January 30 – February 1: El Chaltén

El Chaltén is a small town of about 1,000 residents, located roughly 200 km north of El Calafate. It is peacefully nestled between rolling hills and mountains and lies within walking distance of many popular treks, including the Fitz Roy trek, which offers views of what might be Patagonia’s most famous mountain range – featured in the logo of the outdoor clothing brand of the same name.

This town is so small that basically everything is walkable. Even from the bus terminal to the furthest accommodations, it shouldn’t take more than 10, at most 15 minutes of walking through town. The famous trails start right at the town’s edge.

You need to buy a National Park ticket for most trails, which costs a hefty 45,000 ARS for a day ticket or 90,000 ARS for a 3-day ticket (which can also be used for the Perito Moreno Glacier). However, if you enter the trails before 7 a.m. or use one of the many side entrances instead of the “official” one, you can easily get in for free.

• Laguna de los Tres – The iconic hike to the best viewpoint of Mount Fitz Roy. ~25 km round trip, 8–10 hrs, moderate to challenging.
• Laguna Torre – A scenic trail leading to a glacial lake with views of Cerro Torre. ~18 km round trip, 6–7 hrs, moderate.
• Loma del Pliegue Tumbado – A panoramic viewpoint hike with sweeping views. ~20 km round trip, 7–8 hrs, challenging.
• Mirador de los Cóndores & Mirador de las Águilas – Short hikes to viewpoints over El Chaltén. ~6 km round trip, 1.5–2 hrs, easy.
• Chorrillo del Salto – A short, mostly flat hike to a beautiful waterfall. ~7 km one way, 2–3 hrs round trip, easy.
• Huemul Circuit – A multi-day trek with breathtaking glaciers and remote landscapes. ~60 km loop, 4 days, very challenging. Needs a short ride to the trailhead at Bahía Túnel.

After this, I went on to reach warmer regions again, so enjoy the last of my Patagonia hiking pictures: