By air
El Calafate (FTE), ~3 h by road
South America · Argentina
El Chaltén, Argentina
The trekking capital under Fitz Roy
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to March — summer
Don't miss
Fitz Roy
Cerro Torre
Laguna de los Tres
The Chorrillo del Salto
Things to do
The Laguna de los Tres hike
The Cerro Torre trail
Lakes and glaciers
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Prissantenbär · Public domain
What to pack
Hiking boots, windproof layers
A quieter corner
Laguna Torre at dawn
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to El Chaltén?
Fly into El Calafate (FTE); El Chaltén is about 3 h by road.
Which hikes should I do in El Chaltén?
The Laguna de los Tres hike and the Cerro Torre trail. There are lakes and glaciers to explore, and the Chorrillo del Salto too.
When is trekking season in El Chaltén?
November to March, in summer. Bring hiking boots and windproof layers.
What's a hidden gem in El Chaltén?
Laguna Torre at dawn. Back in town, reward yourself with craft beer and lamb.
About El Chaltén
- Mountains
Where it is
El Chaltén is a small village in Santa Cruz province, Argentina, at the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia, at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, some 220 km north of El Calafate.
History
The Tehuelche called Fitz Roy Chaltén, meaning smoking mountain, for the clouds that often wrap its summit. The peak was first climbed in 1952, drawing climbers from around the world, and the village was founded in 1985 near the border with Chile.
People
El Chaltén has a small permanent population, many of them climbers, guides and mountain lovers who settled here, and it swells with seasonal workers in the summer trekking season. Spanish is spoken, and the village holds the title of Argentina's national trekking capital.
Known for
- The Laguna de los Tres hike under Fitz Roy
- Laguna Torre and Cerro Torre
- Rock and ice climbing
- The Chorrillo del Salto waterfall
- Craft beer after a day's trekking
Did you know?
In 1877 the explorer Francisco Moreno renamed the peak Mount Fitz Roy in honour of Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle, who had charted the Patagonian coast with Charles Darwin aboard.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.