El Chaltén

This hike, while quite long, is a fairly easy & flat hike and can be done in a day with no problem. We hiked out and back in 5.5 hours with a moderate pace, including a lot of photo stops along the way. The route starts close to the start of El Chalten, and you'll cover the around 200 of the 250 altitude meters within the first 3km of the hike. When you reach the Mirador Cerro Torre you've ...

From El Calafate, the town of El Chalten is about 2 1/2 - 3 hours away. The entire drive is incredibly scenic as you will have views of Lake Argentina Viedma to start with, and as you get closer to the town, Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre get closer with each passing kilometer. There is also one place to stop with food and restrooms along the way - don't miss La Leona and their incredible empanadas f...

Mount Fitz Roy is one of the most iconic mountains in the world and is still relatively undeveloped, allowing visitors to experience the landscape without the massive hoards of people. The best place to start the trek is in the town of El Chalten. I would recommend coming to the town with plenty of cash and backpacking food. The town is very rural and most of the grocery stores do not carry the...

When you drive in to El Chalten, you will see the visitor's center directly on your left. Park here, and there are signs to the lookout from the parking lot. It's an easy 1.2 mile round trip hike, but the views of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre are magnificent. Give yourself about 30-40 minutes though to get up before the sunrise as there is a little bit of a climb.

This is one of the more popular hikes in El Chalten.  There are two trailheads with the main one being on the west side of town at the end of Avenida Charito.  There is plenty of parking along the road.  The trail ascends quickly from the road and once cresting the hill there are great views of the countryside ahead. After less than one mile you arrive at Mirador Margarita, a small distant wat...

If you're reading this article you've probably contemplated escaping the daily grind to walk the W or O trek around Torres del Paine. Do it. You won't regret it. But you'll be cheating yourself if you don't head north to Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina.  No crowds, no fees, and no online reservation system. There are plenty of trekking options, but the Huemul is an all you can eat buff...

Start this hike from the ranger station in El Chalten. Over the first 3 miles of the hike, you will gradually ascend 1000 feet. The terrain is mostly fields. After about 2 hours of walking, you will reach a field with cows in it. You will reach a fork. Follow the path on the right towards the mirador (viewpoint). Now the trail will get steeper, and you will ascend 1200 more feet in 2 miles. At ...

Begin this hike from the ranger station in El Chalten. You will need to register (they will send out search and rescue if you do not return within 48 hours of the anticipated date) and show the park ranger your mandatory gear (more details in packing list). If you do not have these items already, all the gear can easily be rented from any of the outdoors shops in town. The hike is typically com...

This 13 mile roundtrip hike begins in El Chalten, at the end of Avenida San Martín, the main street in town. Within the first 10-15 minutes, you should encounter a clearly marked sign for "Senda al Fitz Roy" ("Path to Fitz Roy") with park rules and information about points of interest.From there, the trek continues about half a mile to Mirador Rio de las Vueltas (viewing point for Rio de las V...