Trekking on the Cagliero Glacier

The excursion begins in El Chaltén at 8.00 a.m., when the transfer of the operating company will pick you up to take you to the trailhead located 16 km out of town, at Estancia Los Huemules, a private nature reserve on the way to Lago del Desierto.

In the first hour and a half of trekking, you will be walking through the native forest of Lenga, on a footpath away from the busiest classic trails which depart from El Chaltén to the National Park. To the south, the imposing silhouette of the north face of Mount Chaltén will watch your steps until reaching the Diablo Lagoon.

Once there, the trail continues skirting the lagoon by a stony, more irregular ground, until reaching the Vía Ferrata.

The Vía Ferratas are sectors of rock with little difficulty that have previously been prepared with artificial steps and steel cables.

The guides will put the harness on you and they will explain how to use the equipment to move autonomously and self-secured, but accompanying you at all times.

For the unique and exciting part of this activity, the journey on the Vía Ferrata is perhaps a trip in itself. As you progress in the rock, gaining altitude, the perspective of this mountain landscape changes.

At the end of the Vía, you will reach the viewpoint that allows you to see the Southern Cagliero Glacier that descends between the Neumayer, Cagliero and Loma del Diablo range.

After a few minutes you will arrive at the front of the glacier, where it is time to put on the crampons to start the trek on the glacier which lasts for about 3 hours.

If the weather and the physical level of the group allow it, an ice climbing initiation practice can be done.

At the end of the trek on the glacier, the group heads to the Vivac Cagliero, the geodesic domes of the company where it will be waiting for you a hot drink and unique moments of shared contemplation of this unexplored corner of Patagonia.

The return begins by the same vía Ferrata, going back over the same trail through the valley of the Diablo River, to the headtrail at the entrance of the Huemules reserve, where you will arrive around 5.30 p.m. The transfer will be waiting for you to return to El Chaltén.

The hiking times, distances and elevation gains are tentative. Remember that people will have to carry their own personal equipment, box lunch and water during all the program route.