Perito Moreno Glacier
Perito Moreno is a massive glacier roughly 50 miles from El Calafate. The ice front is 5 kilometers wide and rises 240 feet over Lago Argentina. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction, with buses continuously running from outlying parking lots, numerous boat tours and guided glacier hikes for hire and an extensive system of walkways to view the glacier from various perspectives.
Perito Moreno is famous due to its accessibility and because it is one of the few glaciers in the world which is not rapidly retreating. The massive ice wall occasionally blocks a branch of the lake, creating a dam which eventually ruptures from the water pressure, causing a massive ice collapse every few years. During our visit the glacier was constantly calving, creating thunderous and awe inspiring sounds.
We elected not to do a tour. We explored the walkways, amassing almost four miles. The glacier creates its own weather microsystem, often having rain and fog on an otherwise clear day. On the day we visited, it was intermittently raining and the glacier had a rainbow over it all day. We could see the rainbow during the last 20 miles of the drive from El Calafate, which was a cool intro to the hike.
This was our final day in Patagonia and was a great way to finish the trip. I recommend Perito Moreno for a recovery day, and would try to time your visit to avoid the busiest time periods.
