Glacier Walking, Patagonia, Argentina

Walk the Moreno Glacier

Walking on a moving glacier is an experience! Every morning the guides have to walk the glacier themselves to look for any new crevasses that may have opened up overnight and assess whether other crevasses are still safe to walk around. They can then confirm the "trek route" for the day.

The tour starts with a boat trip to cross Lago Argentino which takes about an hour. There is a short briefing about the trek, the flora and fauna and the area, as well as the Moreno Glacier itself. Then it is a short walk across to the "ice-line" where you will be fitted with crampons. Experienced guides will give you a quick lesson on how to walk on them. You ascend in single file, one guide bringing up the rear and the other in front hacking steps in the ice with an ice-axe where needed. After about two hours trekking there is a well earned reward! Then it is back to the "ice-line" to return crampons. A gentle walk through the forest of ñires, lengas, notros and cherry trees takes you back to the guides lodge for lunch before heading back to the jetty to catch the boat across the lake, and your taxi or bus back to where you are staying in Calafate.

Glacier at the top of the Andes

Client comments:
"The day we went it was pouring with rain, but still incredible. The ice really is blue in the rain, and the guides were very welcoming and friendly. Always ready to help since crampon walking does seem to come more naturally to some of us, than others. Do wear stout shoes, I wore trainers which were all right, but because the upper is quite soft tightening the laces on my crampons was slightly uncomfortable so the crampons did flap a bit making descents on the ice a little tricky! Our fellow tourists were easy to get on with, mainly South Americans from Brazil and Chile, with a few Chinese as well. It's a long day and warm clothes, waterproofs and a good packed lunch are all essential.

When we got back to the Estancia where we were staying we did feel that we had done something special. Crampon walking is not the most difficult thing I have ever done, but I had a huge sense of achievement and was quite exhilarated by the fact that I had walked on a Glacier that is still moving on ice that is 15,000 years old! Definitely worth doing."

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