A Complete Guide to Argentine Patagonia
Why Should I Visit Argentine Patagonia?
Argentine Patagonia is home to some of the most beautiful hikes in the world. Similar to the Chilean side, there are opportunities for multi-day treks, if desired, but most of famous hikes are day hikes which make it more accessible. El Chalten and El Calafate are two of the most visited towns in Argentine Patagonia and are must visits if you are planning a trip down here.
This region has spectacular hiking. Most of the hikes can be done as day hikes which make it much more accessible for people who don’t want to deal with camping. The area is very remote, mostly undisturbed, and quiet. It is a great place to get away from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy nature. This is also a great location to spot wildlife. The Patagonia clothing brand logo is based off of Mount Fitz Roy in this region and is a must-hike if you are here.
What to know Before Visiting?
- The weather here (as with most of Patagonia) can be unpredictable
- Most of the famous hikes here can be done as day hikes
- Buses are pretty reliable so no need to rent a car
- Once in El Chalten, all of the hikes start within the town so no need to drive anywhere
- The meat here is amazing and you should try at least once
Where Should I Go?
- El Chalten – The hiking capital of Argentine Patagonia. From this small town, you can access many of the most famous hikes in the area.
- El Calafate – This is where the main airport in the region is and the gateway to Perito Moreno Glacier, El Chalten, and many of the sights in the region.
- Perito Moreno Glacier – Located within Los Glaciares National Park, this is one of the few glaciers left in the world that is still growing. It is possible to kayak up to the glacier and even trek and ice climb on the glacier.
- Ushuaia – The world’s most southern city and known as “the end of the world”. It is the gateway to Tierra del Fuego. From here, you can also book a boat to Antarctica.
How Long Should I Stay?
Between El Chalten and El Calafate, we recommend spending 4-6 days in the area. This allows you to see all of the main sights in the area and complete many of the big hikes.
How do I get to Argentine Patagonia?
If you are starting your trip in Argentina, the easiest way to get here is to fly into Buenos Aires and book a flight to El Calafate, which is the main airport in the region. If you are coming from Chilean Patagonia, we recommend you take the bus across the border from Puerto Natales to El Calafate. If possible, avoid flying across international borders to get here as those flights will be much more expensive.
Where Should I Stay?
Where should I stay in El Calafate
- Avenida del Libertador is the main strip of town so we recommend staying near this street as there are many shops, restaurants, and bars to stop at. If you are traveling via buses, we recommend choosing a location near Avenida del Libertador and the El Calafate Bus Terminal to reduce how far you will need to walk with all of your bags. We stayed at America del Sur Hostel while we were there which was a trendy spot close to the bus terminal and main strip and would highly recommend it!
Where should I stay in El Chalten
- El Chalten itself is a very small town. The entire length of town is only about a mile so anywhere you stay in town is accessible to everything. We stayed in the center of town, but anywhere you stay will work. As long as it is in town, you can pick any place based on your lodging preferences (cost, amenities, etc.).
Overview of Hikes in El Chalten
El Chalten is known as the hiking capital of Argentine Patagonia and for very good reason. The town is located within Los Glaciares National Park and sits at the foot of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. From El Chalten, you can begin many hikes to the surrounding mountains. Every hike starts within the town so there is no need to drive anywhere to begin hiking. Most of the hikes will begin either from the north, south, or west ends of town.
Here is an overview of the hikes starting from El Chalten:
From North end of town:
- Laguna de Los Tres (Mount Fitz Roy) (12.9 miles, 3,326 ft elevation gain) – One of the most beautiful hikes and landscapes in all of Patagonia. This trailhead is located on the north end of El Chalten. The hike starts with ~1000 feet of elevation gain over the first two miles and is fairly flat for the next several miles. The last mile of the hike is a sequence of steep steps all the way to the top where you gain ~1400 feet of elevation in this short distance. Once you are at the top, there is an option to hike north over to Cerro Madsen which will add ~3 miles round trip or south to Laguna Sucia which will add ~1.5 miles to your trip.
- Laguna Capri – On the way back down, you can take an alternate route to visit Laguna Capri which doesn’t add any distance to your hike.
- Chorillo del Salto Falls (4.6 miles, 456 ft elevation gain) – This is a short and relatively flat hike which starts from the north end of El Chalten. The hike leads you through forests before ending with a glacial waterfall.
From West end of town:
- Laguna Torre (11.4 miles, 1,771 ft elevation gain) – This hike takes you to Laguna Torre and gives you a great view of Cerro Torre, which are the towering peaks to the west of Fitz Roy. Once you reach Laguna Torre, there is also an option to hike a mile further to Mirador Maestri (~2 miles roundtrip) along the northern bank of the lake for a better viewpoint of Cerro Torre and the glaciers.
- Mirador del Cerro Torre – This hike passes Mirador del Cerro Torre about two miles into the hike, where you can have a good viewpoint of the towering peaks if you don’t feel like hiking all the way to Laguna Torre. We would still recommend hiking all the way to Laguna Torre though for a better view.
- Loma de Las Pizarras (14.6 miles, 4,783 ft elevation gain) – A challenging hike that takes you to a unique viewpoint from the southeast of Mount Fitz Roy. This hike starts out fairly flat for the first four miles, but most of the elevation gain is in the last three miles to the top. This hike isn’t very popular due to the difficulty and you can get just as good of views of Fitz Roy on other hikes, but this also means you won’t run into many people and you’ll have a lot of the trail to yourself.
- Laguna Torre and Laguna de Los Tres (23.7 miles, 3923 ft elevation gain) – Most people will do this as an overnight trek, but there is a loop you can hike which includes Laguna Torre/Cerro Torre and Laguna de Los Tres/Mount Fitz Roy. There are campsites near Laguna Torre and Laguna de Los Tres if you wish to camp.
From South end of town:
- Loma del Pliegue Tumbado (11.4 miles, 3,704 ft elevation gain) – A real hidden gem of a hike. This was one of our favorite hikes we did in Patagonia. This hike gives you a panoramic view of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. The last 0.5 miles is a steep hike up the mountain and we didn’t think this last portion gave you any better of a viewpoint so you can decide to skip that last incline if you wish.
- Mirador de los Cóndores (1.6 miles, 426 ft elevation gain) – A short hike which gives you a good view of Fitz Roy and El Chalten.
- Mirador de las Águilas (3.3 miles, 688 ft elevation gain) – You can continue hiking past Mirador de los Condores for a higher view of Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy, and El Chalten.
- Huemul Circuit (41.3 miles, 9,563 ft elevation gain) – A challenging 4-5 day hike which gives you great views of Viedma Glacier. This hike isn’t too traversed so you should get lots of peace and quiet throughout your hike. Portions of this hike take you on a glacier which is a very unique experience in itself as most glacier hikes require a trained guide.
- Laguna Tunel (21.6 miles, 4,242 ft elevation gain) – Another uncommonly traversed hike which takes you to Laguna Tunel where you can view Glaciar Rio Tunel.
El Paredon and Las Vueltas River Loop (4.9 miles, 1,299 ft elevation gain) – This hike takes you along Las Vueltas River to El Paredon where you can get views of Fitz Roy. You can also choose to hike to El Paredon or Las Vueltas by themselves and not hike the loop.
Overview of Perito Moreno Glacier
Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few glaciers left in the world which is still growing. This glacier is 19 miles long and is one of the most popular destinations in Argentine Patagonia due to its accessibility and proximity to El Calafate. At the time of writing, the entrance fee for the park is 800 Argentine Pesos for the day.
- How to get to Perito Moreno Glacier: Perito Moreno Glacier is located ~45 miles southwest of El Calafate and takes about ~1.5 hours to get there.
- Bus: There are several bus options which leave from the El Calafate Bus Terminal to Perito Moreno Glacier in the morning (~8 AM) and return mid-afternoon (~4 PM). There are also options which leave in the early afternoon (~1 PM) and return in the evening (~7 PM). For exact bus schedules and fares, talk to your hotel and have them help you book the tickets as the websites can be confusing. A roundtrip bus fare will cost you in the $5-$10 ballpark.
- Tours: If you book a tour to Perito Moreno, they will include the transportation to and from the park. The tours will vary in price depending on what activities you are planning.
- Perito Moreno Activities:
- Boardwalk viewpoints: The park has a large network of boardwalks which take you to various viewpoints of the glacier. If you want to see the glacier, but don’t want to book a tour, this is the best way to view the glacier. Walking the various paths on the boardwalk alone will take a few hours and the views you get of the glacier are pretty good.
- Kayaking Tour: One option to see the glacier up close if you are adventurous is to take a tour of the glacier via kayak. You can get much closer to the glacier on the kayak and it makes the glacier much more impressive when you are up close to it. This tour includes pick up and drop off from your hotel in El Calafate and a box lunch. The tour gives you a few hours before the kayaking to explore the boardwalk viewpoints as well.
- Boating and Glacier Trekking: This tour starts with a guided hiking trek on the glacier with crampons for a couple hours, then ends with a boat tour across the front of the glacier. This option will get you the closest to the glacier, but will cost a little more than the kayaking tour. At the end, there is time to explore the boardwalk walkways as well. This tour includes pick up and drop off from your hotel in El Calafate.