The Perito Moreno Glacier is located southwest of Santa Cruz, Argentina, on the border with Chile, and its magnificent natural beauty has made it one of the wonders of the world. Located on the lake, this sparkling glacier is one of Patagonia’s most important tourist attractions in Argentina, and watching it is one of the most exciting and at the same time the most amazing adventures. With a growth and formation of 250 square kilometers of ice with a length of 30 kilometers, this glacier is one of the 48 glaciers that are fed by the ice region of southern Patagonia, which is located in the Andes Mountains. This icy region is the third largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Part of the area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981.
To see the Perito Moreno Glacier, you have to go to the city of “El Calafate”, a city that is about 80 km from this glacier, and once you reach it, it is no longer difficult to go to the glacier! All you have to do is get on the bus and find yourself in front of this glacier about 90 minutes later. Of course, you can also rent a taxi or go on a tour. The bus fare for this short route seems a bit expensive but it is worth the trip. If you want to see only one glacier in your life, Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the best options. The glacier is located on the turquoise waters of Patagonia’s Los Glaciers National Park and glows white with light shades of blue. This glacier has an interesting feature and that is that unlike most other glaciers in the world, it is still growing.
Perito Moreno takes its name from Francisco Moreno; A pioneer in the study of the land and territory of Argentina in the nineteenth century, who played an important role in defending the territory of Argentina in the conflict with Chile on the border between the two countries. The glacier is part of the ice rink of southern Patagonia, which feeds several glaciers in southern Chile and Argentina. This glacier is located in the southern part of the national park and is famous for its constant changes, movements and falling ice from its walls.
There is a viewing platform at a safe distance from the glacier by Lake Argentino where you can stand and look at this magnificent glacier. Here is an exciting moment waiting for you, but of course you have to wait a while to reach that moment; One of the purest scenes of this glacier is when the broken ice boards fall into the water and make a terrible noise; The sound that wraps around the whole lake and creates a strange atmosphere. There are hiking trails along the lake where you can walk and look at the glacier from different angles. Of course, if you are not satisfied with seeing from a distance, you can even get so close to this glacier that you can feel its cold and icy breath on your face. Take a 45-minute boat ride to reach this glacier. This is where you can get off the boat and ice climb. At this moment, when you are on this glacier, you find yourself surrounded by the beautiful mountains and forests of Patagonia.
Choose a sunny day to visit this glacier. There is a wooden footpath next to the lake, which is located in the middle of a lush forest. You can walk on it and fade away watching the glow of this glacier in the turquoise waters. This is the place where you can take some of the best photos of your life with these magnificent glaciers in the background. The glacier is 70 meters above the water level and has a wonderful and magnificent appearance.
What makes Perito Moreno one of the most interesting glaciers in South America is that it is active. The icy cracks constantly fall into the water, creating large waves on the surface of the lake. Sure, you will be excited to hear this, but every 20 minutes a piece of ice from this glacier falls into the water, so you must have a chance to visit it to witness this rare and interesting natural phenomenon. There are also relaxation areas on the lake platform where you can sit, relax and stare at the glacier in silence for a long time. You may be so lucky at the moment that a very large piece of this refrigerator falls into the water and that terrible sound breaks the silence of nature and a big wave starts.
If you are so adventurous that you do not want to leave the national park without going to this glacier, you can register for a tour in the city of “El Calafate” before going to this national park. Many tourism companies organize tours every day to visit this glacier. In this tour, you will ride in a private car with a small group of people and reach the national park. Now it’s time to jump on the first boat by the lake and after about an hour, see this magnificent glacier a few centimeters away. The exciting part of the story is that at this moment you are given the necessary equipment for ice climbing and you go to the ice surface. If you have never experienced ice climbing, you can be sure that an unforgettable experience awaits you, because walking on one of the biggest tourist attractions in Argentina can delight anyone. You can even sign up for multi-hour tours and head into the ice caves.
