Los Glaciares National Park Travel Guide - Free Web & App

The landscapes of Los Glaciares were shaped over immense geological timescales by the uplift of the Andes and repeated glacial advance and retreat. The Southern Patagonian Ice Field still feeds numerous glaciers, which have carved valleys and helped form the deep basins now occupied by Lago Argentino and Lago Viedma. Polished rock, moraines and broad U-shaped valleys record the force of moving ice, while the modern glaciers continue to alter the terrain. This geological setting explains the park's combination of towering granite peaks, extensive ice and large freshwater lakes.

Before the creation of the park, the wider Santa Cruz region was travelled and inhabited by Tehuelche peoples, whose knowledge of the steppe, water sources and mountain routes was adapted to a demanding environment. Rock art and archaeological evidence in parts of Patagonia attest to a long human presence, although access and interpretation vary by site. From the nineteenth century, European exploration and scientific expeditions increasingly mapped the lakes, glaciers and Andean passes. The names now familiar to visitors often reflect this later period, while the landscape itself remains inseparable from Indigenous history.

Nineteenth-century exploration brought detailed geographical attention to the southern Andes and the great lakes of Santa Cruz. Francisco Pascasio Moreno, the naturalist and surveyor known as Perito Moreno, played an important role in scientific exploration and in Argentina's territorial understanding of Patagonia; Perito Moreno Glacier was later named in his honour. Exploration was followed by the growth of estancias and sheep ranching around the park's margins, particularly on the steppe. These activities left a cultural landscape of rural roads, fences and former ranch buildings alongside the older natural formations.

Los Glaciares National Park was established in 1937 as part of Argentina's expansion of protected areas in Patagonia. Its purpose was to conserve the glaciers, Andean landscapes, forests and lakes of the region, while creating a framework for scientific study and carefully managed visitation. The protected area encompasses a very large and varied territory rather than a single compact attraction. In 1981 UNESCO recognised Los Glaciares as a World Heritage Site, reflecting the importance of its glacial processes, mountain scenery and relatively intact southern Andean environments.

Tourism developed around two distinct gateways. El Calafate became the principal base for access to Perito Moreno Glacier and Lago Argentino, while El Chaltén grew as a trekking centre for the Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre landscapes. Roads, viewpoints, boat excursions and marked mountain paths broadened access, but the park remains subject to weather, seasonal conditions and conservation controls. Modern management balances visitation with protection of ice, forests, steppe, watercourses and wildlife, making responsible movement on designated routes particularly important as visitor numbers continue to grow.