Last updated June 18, 2026

The Perito Moreno Glacier's jagged blue ice face rising above Lago Argentino, with two visitors standing on rocks in the foreground for scale

Jorge Láscar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Argentina

Where to Stay in El Calafate

El Calafate is a small city on the southern shore of Lago Argentino in Santa Cruz Province, in Argentina's far south, and the main gateway to Los Glaciares National Park and its centerpiece, the Perito Moreno Glacier. Founded on December 7, 1927 around a trading post and stopover for local wool ranchers, it stayed a small rural town for decades before growing quickly from the 1990s onward as glacier tourism took off; Argentina's 2022 census counted 22,844 residents, up 37% from 2010. Most of the town sits along Avenida del Libertador, a few blocks back from Bahía Redonda, a sheltered bay of the lake, with the Laguna Nimez Nature Reserve — a small wetland known for flamingos and other birdlife — a short walk from downtown. Nearly every visitor is here for the same reason: the Perito Moreno Glacier, roughly 80 km west along Provincial Route 11, one of the few glaciers in the world still advancing rather than retreating, with an extensive walkway system built along the shore facing its ice face.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
El Calafate has a cold, dry, windy climate typical of Patagonia. Summer (December–February) is high season, with daytime temperatures typically between 12–20°C and long daylight hours that suit the glacier walkways and boat excursions, but it's also the busiest and most expensive time to visit. Spring (October–November) and autumn (March–April) are shoulder seasons with smaller crowds and generally good weather, often the best balance of comfort and value. Winter (May–August) is cold, with daytime temperatures often near or below freezing and short days, but the glacier's walkways stay open year-round and the town itself is far quieter and cheaper.
Renting a car
Downtown El Calafate is small and walkable, and most visitors reach the Perito Moreno Glacier's walkway system by organized excursion or shared shuttle rather than a rental car, since parking and traffic at the glacier are limited during peak hours. A car becomes more useful if you want to set your own schedule at the glacier or explore further afield toward El Chaltén, roughly 3 hours north.

Where to stay

A tree-lined stretch of Avenida del Libertador in downtown El Calafate, with parked cars along a cobblestone street

Raf24~commonswiki / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Centro

Best for: First-time visitors, Families, Budget travelers, Couples

The calm waters of Bahía Redonda near El Calafate, with distant mountains and the edge of town visible along the far shore

Fernando de Gorocica / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Costanera

Best for: Couples, Luxury travelers

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
CentroFirst-time visitorsThe most walkable base in town, with the widest range of restaurants, tour agencies, and price points all close at hand.Busier and less scenic than the lakefront, without the water views that Costanera's hotels offer.
CostaneraCouplesQuieter streets, lake views, and some of the town's more upscale hotels, a short walk or shuttle ride from Centro.Several of Costanera's hotels sit a few kilometers from downtown's restaurants and tour agencies, and depend on a shuttle, taxi, or car rather than a walk.

Our picks for El Calafate

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickHotel Kosten AikeCentro💰 Best valueHostería Sierra NevadaCentro❤️ Best for couplesAlto Calafate Hotel PatagonicoCostanera👨‍👩‍👧 Best for familiesLagos del CalafateCentro✨ Best luxuryXelena Hotel & SuitesCostanera📍 Best locationHotel Posada Los AlamosCentro

A couple of hotels in Centro

Centro is the top-recommended area to stay in El Calafate.

Hotel Kosten Aike

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick
  • 🏛️ Best for architecture & design

Our take El Calafate's standout choice for a full-service stay in Centro — a distinctive building, a genuine spa and wellness offering, and a location that keeps you close to everything downtown without giving up quality.

Good for

  • Couples
  • First-time visitors
  • Architecture lovers

Couples and first-time visitors who want a well-located, full-service hotel within walking distance of Centro's restaurants and tour agencies, and travelers drawn to its distinctive Alpine-style architecture.

Why we like it

  • Distinctive Alpine-style timber-and-stone architecture that stands out from Centro's more standard hotel buildings
  • An on-site spa, sauna, and fitness center — a genuine wellness offering rather than a token gym
  • A few minutes' walk from Avenida del Libertador's restaurants and tour agencies
  • A garden setting that feels calmer than being directly on the main avenue

What to know

  • Priced above the budget and mid-range options elsewhere in Centro, reflecting its spa and full-service amenities
  • Its Alpine-style design is distinctive but won't suit travelers looking for a strictly local or rustic aesthetic
Check availability on Booking.com

Lagos del Calafate

★★★★
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Best for families

Our take A dependable, family-friendly mid-range choice in Centro — less polished than Centro's top full-service hotels, but a genuinely good value a short walk from downtown.

Good for

  • Families
  • First-time visitors

Families who want an indoor pool and straightforward, good-value rooms a short walk from downtown, and first-time visitors who want a reliable mid-range base without booking one of Centro's pricier full-service hotels.

Why we like it

  • An indoor pool and sauna, useful on the area's frequent cold or windy days
  • A short walk from Avenida del Libertador's restaurants and shops
  • Straightforward, family-friendly rooms at a more accessible price than Centro's top-tier hotels
  • A fitness center on site for travelers keeping up a routine between excursions

What to know

  • Its motel-style, low-rise layout is more basic than Centro's full-service hotels — a practical stay rather than a design-forward one
  • Breakfast and amenities are simpler than at the pricier hotels nearby
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

Argentina uses the Argentine peso; exchange rates have been volatile, so it's worth checking current advice on cash versus card rates before you travel. Spanish is the local language; English is common at hotels and tour agencies geared toward tourists but less so elsewhere. Almost every visitor sees the Perito Moreno Glacier's walkway system via an organized excursion or the public buses that serve Los Glaciares National Park; park entry requires a paid ticket. El Calafate's airport, Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE), is about 21 km east of town and connects to Buenos Aires and, in season, other Patagonian destinations.

Tips

  • Book your glacier excursion a day or more ahead in peak summer (January–February), when tours and buses to Perito Moreno can sell out.
  • Pack layers and windproof clothing regardless of the season — Patagonian wind is a near-constant, even on clear, sunny days.
  • If you also plan to visit El Chaltén for trekking, note it's a separate town roughly 3 hours north by road — day trips are possible, but a stopover there is more comfortable.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do I need in El Calafate?
Two to three days is a reasonable minimum — one full day for the Perito Moreno Glacier's walkways (and optionally a boat excursion), and at least one more for the town itself. Add a day or two more if you're continuing on to El Chaltén for trekking.
How far is the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate?
About 80 km by paved road, roughly a 1 to 1.5-hour drive each way along Provincial Route 11. Most visitors go by organized excursion or shared bus rather than driving themselves.
Do I need a car in El Calafate?
Not for downtown, which is small and walkable, or for the glacier, which almost everyone visits by organized excursion or bus. A car is more useful if you want flexibility at the glacier or plan to continue on to El Chaltén.

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