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Published Sep 9, 2026
Los Glaciares National Park sits in Argentina's spectacular Patagonia region. Home to the famous Perito Moreno glacier, stunning mountain landscapes and pristine ice fields, it draws visitors seeking adventure through hiking trails, boat excursions and panoramic viewpoints.
How many people visit Los Glaciares National Park each year?
Los Glaciares National Park receives over 600,000 visitors annually, excluding the pandemic period.
- Los Glaciares National Park recorded approximately 622,548 entries in 2025, a 3.8% decrease from the previous year.
- The Park recorded 771,521 entries in 2019, representing the highest pre-pandemic figure.
- The park was closed for most of the year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and received 291,102 visitors.
- The park received 296,507 visitors in 2021, primarily domestic tourists.
- Visitation recovered to 675,005 entries in 2022, marking a 128% increase compared to 2021.
- Visitation increased by 13.5% to 765,922 entries in 2023, indicating a strong recovery from the pandemic.
- The park recorded approximately 646,867 entries in 2024, 15.5% less than the previous year.
How many people visited Los Glaciares National Park in 2025?
- Approximately 622,548 people visited Los Glaciares National Park in 2025, representing a second consecutive year of slight decline following the record-setting growth of 2023.
- This figure represents a 3.8% decrease in total visitation compared to the previous year.
How many people visited Los Glaciares National Park in 2024?
- Los Glaciares National Park received 646,867 visitors, based on official entry counts in 2024.
- This figure remained 15.5% below the previous year and 16.2% below the pre-pandemic year (2019).
Who visits Los Glaciares National Park the most?
Brazil is the largest foreign source market for visitors to Los Glaciares National Park’s main gateway, El Calafate.
- According to a report in February 2024, Brazil was the largest international source market, accounting for 15% of foreign visitors.
- Spain ranked second with 14%, followed by France at 11%, showing the continued importance of European tourism to the Los Glaciares gateway region.
- Other important international markets included Mexico and Uruguay, each with 9%, while the United States accounted for 7% of foreign visitors.
When is the best time to visit Los Glaciares National Park?
The busiest time to visit Los Glaciares National Park is during the southern hemisphere summer, when warmer weather and longer daylight hours draw the highest number of visitors.
- January was the busiest month in 2025, with 97,469 entries, making it the peak month for park visitation.
- December ranked second, with 79,944 entries, followed closely by February with 79,727 entries, showing that the main summer travel season runs from December through February.
- November and March were also strong months, with 75,538 entries and 75,180 entries, respectively, making them good shoulder-season options for visitors who still want high activity levels but slightly less peak-season pressure.
- The quietest period was winter. June was the least busy month, with only 14,059 entries, followed by July with 19,262 entries, reflecting colder weather, shorter days, and reduced seasonal demand.
How popular is Los Glaciares National Park as a tourist destination?
- The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its outstanding natural beauty and glaciological importance.
- It is typically the second most visited national park in Argentina after Iguazú Falls. However, in January 2024, it became the most visited park in the country, surpassing Iguazú Falls.
- In 2019, a national campaign by the New7Wonders Foundation and others selected the Perito Moreno Glacier as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Argentina.
Related Travel Statistics
Where do people visit Los Glaciares National Park?
- Perito Moreno Glacier: The park’s most famous glacier is one of its main visitor draws. It is close to 30 km long, with a broad front on Lago Argentino, and is known for its dramatic calving and periodic rupture events.
- Boardwalks, boat trips, and ice trekking: Visitors can view Perito Moreno from the boardwalk and mirador network, take boat excursions near the glacier front, or join guided ice-trekking experiences such as Minitrekking and Big Ice.
- El Chaltén and the northern hiking sector: El Chaltén, about 220 km from El Calafate, is the main base for hiking and climbing in the park’s northern zone. Popular routes include trails toward Fitz Roy, Laguna de los Tres, Laguna Torre, Cerro Torre viewpoints, and other mountain landscapes.
- Lago Argentino glacier cruises: Boat excursions from Puerto Punta Bandera visit remote glacier areas on Lago Argentino, including the Upsala and Spegazzini sectors. These tours provide access to glacier scenery that cannot be reached by road.
- Other glacier landscapes: Beyond Perito Moreno, Los Glaciares includes major glaciers such as Upsala, Spegazzini, Viedma, Onelli, and others, making the park one of Argentina’s most important glacier-viewing destinations.
Other key facts and statistics
- Los Glaciares is Argentina's largest national park, covering 726,927 hectares.
- The park contains over 50 glaciers, including Perito Moreno, Upsala, Spegazzini, and Viedma.
- In 2023, local reporting said APN approved a two-year agreement allowing the Municipality of El Calafate to continue collecting access fees in the park’s southern zone and receive 37% of total entrance-fee revenue. This arrangement was later challenged and replaced, with 2025 reporting indicating a new provincial service agreement at 20% of ticket value.
References
- INDEC — Annual visitors to Los Glaciares National Park (2017–2023) · indec.gob.ar
- Calafate Tours — Annual visitors to Los Glaciares National Park (2024 and 2025) · calafate.tours
- Santa Cruz Patagonia — El Calafate visitor profile, Summer 2024 (origin of visitors) · santacruzpatagonia.gob.ar
- UNESCO World Heritage List — Los Glaciares National Park (No. 145) · whc.unesco.org
