All Glaciers Navigation: Discovering Upsala & Spegazzini

Icebergs make this lake cruise unforgettable. This full-day outing from El Calafate takes you across Lago Argentino toward the Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers, with giant floating ice, cold open-air viewing, and a short forest walk to the Spegazzini Refuge. I like the chance to see several glaciers in one trip, and I like that the bilingual guides add context in both Spanish and English. The main drawback is the long day and the possibility of a crowded boat, especially in economy seating.

The tour costs $248 per person, before the National Park entrance fee of $45, payable in cash and Argentine pesos. That is a serious price, but it includes the five-hour navigation, the Spegazzini walk, a professional guide, and hotel transfers if selected. Check the transfer option carefully: one booking mix-up left a passenger paying $60 for a taxi to the port.

Six things to know before sailing

• Sailing begins at 9 am from Punta Bandera, about 47 kilometers from El Calafate.
• The cruise focuses on Upsala and Spegazzini, not a visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier.
• Floating ice is the star of the day, with photo stops near major glacier views.
• Spegazzini includes a 300-meter forest path to a refuge, viewpoints, food, and a shop.
• The boat can hold up to 300 people, so economy seating may feel crowded at full capacity.
• Bring warm layers and cash in Argentine pesos for the park fee, food, and drinks.

From El Calafate to Punta Bandera by 7 am

Your day starts early. With the transfer option, pickup from central hotels begins around 7 am. The bus then covers the 47 kilometers to Punta Bandera, the port on the shore of Lago Argentino.

That early start matters because the boat leaves at 9 am, and the trip itself lasts about five hours. You are not squeezing in a quick cruise before lunch. This is a full day built around the lake, glaciers, icebergs, and one shore stop.

If you choose the option without transfers, you meet at the port at 8:30 am. Read that choice with care when booking. The transfer and no-transfer options have different meeting arrangements, and the pickup confusion reported here is exactly the sort of small error that can spoil an expensive day. Keep your confirmation handy, and make sure you know both your pickup time and your meeting point.

Boarding requires the QR code sent before the tour. The activity begins and ends at Punta Bandera for people who arrange their own transport. With the transfer option, the return to El Calafate is planned for around 5 pm.

The group may be large, with as many as 300 passengers. That is useful to know before you go. A large boat gives you room to move around, but economy seating can feel busy when the vessel is full. You should expect a shared excursion rather than a quiet private outing.

Crossing the Devil’s Mouth into Uppsala Canal

Once everyone is aboard, navigation starts around 9 am on the North Arm of Lago Argentino. The route crosses the Devil’s Mouth before entering the Uppsala Canal, where the scenery changes from open water to a corridor of ice and distant glacier fronts.

The most memorable part here is not simply looking at a glacier from far away. It is watching enormous floes that have broken away from the Uppsala Glacier. These blocks drift in the water like pieces of a white and blue puzzle. The boat moves among them, giving you different angles for photographs.

You should keep your camera ready, but do not spend the whole morning staring through a screen. Ice can appear on either side of the boat, and smaller pieces may pass before you have time to prepare. The boat pauses at major viewpoints, but not necessarily for every small iceberg.

Uppsala itself may be seen from a distance rather than up close. That is an important point when setting expectations. If your main goal is to approach a glacier face, Spegazzini provides the stronger experience. Uppsala is valuable for the broad views and floating ice, but the glacier may feel less immediate.

The boat has interior areas and exterior decks. You will likely move back and forth, taking photographs outside, then returning indoors to warm up. The wind on deck is cold, even when the weather in El Calafate feels mild. Wear several warm layers, and make your outer clothing windproof if possible.

Warm drinks and snacks are sold on board. Meals and drinks are not included, so you should plan to buy food on the boat, bring something if allowed, or arrange lunch at the refuge. A long five-hour cruise is easier when you have something to eat and a small distraction. Families with children may want to bring a compact game or another quiet activity for the less scenic stretches.

Glacier views through Spegazzini Canal

After Uppsala Canal, the route continues into Spegazzini Canal. This section gives you views of several glaciers in the Lago Argentino area, including Seco, Spegazzini, South Heim, and Peineta.

Each glacier has its own setting, but the value of the route is the variety. You are not looking at one wall of ice for the entire day. Instead, the boat moves through a series of changing views, with floating ice in the foreground and glacier fronts farther away.

The tour description includes a brief stop labeled Perito Moreno Glacier, but this is not a visit to the Perito Moreno viewing area. The cruise experience described here is centered on Upsala, Spegazzini, and the other glaciers seen from the boat. If you want the classic close view of Perito Moreno, plan a separate excursion.

That separation can actually work well. If you already have a full-day visit to Perito Moreno planned, this cruise adds another side of the region rather than repeating it. You get a broader look at Lago Argentino and the glaciers beyond the famous one.

The best photo strategy is simple: take your shot, then step away from the rail. Many people will want the same view, and the deck can become crowded around the main sights. The boat pauses for important viewpoints, giving everyone a fair chance, but the smaller icebergs reward quick attention.

Spegazzini Refuge and the 300-meter forest path

The shore stop at La Base Spegazzini gives the day a welcome change of pace. You leave the boat and follow a 300-meter path through the forest to the Spegazzini Refuge.

This is a firm-ground walk and is described as accessible without technical difficulty. The route includes information stations focused on glaciology, history, fauna, and flora. Those stops help explain what you are seeing rather than leaving you with only a collection of photographs.

At the refuge, you can buy food and drinks, browse the shop, and enjoy broad views across the Bay of Glaciers. The building has views from inside, while the deck and terrace provide open-air sight lines toward the ice and water.

The stop lasts about an hour, so you need to use your time wisely. You can eat, take photographs, and walk around the main viewpoint area. If you spend too long at lunch, you may miss the best outdoor views.

There is also a mountain trail through wooded terrain. It is rated medium difficulty and includes natural viewpoints before ending at the landing point. This option is more active than the direct refuge path, but the available time is limited. Choose the trail if walking is a priority. Choose the refuge and short path if you want a relaxed stop with food and a clear view.

The cold remains a factor here. The forest may block some wind, but the bay is still a glacial setting. A hat, gloves, and warm footwear will make the hour far more pleasant.

The boat, food, and comfort trade-off

This is a scenic cruise, not a luxury sailing experience. The boat is comfortable enough for a long day, and you can move around, but the maximum capacity is 300 people. At full capacity, economy seating may feel crowded, with more than 200 people sharing the main seating area.

You can go outside for the important views, but you should expect competition at the rails. A little courtesy helps. Take your photograph, then allow someone else a turn.

The interior temperature may also vary. One account described an overheated bus during the transfer, with poor ventilation despite requests to improve it. That is a practical reason to dress in layers rather than wearing one heavy coat from morning to evening. You can remove a layer on the bus, then put it back on before the boat deck.

Food is handled separately from the tour price. Snacks and warm drinks are available on the boat, and the refuge offers gastronomy during the shore stop. You should not assume that meals are included. The $248 price covers the core excursion, but lunch, drinks, the park entrance fee, and any taxi costs are extra.

For value, I would judge this by your interest in glaciers rather than by the number of included meals. Five hours on the water is a lot if you are only mildly curious about ice. If you want multiple glacier views, drifting floes, and a Spegazzini shore stop, the price is easier to justify.

What the guides and timing are like

A professional bilingual guide accompanies the tour, with explanations in Spanish and English. The excursion tends to have a mainly Spanish-speaking audience, but English-speaking passengers are included in the guiding.

The schedule is fairly clear: hotel pickup around 7 am, port arrival before 9 am, roughly five hours of navigation, about one hour at Spegazzini, arrival back at Punta Bandera around 4 pm, and return to El Calafate near 5 pm if transfers are included.

One strength of this structure is that the day is organized from start to finish. A well-run departure matters when you are dealing with a boat schedule and a remote port. Several parts of the experience are fixed by the sailing timetable, so late arrival at Punta Bandera is not a minor inconvenience.

The weak point is the length. A ten-hour day includes bus time, boarding, five hours on the lake, a shore walk, and the return transfer. If you dislike long organized excursions, this may feel like too much of a good thing. If you see the cruise itself as the main event, the duration is part of the value.

Who should book this glacier cruise?

I would recommend it most strongly if you want to see more than Perito Moreno. The excursion offers a wider picture of Lago Argentino, with Uppsala ice floes, Spegazzini Canal, Seco, South Heim, and Peineta glaciers, plus a stop on land.

It also suits people who want a moderate walk rather than a demanding hike. The direct path to the refuge is only 300 meters on firm ground, while the mountain trail offers a more strenuous alternative.

Families can participate, since most people can take part, but parents should prepare for a long day and crowded boat conditions. Bring snacks, warm clothing, and something quiet to do during the less active portions.

I would think twice if you have already seen many glaciers and icebergs and are not especially interested in another full-day cruise. One passenger found the experience less worthwhile after seeing similar scenery elsewhere. That is fair. The tour earns its price through scale and variety, not through a single dramatic stop every few minutes.

Also remember that the tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed after booking. Confirm the transfer choice before paying, since changing plans later will not recover the amount paid.

Is All Glaciers Navigation worth $248?

Book it if you want a full day devoted to the less famous glaciers around Lago Argentino, especially if you have already scheduled Perito Moreno separately. The drifting ice in Uppsala Canal and the close views around Spegazzini are the strongest reasons to go.

Skip it if you want a short outing, a quiet boat, or a guaranteed close look at Perito Moreno. For everyone else, the trip offers a solid mix of open-water scenery, glacier views, a manageable forest walk, and practical bilingual guiding.

The smartest approach is to dress for cold wind, carry Argentine pesos for the $45 park fee, confirm your pickup details, and treat the shore stop as part of the experience rather than merely a lunch break. Do that, and the long day has a good chance of paying off in photographs and memories.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The tour begins at the port of Punta Bandera, at Solo Patagonia, RP8, Estancia Punta Bandera, Santa Cruz. With the transfer option, pickup is available from central El Calafate hotels from around 7 am.

What time does the boat leave?

Sailing begins at approximately 9 am from Punta Bandera. If you arrange your own transport, the meeting time at the port is 8:30 am.

Does the tour visit Perito Moreno Glacier?

No. The cruise focuses on the Upsala and Spegazzini areas, along with Seco, South Heim, and Peineta glaciers. A separate visit is needed for Perito Moreno Glacier.

How long does the experience last?

The full experience takes about 10 hours. The boat reaches Punta Bandera at approximately 4 pm, and the return transfer to El Calafate is scheduled for around 5 pm.

Is lunch included?

No. Meals and drinks are not included. Food and warm drinks are available for purchase on the boat, and the Spegazzini Refuge offers gastronomy.

How much is the National Park entrance fee?

The entrance fee is $45 per person and must be paid on arrival in cash and Argentine pesos.

Do I need a QR code to board?

Yes. You need the QR code sent before the tour to board the boat.