Natural Wonder · El Calafate, Argentina
Perito Moreno Glacier
The Perito Moreno (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno), Francisco Gormaz or Bismarck Glacier is a glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and originated in the Magallanes Region in Chile, being also part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park.
Photo: Fernando via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | El Calafate, Argentina |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Length | Length: 30 km |
| Coordinates | 50.5000° S, 73.1333° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Perito Moreno Glacier is known for
The Perito Moreno (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno), Francisco Gormaz or Bismarck Glacier is a glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and originated in the Magallanes Region in Chile, being also part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park.
About Perito Moreno Glacier
The Perito Moreno (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno), Francisco Gormaz or Bismarck Glacier is a glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and originated in the Magallanes Region in Chile, being also part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Argentine Patagonia. The 250 km2 (97 sq mi) ice formation, 30 km (19 mi) in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile which has a small part of the origins of the glacier.
History
In 1879, the British Chilean Navy captain, Juan Tomás Rogers, was the first non-indigenous person to sight the glacier which he named "Francisco Gormaz", after the Director of the Hydrographic Office of the Chilean Navy, sponsoring organization of the discovering expedition. Some years later, Rudolph Hauthal, attached to the Argentine Boundary Commission, saw the glacier and decided to name it "Bismarck" in honor of the Prussian Chancellor. In 1881, the Boundary Treaty between Chile and Argentina was signed, which defined the boundaries of both countries in the Andes mountain range up to the 52nd parallel.
How to get there
| Nearest town | El Calafate |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | El Calafate Airport (FTE) |
| Distance from the airport | 49.8 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- El Calafate - Commander Armando Tola International Airport (FTE) · El Calafate, Argentina · 49.9 miles away
- Lieutenant Julio Gallardo Airport (PNT) · Puerto Natales, Chile · 85.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Argentina
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is Perito Moreno Glacier?
The Perito Moreno (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno), Francisco Gormaz or Bismarck Glacier is a glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and originated in the Magallanes Region in Chile, being also part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park.
Where is Perito Moreno Glacier located?
Perito Moreno Glacier is in El Calafate, Argentina. Its coordinates are 50.5000° S, 73.1333° W.
How do I get to Perito Moreno Glacier?
The nearest town is El Calafate, and the nearest airport is El Calafate Airport (FTE), about 49.8 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Perito Moreno Glacier?
In 1879, the British Chilean Navy captain, Juan Tomás Rogers, was the first non-indigenous person to sight the glacier which he named "Francisco Gormaz", after the Director of the Hydrographic Office of the Chilean Navy, sponsoring organization of the discovering expedition. Some years later, Rudolph Hauthal, attached to the Argentine Boundary Commission, saw the glacier and decided to name it "Bismarck" in honor of the Prussian Chancellor.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perito_Moreno_Glacier — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q367943 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.