Walking on ice is a unique experience. As far as difficulty levels, let’s just say, if I can do it, so can you! Glacier hiking however is not something to be attempted on your own. Let’s take a look at what you need to know before you plan your next glacier hiking trip.

Which Glacier to hike?

My first glacier hike was on Argentina’s Perito Moreno glacier. Perito Moreno is arguably one of Argentina’s most famous attractions in Los Glaciers National Park located in Southern Argentina’s Patagonia region. This glacier is also one of the safest and most easily accessible glaciers in the world.

Getting to Perito Moreno

I flew into El Calafate from Buenos Aires and spent two nights at a cute hostel in El Calafate. In El Calafate, I booked a full day tour with my hostel. The tour included transportation to Perito Moreno, lunch, bilingual guides, viewing the glacier from the balconies, boat ride to the glacier, and a 90 minute ice walk. You can also choose a longer ice walk option if you’re feeling adventurous. Hiking a glacier isn’t cheap, expect to pay approximately $200 for the tour.

Most morning tours depart from your hotel at 8am and bring you to Perito Moreno about two hours later. Be sure to book your tour in advance as they tend to sell out, especially during peak season (December-February). Once you’re at the entrance you will need to pay a fee. A guided tour is the only way you can hike the glacier.

What you need to hike Perito Moreno

No matter when you visit the Perito Moreno, it can get terribly cold on the glacier and even the viewing balconies. Here are my gear recommendations:

Down jacket with a hood

Water resistant pants

Water resistant rain shell

Fleece layer

Beanie

Gloves

Waterproof hiking boots

Hand warmers if your hands tend to get cold

Sunglasses

Chapstick

Camera/Phone for pictures

What are wearing crampons like?

If you’ve never worn a crampon or used an ice axe, hiking a glacier is a great opportunity to use these tools. You also don’t need any prior experience in hiking a glacier.

Once you’re on the boat, you’ll have an opportunity to see the glacier wall up close. Listen for the sound of ice breaking, it’s magnificent and awe inspiring to watch as well. The boat will take you to a base next to the glacier, where after disembarking you’ll walk to a hut where the guides will help you fit your crampons and give you a briefing on how to use your crampons.

With crampons, all you need to remember is to keep all of your spikes (the bottom of your crampon has spikes or points) in the ice to prevent you from slipping and falling. When walking up an incline, stomp the ice and hike with your feet pointed horizontally or angled in your direction of travel for the best grip.

When you’re going downhill, maintain an athletic stance with knees wider than shoulder width, knees loose and bent. Always point your toes in the direction that you’re moving. And remember, you will have guides with you, so at any point you can ask for their help and they’ll give you a hand.

What can you expect to see on a glacier hike?

So now that you’ve worn your crampons and you’re actually walking on the glacier, pay attention to your guides as they will give you fascinating information about the nature and formations around you.

When you’re on a glacier hike, expect to see crevasses, ice caves, and beautiful glacier formations. I have never seen such deep shades of blue!

What’s unique and rare about the Perito Moreno glacier is that as the world’s 3rd largest fresh water supply, it shows no signs of retreating or melting!

What tours should I use for the glacier hike?

You can either book through your hostel/hotel or do your research online to compare operators and prices. Given the pandemic, unfortunately it is going to depend on which operators are able to continue to offer these tours once it’s safe to do so.

Why I recommend a glacier hike?

A glacier hike is a safe, fun adventure for everyone! What I love about a glacier hike is that allows me to experience a terrain that we don’t get to see often. It’s one of those once in a lifetime experiences and gives you perspective on how vast and complex our planet really is. If you’re on the fence just email me and I’m happy to answer any questions!