Why book the northern arm
Why book the northern arm
Two ice fronts most visitors never see
The overwhelming majority of Los Glaciares' 700,000-plus annual visitors go to Perito Moreno, the one glacier reachable by road. Upsala and Spegazzini sit up the lake's northern arm, reachable only by boat — this cruise is built around the two of them, and sails past Perito Moreno's northern face on the way back, with the option to step off at its footbridges.
The tallest ice front in the park
Spegazzini's wall rises to roughly 135 metres at its highest point, the tallest ice front anywhere in Los Glaciares National Park. Upsala, by contrast, is the more understated giant — a much larger glacier by area, with a lower ice front but a berg field that scatters ice across the whole channel.
A full day, not a quick look
This is a full day — about 8 hours sailing, 10 to 12 door to door: hotel pickup, a drive out to Punta Bandera, then a full day's sailing with a gourmet lunch served on board rather than a packed sandwich. It suits a trip where one day is set aside properly for the water, not squeezed between other plans.
The park fee is genuinely separate
This is the detail every review of this style of cruise eventually mentions: the Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee is not part of the boat fare. It is paid at the port before boarding, by card or in Argentine pesos, or online in advance — this site says so plainly, on this page and in the FAQ, rather than leaving it as a surprise queue on the day.
The chart
Five anchorages up the northern arm
The cruise reads like a chart: a single dashed track west from Punta Bandera, five marks along it, and a clock time at each. Here is the shape of the day, mark by mark.
- ~8:30am Punta Bandera
La Soledad Port, boarding
The coach from your El Calafate hotel reaches the private port of La Soledad at Punta Bandera, about 47km and roughly half an hour from town. This is where the northern-arm catamarans board, a different port from the one used for Perito Moreno's boat crossing.
- ~9:45am Escuadra Bay
Out onto the northern arm
The boat clears the near shore and opens out into Escuadra Bay, the first wide stretch of the northern arm proper — mountains closing in on both sides, the lake's turquoise deepening as the water gets colder and glacier-fed.
- ~10:30am The Condor Nesting Wall
Cliffs the condors work
The route passes below cliffs where Andean condors are commonly seen riding the thermals the ice generates — the same rising air that keeps a nine-foot wingspan aloft without a single wingbeat for minutes at a time.
- ~12:00pm Upsala's bergs
The largest glacier in the park, in pieces
Upsala is the biggest glacier in Los Glaciares by area — around 765 square kilometres, some 54km long — and its channel is where the boat slows to pick a path between the bergs it has calved. Lunch is usually served on board around this leg, plates on the table while the ice drifts past the windows.
- ~2:30pm The Spegazzini front
135 metres of ice, close up
The day's final anchorage is the tallest ice front in the park — Spegazzini's wall rises to roughly 135 metres, more than double Upsala's own ice front, and the catamaran holds close enough that the scale only really lands once you're under it.
Ice-front height, front to front
Spegazzini's wall is roughly the tallest in the park; Upsala's front is lower, averaging around 40m, but backs a much larger glacier by area.
From Spegazzini it's the run home — back through the same channels to La Soledad Port by late afternoon or early evening depending on the season, with the coach returning you to your El Calafate hotel after.
Punta Bandera, and the park fee
Punta Bandera, and the park fee
Two practical things worth knowing before you book: where you actually board, and the one cost this listing does not include.
Where you board
The private port of La Soledad, at Punta Bandera on Lago Argentino, about 47km from El Calafate. Most bookings include hotel pickup around 7:15am with boarding at the port roughly an hour later — check your own confirmation for the exact time, since pickup windows vary by hotel.
The park fee is not included
The Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee is charged separately from the boat fare, payable at the port by card or in Argentine pesos in cash, or in advance through the park's own online portal. This is the single most common complaint in reviews of this style of cruise — travellers who did not know about it queuing to pay in cash on the morning of their trip.
What to bring
Cash in Argentine pesos for the park fee if you have not prepaid online, a passport or ID for the park register, and layers — the northern arm is more exposed to wind than the sheltered walkways at Perito Moreno, and the outer decks are where the views actually are.
What this booking is not
There is no ice walking on this cruise — it is a boat-only sightseeing day. If crampons and time actually standing on a glacier are what you want, that is a different product (our guide compares this cruise with Perito Moreno Mini-Trekking directly).
The northern arm, in pictures
The northern arm, in pictures
Boats close to Patagonian ice, drifting bergs, condors over the mountains, and Upsala's own water. These are representative photographs of the region and the activity — not confirmed photographs of this specific cruise, its catamaran, or its own passengers.
Glaciers Gourmet, Mini-Trekking, or the boardwalks
Glaciers Gourmet, Mini-Trekking, or the boardwalks
| Option | What it includes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Glaciers Gourmet full-day cruise | The northern-arm catamaran, five anchorages up to Spegazzini, gourmet lunch on board | The listing this site is built around — boat only, no ice walking, park fee separate |
| Perito Moreno Mini-Trekking | A short boat crossing plus roughly 1.5 hours actually walking on Perito Moreno's ice with crampons | A different day, a different glacier, from our sibling site peritomorenotrek.com — see the comparison guide |
| Booking for a group | The full northern-arm day for several guests, seated together for lunch | The onboard restaurant seats groups; per-person pricing applies |
| Pair with the Perito Moreno boardwalks | This cruise passes Perito Moreno's northern face, with an optional footbridge stop; the full boardwalk visit is its own GetYourGuide experience | No ice walking on either the boardwalks or this cruise — Mini-Trekking is the only one with crampon time |
Ways to book the northern-arm cruise
Find a sailing date
Every option below is booked through GetYourGuide, with live availability and the final price in your own currency.
Planning your day on the water
Planning your day on the water
Budget for the park fee before you go
Set aside cash in Argentine pesos, or prepay online through the park's own portal, before your pickup morning. It is the one cost this listing does not include, and it is the detail reviewers most often say they wish they had known in advance.
Dress for wind, not just cold
The northern arm is more exposed than the sheltered Perito Moreno walkways, and the best views are from the open decks. A windproof outer layer does more good here than an extra jumper.
This is a full day — plan around it
With pickup as early as 7:15am and a return that can run into the evening depending on the season, this is not an activity to stack with another full-day excursion on the same date.
Book ahead for your date
The northern-arm boats run a fixed daily schedule rather than departures on demand, and this listing is Certified by GetYourGuide with free cancellation up to 24 hours before your sailing — booking early costs nothing in flexibility.
Planning a Glaciers Gourmet day from El Calafate
Planning a Glaciers Gourmet day from El Calafate
The Glaciers Gourmet cruise, hour by hour
Pickup at first light, La Soledad Port, five anchorages up the northern arm, lunch over Upsala's bergs, and the run home from the tallest ice front in the park — the day in order.
Read more →Understanding the iceUpsala and Spegazzini, explained: why the northern arm has the big fronts
One glacier is enormous and retreating fast; the other is smaller but taller than anything else in the park. Here is what actually separates them.
Read more →The one thing to know before you bookThe Los Glaciares park fee: what it is, and how to pay it
Not included in the cruise price, and the single most common complaint in reviews of this style of trip. Here is how to not be caught out.
Read more →Choosing between two El Calafate daysGlaciers Gourmet vs Perito Moreno Mini-Trekking: which day suits you
One is a full day on the water with lunch and two glaciers; the other puts crampons on your boots for ninety minutes on the ice. Most visitors who have time do both.
Read more →Practical questionsWhat to wear, and the wind on deck
The northern arm is more exposed than the sheltered Perito Moreno walkways, and the best views are outside. Here is how to actually stay comfortable for a full day on the water.
Read more →Around El CalafateEl Calafate and beyond: building the rest of your Patagonia days
The cruise takes a full day on its own. Here is how it fits alongside Perito Moreno, the town itself, and the rest of a Patagonia trip based in El Calafate.
Read more →FAQ
Glaciers Gourmet cruise questions
Is the Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee included?
No. The park entrance fee is charged separately from the boat fare, payable at the port by card or in Argentine pesos in cash, or in advance through the park's own online portal. This is not included in the price shown on GetYourGuide, and it is the detail most travellers who review this style of cruise say they wish they had known about beforehand.
What is the Glaciers Gourmet cruise?
A full-day catamaran cruise from Punta Bandera into the northern arm of Los Glaciares National Park, taking in Escuadra Bay, cliffs where condors are commonly seen, the berg field off the Upsala Glacier and the ice front at Spegazzini — the tallest in the park — with a gourmet lunch served on board. It is a boat-only sightseeing day; there is no ice walking on this listing.
Which glaciers will I actually see?
Upsala, the largest glacier in the park by area, and Spegazzini, whose ice front reaches roughly 135 metres and is the tallest in Los Glaciares National Park. The route also passes other glaciers visible from the outer decks along the way, weather and ice conditions permitting.
How long does the day take, and what time is pickup?
GetYourGuide lists the sailing at about 8 hours, and door to door it usually runs 10 to 12, and most bookings include hotel pickup from El Calafate around 7:15am with boarding at the La Soledad dock at Punta Bandera roughly an hour later. Exact times are confirmed on your own booking, since pickup windows vary by hotel and the return time can shift with the season.
Is lunch included, and what about dietary requirements?
Yes — a gourmet lunch is served on board as part of this listing, generally around the Upsala leg of the route. Dietary requirements are worth flagging when you book rather than on the day; the GetYourGuide listing is the place to check what the current menu can accommodate.
How does this compare to Perito Moreno Mini-Trekking?
They are different days built around different glaciers. This cruise is boat-only sightseeing on the northern arm, with no ice walking. Perito Moreno Mini-Trekking, on our sibling site peritomorenotrek.com, includes a short boat crossing plus roughly 1.5 hours actually walking on Perito Moreno's ice in crampons. Many visitors do both on separate days rather than choosing one over the other.
What should I wear, and is it cold on the water?
Layers, and a windproof outer shell — the northern arm is more exposed than the sheltered Perito Moreno walkways, and the best views are from the open outer decks rather than inside the cabin. Even on a mild El Calafate day, the wind off the ice makes the deck feel colder than the town.
Can I cancel if my plans change?
The listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund, and many options let you reserve now and pay later. The exact cancellation terms that apply to your booking are shown on GetYourGuide before you pay.