Sitting within the borders of Los Glaciers National Park at the confluence of the pristine Rio Fitz Roy and Las Vueltas River, the tiny town of El Chalten is known as Argentina’s ‘national trekking capital’ and is a Mecca for hikers that come to wander the trails that wind around the granite spires of the mighty Mt. Fitz Roy that tower over the town.
It hasn’t always been this way: El Chalten has only existed since 1985, when it was established as an outpost to combat potential Chilean encroachment on Argentinian territory. Meaning ‘smoking mountain’, a name given to Fitz Roy by the native Tehuelche due to the wisps of cloud that constantly surround its summit, El Chalten has gone on to become one of the nation’s most popular outdoors destinations due to its role as the entrance to the national park’s northern reaches (El Calafate being the gateway to the south and the Perito Moreno Glacier).
Getting to El Chaltén
Although some people travel over to El Chalten by boat from Villa O’Higgins in Chile, the majority of travellers arrive from the Argentinian towns of El Calafate to the South, or Bariloche, way up north in the Patagonian Lake District.
During the high season, 6 daily buses make the 215km journey between El Chalten and El Calafate, taking around 3 hours. All leave from the main bus terminal in El Calafate, which is located on Julio Argentino Roca. The TAQSA buses (3 daily; 8am, 12.30pm and 4.30pm) go via El Calafate Airport. During the winter, the service reduces to just two buses per day so make sure to check the latest timetable. Tickets cost $800ARS.
Check bus prices and availability between El Chalten and El Calafate.
Be warned that if you are arriving from Bariloche, you have a long ride ahead of you. The 1400km journey takes almost 24 hours along Argentina’s world-famous Route 40 and can cost anywhere between £60 and £100 depending on whether you travel cama or semi-cama. Food and drink are provided every so often on the journey but ensure that you bring some snacks and money to purchase a more substantial meal at any service stations.
Check bus prices and availability between Bariloche and El Chalten.
Alternatively, if you would like to save time, you can fly from Bariloche to El Calafate International Airport and then take an onward bus to El Chalten. The flight time is 1 hour 45 and can cost anywhere between £120 and £200, depending on how far in advance you book.
Getting Around
El Chalten is a relatively small town, less than a kilometre north to south and just a few blocks wide. Everything in town is easily reached on foot in 20 minutes or less. As a tiny, sparsely populated town, it is very safe for tourists. You should have no issues wandering around, even at night, provided you take all of your usual precautions.
Where to Stay in El Chaltén
As the gateway to Los Glaciers National Park and Argentina’s premier hiking hub, El Chalten mostly exists to cater to the vast swathe of tourists that arrive to walk the area’s trails and as such, there are plenty of accommodation options in town. However, prices across the board are generally on the high side when compared to the rest of South America, and standards aren’t as high. Room rates reach their height during the peak months of January and February and during this time, booking in advance is essential.
Nothofagus
A cosy, alpine style guesthouse on the western edge of town that is homey and welcoming with some nice communal spaces. They don’t offer dorm beds but have 9 clean and comfortable rooms that are perfect for couples or people travelling as a pair.
Albergue Patagonia
Although the rooms are a little basic, this welcoming HI hostel has clean 4 – 6 bed dorms and a basic on-site kitchen but the common spaces are fantastic and have a good vibe. Breakfast is included with all private room bookings.
Aguas Arriba Lodge
In the shadow of Mount Fitz Roy’s imposing peak, Aguas Arriba Lodge offers a guaranteed slice of peace and isolation.
This six-room luxury lodge, where the owners Pato and Ivor live on-site, is located 37 km from El Chaltén and is only accessible by 15-minute boat ride or three-hour hike, taking you past beautiful glaciers and waterfalls. The journey is worth it – you will be met with spectacular views of Mount Fitz Roy in one direction and the Lago del Desierto (Lake of the Desert) in the other.
Despite its remote location, Aguas Arriba Lodge has plenty of added luxuries, including a full-service restaurant, well-stocked bar and extremely comfortable rooms – you’ll certainly feel pampered and relaxed after a hard day of trekking here. There is also a boat on hand, allowing you to explore the surrounding lakes and rivers.
The Best Things to do in El Chaltén
This tiny town, set in the pretty valley of the Las Vueltas River doesn’t have much to attract visitors in and of itself: this small cluster of roads and painted wooden houses has a smattering of bars and restaurants but no museums, or even any real history, to explore. Instead, travellers are drawn here due to the town’s proximity to some of South America’s best hiking trails that wind their way around the stunning, snow-capped spires of the Fitz Roy mountain range. Although tackling Fitz Roy is a challenging technical climb reserved for only the more experienced outdoors enthusiast, there are plenty of trails that are suitable for beginners and those short on time, as myriad trailheads that lead into the national park begin in the town and can be hiked in less than a day.
Laguna Torre
The most popular hike from town is the 11km (3-hours each way) trail to Laguna Torre that follows the Rio Ritz Roy through along a relatively flat trail. The path is well-marked and it is difficult to get lost. You will pass through lenga forest to the impressive Torre lake that reflects the jagged towers of the mountains of the same name while blue glaciers bob and float on its silty surface. If you feel up to it, you can hike a further 2km around the lake to get a close-up view of the glacier from another look-out point.
Lagua de los Tres
The stunning hike to Laguna de los Tres underneath the iconic shape of Mount Fitz Roy is the reason why most hikers make their wait to El Chalten. It’s a little longer and more strenuous than the hike to Laguna Torres, stretching 12.5km and taking around 8 hours to complete, but it is worth it. The initially easy-going hike from town will take you passes by the Chorillo del Salto waterfall, the Capri lagoon, and several spots that offer incredible views of the Fitz Roy Massif before a sharp, steep ascent brings you face to face with the mountain itself, sitting beside a beautiful glacial lake.
Mount Fitz Roy/Cerro Torre Loop
It is possible to combine both the Laguna Torre and Laguna de los Tres Hikes into a much longer, 3 day, 2 night (34km) hike known as the Mount Fitz Roy/Cerro Torre Loop, utilising the free campsites that are found along the trails. To do this hike, you will complete the Laguna de los Tres walk on your first day, stopping overnight at nearby Camp Poincenot. On the second day, you begin to walk back towards El Chalten, before taking the turnoff that leads towards Laguna Torre (7km), hopefully arriving at the lake by lunchtime. It is easy enough to then leave for El Chalten, making it back in two days but many people extend the hike by staying overnight Camp De Agostini, 3 hours from town.
Weather in the park can be unpredictable, so ensure that you are well prepared with maps and equipment/food supplies. Check out my Patagonia packing list for more information on what you should take for multi-day hikes.
Take the Slow Boat to Chile
From El Chalten, it’s possible to reach Villa O’Higgins in Chile via a 1 or 2 day trip during the summer months. You will have to start by getting the morning shuttle from town to the southern shore of Lago del Desierto (1 hour/35km away) before hopping on the Patagonia Adventura boat to the northern side of the lake. Alternatively, you can hike along the eastern shore but it is a 15km trek that will take up to 5 hours.
After camping overnight (the campsite is free), you can grab an exit stamp from Argentinian immigration officials and begin your hike or bike ride over the pass into Chile. Be warned that it is a 22km walk to Candelario Mansilla where you will find Chilean immigration and accommodation for the night. Now that you have reached Lago O’Higgins, you can catch the Hielo Sur boat across the lake (5 hours/summer only) to Villa O’Higgins, the Chilean outpost at the end of the 1000km long Carretera Austral. All information about this trip, including the boat schedule, can be found at El Chalten’s tourism office.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY IN EL CHALTÉN?
How long you should stay in El Chalten completely depends on how much of Los Glaciers National Park you would like to see and how much hiking you plan on doing. There is nothing to see in the actual town, but I recommend staying for at least 2 full days and 3 nights in order to do the two main scenic hikes: to Laguna de los Tres and to Laguna Torre. As Fitz Roy can often be obscured by cloud, you may want to stay longer to guarantee at least one day with a clear view of the mountain.
Where to Eat & Drink in El Chaltén
Being a hub for hikers and rather tourist-heavy, prices in restaurants are a little elevated and on the high side, even compared to other Patagonian towns. Options are a little limited. To save a little money, you can try shopping at the town’s main supermarket, Supermercado Betoldi, and cook for yourself in your hostel’s kitchen. However, be warned that El Chalten’s remote location means that it isn’t particularly well stocked and both the fruit and veg can occasionally be on the rotten side.
Domo Blanco
This no-frills geleteria serves El Chalten’s best icecream, harvesting ingredients such as strawberries and raspberries from nearby Estancia San José, and caulks harvested in areas adjacent to the town. Make sure to try their signiture White Dome dulce de leche, which comes with pieces of white chocolate, nuts and rum or their chocolate Super Dome that has chocolate chips and a wild cherry.
Where: San Martín 164
When: Daily 1.30pm – 12am
La Zorra Taproom
The latest outpost of El Calafate’s Zorra (meaning fox) Brewery, this modernly adorned bar is probably the closest you will come to a hipster hangout in El Chalten. The brews are good, particularly their honey beer, the food is cheap, and they have a happy hour each day. Not to mention that they probably have the best free WiFi in the area.
Where: San Martín
Opening Times: Times vary, but usually open midday until late.
El Cerveceria Chaltén
A cosy wooden cabin adorned with driftwood decore, Cerveceria Chaltén is the town’s most popular microbrewery-cum-drinking hole. It gets rather busy on an evening as wearing hikers stop off here after a day on the national park’s trails in order to sample the excellent unfiltered pilsner and a plate of locro, the tradiitonal spict Patagonia strew.
Where: San Martín 320
When: Daily 12pm – 2am
B&B Burger Joint
After weeks of travelling around Patagonia and living off empanadas and cordero, sometimes you get the urge to eat a really great burger and B&B doesn’t disappoint . Like Cerveceria and La Zorra, they have an excellent menu of craft beers too, as the name suggests, with 12 micro brewed beers on tap.
Where: San Martín 721
Opening Times: Mon to Sat 12pm – 2am; Sun 9.30am – 5pm
Patagonicus
With a simple menu, this rustic eatery dishes out the best pizza – there are 20 different toppings – in El Chalten as well as thick chunks of steak, patagonian stews and salads as well as a good beer selection.
Where: Miguel Martín de Güemes 54
When: Daily 11am – 11pm
When to Visit El Chaltén
High season is between the summer months of December to March when temperatures are higher and you’re more likely to get clear views of Mt. Fitz Roy’s peak. During this time, ensure you book accommodation in advance as places fill up quickly.
November and April also have reasonably good hiking weather with the added bonus of the town being incredibly quiet – when I visited in April, we saw only a handful of other tourists in town – with much lower accommodation prices. Winter should generally be avoided as weather conditions close most of the hiking trails and trekking can be dangerous.
USEFUL INFORMATION
There is a Parque Nacional Los Glaciares office located at the entrance to town where you can pick up maps or get any information that you require. All buses into the town stop here for an introduction to the park’s rules and leave-no-trace commitments.
There is just one ATM in town, located beside the bus station but do not rely on it to have any cash. Ensure that you bring enough money to last for your entire visit to El Chalten.
One Response
Hi! We’re Gianni & Tina from Italy. We’ll be in Argentina the next end January / beginning February 2024 and we’d like to have a trekking tour (the best one Fitzroy and cerro torre loop). Which are the costs for two people? Thanks and bye. Gianni