El Calafate Boat Tour: Lago Argentino, Upsala and Spegazzini

Upsala Glacier and Spegazzini

The route from Punta Bandera passes through the Boca del Diablo towards Upsala icebergs and Spegazzini. These names describe a lake journey among glacier landscapes, with time ashore where the programme includes it. The Upsala and Spegazzini offer here has a ten-hour stated programme, navigation on Lago Argentino, access to Spegazzini Base and Refuge, the Spegazzini walkways and Agostini Viewpoint.

Return transport from El Calafate to Punta Bandera is an optional service for that offer. Food, drinks and Los Glaciares entry are extra. Choose it for the lake route and the included Spegazzini facilities. The overall programme length includes more than uninterrupted time on a boat, especially when a road transfer is involved. Keep the full outing duration distinct from the sailing segment.

La Soledad departure and lunch choices

The La Soledad cruise includes a Spanish/English guide and lunch, but the meal varies with the purchased version: a four-course gourmet lunch or a lunchbox. Hotel pickup and return also depend on the option. Its listed total duration runs from eight to twelve and a half hours, reflecting the product versions rather than one fixed time on the water.

The starting port for this product is La Soledad. Buying your own transport to a different pier would not match that arrangement. National park admission is extra. If lunch is a major reason for choosing the excursion, distinguish the actual meal option from the general promise of food on board. A port transfer and a dining upgrade are separate decisions within the same lake day.

Multi-glacier cruise and Puesto de las Vacas landing

The ten-hour cruise includes Spegazzini and Perito Moreno, the Upsala Canal and a landing at Puesto de las Vacas for a guided hike. Bilingual guides, access to indoor salons and outside decks, and transport from selected El Calafate hotels are included. That combination suits a day where both navigation and a land activity matter.

The Puesto de las Vacas landing is the included walk. A landing at the Perito Moreno walkways is excluded, as are a gourmet menu, drinks and snacks. Viewing a glacier from the water is a different experience from walking at its land viewpoints. Keep the distinction clear when combining this cruise with another excursion, so that you choose two complementary days rather than expecting the boat to deliver a separate land visit.

Admission, weather and planning the rest of your stay

National park entry is additional for these cruises. APN’s general day category is ARS 50,000, valid from 1 June 2026 and checked on 6 November 2026. Reduced national and provincial categories require the corresponding documents; staying in a local hotel does not establish provincial residency. Keep admission outside the cruise price when comparing your budget.

Patagonian wind and fast weather changes affect lake outings, and boats can be cancelled. Warm waterproof layers and suitable footwear are useful for moving between the boat and any included landing. Enjoy the glacier scenery without relying on a scheduled calving event. Treat the journey and the scenery as the outing, without relying on a particular break-off event.

Use the weather and travel season guide for seasonal planning. For days with a different focus, compare estancia visits or an El Chaltén excursion. Arrange your accommodation area with transfer coverage in mind, particularly when a cruise collects only from selected hotels.

Questions before you go