Glacier Perito Moreno

The eighth wonder of the world

Glacier Perito Moreno is considered the eighth wonder of the world.

The imposing mass of interminable ice surrounded by forests and mountains is a spectacle that few would want to miss.

In fact, this place is, along with Puerto Madryn the Iguazú Falls one of the sites of the country most visited by foreigners, and emblematic of Argentine tourism.

Glacier Perito Moreno.

The Glacier can be reached by walking along a dirt road, or sailing by boat.

If you drive your own vehicle take the Provincial Route 15, crossing from the Calafate 78 kilometers approximately, the trip averages one hour. Another very attractive modality to visit the glacier is "minitrekking", that is taking a long walk on the ice.

Perito Moreno is one of the many glaciers that form the Glaciers National Park. All form the Patagonia Continental Ice Shelf (17,000 kilometers of extension), one of the more important drinking water reserves of the world. It is estimated that 90% of the fresh water of the planet is stored in glacier zones. And our region follows in extension after Antarctica and Greenland. It extends between 47º and 51º South latitud, from the Chilean fiords in the west to the Argentine lakes.

Panoramic view of the glacier

The glacier reaches the front shore of lake Argentino and block the water that starts digging the channel under it.

The North Continental Ice is located totally in the neighboring Republic of Chile, however the Continental Ice of South Patagonia is shared between the two nations.

All the glaciers originate in the Glacier National Park, but Perito Moreno excels.

The tourists can approach it to within 300 or 400 meters of it front wall.

Surrounded by snow-covered summits and forests of lengas and ñires, the ice covers about 195 km2 altough some say up to 235 Km, that is to say, more of the surface of a large metropolis like Buenos Aires.

The water digs a tunnel under the glacier and it is now ready to break.

Perito Moreno is an ice colossus that impresses and affects all those who come and visit.