Location: Santa Cruz Province Map
Area: 126,830 hectares
Perito Moreno National Park (strictly Perito Francisco P. Moreno
National Park and Reserve) is a national park in Argentina, located
in the center-west of the province of Santa Cruz in Patagonia, on
the border with Chile. It covers 126,830 ha in a mountainous region
cut by valleys, some of which are located at more than 900 meters
above sea level. The area of the Perito Moreno National Park is
subdivided into two management areas: a national park with 85,500
ha, and a protected area with managed resources with 29,500 ha.
Decree No. 2149/90 of October 10, 1990 designated a sector of the
first area as a strict nature reserve.1 The limits of the national
park cover territories corresponding to two ecoregions: the
Patagonian steppe and the Patagonian forests.
Place names
The name of the national park perpetuates the memory of Dr.
Francisco Pascasio Moreno, an outstanding naturalist, founder of the
Argentine national park system and the Museo de La Plata.
Best Time to Visit
The park is open roughly October 1 to April 30
and closed to the public in winter due to weather and road
conditions. Summer (December–February) brings longer days and
average temperatures around 15 °C, but strong westerly winds and
sudden snow or rain can occur any month. Shoulder seasons
(October–November or March–April) offer fewer people and, later in
the season, reddish lenga foliage. Always check current road and
trail status with the park before traveling, as weather can alter
access.
Getting There
The nearest town is Gobernador
Gregores, about 220 km away via National Route 40 and Provincial
Route 37 (the final ~90 km is gravel/ripio). The drive typically
takes 3.5–6 hours depending on conditions. Access is also possible
from the town of Perito Moreno (longer route) or via a long drive
from El Calafate (often with an overnight in Gregores). There is no
regular public transport. You need your own vehicle (high-clearance
recommended) or a private transfer/guided tour.
Vehicle
preparation is essential: fill fuel in Gobernador Gregores or Bajo
Caracoles (there is none inside the park), carry extra fuel, and
bring two spare tires. Check road conditions in advance. Internal
park roads are dirt/gravel.
Entry and Registration
Admission is free. All visitors must register at the Centro
Operativo Clemente Onelli / Oficina de Informes Ceferino Fonzo
(typically 9:00–19:00). Arrive with enough daylight to reach your
intended camping or refuge spot. For overnight or longer mountain
activities, complete the mandatory mountain activity registration
after confirming reservations.
Trails and Things to Do
The
park has more than 100 km of marked trails ranging from easy short
walks to multi-day treks. Trails include bridges and signage where
needed, but difficulty comes from distance, wind, exposure, and
rapid weather changes rather than extreme elevation gain on many
routes.
Main circuits:
Península Belgrano (parking ~10 km
from Onelli): Circuito Chico (~9.6 km, moderate, 3–4 hours) and
Circuito Grande (~16.8 km, higher difficulty, 5–6 hours). These
offer views over turquoise Lago Belgrano, surrounding peaks
(including toward Cerro San Lorenzo), and the Río Volcán. Four
refugios are along the routes.
Circuito Azara (~52 km, high
difficulty, 4–5 days): Transitions from steppe through lenga forest
to Lago Azara, with views of peaks and a waterfall (Cascada del
Azara). Multiple refugios along the way.
Valle del Río Lácteo /
Laguna de los Témpanos (~17 km in sections, high difficulty, 2–3
days): Accesses the dramatic face of Cerro San Lorenzo (3,706 m) and
a lagoon that can hold ice blocks from the Lácteo Glacier. Refugios
include Gilberto and Kris & Doug Tompkins.
Shorter options:
Mirador Lago Belgrano (~8 km, moderate); interpretive “Un Paisaje
con Historia” trail near Onelli (easy, with rock art); Mirador Lago
Volcán (~600 m one way); short ascents or viewpoints at Cerro León
and Lago Burmeister; bird observatory at Lagunas del Mié (~8 km from
Onelli).
Wildlife and birding: Common sightings include
guanacos, Andean condors, foxes, and choiques. Huemul (a national
natural monument) and pumas are present but rarely seen—observe from
a distance and report any huemul sightings to rangers. The park and
nearby areas form an Important Bird Area (AICA) with ~120 species,
including flamingos, torrent ducks, and others around wetlands and
lakes.
Accommodation and Reservations
The park offers
shared refugios (huts/domos, typically for 3–6 people), adjacent
camping plots, and limited motorhome spots. These are basic (tables,
chairs, sometimes mattresses, and a wood stove/salamandra) and
shared with other visitors. You must bring your own sleeping bag,
food, cooking gear, utensils, and hygiene items. Open fires are
prohibited everywhere—use only stoves. Maximum stay is usually two
nights (occasionally three at specific sites).
Reservations are
mandatory and must be made in advance via
reservasperitomoreno@bancodebosques.org (managed through a
partnership with Fundación Banco de Bosques; check for any updated
online portal). After confirmation, complete the mountain activity
registration. Book well ahead in peak season. There is no shop or
provisioner inside the park, so bring everything. Limited lodging
exists outside at nearby estancias or in Gobernador Gregores.
Practical Tips and What to Bring
Self-sufficiency is
required: No fuel, food stores, ATM, or reliable phone signal inside
the park (WiFi is available only at the visitor center). Carry
offline maps/GPS, power banks, flashlight, first-aid kit, and extra
layers.
Clothing: Layer system (base layer, fleece/insulation,
waterproof/windproof shell). Good hiking boots, sun protection
(strong UV and reflection off water/snow), gloves, and hat.
Temperatures can drop to or below freezing even in summer.
Water
and food: Carry sufficient safe water or treatment method—do not
drink untreated from streams or lakes. Pack all food and pack out
every piece of waste.
Time needed: At least two days (including
travel) for a short visit focused on easier trails near the
entrance; three or more days for multi-day circuits.
Rules and
safety: No pets, no boating, no fires, stay on trails, and respect
wildlife. Strong winds are common. Groups are advisable on longer
routes. Inform the park of your plans. The isolation means
preparation and self-reliance are critical.
Guides: Authorized
guides are available if preferred—ask the park for the current list.
Contacts
Park intendancy: Paseo 9 de Julio 610, Gobernador
Gregores, Santa Cruz. Phone: 02962-409358 (or 491477). Email:
peritomoreno@apn.gob.ar
Overnight reservations:
reservasperitomoreno@bancodebosques.org
Official information:
argentina.gob.ar (search Parque Nacional Perito Moreno)
Location and Setting
The park lies in the Río Chico Department,
centered near 47°49′ S, 72°15′ W. The nearest significant town is
Gobernador Gregores, about 220 km away; access is via National Route 40
and Provincial Route 37 (partly gravel).
Valleys sit at roughly 900 m
above sea level. The terrain consists of successive mountain chains
running east–west and north–south that form a broad natural amphitheater
when viewed from the eastern entry valleys. The western boundary follows
the international border with Chile.
Relief and Peaks
Inside
the park the highest summit is generally cited as Cerro Heros at about
2,770 m. Other notable features include:
Cerro León (~1,380–1,405
m) north of Lago Belgrano
Gorra de Vasco (~1,140 m) east of the same
lake
Sierra Colorada (~1,200 m), named for its reddish western slopes
and abrupt western face
Cerro Mié / Cerro del Mié (around 2,250 m), a
central peak between major lakes
Just outside the western or
northern margins stands Monte San Lorenzo (Cerro San Lorenzo / Monte
Cochrane), at 3,707 m—one of the highest peaks in southern Patagonia and
often cloud-shrouded.
The landscape transitions from high eastern
plateaus and steppe through foothills into steeper Andean slopes with
rocky outcrops, U-shaped glacial valleys, and occasional permanent snow
or small glaciers.
Hydrography
Eight main lakes of glacial
origin dominate the park, colored turquoise to emerald by glacial flour.
They belong to two major drainage systems:
Pacific basin (the
majority): Includes Lago Belgrano (one of the largest, with a long
irregular shoreline and the Belgrano Peninsula), Mogote, Península,
Volcán, Azara, Escondido, and Nansen, linked by rivers such as Volcán,
Cabrera, San Lorenzo, Penitente, and Lácteo. These waters ultimately
reach the Pacific (via systems connected to Lago San Martín / O’Higgins
and the Pascua River).
Atlantic basin: Lago Burmeister (at ~932 m,
with grayish waters) drains via the Río Roble into the Río Belgrano,
then the Río Chico, and eventually the Río Santa Cruz to the Atlantic.
Numerous smaller lagoons, streams, and wetlands (mallines) occur,
especially in the steppe. The lakes sit in basins carved or dammed by
Pleistocene glaciation.
Climate
The climate is cold and
strongly influenced by persistent, often gale-force westerly winds
(frequently exceeding 100 km/h). Precipitation increases sharply from
east to west due to the Andean orographic barrier: roughly 400 mm
annually on the drier eastern steppe side to as much as 3,000 mm on the
wetter western slopes.
Summer mean temperatures are around 15 °C,
while winter minima commonly reach −25 °C to −30 °C. Snow can fall in
any month, including summer. The combination of elevation, latitude, and
wind produces a harsh environment with marked seasonal contrasts and
frequent cloud cover over the higher peaks.
Geology and Landforms
The park spans a sector of the southern Patagonian Andes and the western
edge of the Austral Basin. Exposed rocks include Devonian–Carboniferous
metasediments (Río Lácteo Formation), Jurassic sediments and volcanic
rocks (including the El Quemado Complex), thick Cretaceous marine and
continental sequences of the Austral Basin, and later Cenozoic volcanic
and intrusive rocks (granites, granodiorites, etc., of the San Lorenzo
Plutonic Complex).
The modern topography was largely sculpted by
extensive Pleistocene and Holocene glaciation, producing the
characteristic U-shaped valleys, moraine-dammed lakes, and glacial
deposits later modified by fluvial and mass-movement processes.
Ecoregions and Vegetation Zones
The park protects representative
samples of two main ecoregions: the Patagonian Steppe and the Patagonian
Forests (Andean-Patagonian forest).
Three broad zones are evident:
Eastern steppe: Dominated by dense tussock grasses (coirón) and twisted
shrubs (mata torcida), with scattered lagoons that attract waterfowl.
Transition/ecotone: Stunted, wind-sculpted vegetation, mainly ñire
(Nothofagus antarctica) and lenga (Nothofagus pumilio).
Forests:
Primarily lenga woodlands (sometimes reaching substantial height in
sheltered sites), concentrated along the shores of lakes such as Nansen
and Azara; higher or more exposed areas support krummholz or shrub
forms. Autumn colors of lenga are striking.
Fauna
Perito Moreno National Park in Santa Cruz Province protects
a largely intact sample of southern Patagonian wildlife. Of the roughly
24 mammal species recorded in the area, only one is exotic (the European
hare). One additional native species, the gato del pajonal or gato
pajero (Leopardus pajeros / Leopardus colocolo), may also occur; it is
listed as threatened on national red lists. The small gato huiña
(Leopardus guigna), another endangered feline, finds refuge here as
well. Among the canids are the small gray fox (Lycalopex griseus) and
the larger red or culpeo fox (Lycalopex culpaeus).
Guanacos (Lama
guanicoe) are abundant, and herds of these quiet camelids are frequently
seen, especially on the peninsula of Lake Belgrano. The region’s most
formidable predator is the puma (Puma concolor), which helps regulate
populations of guanacos, huemul, and smaller prey. Other mammals include
wildcats (including the gato montés, Leopardus geoffroyi), the piche or
dwarf armadillo (Zaedyus pichiy), ferrets (hurón menor, Galictis cuja),
skunks (zorrino patagónico, Conepatus humboldtii), and the tucu-tucu (a
burrowing rodent).
The huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), a highly
endangered native deer and National Natural Monument, finds a safe
refuge in the park. In winter it descends from higher slopes into the
valleys in search of food and shelter in the forests. Another
distinctive resident is the pilquín, also known as the chinchillón
anaranjado or orange mountain viscacha (Lagidium wolffsohni). This
species lives on rocky cliffs and mesetas, is restricted to Santa Cruz
and adjacent areas of Chile, and differs from other Patagonian mountain
viscachas. It has a low reproductive rate and is considered
data-deficient or previously endangered; recent sightings confirm its
continued presence in the park.
Birds
About 115 bird species
have been recorded in the park, of which a small number nest there.
Among the most notable is the hooded grebe or macá tobiano (Podiceps
gallardoi), a critically endangered aquatic bird endemic to Santa Cruz
that historically found protection in the park’s lakes and lagoons. The
peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) also occurs, as do Andean condors
(Vultur gryphus) soaring over the hills, black-chested buzzard-eagles
(águila mora, Geranoaetus melanoleucus), and other raptors. In the
steppe, various tinamous and “corraleras” are present, and four species
of snipe or seed-snipe breed among the coirón grasses. Flocks of diucas
and other small birds frequent the higher slopes.
Lagoons and
wetlands attract the Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis),
various ducks (Anas and related genera) including steamer ducks and the
piebald duck, grebes (hualas), and geese (cauquenes). There are also
records of black-necked swans (Cygnus melancoryphus) and coscoroba swans
(Coscoroba coscoroba). The lesser rhea or choique (Rhea pennata) is
another characteristic species of the open steppe. The park and
surrounding areas form an Important Bird Area.
Aquatic Fauna
The rivers and lakes support native fish locally called “peladilla”
(small native galaxiids such as Galaxias platei), which are edible.
Unlike many other Patagonian parks, exotic salmonids have not been
widely introduced in the park’s waters, improving the chances that the
native fish fauna can persist. Puyenes (other Galaxias species) are also
present.
Flora
The park contains three clearly defined
vegetation zones. The eastern steppe is dominated by dense coirón
grasslands (Festuca and related tussock grasses) and scattered “mata
torcida” or crooked, wind-sculpted shrubs. A transition zone features
stunted, wind-pruned vegetation (tussock grassland and low shrubs).
Farther west, a low or stunted forest of ñire (Nothofagus antarctica)
and lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) gives way to climax lenga forest that
grows mainly along the shores of Lakes Nansen and Azara. In milder, more
protected sites, guindo (Nothofagus betuloides) can also appear. Lenga
trees may reach 20–30 m in sheltered lowlands but form dense, low,
twisted shrublands where exposure to wind and altitude is greater.
High-Andean vegetation occupies a significant portion of the park and
contributes much of its vascular plant diversity.