Begin your journey to El Chaltén

A treasure of humanity

This wonder is protected by Los Glaciares National Park, the largest in Argentina. In 1981 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site for its exceptional natural beauty and as a living, outstanding example of the geological processes left behind by the last ice age.

Here, at the southern end of the Andes, lies one of the largest ice fields on the planet. Dozens of glaciers flow down from it and are still shaping the landscape, surrounded by iconic peaks such as Fitz Roy (Chaltén) and Cerro Torre, glacial lakes and forests of lenga and ñire beech that cover the valleys. It is nature in an almost pristine state: remote, monumental and with a deliberately minimal human footprint.

Our planet holds unique natural treasures that many are lucky enough to visit and that all of us are responsible for protecting. If you have the chance to make this journey, we ask only one thing: leave no trace, so that this sanctuary reaches future generations intact.

El Chaltén exists precisely so you can get close to this heritage respectfully: a small village at the foot of the mountains, the starting point of trails that take you into the heart of the park, where the silence, the wind and the sheer scale of the landscape remind you that we are only passing through a place that belongs to the whole planet.

Land of glaciers

This is home to many of the survivors of the last ice age. The Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the largest expanse of continental ice in the Southern Hemisphere after Antarctica, feeds dozens of glaciers that flow down between the mountains into the lakes. The most famous is the Perito Moreno Glacier, in the southern sector of the park near El Calafate, known for the spectacular ice falls from its front and for its cycle of ruptures, which can be watched from very close.

Unlike other glacial regions of the world, here you can get close to these giants of ice with relative ease, by land, by boat or on foot. In the northern sector of the park, where El Chaltén lies, the glaciers appear between the granite walls of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, and you reach them mainly on foot, along trails that cross valleys and lenga forests to viewpoints and glacial lagoons. You can also sail to the front of the Viedma Glacier, the largest in the country, or walk on the ice on an ice trek.

It is a world of ice, rock and forest, with glaciers larger than big cities and lakes that look like seas, such as Lake Viedma and Lake Argentino. A landscape still in motion, carved by an age-old cold, that lets you grasp up close the scale and power of the processes that shaped this part of the Earth.

El Chaltén

In a valley of this mountain paradise lies El Chaltén, one of the youngest towns in Argentina: it was founded in 1985. Its name comes from Aonikenk, the Tehuelche language, and means “smoking mountain”, after the clouds that almost always crown the summit of Fitz Roy (discover its legend). It is the starting point and the heart of the experience in the north of Los Glaciares National Park.

What began as a small base and camp for those who came to hike the national park’s trails has become the hub of an entire valley, that of the De las Vueltas River, where a growing range of activities complements what used to be almost exclusively trekking.

In the village you will find accommodation and services to welcome travelers from all over the world, an increasingly solid food scene and local products with a reputation of their own, such as its craft beers and alfajores. And you will be surprised by the hospitality of the people who live here, who never hide the pride and love they feel for this land.

Beyond the village, along the valley, new ventures keep adding experiences: kayaking and rafting on the De las Vueltas River, sport fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, a via ferrata, glamping and trips to Lago del Desierto, always in harmony with the nature around them. El Chaltén is no longer just the gateway to the mountains: it is the heart of a destination that keeps growing without losing its human scale or its Patagonian essence.

Trekking for everyone

El Chaltén is Argentina’s National Trekking Capital, and not only for the beauty of its scenery: few places in the world offer so many mountain trails that start right from the village, with no transfer needed. Most are very well signposted and can be hiked on your own, without a guide, at your own pace.

There are hikes for all ages and levels. If you are traveling with children or want something easy, the Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints (about 2 hours round trip) or Chorrillo del Salto (about 3 hours, almost flat) are ideal to start with. With a little more time, Laguna Capri offers one of the best views of Fitz Roy in 3 to 4 hours. For a full day in the mountains there are the two classics: Laguna Torre, facing the glacier and Cerro Torre (7 to 8 hours, with little elevation gain), and Laguna De los Tres, at the foot of Fitz Roy (8 to 9 hours, with a steep and demanding final section).

If you would rather have company, or want to go beyond the marked trails, El Chaltén’s guides and tour operators offer a wide range of options: guided treks to the lagoons, glacier walks, multi-day treks, climbing courses, photography outings and trips to Lago del Desierto and the Huemul Glacier. Going with a guide lets you hike more safely, learn about the region’s flora, fauna and history, and take on routes you would not attempt alone.

The Patagonian weather changes quickly, and on some days wind or rain hide the peaks. So if you love adventure, make sure you have enough days: that way you can choose the best moment for each hike.

Traveling to Patagonia

It is a journey to lands as vast as they are empty, which the first European navigators imagined were inhabited by giants. Explorers, scientists and mountaineers from all over the world achieved some of the great feats of the last century here: Fitz Roy, for example, was not climbed until 1952. Visiting Patagonia today keeps that spirit of adventure alive.

Getting here is easier than it seems. El Calafate International Airport has daily flights from Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities. From there it is about 200 km (124 miles), around 3 hours by scheduled bus or private transfer, along Route 40 and then Route 41, with Fitz Roy growing larger and larger on the horizon. From Chile you can travel overland from Puerto Natales. All the details are in How to get to El Chaltén.