Huemul Circuit & Glacier Perito Moreno

Full-day excursion to the impressive Glacier Perito Moreno.  This ice colossal is located 1.30 hs western from El Calafate, in Los Glaciares National Park.

The idea is not only to visit its balconies but also to walk on top of the ice!   Optionally, you could replace the mini trekking on the ice by kayaking near the Glacier.

This village is 3 hours northwestern from El Calafate and is next to the Fitz Roy and Torre Mounts.

Rest of the day to explore at leisure, and discover some of the classic panoramic points, such as Chorrillo de Salto or Mirador de las Aguilas.

At an agreed-upon time, we’ll meet our trekking guide, who will accompany us during the Huemul Circuit from days 6 to 10. Accommodation at a hotel in the village.

Make use of these two full days to do the most iconic hikes of El Chaltén: “Laguna de los 3” and “Lago Torre”.

“Laguna de los 3” (“de los 3” lagoon)  leads to some of the best views of the Fitz Roy Mount.  It takes about 10 hours (return) from the village. It’s not so difficult, except for the last part which requires some extra effort (you need to walk up a 45º slope for about 45 minutes – 1 hour).

The views are rewarding all the way, passing by forests, rivers, glaciers, and beautiful lagoons (such as Capri, Laguna Sucia and Laguna de los 3).

“Lago Torre” is another lagoon at the feet of Torre Mount, a giant granite needle with an ice mushroom on the top.  The hike takes about 8 hours (return) and it’s less demanding than the other one.  However, the views are also spectacular.

Both are self-guided treks, however, you can get a private trekking guide if you want to.  Furthermore, you can combine both trails with a night in tents in the mountains, aiming to reach Laguna de los 3 with the first lights of the day.

Accommodation at the village.

From this day and the next 3 nights,  we’ll do will do an unforgettable trek: “The Huemul Circuit”.

This circuit consists of a circle that joins the southern part of El Chaltén, a fantastic viewpoint to the Southern Continental Ice Field, the Glacier & Lake Viedma, and the steppe.  On the way, different contrasts will surprise us at every step, from Nothofagus forests to picturesque meadows. 

Additionally, we can make a detour to Loma del Pliegue Tumbado, which offers great views of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy.

Today we’ll depart from El Chaltén in the direction of Loma del Pliegue Tumbado (making use of the “detour” mentioned above), and appreciate the Torre valley and its surroundings (Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy).

The trail from the village until this point will be all up, through meadows and forests, and then over an open slope.

If the weather is clouded, we’ll probably skip Pliegue Tumbado, because the views won’t be as great.

We’ll continue then toward Laguna Toro, and camp near the lagoon (wild camping, same as the next two nights).

The trek on this day will last about 7 hours (15 km), plus other 1-2 if we visit Loma del Pliegue Tumbado.

Gained height: 250 mts.

Lunch box, snacks, and dinner are included.

We’ll get breakfast,  take our tents, and continue with our hike toward Paso del Viento.

This is a pass that offers a fabulous view of part of the Southern Continental Ice Field.  If the weather allows us, we’ll get astonished by the beauty of this frozen giant.

The trail will be a mix of different terrains, and the gained altitude will be about 900 mts.   It’s likely that we’ll cross a river with a zipline, and walk on a glacier in another part.

After getting inspired by the views and lived experience, we’ll camp next to the refuge “Paso del Viento”.

Distance: 12 km (7-8 hours).

Meals included.

We continue the Huemul Circuit by hiking around Mount Huemul, ascending then to the Huemul Pass.  Once at the top, a rewarding panoramic view of the Glacier Viedma and Lake Viedma will make all the effort worthy!

We’ll hike down to Cabo de Hornos bay, where we’ll set our last camp.

This bay is on the shore of Lake Viedma,  and we expect to walk by the lake and contemplate the ice chunks that fall from the Glacier and are floating around.

Distance: 18 km (6-7 hours).

Meals included.

After taking down camp we start our return to El Chaltén.  We’ll walk in the direction of the steppe, with the Glacier Viedma in our back and the Lake Viedma on our right side.

The trail won’t be challenging, however, we’ll cross a river (Río Tunel) with a zip line.

Once we reach Bahía Tunel, we’ll find a road that leads to El Chaltén.  A driver will be waiting there for us, and will take us with a vehicle to the village.

Now, time to rest and enjoy a delicious meal with our friends !!!!

Distance: 18 Km (7 hours approx.).

Accommodation in a hotel in El Chaltén.

Day to rest and explore at leisure.

We recommend you to visit Lago del Desierto, which is near the border with Chile, about 37 km from the village.

You can reach the lagoon with a transfer. From there, you have different things to do, such as walking to the Huemul glacier or exploring other areas.

Accommodation in El Chaltén.

Transfer to the airport in El Calafate, in order to get the corresponding flight.

Available extensions available on request.

If trekking is of your interest, we recommend our Patagonia Hiking Tours.

If you are interested in Patagonia, we invite you to check out our other Patagonia Tours.

We invite you to see our Argentina Tours, where you can experience the true Argentine culture.