Learn how to get there and why you should visit El Chaltén, as well as all the trekking you can do in the surrounding area.
Denominated the national trekking capital, El Chaltén is a small town located at the foot of the Andes Mountains, within Los Glaciares National Park and about 200 kilometres north of El Calafate.
Founded in 1985 and with no more than 2000 permanent inhabitants, it is often referred to as the youngest town in Argentina. Although it was, it isn’t nowadays. However, it doesn’t lose the essence of a new town that is growing little by little.
🔎 Check here the quide to travel to El Calafate.
A few kilometres away from El Chaltén are the Fitz Roy and Torre mountains. They are among the most sought after by adventure climbers, as they present quite a lot of difficulty.
There are also many glaciers, lagoons and Patagonian forests, which makes it ideal for long daily walks from the town to get a close view of these places.
🔎 Check here the Top 5 things to do in El Calafate.
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When is the best time to visit El Chaltén?
Due to its location, the weather is cold almost all year round. The high season and the best time to visit El Chaltén is from November to March, when there is no more snowfall and trekking in the area is possible.
Even so, and due to the proximity to the mountain, in summer you should bring warm and waterproof clothes, because wind and sudden temperature changes are very frequent.
Main trekkings to do in El Chaltén
Low-difficulty trekking, even with children
In El Chaltén there are options for short treks, with not very steep terrain, ideal if you are travelling with small children. Some of the trekking options are as follows:
- Salto del Chorrillo: a small waterfall easily accessible from El Chaltén. The trail goes through a forest area, running parallel to a road, until it reaches the course of a stream with the 20 metre high waterfall. It is of low difficulty and takes about three hours in total to complete.
- Cóndores Viepoint: in less than an hour you can reach this viewpoint, with beautiful views of the town of El Chaltén and the Fitz Roy mountain. If you are lucky you may even see condors flying. The path has gentle slopes, with no steep climbs, so it is perfectly doable with children or the elderly.
- Águilas Viewpoint: in less than an hour more of walking from the viewpoint of the Condors, you will reach this point, where you can appreciate the Cerro Pirámide, the Viedma Lake and the Bahía Túnel (Tunnel Bay). The best way to get there is to go back a few metres from the viewpoint of the Condors, to take the easiest path.
- Margarita Viewpoint: This is the first viewpoint you will find on the way to Cerro Torre. It is only an hour’s walk to get there. The views include the image of Mount Fitz Roy, Mount Torre and the Margarita waterfall.
Medium-high difficulty treks to do in El Chaltén
- Laguna Capri trek: You can get here if you don’t want to make the steep climb to the Laguna Los Tres trek, or if the trail is closed due to weather conditions. It takes about four hours in total, with fairly gentle climbs. The reward is the views of Fitz Roy and the lagoon. You can even do the Capri Lagoon and the Fitz Roy viewpoint on the same day, as they are two forks of the same trail.
- Trekking to the Laguna de los Tres: this is the most famous trekking in El Chaltén, which ends at the Laguna de los Tres, where you can see one of the walls of the Fitz Roy mountain. It is also one of the most demanding, especially the last part, although of medium intensity. It takes about 8 hours to complete and has some steep slopes. If you start the hike from the village, you will pass by Laguna Capri, where there is a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the mountain.
- Trekking to the Torre Lagoon: the second of the most popular treks, together with the one to the Laguna de los Tres, the trail leads to the Torre Lagoon and the Maestri viewpoint, where you can see the Torre glacier, the ice floes floating over the lagoon and, in the background, the famous Torre Hill, which gives its name to the whole thing. It is not as difficult as the trekking to the Los Tres lagoon, although it takes about 7 hours in total.
- Trekking to the Loma del Pliegue Tumbado: this trail takes you to a summit of 1500 m.a.s.l. from where you can get incredible panoramic views of the Torre Lagoon and the Torre and Fitz Roy Mountains. Its difficulty is medium-high as there are steep climbs. It takes about 7 hours in total to complete.
- Lago del Desierto: You can get to the lake by 4×4, car or bus and from there you can do several trekkings such as Glaciar Huemul, Punta Norte (both of medium difficulty) and Lago O’Higgins on the Chilean side (medium-high difficulty).
- Trekking Huella de Glaciares: This is a new tourist trekking that joins all the above mentioned, starting from Cerro Torre, passing through Cerro Fitz Roy and Laguna del Desierto, and ending in Villa O’Higgins in Chile. It is a multi-day trek and there are companies that offer the circuit, helping you with camping equipment and food.
📷 Take a look at these tours in El Chaltén with a local agency. Book your place!
El Chaltén entrance fee
As of 21 October 2024, an entrance fee must be paid to access the trekking area in El Chaltén, which is no longer free of charge. It must be booked through the official website of Parques Nacionales.
There are three access control gates, which will check that you have an access ticket:
- Portal Los Cóndores: located in the Visitor Centre of the park, access control for the trails Los Cóndores, De las Águilas, Loma del Pliegue Tumbado and Laguna Toro.
- Portal Base Fitz Roy: on San Martín Avenue, it gives access to the trails to Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy and Chorrillo del Salto.
- Portal Río Eléctrico: on Route 41, from there you can get to Piedra del Fraile and it is also another alternative to access the Piedras Blancas Glacier Viewpoint, Poincenot and Laguna de los Tres.
The entrance fee for hiking the trails in El Chaltén in Los Glaciares National Park is the same as the entrance fee in El Calafate to access, for example, the Perito Moreno Glacier:
- Foreigners: 45.000 pesos
- Argentines: 15,000 pesos
- Residents in the province of Santa Cruz: 5.000 pesos
- Residents in El Chaltén, El Calafate or Tres Lagos: free of charge
- Children from 0 to 5 years old: free of charge
- Pensioners and retired Argentinean residents: free of charge
Prices are per day. If you are going to do several treks, there is a promotional two-day pass, with a 50% discount for the second day’s entry (the first day is paid in full and the second day 50% of the value). Use of the ticket for the second day’s entry must be made within 72 hours of the first day’s entry.
There are also promotional passes for 3 days (you pay the value of 2 days and save one day) and for 7 days (you pay the value of 3.5 days and save 3.5 days). Multi-day passes must be used within 6 months of purchase, consecutively or alternately and within the same protected area.
How to get to El Chaltén from El Calafate
There is no airport in El Chaltén, the nearest one is in El Calafate, 200 kilometres away.
If you are visiting El Chaltén by car or rental car from El Calafate, the route is fully paved and takes about three and a half hours. Take Route 40 heading north and then turn left onto Provincial Route 23 to El Chaltén. On the way you will border both Lake Argentino and Lake Viedma.
If you want something faster, there are private transfers, taxis or remis that make the trip.
📷 Book here your transfer from El Calafate to El Chalten and don’t worry about anything.
🚗 Check here if you want to rent a car in El Calafate.
You can also visit El Chaltén by bus from El Calafate. Buses leave from the El Calafate bus station, some stop at the El Calafate airport, and run three times a day.
Location (map)
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