Welcome to El Chaltén
This colorful village overlooks the stunning northern sector of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. Every summer thousands of trekkers explore the world-class trails that start right here. Founded in 1985, in a rush to beat Chile to the land claim, El Chaltén is still a frontier town, albeit an offbeat one, featuring constant construction, hippie values and packs of roaming dogs. Every year more mainstream tourists come to see what the fuss is about, but in winter (May–September) most hotels and services board up and transportation links are few.
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El Chaltén activities
Patagonia 13-Day Adventure Tour from El Calafate to Ushuaia
Starting in El Calafate, your 13-day Patagonia adventure tour begins as you are taken to your chosen accommodation and have free time to get settled and explore on your own. The following 12 days will be filled with outdoorsy fun, plus free time to explore on your own or relax. Guided tours of Los Glaciares National Park, Torres del Paine National Park and Tierra del Fuego National Park will open your eyes to Patagonia’s spectacular natural attractions, including glaciers, jagged mountain peaks, lakes, lagoons and native wildlife! From canoeing to trekking to boating, you’ll have your fill of first-class outdoor adventure as you travel from El Calafate to El Chalten in Argentina, then to Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas in Chile, and back to Ushuaia in Argentina. You have your choice of four accommodation types; please see below for a list of possible accommodation for each level. All breakfasts and one lunch are included; depending on the day, you will eat lunch and dinner (own expense) in one of national parks or in town.There are a variety of optional activities you may choose to do if you wish, including hiking, 4x4 countryside tours, glacier climbing and walking with penguins. These are listed in the Itinerary section below and are at an additional expense; if you are interested in any, please say so when booking or contact the local tour operator after booking (contact details will be provided after booking). For details on each day of the tour, please see the Itinerary below.
El Chalten Full-Day Hiking from El Calafate with Lunch
Following being picked up at your hotel in downtown El Calafate by an air conditioned coach, you'll pass by the mythical Route 40, along the Argentino Lake. You'll listen to your guide's story about Darwin's experiences with Fitz Roy while navigating along the Santa Cruz River.After 75 minutes, you'll arrive at the former Hotel Paso la Leona, where you will have the option of enjoying some coffee and homemade cakes (at own expense) before continuing your journey. Before reaching El Chalten, you'll take a break at a viewpoint near the Viedma Glacier, with the Fitz Roy and Torre Hills looming in the distance.When you arrive at El Chalten 3 hours later, you will be welcomed by rangers. You'll then continue on to the starting point of the self-guided hiking trails, where your guide will hand you maps and provide you with advice about different hiking options, based on your physical fitness. You'll be given a boxed lunch to savor during your hike. If you do not wish to hike independent, you can accompany your guide on a trail on their choosing. From May to August, given the low temperatures of the area, lunch will be served in a restaurantOn the afternoon, you'll return to a previously agreed upon meeting point for the return trip to El Calafate
Viedma Glacier and El Chalten Day Trip from El Calafate
Viedma Glacier, situated in the 5,000-square mile (13,000 square km) Southern Patagonian Ice Field, sheds chunks of ice at its moraine-rich terminus, which flows directly into the western end of Viedma Lake. Located in Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the glacier is the largest in Argentina! Whether you opt for the boat cruise or combine it with an ice trek, you’ll enjoy magnificent close-up views of this natural phenomenon.Option 1: Viedma Glacier Sightseeing CruiseUpon hotel pickup, depart from El Calafate at 7am, arriving in El Chalten – known as Argentina’s trekking capital –at approximately 11am. From here, your guide will transfer your small group to Laguna Condor Mountain Hut for a three-course lunch, including one beverage.In the afternoon, hop in your minivan to Bahia Tunel Port, where your 2.5-hour boat tour over Viedma Lake begins. Cruise right in the front of Viedma Glacier, which reaches 131 feet (40 meters) above the lake, and watch huge icebergs float by. Listen to fascinating lectures on glaciology as certified national park guides describe the natural phenomena within Los Glaciares National Park.After taking in all the sights – including calving ice, debris-filled moraines and deep crevasses – return to Bahia Tunel for transport back to your El Calafate hotel.Option 2: Viedma Glacier Cruise and Trek Upon hotel pickup, depart from El Calafate at 7am, arriving in El Chalten at approximately 11am. From here, transfer to Bahia Tunel Port and set sail over Viedma Lake to the glacier.During your 1-hour cruise, admire gorgeous views of Mt Fitz Roy and Mt Huemul. Arriving at Hornos Cabe in the far southeast, your boat will turn west, offering stunning sights of Viedma Glacier. Next, disembark at a rocky promontory where certified national park guides will provide a safety briefing and lecture on glaciology and other natural features of Los Glaciares National Park before the trekking begins. The trekking on the promontory area will allow you to appreciate the history of the glaciations, the movement of large ice blocks smoothing the rocks, and to acknowledge nature as the main modeler of the landscape that you enjoy today. This promontory area is a terrain rarely seen and it is the ideal point for the Glaciology talks offered by our guides.During this journey you will approach the glacier to observe it from different heights and natural viewpoints, appreciating its immensity and the play of colors. Return to Bahía Túnel to take the bus that will take you back to El Calafate.There will be a lunch break during the excursion (lunch-box is not included).
Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre from El Chalten 2-Day Small-Group Hike
Day 1: El Chalten – Laguna Capri - Camp Poincenot - Laguna de los Tres (L) (D)You will meet your guide at 7:30am at your hotel, check all equipment and receive information and last details. It is recommended that you go to the meeting point no later than noon the day before so our guide can meet you and make sure gear is appropriate for weather conditions.Once you are all set, we will hike on the Fitz Roy path, crossing Capri Lake up to Poincenot Camp. We will set camp, leave our things and hike up to Laguna de los Tres. There, we will appreciate an amazing view of Fitz Roy Massif. This viewpoint is the closest you can get to the Peak's walls in a non-technical hike. After contemplating Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Sucia, we will return to camp and enjoy our dinner in our set dome. Your tent will be set and sleeping bag will be provided in camp. The duration of the entire hike is about 7 to 8 hours and we will go up to an altitude of 2,624 feet (800 meters). Day 2: Camp Poincenot - El Chalten (B) (L)After breakfast, you will head up to Torre Valley from Poincenot camp. On the way, you can appreciate both Madre and Hija Lakes, with Fitz Roy in the back. We will cross to Torre Valley and get up to the lake where we will appreciate amazing views of Cerro Torre and its Glacier. The duration of this hike is about 9 hours. After enjoying this wonderful tour, you will be taken to El Chalten.
Laguna de los Tres Hiking Day Trip from El Chaltén
Get ready to enjoy a guided hiking trip to Laguna de los Tres.Your your group size will have a maximum number of 15 people. Level Gain: 800 meters. The distance is 12kilometers for a total time of approximately 8 o 9 hours.This one day hike includes transportation from El Pilar and lunch box for 2.Pick up starts at 8am. In order to pick you up we need to know where you are staying 48hours before arrival. In case this is not informed pick up will be from a meeting point at Patagonia Hike´s office. Required equipment:Hiking Shoes or BootsHiking PolesComfortable hiking clothesWaterproof layers1l bottle
Huemul Circuit 4 days
DAY 1: El CHALTEN –TORO CAMPMeeting with the Guide in the morning; debrief about the details of the program and check of the gear. We ́ll start the trek at noon from El Chalten, and hike towards Laguna (lagoon) Toro, passing by the Pliegue Tumbado. Box Lunch and dinner. Duration: 6 hs Elevation: 700 mts.DAY 2: TORO CAMP –PASO DEL VIENTO HUTAfter breakfast, and a 30-40 minutes of hiking, we will cross the Rio (river) Tunel, either by wading through the river or using a fixed cable and harnesses, this will depend on both, the conditions and the guides decision. We will continue the ascent towards Paso del Viento. The main part of the ascent is on trails, moraines and the Túnel Glacier. From here we will appreciate a part of the Patagonian Ice Field, the nascent of Glaciar Viedma, and Cerro Mariano Moreno amongst others. We finish our hike on the south direction up to the Paso del Viento Hut, where we spend the night. All meals.Duration: 6-7 hs Elevation: 900 mts en ascent. 400 mts en descent.DAY 3: PASO DEL VIENTO HUT–VIEDMA GLACIER–PASO DEL VIENTO HUT.We will wake up on this quite place, have breakfast, leave our things on the hut or camp, prepare our crampons and with a light backpack, we will head the Glacier through a moraine up west. Ones we are ready to return we will head back to the hut and spend the night. All meals.Duration: around 5hs