THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Sail from Punta Bandera across Lago Argentino to Uppsala and Spegazzini glaciers, disembark for an easy forest walk to Spegazzini Refuge, and photograph titanic ice walls from designed viewpoints. This full-day catamaran expedition combines lake navigation with short hikes and refuge time.
Sail from Punta Bandera across Lago Argentino to Uppsala and Spegazzini glaciers, disembark for an easy forest walk to Spegazzini Refuge, and photograph titanic ice walls from designed viewpoints. This full-day catamaran expedition combines lake navigation with short hikes and refuge time.
You step off the bus at dawn and the lake meets you first—cold light sliding over a surface dotted with blue ice. The catamaran slips out of Punta Bandera, engines low, and the North Arm of Lago Argentino opens like a map of ice: floes drifting from Uppsala, serrated walls at Spegazzini, and a constant palette of white and cobalt.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Tangol · El Calafate, Santa Cruz
You step off the bus at dawn and the lake meets you first—cold light sliding over a surface dotted with blue ice. The catamaran slips out of Punta Bandera, engines low, and the North Arm of Lago Argentino opens like a map of ice: floes drifting from Uppsala, serrated walls at Spegazzini, and a constant palette of white and cobalt.
This corridor of ice sits inside Los Glaciares National Park, created in 1937 and a UNESCO World Heritage site for its dramatic glacial systems carved by millennia of climate and rock. The Uppsala and Spegazzini glaciers are outlets of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, where wind, sun and the lake itself shape towering seracs and sprawling bergs.
Culturally, El Calafate grew as a gateway town supporting shepherding and now guides and refuges; the Spegazzini Refuge continues that tradition, offering simple food and perspectives reserved for those who arrive by boat and boot.
Practical guidance: plan a full 10-hour day with hotel pickup options or meet at Punta Bandera. Expect calm rolling seas in summer and choppier conditions in shoulder seasons—bring layers, waterproofs and steady footwear for the firm 300-meter forest walk to the refuge and optional mountain trail. Cameras and binoculars are worth their weight: designated photo stops allow close views of ice cliffs and grounded bergs without risking safety zones.
Respect park rules: stay on marked paths, pack out trash, and heed guide briefings about safe distances from icefalls. This is a voyage of observation—powerful, accessible, and governed by the slow, unstoppable motion of ice.
easy.
10 hours.
Suitable for light activity levels; requires short, firm-ground walks (about 300 m) and ability to board a boat
If you don't select hotel transfer, meet at the Port of Punta Bandera; those with transfers are picked up from central El Calafate hotels starting around 7:00 am.
The primary 300-meter path to the refuge is on firm ground and easy; an optional mountain trail is moderate and requires steadier footing and more fitness.
The itinerary includes time at Spegazzini Refuge where you can purchase food and drinks; bring snacks and water for the boat ride if you have specific dietary needs.
The tour notes indicate wheelchair accessibility for boarding and facilities, but contact the operator ahead of time to confirm specifics and arrange assistance.
Los Glaciares National Park was created in 1937 to protect the southern Patagonian ice systems; later designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its glacial landscapes.
Glacier dynamics are indicators of climate trends; follow park rules, avoid collecting ice, and pack out all trash to reduce impacts on fragile shoreline ecosystems.
Tangol operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step off the bus at dawn and the lake meets you first—cold light sliding over a surface dotted with blue ice. The catamaran slips out of Punta Bandera, engines low, and the North Arm of Lago Argentino opens like a map of ice: floes drifting from Uppsala, serrated walls at Spegazzini, and a constant palette of white and cobalt.
You step off the bus at dawn and the lake meets you first—cold light sliding over a surface dotted with blue ice. The catamaran slips out of Punta Bandera, engines low, and the North Arm of Lago Argentino opens like a map of ice: floes drifting from Uppsala, serrated walls at Spegazzini, and a constant palette of white and cobalt.
This corridor of ice sits inside Los Glaciares National Park, created in 1937 and a UNESCO World Heritage site for its dramatic glacial systems carved by millennia of climate and rock. The Uppsala and Spegazzini glaciers are outlets of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, where wind, sun and the lake itself shape towering seracs and sprawling bergs.
Culturally, El Calafate grew as a gateway town supporting shepherding and now guides and refuges; the Spegazzini Refuge continues that tradition, offering simple food and perspectives reserved for those who arrive by boat and boot.
Practical guidance: plan a full 10-hour day with hotel pickup options or meet at Punta Bandera. Expect calm rolling seas in summer and choppier conditions in shoulder seasons—bring layers, waterproofs and steady footwear for the firm 300-meter forest walk to the refuge and optional mountain trail. Cameras and binoculars are worth their weight: designated photo stops allow close views of ice cliffs and grounded bergs without risking safety zones.
Respect park rules: stay on marked paths, pack out trash, and heed guide briefings about safe distances from icefalls. This is a voyage of observation—powerful, accessible, and governed by the slow, unstoppable motion of ice.