Los Glaciares National Park: Best Glacier Cruises

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Last Updated on 4 June, 2026 by Daniel Silvente

If you are looking for information about Los Glaciares National Park, you probably already know that El Calafate is one of the best bases for discovering some of the most impressive ice landscapes in Argentine Patagonia. From here, the main cruises across Lake Argentino depart, offering one of the most spectacular ways to get close to glaciers like Spegazzini, Upsala, and other giants of ice inside the national park.

Among all the options, two tours usually raise the most questions: Todo Glaciares and Glaciares Gourmet. Both let you sail among icebergs, admire huge ice walls, and spend a full day surrounded by Patagonian landscapes, but they don’t offer exactly the same type of experience.

In this guide, we compare the most popular glacier cruises from El Calafate. We’ll explain what they have in common, how they differ, what our experience was like, and which option may fit your travel style best.

What Glacier Cruises Can You in Los Glaciares National Park?

Several cruises depart from El Calafate to explore the glaciers of Los Glaciares National Park from the water. All of them sail across Lake Argentino and take you close to landscapes that can’t be reached from land, but each one offers a different experience.

Todo Glaciares Cruise

The Todo Glaciares cruise is one of the most popular Los Glaciares National Park Tours if you want to see several glaciers in one day. The tour sails across Lake Argentino and lets you see glaciers such as Upsala, Seco, Heim Sur, Peineta, and the impressive Spegazzini Glacier. It also includes a landing at Base Spegazzini, an area with viewpoints and privileged views of the glacier.

It’s a great option if you’re looking for a complete, panoramic cruise with some time on land to walk and enjoy the surroundings.

Glaciares Gourmet Cruise

Glaciares Gourmet is a full-day cruise with a more comfortable and culinary-focused experience. On board a modern vessel, you’ll visit some of the most important glaciers in Los Glaciares National Park, including Upsala, Spegazzini, Perito Moreno, Heim, and Seco.

The tour also includes an approximately one-hour walk in the Puesto de las Vacas area and a Patagonian meal on board. It’s an ideal option if you want a more complete way to discover the glaciers in Argentina Calafate, with a more polished experience throughout the cruise.

Perito Moreno Glacier Cruise – 2 Days

If you’re looking for a more exclusive experience, the Perito Moreno Glacier Cruise – 2 Days is a different alternative to the classic day cruises. In this case, you’ll spend one night on board a boutique cruise inside Los Glaciares National Park, with a private cabin, full board, and guided activities.

During the route, you’ll sail through areas such as the Upsala Channel, Spegazzini Glacier, Bahía Las Vacas, Bahía Toro, the Icebergs Channel, and Perito Moreno Glacier. It also includes landings and guided walks, making it a perfect option if you want to enjoy the glaciers with more time, comfort, and a premium touch.

Todo Glaciares vs Glaciares Gourmet: Main Differences

Although Todo Glaciares and Glaciares Gourmet are both full-day cruises through Los Glaciares National Park, the experience is not exactly the same. Both allow you to see glaciers, sail among icebergs, and enjoy Lake Argentino, but each one fits a different type of traveler.

In short, I’d choose Todo Glaciares if you want a more active cruise, with time to walk around Base Spegazzini and a more family-friendly experience. I’d choose Glaciares Gourmet if you’re looking for more comfort, lunch on board, a more relaxed cruise, and the possibility of including Perito Moreno in the route.

Visiting Los Glaciares National Park: My Experience on the Todo Glaciares Cruise

The Todo Glaciares cruise started early, with pick-up in El Calafate and transfer to the port. Before boarding, we showed the QR code for our booking and purchased the entrance ticket to Los Glaciares National Park. If you visited the park the day before, it’s worth keeping your ticket to get the 50% discount. It’s also a good idea to bring cash, as the card payment connection can sometimes fail.

Once on board, we found seats by the window and started sailing across Lake Argentino. During the route, the guides shared information about the glaciers, their history, and their evolution. One of the best parts of the tour is that the boat stops in front of different glaciers, such as Hein, Upsala, and Spegazzini, so you can admire them calmly, go out on deck, and take photos.

These stops are one of the highlights of the experience. The boat gets close to the ice walls and remains there for a few minutes in front of each glacier, allowing you to appreciate the blue tones, the scale of the ice, and the icebergs floating on the lake.

One of the most special moments was the landing at Refugio Spegazzini, where we had free time to eat, walk along the trails, visit viewpoints, and enjoy the views of Spegazzini Glacier. This part makes the experience more dynamic than a regular cruise.

After that, the navigation continued toward Spegazzini Glacier. In our case, we were lucky enough to see ice calving, one of the most impressive moments of the day. Finally, we returned to the port and then back to El Calafate, ending a very complete day among glaciers, icebergs, and Patagonian landscapes.

Visiting Los Glaciares National Park: My Experience on Glaciares Gourmet

The Glaciares Gourmet experience started with pick-up in El Calafate and the transfer to Puerto de la Soledad, inside Los Glaciares National Park. The drive takes around 50 minutes and already feels like part of the tour, with views of Lake Argentino and Patagonian landscapes along the way. Before boarding, we purchased the park entrance ticket next to the pier.

Once on board, we chose our seats and began sailing across Lake Argentino. The boat is comfortable, with a bar, café, outdoor deck, and panoramic terrace. During the route, the guides explained the itinerary and shared information about the glaciers before each stop.

One of the most special parts is that the boat gets close to different glaciers, such as Seco, Upsala, Heim, and Spegazzini. At each stop, the captain waits for a few minutes and turns the boat so everyone can enjoy the views, go out on deck, and take photos, no matter where they are seated.

After sailing among icebergs, we landed at Puerto de las Vacas for a walk of less than one hour. Back on the boat, lunch was served on board, with different menu options. The last part of the route was Perito Moreno, which you can see from the boat or combine with a visit to the walkways.

In short, Glaciares Gourmet is a comfortable, complete, and very panoramic cruise, ideal if you want to see several glaciers in one day and enjoy a more relaxed experience through Los Glaciares National Park.

Perito Moreno Glacier Cruise – 2 Days

The Perito Moreno Glacier Cruise – 2 Days is the most exclusive option for exploring the glaciers of El Calafate at a slower pace. Unlike the classic full-day cruises, this experience allows you to spend one night on board inside Los Glaciares National Park, on a boutique cruise with a private cabin, full board, and guided activities.

During the route, you’ll sail across Lake Argentino and through areas such as the Upsala Channel, Spegazzini Glacier, Bahía Las Vacas, Bahía Toro, the Icebergs Channel, and Perito Moreno Glacier. It also includes landings and guided walks, so it’s not just a panoramic cruise, but a more complete experience.

It’s the perfect option if you’re looking for a premium cruise, want to enjoy the glaciers in Argentina Calafate without rushing, and would love to spend a night surrounded by some of the most impressive landscapes in Patagonia.

So, Which Glacier Cruise Should You Choose in Los Glaciares National Park?

The best cruise will depend on the type of experience you want to have in El Calafate. If you’re looking for a complete, panoramic option with time to walk in front of Spegazzini Glacier, Todo Glaciares is a great choice. If you prefer a more comfortable experience, with lunch on board and a more relaxed pace, Glaciares Gourmet may be a better fit.

On the other hand, if you want to go one step further and enjoy Los Glaciares National Park without rushing, the Perito Moreno Glacier Cruise – 2 Days is the most exclusive option: you’ll sleep on board, sail through the national park, and experience Patagonia from a completely different perspective.

Whichever option you choose, sailing among glaciers and icebergs is one of the must-do experiences in El Calafate. Check out the glacier cruises available with Howlanders, compare dates, review what each tour includes, and book the option that best fits your Patagonia trip.