Amalia Glacier

Amalia Glacier is a tidewater glacier in Última Esperanza Province that spreads across approximately 3 kilometers in width. It flows more than 20 kilometers from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field down to the Sarmiento Channel, forming a massive wall of ice where fresh ice meets the sea.

The glacier formed as part of the extensive ice coverage of the Patagonian region during the Ice Age. Since the mid-20th century, it has been retreating, with the terminus withdrawing roughly 7 kilometers between 1945 and 1986.

The glacier forms part of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, where visitors witness the natural processes of ice formation and environmental transformation.

Visitors reach the glacier mainly by boat from the coast, with tours crossing the waters of Patagonia. The best conditions for viewing occur during calm weather, when the ice formations are most visible and snow-covered slopes stand out clearly.

The glacier encircles and continuously shapes Reclus Volcano, a rare combination of glacial ice and active volcanic terrain. This interplay between moving ice and volcanic rock creates landscape features that are geologically distinctive and worth observing during a visit.

Location: Última Esperanza Province

GPS coordinates: -50.91667,-73.61667

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:01