El Chaltén is a small mountain village in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It is located on the riverside of Rio de las Vueltas, within the Los Glaciares National Park near the base of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy spires, both popular for climbing.
Lago Argentino Department is a department in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It has a population of 7,500 and an area of 37,292 km². The seat of the department is in El Calafate. Lago Argentino is a major lake in the department.
Learn more 11 km away
Join a moderate hike to Torre Mountain and lagoon, with stunning views of glaciers, forests, and rivers. Perfect for all levels, no prior experience required!
Book this experience 13 km away
Monte Fitz Roy is a mountain in Patagonia, on the border between Argentina and Chile. It is located in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, near El Chaltén village and Viedma lake.
Learn more Book this experience 22 km away
Viedma Lake, approximately 50 miles long in southern Patagonia near the border between Chile and Argentina. It's a major elongated trough lake formed from melting glacial ice. Viedma Lake is the second largest lake in Argentina.
Learn more 22 km away
The Perito Moreno Glacier is a glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Argentinian Patagonia.
Learn more Book this experienceDiscover the best tours and activities around El Chaltén, Argentina and book your travel experience today with our booking partners
8 pictures of El Chaltén from Daniel Burka, Sean Thoman, Dirk Spijkers and other travelers
Travel to El Chaltén if you like:
⛰️ Mountaineering ⛰️ Hill station ⛰️ Mountain range ⛰️ Hill ❄️ Glacial landformEl Chalten is a village located in the department of Lago Argentino of the province of Santa Cruz in southern Argentina, in Patagonia. El Chalten is the Argentinean capital of trekking. This small village is located in the heart of the Andes, at the foot of the Fitz Roy. The village keeps growing due to the number of tourists who come to the area to hike its famous trails. It is the starting point of all the excursions around the Fitz Roy 11300 feet (3 441 m) and Cerro Torre 10300 feet (3 138 m), two mythical summits of the Andes.
When you arrive in El Chalten, there are two places you must visit: the visitors' center, a little before the entrance to the village, and the tourist office near the bus terminal. The first one is the park rangers' office, they have a lot of information about the different hikes and will be able to advise you according to your level and the weather. The second one will be able to show you the cheapest lodgings in El Chalten and will give you a map of the village with the different shops. Once you are settled in or ready to camp, all you have to do is choose one of the many trails available to you.
El Chalten to Laguna de Los Tres This is a fairly short hike of 6.2 miles (10 km) - 4 hours that leads to the Capri Lagoon and its free campground. You will have the opportunity to see the Laguna de Los Tres, the famous lagoon with Mount Fitz Roy in the background, the mountains are covered with cottony clouds, which makes one think of a volcano. The water of the lagoon is a beautiful milky blue and the towers of Mount Fitz Roy are impressive!
Many hikes are possible, some for half a day, others for several days, it is up to you to decide according to your level and your desires. In any case, you will be amazed by the splendor of the landscape, the Cero Fitz Roy mountains are a must in the region, during your escapades, you will encounter waterfalls, lagoons, glaciers, geological formations, and many other things that will satisfy your curiosity.
The weather is particularly unpredictable throughout the year in El Chalten, temperatures and weather can change suddenly during the day. Average temperatures are about the same throughout the year in El Chalten, but the best season is in summer from October to April, during other periods, restaurants and hotels are almost all closed. To visit the Mount Fitz Roy, make sure you have several layers of clothing and a windbreaker, the wind is quite powerful at the summit.
You can sleep for free only a 1h30 walk from El Chalten at the Capri lagoon campground. It's not the most practical thing, but it will save you from paying a lot of money for camping. You will be in the middle of nature in a beautiful environment and partially sheltered from the wind by the trees.
If you don't want to camp, you'll have to arrive early or with a reservation. The accommodations fill up extremely fast in the high season (December to February). Hotel Los Cerros Del Chaltén is a very good address.
The region is propitious for hiking, go to the ranger station, they will advise you on the hikes to do depending on your abilities and the weather. But otherwise, the most popular hike is Senda Pilar Chaltén, 13.6 miles 22 km and 3280 feet (1000 meters) difference in altitude, it is not the easiest hike but the view is worth the effort.
Discover the best hotels around El Chaltén, Argentina and book your stay today with our booking partner booking.com
Click on the pictures to learn more about the places and to get directions
Discover more travel spots to explore around El Chaltén
❄️ Glacial landform spots ⛰️ Hill station spots ⛰️ Hill spots ⛰️ Mountain range spots ⛰️ Mountaineering spots 🛣️ Road trip spotsExplore popular touristic places around El Chaltén
Download On Google Maps 🗺️📲