What to do in El Calafate in 3 days

What nobody tells you before arriving

El Calafate is a small city — about 30,000 people — but with access to landscapes few places on earth can match. The most common mistake tourists make is thinking there's only the glacier and that's it. Three well-organized days give you an experience that shifts your perspective on everything.

I'm Daniel Jerez. I've lived in El Calafate since 2012 and I've taken tourists from all over the world to explore these places. This itinerary comes from my own experience and feedback from hundreds of passengers.

Day 1 — Arrival and first contact with Patagonia

El Calafate Airport (FTE) is 23 km from the city center. On the way in, Patagonia starts immediately: endless steppe, guanacos along the road, and if the sky is clear, the first snow-capped peaks on the horizon.

For the first afternoon, the best option is a city tour of El Calafate. Laguna Nimez is a wetland a few minutes from downtown where you can see flamingos and black-necked swans. Avenida del Libertador has the best restaurants and chocolate shops — Mamuschka is a must.

Day 2 — Perito Moreno Glacier (the main day)

The Perito Moreno Glacier is 80 km from the city center on fully paved Route 11. The drive takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Along the way there are two natural viewpoints where we stop — the first with a view of Lago Argentino and the second, the famous Curva de los Suspiros, where you see the glacier for the first time from a distance.

In the National Park you have 3 to 4 hours to walk the boardwalks. The glacier front is 5 km wide and between 40 and 70 meters above the water. Ice calving happens frequently — the sound is like thunder, the sight is unlike anything else.

💡 Daniel's tip: If it's your first time at the glacier, do the boardwalks first and save the boat tour for last. That way you arrive at the boat already knowing the glacier from land — the contrast is spectacular.

Day 3 — El Chaltén (trekking capital)

El Chaltén is 3 hours from El Calafate on Route 40. It's a beautiful drive — steppe, condors, and the Fitz Roy appearing on the horizon. The Full Day departs at 7:30am and returns at sunset.

El Chaltén is the trekking village — all trails start from the town center, with no entry fee. Laguna de los Tres (direct view of Fitz Roy), Laguna Torre (Cerro Torre) and Chorrillo del Salto waterfall are the three must-sees.

💡 Daniel's tip: Always bring warm layers even if it's warm when you leave. El Chaltén weather can change drastically in minutes. Wind, rain and sun on the same day is completely normal.

If you have a 4th day — Nibepo Aike and Río Mitre

Estancia Nibepo Aike on the shores of Lago Argentino offers horses, Patagonian lamb asado, and a lake view very few tourists ever see. Río Mitre is for those who enjoy quieter nature: fly fishing, forest and total silence.