On this four-day journey, you will discover the most iconic trails of Los Glaciares National Park. You’ll enjoy unforgettable views of Mounts Torre and Fitz Roy from different vantage points and venture into a pristine nature reserve at the base of the Cagliero Glacier. There, you’ll experience the thrill of accessing the glacier via a breathtaking via ferrata route.
You will set off with your guide from El Chaltén along the trail towards Laguna Toro.
The hike takes you through forests and wetlands until the landscape changes dramatically: the vegetation becomes sparser, giving way to an alpine environment. Here begins the final stretch of the ascent, where your physical effort will be rewarded with an unforgettable panoramic view of Mounts Torre, Fitz Roy, Huemul, and the surrounding peaks.
After lunch, while enjoying the stunning scenery, you will continue your ascent via the Paso de las Agachonas, cross a river using a zip line facing Laguna Torre, and finally reach the campsite for the night, where you will have dinner and rest.
– Overnight: Thorwood camp
– Distance: 16 km
– Hiking time: 9 hrs
– Elevation: 800m gain
After breakfast, you will set off on a hike through a lush forest with views of the Madre & Hija Lagoons. You will cross the Río Blanco and continue along the trail, which ascends in stages until reaching Laguna de los Tres—the closest point to Mount Fitz Roy accessible without technical climbing skills. The effort of this ascent is richly rewarded by the breathtaking views of the mountain and the vast valley stretching out behind you.
In favourable weather conditions, you can enjoy lunch by the shore of the lagoon. You will then begin your descent towards Poincenot Camp, nestled within a beautiful lenga forest, where you will spend the night.
– Overnight: Poincenot camp
– Distance: 14 km
– Hiking time: 6–7 hrs
– Elevation: 600m gain
This day’s route is not particularly demanding in terms of ascents and descents, as it mostly follows flat terrain with minimal elevation gain.
In favourable weather, you can wake up early to witness the spectacular orange hues of the sunrise illuminating the walls of Mount Fitz Roy.
After breakfast, you will set off on a trail that passes by the Piedras Blancas Glacier viewpoint, continues to the Río Eléctrico bridge, and then enters the lush forest of the Río Diablo Valley within Los Huemules Reserve. There, you will follow a beautiful path until reaching the mountain refugee where you will spend the night, with stunning views of the Cagliero Glacier.
– Overnight: Puesto Cagliero refugee
– Distance: 17 km
– Hiking time: 6–7 hrs
– Elevation: 330m gain
After breakfast, you will hike to a dome where you will receive a technical briefing to learn how to navigate the cables and anchors of the via ferrata.
Once equipped with a helmet and harness, you will begin an ascent of approximately one hour over rocky terrain until you reach the glacier. Here, the guide will assist you in fitting your crampons, and you will practise basic techniques for moving safely on the ice. The time spent on the glacier will depend on weather conditions and the physical performance of the group members.
Throughout the day, you will have brief breaks to eat, take photos, and fully enjoy this unique experience of traversing a glacier in one of Patagonia’s most remote areas.
At the end of the day, you will return to the village, first retracing your steps along the via ferrata, then walking through the forest, and finally taking the transfer waiting for you at the entrance of the reserve to bring you back to El Chaltén.
– Distance: 5 km
– Hiking time: 6–9 hrs
– Elevation: 900m gain
