Top 10 Glaciers in Argentina
Argentina's glacier heritage is anchored in the southern Patagonian ice field — the largest non-polar ice mass in the southern hemisphere outside Antarctica — supplemented by smaller but spectacular ice bodies in the northern ice field and the central Andes. Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, holds the core of the best-known Patagonian glaciers, with El Calafate as the logical base.
1. Perito Moreno, Santa Cruz
At 257 km2, Perito Moreno is the most famous glacier in South America and one of the few advancing tidewater glaciers remaining in the world. Its calving face measures approximately 5 km wide and 70 metres above the waterline, dropping directly into Lago Argentino's Canal de los Tempanos. The glacier periodically advances to seal off the Brazo Rico arm of the lake, building until the pressure differential ruptures the ice dam in dramatic fashion. The last major rupture occurred in March 2023. Viewing platforms at Los Glaciares National Park allow front-on views of the calving face at close range; boat tours approach within a few hundred metres. Access from El Calafate (80 km) is direct by sealed road.
2. Upsala, Santa Cruz
Upsala is the largest glacier in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field by area at approximately 765 km2, and the longest in South America at around 60 km. It has been retreating significantly — losing roughly 50 metres per year in recent decades and thinning substantially at its margins. Boat tours from Puerto Bandera navigate through the Brazo Upsala to view the glacier's calving front and the iceberg field it produces. The enormous scale of the ice front makes Upsala look placid from a distance, but calving events are frequent.
3. Spegazzini, Santa Cruz
Spegazzini has the highest calving face of any Patagonian glacier, reaching up to 135 metres above water level. The vertical blue-and-white cliff is accessible by boat tour from Punta Bandera, typically combined with an Upsala approach. The glacier covers approximately 62 km2 and is in a relatively stable state compared with its neighbours. Named after the Italian naturalist Carlos Spegazzini, who explored Patagonia in the 1880s.
4. Viedma, Santa Cruz
Viedma Glacier drains from Cerro Viedma and reaches Lago Viedma's western end, covering approximately 978 km2 on the ice field. Access is by boat from El Chalten, and guided ice-trekking on the glacier surface is available through local operators. The surrounding landscape — with Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy visible on clear days — makes this one of the most dramatic glacier settings in Patagonia.
5. Onelli, Santa Cruz
Onelli Glacier terminates at Lago Onelli, a quiet lake surrounded by southern beech forest that rarely features in the standard tourist circuit but rewards the extra effort. Three smaller glaciers (Onelli, Agassiz, and Bolados) calve simultaneously into the same lake. Boat tours from Puerto Bandera reach the lake via a combination of water and a short forest walk.
6. Mayo, Chubut
The Mayo Glacier in the northern Patagonian ice field sector is less visited than the Los Glaciares cluster, but the surrounding lake and forest environments of the Aisen region reward the longer approach. It sits within the Los Alerces National Park framework and is accessible by road from Esquel.
7. Frias, Rio Negro
The Frias Glacier descends from the Monte Tronador massif near Bariloche in the lake district of Patagonia. At roughly 1,600 m above sea level on approach, it is dramatically more accessible than the southern ice field glaciers. A day hike from the Pampa Linda base, or a boat crossing of Lago Frias, brings visitors to the glacier margin. The ice is heavily crevassed on its lower tongue.
8. Castano Overa, Rio Negro
Also descending from Monte Tronador, the Castano Overa Glacier sits on the opposite flank from Frias and is accessed by the Alerce trail from Pampa Linda. It is a classic hanging glacier with a spectacular vertical ice face visible from the moraine below. Retreat has accelerated since 2000, with the lower tongue detaching significantly from its former position.
9. Marconi, Santa Cruz
The Marconi Glacier provides the approach to the Marconi Pass, which is the primary access route for experienced trekkers onto the southern Patagonian ice field via El Chalten. The glacier approach and the view from the pass — across the full expanse of the ice field — is one of the great glacier landscapes in South America. Technical glacial travel skills are required above the pass.
10. Nef, Aysen
The Nef Glacier, deep in Chilean-Argentine border territory, drains from the northern Patagonian ice field toward Lago Cochrane and the Baker River drainage. Its very remote position means almost no tourist traffic, but it is monitored by the Centro de Estudios Cientificos as part of long-term Patagonian mass balance research. The river that drains it feeds one of the largest free-flowing river systems remaining in the world.
El Calafate: the Patagonian glacier base
El Calafate is the starting point for most southern Patagonian glacier visits. Flights from Buenos Aires and Bariloche serve the Comandante Armando Tola airport; the town has ample accommodation, tour operators running boat and trekking excursions, and the logistical infrastructure for multi-day expeditions. The national park entrance fee is paid at the park gate on the Perito Moreno road.
Find Argentine glaciers on the map
All ten glaciers above are mapped on the interactive map. Filter to Argentina to see the full concentration of ice bodies in the Los Glaciares and northern ice field regions, and plan your itinerary around the El Calafate and El Chalten access points.
Glacier trekking in Los Glaciares National Park
Los Glaciares National Park covers 4,459 km2 and is divided into two sectors: the southern sector centred on the Lago Argentino glacier complex, and the northern sector around El Chalten with its Fitzroy and Cerro Torre massifs. The southern sector is the primary destination for glacier visitors; the northern sector attracts trekkers and climbers. The park entrance fee is paid in Argentine pesos at the gate.
Ice trekking on Perito Moreno — guided walks on the glacier surface with crampons — is the most popular activity. Operators including Hielo y Aventura run half-day and full-day mini-trekking and big-ice experiences departing by boat from Puerto Bajo Las Sombras. The mini-trekking is appropriate for moderately fit adults; the full-day big-ice experience covers more terrain and is more demanding.
Best times to visit
October through April is the main visiting season, corresponding to Patagonian spring and summer. January and February bring the longest days but also the most crowds and highest accommodation prices. November and March are generally preferable: decent weather, fewer tourists, and lower prices. December is unpredictable. Perito Moreno is spectacular in any season — the ice calvings occur year-round, and the blue ice is often most vivid in winter light.