El Chaltén.
Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and trails from the door
El Chaltén is a small, young village built at the foot of Monte Fitz Roy, in the northern part of Los Glaciares National Park. It exists for walking. The trails start from the end of the street: up to the lagoons below Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, along glacial rivers, through forests of lenga beech.
The weather decides everything. A clear morning with the towers lit red at sunrise is unforgettable; a day of horizontal rain is also very Patagonian. Stay long enough to get a good day.
- Getting there
- Fly to El Calafate (3 h 15), then 3 h by road
- How long
- Three to four nights, to give yourself at least one clear day for the long hikes.
- Best time
- October to April. Late March and April bring autumn colour in the forests. Most of the village closes from about May to September.
What to see.(04)
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01
Laguna de los Tres
The classic full-day hike to the lagoon at the foot of Fitz Roy. The last hour is steep.
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02
Laguna Torre
A gentler day walk up a river valley to the glacier lake below Cerro Torre.
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03
Mirador de los Cóndores
A short climb above the village, good for the first evening or a bad-weather day.
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04
Lago del Desierto
A forested lake north of the village, an easy half day by road.
From El Chaltén.
Straight-line distance and typical door-to-door time to every other stop.
How we work these out| To | Distance | Door to door | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iguazú | 3,076 km | about 14 h | 2 flights via El Calafate, Buenos Aires |
| Salta | 2,805 km | about 14 h | 2 flights via El Calafate, Buenos Aires |
| Purmamarca | 2,917 km | about 15 h 30 | 2 flights via El Calafate, Buenos Aires |
| Mendoza | 1,859 km | about 12 h 30 | 2 flights via El Calafate, Bariloche (not every day) |
| Buenos Aires | 2,023 km | about 9 h | 1 flight via El Calafate |
| Bariloche | 920 km | about 8 h | 1 flight via El Calafate (not every day) |
| Puerto Madryn | 947 km | about 14 h 30 | 2 flights via El Calafate, Buenos Aires |
| El Calafate | 121 km | about 3 h | by road |
| Ushuaia | 684 km | about 7 h | 1 flight via El Calafate |
Practical.
The things to know before you add El Chaltén to a trip.
Getting there
There is no airport. Fly to El Calafate (FTE), then about three hours north by road.
When to go
October to April. Late March and April bring autumn colour in the forests. Most of the village closes from about May to September.
How long to stay
Three to four nights, to give yourself at least one clear day for the long hikes.
Watch out for
Wind. Gusts can be strong enough to knock you off your feet on exposed ridges. Pack layers and turn back if the weather turns.
Where to stay
See the kind of place we look for on our stays page.
Pairs well with.(02)
Plan a trip with El Chaltén.
We will tell you what fits with it, and in which order.