Dec – Feb
Summer Now
Every boat trip runs and the days are very long for glacier viewing.
Santa Cruz · Patagonia · 50°20′ S
El Calafate
A glacier you can hear
From the Perito Moreno walkways you can see, and hear, blocks of ice breaking off the glacier’s face. It is part of Los Glaciares National Park, a World Heritage Site since 1981.
What not to miss
- The walkways facing Perito Moreno
- A boat trip to the Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers
- Walking on the ice with crampons
El Calafate, month by month
Tap a month to see what’s on, the weather and how busy it is.
January
Summer holidays
- Cool days (19°), cold nights (7°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
February
Lake Festival
The National Lake Festival celebrates the town's anniversary with free concerts by Lago Argentino.
- Cool days (19°), cold nights (7°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
March
High season
- Cool days (17°), cold nights (5°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening.
April
Quiet
- Cool days (13°), very cold nights (1°); little rain.
- Quiet. Quieter.
- Pack: a winter coat.
May
Quiet
- Cold days (9°), very cold nights (-2°); little rain.
- Quiet. Quieter.
- Pack: a winter coat.
June
Deep winter
- Cold days (6°), very cold nights (-4°); almost no rain.
- Quiet. Quieter.
- Pack: a winter coat.
July
Deep winter
- Cold days (5°), very cold nights (-4°); almost no rain.
- Quiet. Quieter.
- Pack: a winter coat.
August
Deep winter
- Cold days (7°), very cold nights (-3°); almost no rain.
- Quiet. Quieter.
- Pack: a winter coat.
September
Quiet
- Cold days (11°), very cold nights (-1°); almost no rain.
- Quiet. Quieter.
- Pack: a winter coat.
October
Spring
- Cool days (14°), very cold nights (1°); almost no rain.
- Normal.
- Pack: a winter coat.
November
High season
- Cool days (16°), cold nights (4°); almost no rain.
- Busy. Book ahead.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening.
December
Summer
- Cool days (18°), cold nights (6°); almost no rain.
- Pack: a jacket for the evening, sunscreen.
See the full data (travelers and weather)
Month by month
How many travelers stay in El Calafate each month. Teal months are the quietest; earth-colored ones, the busiest.
28,100
56,100
Weather, month by month
Average temperatures and rainfall in El Calafate. A guide for packing, not a forecast.
The warmest month is February, with highs of 19.2 °C. The coldest is July, with lows of -4.4 °C. The wettest month is May (20 mm). The driest is January.
See the numbers
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19.1 °C | 7.2 °C | 7 mm |
| February | 19.2 °C | 6.8 °C | 14 mm |
| March | 16.6 °C | 4.7 °C | 17 mm |
| April | 12.9 °C | 1.1 °C | 20 mm |
| May | 8.7 °C | -1.7 °C | 20 mm |
| June | 5.5 °C | -3.7 °C | 15 mm |
| July | 5.2 °C | -4.4 °C | 14 mm |
| August | 6.9 °C | -2.8 °C | 14 mm |
| September | 11.1 °C | -0.8 °C | 11 mm |
| October | 13.5 °C | 1.3 °C | 14 mm |
| November | 15.8 °C | 4 °C | 7 mm |
| December | 17.9 °C | 6.2 °C | 10 mm |
Source: Argentina's National Weather Service (SMN), El Calafate Aero station, 2001-2020 averages. smn.gob.ar
Season by season
El Calafate changes a lot through the year. Here is what each season is like. Remember: seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere.
Mar – May
Autumn Now
Colorful forests around the lake and Perito Moreno with far fewer people.
Jun – Aug
Winter Now
The walkways open all year: the glacier framed by snow and almost no visitors.
Sep – Nov
Spring Now
All excursions resume and the steppe comes back to life.