Los Glaciares National Park is the largest park in Argentina, although its significance does not stem just from its size. Given its size, you may expect to discover several exciting destinations there.

Mount Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, and the Perito Moreno Glacier are the three crown jewels of Argentine Patagonia, and they're all within easy driving distance of El Calafate. In this piece, we'd like to go more into why we think the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the top attractions in Argentina and perhaps all of South America.

We're not going to sugarcoat anything. The cost of a trip to see the Perito Moreno Glacier is high. We spent the most money on our day trip from El Calafate, but it was well spent.

The Glacier of Perito Moreno

To understand Perito Moreno Glacier, one must visit the glacier and stand in front of its face, staring across Lago Argentino at its massive body. All the pictures you can see online don't do it justice. The sense of being insignificant in the face of nature's vastness is indescribable and can only be understood via direct experience.

The total surface area of Perito Moreno is 250 square meters; it is 5 kilometers broad and 30 kilometers long, and its highest point is more than 70 meters high; nevertheless, most of the glacier is submerged beneath the sea and hence invisible. It's rather remarkable.

The Southern Patagonian Icefield, of which the glacier is a part, has the world's third-largest freshwater reserve. Observing the enormous glacier while listening to the omnipresent and thunderous cracking noises of the breaking ice is far more dramatic than any of those statistics suggest.

Estimating the Expenses of a Trip to Perito Moreno

Perito Moreno's entrance fee is somewhat open-ended and relative. When looking back over the previous several years, it's clear that Argentina's economy has seen more downs than ups. There are no words to describe the current economic situation in the country.

Even Argentines are reluctant to hold on to their currency, the peso, because of its dramatic daily fluctuations and steady depreciation. Worse inflation rates can only be found in Venezuela, and that's saying something.

Entry Ticket Cost

The admission fee to the national park was 700 ARS ($18.5), while the bus fare from El Calafate to Perito Moreno Glacier was 800 ARS ($21). Here's a further suggestion. In general, you can get an idea of how much things cost in Argentina by comparing the local currency, the peso, to the United States dollar.

Buying a bus ticket for 1000 ARS would cost you about $26 in American dollars. However, in a few months, the identical bus ticket might cost roughly 1500 ARS, which is still about 26 USD. Accordingly, we spent $79 on our trip to Perito Moreno. The price tag did not make us pleased, but this is just another day on the road for other people.

On the other hand, we would have revisited Perito Moreno if we had decided we wanted to. This is, of course, only a ballpark figure for freewheeling vacationers.

The Best Route to the Perito Moreno Glacier

There are only four ways to get close to the glacier, as the southern half of Los Glaciares National Park is currently not accessible by public transportation. We think any of the options is satisfactory. Since the time commitment is about the same for each option, you should choose the most affordable option. From El Calafate, we made the trip to Perito Moreno.

By Car

Having your car is the most practical option for getting to the park. El Calafate is the only place where you may rent a car for a one-time event like this. If you're short on time or want better living on the road, this is the best option because it allows you to arrive and depart whenever you choose and still see all Perito Moreno has to offer.

Many individuals we met in Patagonia were on road trips and already had rental cars, which is perhaps more practical than renting a car for a single day, but it's good to know that this is an alternative.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is the cheapest method to go to Perito Moreno, but it's also the riskiest. Most of the vehicles we saw were packed, so unless you're extremely strapped for cash, we wouldn't recommend this choice.

Camping gear is a good idea in case you can't find a ride back if that's your plan if you choose this route. Even though Patagonia is a relatively risk-free vacation location, it is smart to always travel in a group of at least two people, especially if you want to hitchhike.