Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: How to Visit Without the Crowds (Even with Kids)
Quick Summary
Best way to visit: Rent a car and drive yourself from El Calafate (about 90 minutes). It’s easy, scenic, and gives you full control over timing.
Avoid the crowds: Arrive mid-morning and start on the quieter coastal (blue) route before heading to the central viewing platforms.
Tickets: If entering Parque Nacional Los Glaciares more than once, a multi-day Flexipass is convenient—but it must be purchased online in advance.
With kids: Perito Moreno is far more family-friendly than its reputation suggests, with accessible walkways, an elevator, and options for all comfort levels.
Worth doing first: The Glaciarium Patagonia Ice Museum adds helpful context and got our child genuinely excited to see the glacier.
Bottom line: With a little planning, Perito Moreno can feel unrushed, manageable, and memorable—even with kids.
Why We Planned a Quieter Visit to Perito Moreno Glacier
Tour buses have never been my preferred way to experience a place. I love visiting major sights, they’re popular for a reason. But moving through them on someone else’s timeline rarely leaves room to linger or really take anything in.
Over time, I’ve learned that the difference between seeing a place and experiencing it often comes down to pace. When things are quieter, I notice more. What’s happening around me, and how it feels to be there.
Driving ourselves to Perito Moreno Glacier and timing our visit to avoid peak tour bus hours felt like a natural extension of how we like to travel.
Planning Ahead: Tickets, Timing, and the Drive from El Calafate
Trail map with round-trip walking times
Because we planned to enter Parque Nacional Los Glaciares multiple times (first from El Calafate and later again from El Chaltén) a multi-day Flexipass made the most sense for us. Passes are sold online in 3- or 7-day options, don’t need to be used consecutively, and must be purchased in advance.One important note: the Flexipass must be purchased online in advance.
If the system rejects your passport number, omit the letters and enter only the numerals. It worked immediately for us.
The drive from El Calafate took about 90 minutes on smooth roads with increasingly dramatic scenery. Leaving around 9:00 a.m. turned out to be ideal: we arrived to easy parking and, for a while, nearly empty walkways.
From the lot, there are restrooms, a restaurant, picnic tables, and a free shuttle to the main viewing platforms.
Experiencing the Glacier Without the Crowds
The elevated boardwalk approaching the glacier on the coastal route.
After the long travel from the U.S., we were eager to stretch our legs. We started on the blue route (De La Costa), a mostly flat coastal walkway along Lago Argentino with bursts of steps. While rated “medium” due to length, it felt very manageable.
Seeing the glacier emerge around the curve of the lake with only a handful of other people nearby was striking. The ice was intensely blue, the air sharp, and the sound of calving carried clearly in the quiet. We would hear a deep crack, pause, and then watch ice break away and crash into the water below.
By the time we reached the central viewing platforms, the tour bus crowds had arrived. The pace shifted…faster, louder, more structured. But we’d already had time to watch, listen, and linger. One thing we appreciated was the elevator and accessible pathways to the main platforms, making this experience possible for visitors with limited mobility.
Visiting Perito Moreno Glacier With a Child
Air guitar with “Rick the Stick” made the glacier more fun.
Patagonia is often marketed online as an extreme destination—rugged, remote, and better suited for serious adventurers. Content about visiting with kids is almost non-existent.
While the variable weather and travel logistics do make Patagonia less traditionally “family-friendly” than places like the Alps, we found it to be a spectacular playground for our adventurous seven-year-old. It was far more accessible than we expected. The main trail at Perito Moreno Glacier is fully accessible and could even be navigated with a stroller if needed.
Our son posed for countless photos with “Rick the Stick,” which he found along the trail, and listened intently for each deep crack in the ice—calling out to everyone when it was time to scan the glacier for the next calving event.
For a less exposed option, check out the enclosed boat ride. With older kids (10+), you can do a mini-trek and actually walk on the glacier. And for the really brave (age 14+), try a kayak tour in Lago Argentino. Drysuits provided!
Glad We Visted the Glaciarium First
Fun with the weather forecasting stone.
Turns out it was a typical windy Patagonian summer day.
I’d recommend visiting the Glaciarium Patagonian Ice Museum just outside El Calafate before heading to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Seeing the science ahead of time made the real thing more interesting.
The museum itself is a bit text-heavy and could benefit from more hands-on exhibits for kids, but our son was captivated by footage of the ice bridge collapse in 2018. The virtual reality glacier exploration, in particular, got him genuinely excited to see the glacier.
They also have a glacier bar made entirely of ice, where drinks are served in glasses carved from ice. Entry is timed, though, and we weren’t able to make it work with our schedule, something to plan for if it’s on your list. You unfortunately cannot book this ahead.
Don’t miss the spectacular view across the steppe to Lago Argentino from the Glaciarium!
Spectacular views of Lago Argentino from the Glaciarium Patagonia Ice Museum
What to Pack and Wear
Layers are essential everywhere in Patagonia. Even in summer, temperatures hovered around 50–60°F during our visit. The wind is no joke, and rain can roll in quickly, so being prepared makes a huge difference.
Our gear list included:
Fleece layer
Puffer jacket
Rain layer
Hat and gloves
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Daypack with water bladder
Snacks
You can get lunch at the café at the top of the central trail (hot sandwiches) and a formal restaurant at the parking lot.
Final Thoughts
Proof that how you visit matters just as much as where you go.
Perito Moreno Glacier is absolutely worth the visit, and experiencing it without the tour bus crowds really made the experience. Arriving earlier, starting on the quieter trails, and moving at our own pace allowed us to spend more time actually watching the glacier, listening for calving and lingering at viewpoints, rather than being ushered along.
Renting a car from the airport in El Calafate was straightforward and, in our experience, well worth it. The drive was easy, the roads were in good condition, and having our own vehicle gave us flexibility with timing and trail choice that would have been hard to replicate on a tour. For families or anyone who prefers a less structured experience, self-driving is a very doable option.
Patagonia can feel intimidating to plan, but Perito Moreno is far more accessible than its reputation suggests. With a little advance planning, it’s possible to experience one of the world’s most iconic glaciers in a way that feels unrushed, manageable, and genuinely enjoyable.
Subscribe to follow our journey — and get real-world itineraries, kid-tested tips, and honest stories about the magic (and messiness) of traveling as a family.
Subscribe Now
About Christal
I’m a clinical psychologist, professor, and writer who believes in resisting hustle culture and finding awe through slow, meaningful travel with my family.
I’ve explored four continents, often blending work and play through teaching abroad and cultural immersion.
I created We Went Anyway as a space to share stories about choosing presence over perfection and finding joy in a full, connected life through adventure — big and small.
When I’m not writing or hiking, you’ll find me sipping peppermint tea on the porch with friends, building Legos with my son, watching design videos to guide the slow remodel of our 118-year-old home, or planning the next family trip from our home base in Kentucky.