for visitors arriving for the glacier and Fitzroy experiences. El Calafate airport receives direct flights from Buenos Aires making the glacier accessible without overland travel.