The Perito Moreno Glacier is in Los Glaciares National Park in the southwest of Argentina‘s Santa Cruz Province. Since 1981, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The huge Perito Moreno glacier is one of the most beautiful places in Argentine Patagonia. One of the 48 glaciers in Patagonia’s Southern Ice Field, the Perito Moreno glacier, is one of the largest. Let me tell you all about the amazing Perito Moreno glacier to get you ready for your trip.
Los Glaciares National Park
Los Glaciares National Park, also called Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, is a national park in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina. It is in the Andes, near the border with Chile, and Lakes Argentino and Viedma are on its west side.
The park opened in 1937 and is 1,722 square miles (4,459 square kilometers) in size. In the east, there are forests and grassy plains. In the west, there are needle-like peaks, lakes, huge glaciers, and snowfields. The highest point in the park is Mount Fitzroy, which is 11,073 feet (3,375 meters) high. There are guanacos, chinchillas, pudus, guemal (two types of small deer), condors, and rheas.
Perito Moreno Glacier Argentina
It gets its name from a huge ice cap in the Andes mountains that feeds 48 huge glaciers, but only 13 of them flow into the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the third largest glacial continent in the world, after Antarctica and Greenland.
In many places around the world, glaciers start at least 2,500 meters above sea level. The Los Glaciares National Park starts at 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level and goes down to 200 meters (660 feet) below sea level because there is so much ice.
Perito Moreno Glacier Facts
This wears away the surface of the mountains that hold them up. In the quote from UNESCO, the site was described as “a region of remarkable natural beauty, with craggy, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes.” The park has a good representation of Patagonian cold woods and a huge variety of plants and animals. It is especially known for its wide range of birds.
El Calafate Argentina
There is no Perito Moreno in Perito Moreno. One fact about the Perito Moreno glacier to keep in mind as you plan your trip is that the glacier and the town of Perito Moreno are two different things. The Perito Moreno glacier isn’t really in Perito Moreno, just to keep you guessing. The same-named glacier is 600 kilometers to the north of the national park. The only place to live nearby is the small town of El Calafate. About 78 kilometers west of the Perito Moreno glacier is where it can be found.
Francisco Moreno
But why is it called “Perito Moreno” if it isn’t in Perito Moreno? The Perito Moreno glacier was named after the Argentinian explorer Francisco Moreno. In the 1800s, he was a key player in the fight over the border between Argentina and Chile. Also, “perito” is a Spanish slang word that means “expert” and comes from his nickname.
Perito Moreno Glacier Size
Perito Moreno is enormous in stature. The size of the Perito Moreno glacier is one of the most interesting things we know about it. The lake, Lago Argentino, is 3 miles wide and 78 meters above the glacier. The glacier is around 700 meters deep at its deepest point. It is 3 miles wide and 100 square miles in size.
Fresh Water Reserves
The water at Perito Moreno Glacier is pure. Magnificently, the Perito Moreno glacier is the third largest source of fresh water on Earth. Only the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have more fresh water.
Perito Moreno Glacier History
It’s out of date. The Perito Moreno glacier started growing about 2.6 million years ago and stopped about 11,700 years ago, at the end of the most recent Ice Age. Scientists think that the Perito Moreno glacier is about 18,000 years old.
Glacier Melting Climate Change
Perito Moreno glacier is expanding. Most glaciers are melting because of climate change. Because of this, melting polar ice caps and the retreat of glaciers in the Himalayas, Alps, and other parts of the Patagonian Ice Field pose a major threat to the environment. On the other hand, the Perito Moreno glacier moves forward about 2 meters every day.
Perito Moreno Glacier Rupture
Cataclysmic ruptures occur every five years. Every five years or so, the rising glacier will reach the shores of Lago Argentino. Because of this, the glacier fills up the southern part of the lake, making the Brazo Rico a separate body of water. On the other hand, as the water level rises in Brazo Rico, it puts a lot of force against the ice wall. At some point, the ice breaks up, and big chunks of ice fall into the lake. On January 19, 2013, a huge hole opened up.
Lago Argentino
However, you can see some minor disruptions for yourself. Even though you probably wouldn’t want to be there for a big one, you can see this beautiful sight every half hour or so on a smaller scale. The best time to see a mini-rupture is in the afternoon, when tourists can safely stand on the observation platform and watch pieces of ice fall into Lago Argentino.
Perito Moreno Glacier Trek
Perito Moreno is also suitable for trekking. Several trip providers offer two types of glacier trekking. The first is a mini-trek that lasts between 1.5 and 2 hours. The second choice is the whole experience, which includes a five-hour glacier trek with guides. Because of this, there is a glacier hike for everyone, no matter how much money they have or how fit they are.
Perito Moreno Glacier Tour
Los Glaciares National Park Argentina also simple to get to. The bus ride from El Calafate to the glacier costs 560 pesos and takes about an hour and a half. To buy a ticket, you just need to go to the bus terminal, where you will find many different companies with the same prices. It costs 500 pesos to get into the park, but the views are well worth it.
