Self-drive Trip to Classic Patagonia

• Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate

Upon arrival at El Calafate, we’ll meet and drive you to your hotel. El Calafate is located in the Patagonian steppe, dry and dramatic. It is on the border of Lago Argentino (Argentina’s biggest lake) and is considered the capital of the glaciers. It is the gateway to visit the world-renowned Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the only glaciers in the world that is still advancing.

• Meet our local guide and pick up your car 

At the appropriate time, you’ll meet our local guide who will brief and share all the information you need for your self-drive trip in Patagonia. Then you’ll pick up your car at the car rental’s downtown office. 

• Optional self-drive to the Glaciarium Interpretation Center

For your first day in El Calafate, we recommend that you visit the Glaciarium, a glacier’s interpretation center. It is a modern center where you learn about the Patagonian Ice and its glaciers. It’s one of the few glaciological interpretation centers in the world!

To reach the Glaciarium:

• Take PR11 and drive along km 6 until reaching the Glaciarium

This optional self-drive trip will take you to travel along 6 km of paved road and for 30 min (plus the time spent on-site). 

• Optional self-drive trip to Glaciers National Park

If you decide to take this Patagonia self-drive optional tour, drive west on Avenida Libertador General San Martin / Provincial Route 11 towards Los Glaciares National Park.

Glaciers National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981 and is home to about 200 glaciers, including the famous Perito Moreno!

Half of this park is occupied by the campo de Hielo Patagónico (Patagonian ice field), the largest ice field after Antarctica. Once inside the park, explore the different viewpoints. If you’re lucky, you may get to see a piece of ice calving into the lake! 

Today’s self-drive adventure will take you to travel 75 km of paved road for 4 hours (plus the time spent on-site).  

You will travel along the famous Route 40 from El Calafate to El Chaltén, surrounded by the Patagonian steppe, pass through La Leona River, which connects Lake Argentino and Lake Viedma and stands La Leona Roadhouse where the famous thieves Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid hid for a while. We recommend that you make a stop in La Leona so you can enjoy the bar and see the historical center.

Directions for today:

• Take Provincial Route 11 from the airport and continue along this Provincial Route up to the intersection with National Route 40. 
• Turn left onto National Route 40 towards El Chaltén.
• Drive north along NR 40 for about 95 km.
• Turn right onto Provincial Route 23 towards El Chaltén (about 80 km).

This road adventure will take you to travel along 215 km of paved road and for 3 hours.