Tours and Tickets to Experience Upsala Glacier
Upsala Glacier
Upsala Glacier is a must-see for adventure travelers and photographers.
Dress in layers: The wind blowing off the ice can be chilly, even during summer.
Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
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There are plenty of ways to experience Upsala Glacier. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:
While it is free to visit Upsala Glacier itself, most travlers see the glacier on a boat tour of Lake Argentino, or from viewpoints during guided hikes. Sightseeing cruises start at around US$260, with many boat tours passing multiple glaciers during the journey. Guided hikes to see the glaciers from land start at around US$130.
Upsala Glacier is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina’s Patagonia. The closest town is El Calafate and the easiest way to get there is by booking a guided tour that includes pickup from your accommodations. Cruises to see the glacier typically depart from Puerto Bandera.
The best time to visit Upsala Glacier is during the summer months of November to March, when mild weather conditions and long daylight hours allow more opportunities for exploration and accessibility for boat tours. However, summer is peak tourist season, so making reservations in advance is recommended.
You can do a variety of activities at Upsala Glacier, the most common of which is taking a boat tour on Lake Argentino to get up-close views of the glacier; some tours sail past other glaciers, including Perito Moreno glacier. Alternatively, you can see the glacier from viewpoints during a guided hike or an offroading adventure in the surrounding mountains.
Yes, Upsala Glacier is retreating. It has retreated rapidly over the last few decades, which scientists attribute to climate change. Satellite observation shows that the glacier retreated around 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) between 1985 and 2021, causing it to separate from its tributary, Bertacchi Glacier.