Argentina trekking tour: El Chaltén & El Calafate – group departure!

After breakfast, we’ll visit the Majestic Glacier Perito Moreno. This colossal ice formation has a 5 km wide front, with a height over 60 mts. It’s very common to see ice chunks falling from the glacier into the water, producing thunderous noises.

With our private group, we’ll drive through the steppe until reaching the National Park Los Glaciares, where is the Glacier, and visit its balconies. The Park has a vast network of balconies to walk along, enjoying different views until reaching pretty close to the Glacier Perito Moreno.

Optionally, we can either navigate (1 hour) to the Southern Wall of the Glacier, or walk on top of the ice by doing the famous “minitrekking experience”. If you like this last option, we should book it a few weeks in advance.

Meals: B.

We’ll continue our journey toward El Chaltén.

El Chaltén is the capital for trekking in Argentina, and is a village that lies at the foot of the Mounts Fitz Roy & Torre (among other ones). Right behind it, lies as well the Southern Continental Ice Cap, which is the third largest ice field in the world after Greenland and Antarctica.

A private ride of 3 hours will take us from El Calafate to El Chaltén, driving along the mythical Ruta 40 and the provincial route 23. On the way, the steppe, lake Argentino, lake Viedma, Leona river, Santa Cruz river, and a very interesting historical site, will be part of our landscape. If the weather allows it, getting close to El Chaltén we’ll be able to see the Glacier Viedma, the Fitz Roy Mount, and the Torre Mount from the road while we drive, providing one of the most spectacular natural postcards of Patagonia. Naturally, we can make a photo-stop!

Arrival in El Chaltén before noon, and check in at the hotel. A private guide will receive us and accompany us during the following days in El Chaltén.

Rest of the day to enjoy at leisure. We suggest you to explore the surroundings through self-guided short hikes such as “Mirador de las Aguilas” or “Chorrillo del Salto”.

Accommodation in El Chaltén at a 3* Hotel or B & B. Higher category available on request.

Meals: B.

Our plan for this day is to hike along different trails with views to the Fitz Roy Mount, Laguna Capri, Laguna de los 3, and Piedras Blancas viewpoint.

After breakfast, we’ll start our hike right from the village, following the Fitz Roy trail.  The first part will be across a slope that leads to a picturesque viewpoint of “De las Vueltas” valley and its river.  Then, an exuberant forest of Nothofagus trees will protect us until reaching the famous Lagoon Capri.

Laguna Capri is a calm lagoon located about 2 hours from El Chaltén, and it’s also a nice place to rest for a while and contemplate the views of the Fitz Roy (if the weather allows it).

We’ll continue our hike for about 1-2 hours more, through forests, rivers, and an open valley, surrounded by a magic atmosphere and incredible landscapes.  Afterward, we’ll reach Poincenot Camp, a rural area within a forest where we’ll set camp*.

After a rest, we’ll make a pleasant hike of 1-2 hours (return) to the Piedras Blancas Glacier viewpoint, with views to this glacier and the northern face of the Fitz Roy Mount.

Return to Poincenot camp.

*The camp will be already set, and it includes sleeping bags, and sleeping mattresses. Tents are double or single, depending on your preference.

During this day you can expect to hike around 5 hours (plus time for leisure), with the possibility of doing more.

Meals included: B, Lunch Box, Snacks, Dinner (at the camp).

Notes and FAQs:

• The order of the attractions visited today and the day after could be altered, aiming to find the best possibilities for the travelers. For instance, if you feel active and is a sunny day, maybe is better to go to “Laguna de los 3” on this day and not the day after (leaving Piedras Blancas viewpoint for the next day instead).
• You can leave most of your luggage in El Chaltén, thus, you’ll be able to hike lightly.
• Toilettes are latrine-type.
• Make sure to charge your batteries!
• Click here to learn more about weather and what to pack. Even though sleeping bags are included, you may want to bring a liner, which is a kind of sheet that can increase the temperature inside the bag.
• You don’t need to have special physical (nor technical) conditions for this trip. Only to be able to walk several hours per day.
• Most of the trails in this part of Patagonia are not high in altitude, therefore, it’s very very rare to suffer altitude sickness. Other trekking tours in Argentina are at high altitude, such as Mendoza or the Northwest.
• You can drink water from different sources into the wild (ask the guide).

With the first lights of the day -if possible- we’ll leave our stuff in Poincenot camp, and start our trek to “Laguna de los 3”. This is the most iconic part of the Fitz Roy trek, and it’s a hike of about 1 hour (one way / in slow and calm rhythm) up a 45° slope. Once at the top, we’ll cross a morraine and reach the wonderful Laguna de los 3.

The views from the lagoon de los 3 is rewarding, right in front of the huge granite walls of the Fitz Roy Mount, and surrounded by inspiring landscapes. On our left side, we’ll see the “Sucia Lagoon”, which is located in another altitude, down a cliff, providing a special perspective.

Return to the Camp Poincenot, where we’ll get our backpacks.

Then, we’ll connect the Fitz Roy Trail with the Cerro Torre Trail, by walking along the pleasant Madre e Hija lagoons Trail (about 2 hours). Finally, another hour will lead us to our camp in the area of the Torre Mount.

Today you can expect to hike for about 5 hours, plus time for leisure, with the possibility of doing more. The landscape offers beautiful views of the Fitz Roy Mount, the Nothofagus forests, open areas without vegetation, rivers, and lagoons.

The accommodation will be also in tents, with the same characteristics as the day before.

Meals included today: B, lunch box, snacks, dinner at the camp.

This day will delight us with one of the most spectacular views of El Chaltén: the Torre Mount and its surroundings. If the weather allows it, we’ll see this huge granite needle with its frozen mushroom on the top, while we sit by the lagoon Torre and contemplate the landscape. The Mount is surrounded by other mountains, and it has a Glacier (Torre Glacier) at the other side of the lagoon, from where fall the different ice chunks that are floating around.

The idea is to hike to the Maestri View Point, where we can have an even-more complete experience in the Torre area, and then return to the village.

The return to the village will be through the valley of the Cerro Torre, through different kinds of landscapes including an open (and beautiful) valley, a slope, rivers, and forests.

The trail ends right in El Chaltén, where we’ll reach around lunch time (or later). The hike for this day is about 4-5 hours (this is just a reference, but could be more).

Time to relax at the village, and eat a delicious “merienda” and dinner!

Accommodation in a hotel.

Meals included today: breakfast.

After a comfortable rest at the hotel, we’ll get on another adventure: the hike to Loma del Pliegue Tumbado.

This is a full day hike (about 7-8 hours return) that leads to a viewpoint with an awesome view of the Torre and Fitz Roy Mounts together. This is from a different perspective than the previous ones, and includes views also of the Torre valley. Naturally, the quality of the view will be determined by the weather. If it’s clouded, you’ll probably only able to see part of the Torre Lagoon (from above).

The way in is all up (through open slopes and forests), and the way down….is all the way down to eat cakes at any of the Cafés in the village 😉.

Accommodation in a hotel.

Meals included today: breakfast.

This day will be dedicated either to rest or to do one of the optional activities in the area.

The most iconic attraction -recommended- to visit is Lago del Desierto and Huemul Glacier.

Lago del Desierto is a lake located 37 km from the village (you can reach with a taxi or a shared transfer).

There you can explore the lake and its surroundings, and even do the self-guided hike to Glacier & Lagoon Huemul (about 2 hours return).

At 5 pm, return to El Calafate, where we’ll reach about 8 pm.

Accommodation in a hotel in El Calafate.

Meals included today: breakfast.

Transfer to the airport, with the backpack full of memories!

Meals: breakfast.

We can offer flexible, customized extensions to your trip. Some examples are:

• W trek in Torres del Paine (4 days).
• Ushuaia (3 days). In November and March, there are penguins!
• Buenos Aires (3 days).
• Bariloche & Lake District (minimum suggested, 4 days).
• Salta & Jujuy (minimum suggested, 5 days)
• Iguazu Falls (2-3 days).
• Mendoza (3 days). If you like trekking, this is a spectacular place for hiking in high altitude, with a different type of geography as in Patagonia. Mendoza is also home to some of the best wines in the world!
• Other destinations in Argentina and Chile are also available!