Fitz Roy and Laguna De los Tres

Icebergs in Laguna Torre, with Cerro Torre in the background

Hikers on Loma del Pliegue Tumbado, facing Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy

Fitz Roy over Laguna Capri

Self-guided treks

All the treks in El Chaltén and Lago del Desierto

Hike on your own to the lagoons, glaciers and viewpoints of Argentina’s National Trekking Capital!

Here are the 14 treks you can do on your own in the El Chaltén area: trails that start and end in town, others that leave from different points of the De las Vueltas river valley, and the farthest ones, which start at Lago del Desierto, 37 km away, and reach the border with Chile. Each one has its own page with the trail map, photos, description and tips.

If you have little mountain experience, don’t worry: most of these trails are well marked and require no previous experience. The difficulty shown on each card is for a fit adult, and the duration is the total round-trip time from the trailhead.

By duration or location, the treks are grouped into:

Short treks · 1 to 3 hours
Half-day · 3 to 5 hours
Full-day · 7 to 9 hours
De las Vueltas river valley · 2 to 6 hours
Lago del Desierto · 2 to 5 hours

The Chorrillo del Salto waterfall in autumn, 3.5 km from the town centre

Short treks from El Chaltén

If you are not used to mountain walking, or are unsure about your fitness, start with one of these short treks before taking on the longer ones. They are suitable for all ages and start right in town.

If you are short on time or travelling with children, these are the ones for you: in a couple of hours you reach a viewpoint or a waterfall and are back in time for lunch.

Cascada Margarita Viewpoint

Easy · 1 hour

The shortest trek: a viewpoint over the Margarita waterfall and the peaks of the Fitz Roy river valley.

Los Cóndores Viewpoint

Easy · 2 hours

A short walk from the Visitor Center, with views of the town and Fitz Roy.

Chorrillo del Salto

Easy · 3 hours

An almost flat walk through the forest to a waterfall, very close to town.

Trail map

Cerro Torre and the Grande glacier from Mirador del Torre, among the autumn colours

Half-day treks from El Chaltén

Even without trekking experience, you can do either of these treks, which reach two outstanding viewpoints in Los Glaciares National Park. They are not the most demanding, but they offer some of the best views of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy.

If you prefer not to do these treks on your own, you can hire a guide licensed by the National Park or a local agency in El Chaltén. See guides and tour operators

Mirador del Torre

Easy · 3 to 4 hours

The first viewpoint on the trail to Laguna Torre, facing Cerro Torre and the Fitz Roy river valley.

Laguna Capri

Easy · 4 to 5 hours

A lagoon in the forest with Fitz Roy in the background, halfway to Laguna De los Tres.

Trail map

The last stretch of the trail to Laguna De los Tres, at the foot of Fitz Roy

Full-day treks from El Chaltén

These are the most demanding treks, the ones every hiker dreams of doing in El Chaltén: the greatest rewards for the effort and the best views of the two iconic mountains of the town, Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

Set off early, as they take several hours of walking with stops to recharge. Once on the trail there is nowhere to buy anything you forgot, so bring food, water and warm clothing for the whole day.

If you prefer not to do these treks on your own, you can hire a guide licensed by the National Park or a local agency in El Chaltén. See guides and tour operators

Laguna De los Tres

Moderate to hard · 8 to 9 hours

The most popular trek: to the natural viewpoint closest to the walls of Fitz Roy.

Laguna Torre

Moderate · 7 to 8 hours

Up the Fitz Roy river valley to the lagoon and the Grande glacier, at the foot of Cerro Torre.

Pliegue Tumbado

Moderate · 7 to 8 hours

A panoramic view of Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and Lake Viedma.

Trail map

Treks in the De las Vueltas river valley

Between El Chaltén and Lago del Desierto there are trails leading to some of the most beautiful spots in the area. All of these treks are easy or moderate, and some can be combined with a trip to or from Lago del Desierto.

These trails start 13 to 17 km from El Chaltén, along Provincial Route 41. If you don’t have a vehicle, you can use any of the private transfers in town. See private transfers

Piedras Blancas Glacier

Easy · 3 to 4 hours

Through the forest to a viewpoint facing the Piedras Blancas glacier, which flows down from the Fitz Roy massif.

Piedra del Fraile

Moderate · 5 to 6 hours

Up the Eléctrico river valley to the north face of Fitz Roy, with no major difficulties.

Laguna Azul

Easy · 2 hours

A lagoon hidden in the forest of the Los Huemules private reserve (entrance fee).

Laguna Diablo

Moderate · 5 to 6 hours

Through the forest of the Diablo river valley, home of the huemul deer, to the lagoon facing the Cagliero glacier.

Trail map

Treks at Lago del Desierto

This lake lies at the end of the De las Vueltas river valley, 37 km from El Chaltén. Its name (Desert Lake) does not do it justice: it is a paradise of forests, turquoise water, mountains, glaciers and waterfalls, with treks of different lengths and difficulty.

The trail to the Huemul Glacier starts at the south end of the lake; the north end, where the trail to the border marker begins, can be reached by boat or on foot along the shore (the dotted line on the map).

If you don’t have a vehicle, you can get to Lago del Desierto with any of the private transfers in El Chaltén. See private transfers