Mayo Spirit Trek · Canal Mayo cruise & trek to Perito Moreno Glacier | Southern Spirit
Aerial view of the boat in Canal Mayo, with the Patagonian Andean forest and the hanging glaciers

Los Glaciares National Park – Argentine Patagonia

Mayo Spirit Trek

Cruising and trekking through Canal Mayo on Lago Argentino: a corner of the National Park only a few people have the privilege of reaching. Three landings, Patagonian Andean forest, hanging glaciers and the Perito Moreno walkways all in one day.

8 hours · full day Cruising + trekking Medium difficulty Groups of 20 to 60 Licensed National Park guide

The experience

The heart of Los Glaciares National Park

Our cruise takes you to one of the most beautiful places in Los Glaciares National Park, one only a few people have the privilege of reaching: the Canal Mayo on Lago Argentino. This place has a more humid microclimate within the park, which produces completely different vegetation, unique and beautiful.

The Mayo Spirit Trek is the perfect combination of forest walks with waterfalls, rivers and hanging glaciers, plus a visit to the unmissable Perito Moreno Glacier (cruising along the NORTH wall and the walkways). Suitable for anyone in good enough physical condition to walk on trails with obstacles (exposed rocks and roots), as the treks are of medium difficulty.

1

Access almost nobody has

Canal Mayo is not on the classic circuit. It is an area of the National Park that can only be reached by boat, and getting there is the whole point of this cruise.

2

Three landings, not one

Bahía Toro, Cerro Negro and the Perito Moreno Glacier walkways. Three different walks in one day, each with beautiful scenery.

3

The Perito Moreno Glacier included

Slow cruising along the glacier's NORTH wall and free time on the walkways. It is not a separate tour: it comes in the same programme.

The day's programme

Three landings in incredible places!

Departure from Puerto Punta Bandera at 9:30 AM and return at approximately 5:15 PM.

1

Bahía Toro

700 m of walkingLow difficultyFlat terrain

We disembark at Bahía Toro and, accompanied by the boat's guide, take an interpretive walk through the Patagonian Andean forest to the waterfall. From the lake shore we can see the hanging glaciers of Cerro Mayo and Cerro Negro. We return to the boat and, after just 15 more minutes of cruising, we reach the next stop.

Group on the interpretive walk through the Patagonian Andean forest, on the shore of Bahía Toro
2

Cerro Negro

2,000 m of walkingMedium difficultyExposed rocks and roots on the trail

We set out on a walk into the Patagonian Andean forest, following a river that leads us to Cerro Negro. We come within a few metres of its base and from there we can take in the magnificent Glaciar Negro, a hanging glacier on the mountain that feeds a great many waterfalls (the ones that give rise to the river we followed throughout the walk).

The waterfalls born of the Glaciar Negro falling down the rock face, seen from the scree at the base of Cerro Negro
3

Perito Moreno Glacier

1st - Lunch on board (bring your own food)2nd - NORTH wall cruise3rd - Free time on the walkways (approx. 1 h 45 min)

We leave Seno Mayo to cruise back through Canal de los Témpanos, taking the chance to have lunch on board. Within minutes we will have a panoramic view of the NORTH wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Once in front of it, we cruise slowly along its full length. We then disembark at Puerto F.P. Moreno to head to the walkways, where we will have free time to walk and do the main circuit.

The boat facing the NORTH wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier

Map

The Mayo Spirit Trek route

Video

See what the Mayo Spirit Trek is like

Rates

Prices per person

In force from 1 October 2026.

CategoryPrice per person
General$180,000 ARS
Argentine seniors *$144.000 ARS
Residents of the Province of Santa Cruz *$144.000 ARS
Holders of the Argentine disability certificate (CUD) *$144.000 ARS
Children aged 6 to 15 inclusive *$144.000 ARS
Children aged 0 to 5 inclusive *Free

* After purchase, documentation or ID must be sent to reservas@southernspiritfte.com.ar to validate the category.

OPTIONAL:
Puerto Punta Bandera transfer (hotel-port-hotel): $50.000 *

* Children aged 3 and over: pay the full transfer fare.

* Children aged 0 to 2: free of charge, but without their own seat (they must travel on the lap of the responsible adult).

What's included

  • ✓Licensed Los Glaciares National Park guide, in Spanish and English
  • ✓Bar service on board (hot and cold drinks and snacks for sale).
  • ✓Microwave available to heat your food
  • ✓Trekking poles available.

Not included

  • ✕Lunch
  • ✕National Park entrance fee

Optional extra: you can add your packed lunch with a 10% off HERE.

What to bring

  • •Warm clothing
  • •Waterproof jacket
  • •Comfortable or trekking footwear
  • •A packed lunch
Cruise not suitable for people with reduced mobility (wheelchair or walking-stick users, or any difficulty walking).

Practical information

Everything you need to know

Departure point
Puerto Punta Bandera
El Calafate, Santa Cruz
Departure time
9:30 AM
Boarding 9:10 AM
Return time
5:15 PM approx.
Full day, 8 hours
Season
Oct 1, 2026 → Apr 30, 2027
Daily departures
Group size
20 to 60 people
Minimum 20 passengers per departure
Difficulty
Medium
2,700 m of walking in total

Gallery

Canal Mayo in pictures

Disembarking by gangway from the boat, on the shore of Canal Mayo
Hanging glacier with waterfalls on the mountain, seen from the boat
Meltwater river through the Patagonian Andean forest, seen from above
Floor of the Patagonian Andean forest covered in moss and rocks
Group walking towards the snow-capped mountain along the forest trail
The boat in Canal Mayo seen through the trees on the shore
The boat moored at the shore, with the snow-capped mountain behind
Waterfalls dropping down the rock face towards the river, among the forest
Inside the Patagonian Andean forest, among lenga trees and roots

Payment methods

How to book

MP

Mercado Pago

Credit and debit cards and every method available through Mercado Pago, in a secure SSL checkout.

−10%

Bank transfer or cash

Paying by bank transfer or in cash gets you 10% off the published rate, applied automatically at checkout.

Reviews

What people who have done it say

Real reviews published by our passengers on Tripadvisor, with no editing or cherry-picking on our part.

Verified reviews from Tripadvisor · updated automatically

Frequently asked questions

Before you book

Can I book if the date I want is not available?

Dates that are not available for purchase are those for which we do not yet have the minimum number of passengers needed to run the departure (20 people). If you would like to book one of those days, contact us by email or WhatsApp. Your booking will go on the “waiting list” and will be confirmed if we reach the minimum number of passengers.

What fitness level do I need?

Medium difficulty. There are three walks totalling around 2,700 metres: 700 m on flat ground at Bahía Toro and 2,000 m at Cerro Negro (1 km each way) on a gentle slope. It is suitable for everyone, but no for people with reduced mobility.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included and is eaten on board during the cruise, so you need to bring your own. There is a microwave available to heat food. You can also add your packed lunch with a 10% off HERE.

Is the National Park entrance fee included?

No. The Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee is paid separately and is not part of the rate.

How can I pay and is there any benefit?

With Mercado Pago, by bank transfer or in cash. Paying by bank transfer or cash you have a 10% off off the published rate.

Is the Perito Moreno a separate cruise?

No, it is included in the same programme. After the two landings in Canal Mayo we cruise along the glacier's NORTH wall and disembark to walk the walkways in free time.

What happens if the minimum number of passengers is not reached?

Departures run with a minimum of 20 passengers. If a date does not reach that minimum we let you know in advance and offer either a change of date or a refund of the amount paid.

The other cruise

Short on time? Take a look at Moreno Spirit

If a full day is too much, our other cruise still takes you right up to the glacier: one hour cruising along the NORTH wall of the Perito Moreno.

Cruise along the NORTH wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier 1 hour · cruise

Moreno Spirit

The NORTH wall, up close

A one-hour cruise along the NORTH wall of the Perito Moreno Glacier, considered the most beautiful for its size and brightness. It is the perfect complement to the walkways, with the chance of seeing icebergs and a calving.

Low difficultyScenic cruise 4 departures a dayPuerto F. P. Moreno (80 km from El Calafate)
From $72.000 ARS
See Moreno Spirit →

Many visitors do the Moreno Spirit on the day they visit the walkways and save the Mayo Spirit Trek for a separate full day.

Book your place for the 2026/27 season

Daily departures from 1 October to 30 April. Leave us your preferred date and we will confirm availability within 24 hours.