Chaltén Discovery

We leave El Chaltén along a path that goes to Laguna Toro. After an hour walking uphill and crossing little streams and groves of Antarctic Beech and lenga beech, we reach a large, open area with picture perfect views of the Fitz Roy, Torre and Huemul mountains.

After passing through a dense forest, we will encounter different scenery, almost high mountain, where the dryness and floral species constantly surprise and amaze us. On this stretch of our hike, we can also feel the famous Patagonian winds. After lunch with unforgettable, stunning views, we descend via the Agachonas mountain pass, cross a river with the help of a zip line, and finally reach the place where we’ll sleep for the night, and have dinner and rest.

– Overnight: Prestadores Campsite.

– Distance: 16 Km.

– Walking time: 9 hrs.

– Lunch and dinner included.

After breakfast, we set out on a trail through a leafy forest with views of the Mother and Daughter Lagoons (Lagunas Madre & Hija). After reaching the Río Blanco campsite, we continue along a path that rises progressively until reaching Laguna de los Tres, which is the closest we can get to Fitz Roy without having to apply technical knowledge. Our efforts will be rewarded with amazing views of the Fitz Roy massif and the valley behind us.

In good weather, we can enjoy our lunch on the edge of the lagoon. We start our descent until we arrive at the Poincenot Campsite, in a beautiful lenga beech forest, where we’ll have dinner and stay overnight.

– Overnight: Poincenot Campsite.

– Distance: 7 Km.

– Walking time: 6/7 hrs.

– Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

We make a very early start this morning to admire, with a little luck, the stunning spectacle of the reddish and orange colours of the sunrise on Fitz Roy’s walls. After breakfast, we set out on a trail that takes in the Piedras Blancas Glacier lookout point, then continue on to the Río Eléctrico bridge, a short walk along a gravel road until re-entering the leafy forest of the Valle del Río Diablo (the Devil’s River Valley). This day’s trip is less demanding in terms of ascents and descents, along more level ground. After hiking for a few hours, we’ll reach our overnight spot, with views over the Cagliero Glacier.

– Overnight: Puesto Cagliero.

– Distance: 10 Km.

– Walking time: 6/7 hrs.

– Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

After a hearty breakfast, we set out hiking again, retracing the last part of yesterday’s trek. We reach some domes, where we put on the helmet and harness, and listen closely to the safety talk to learn how to move between the tensioners and anchors of the via ferrata. The ascent up the rock takes around an hour, until we arrive at the glacier! Here, our guide will help us to put the crampons on over our hiking boats, and we’ll practice the basic movements for negotiating the ice terrain. The length of our time on the glacier will depend on the weather and the physical performance of the group members, taking approximately an hour.

During the day, we take short breaks for eating, taking photos and enjoying this unique experience of trekking on a glacier in one of Patagonia’s most remote sectors. At the end of the day, we’ll return to the town, first along the via ferrata, then walking through the forest, and later taking the land transfer to El Chaltén.

– Distance: 8 Km.

– Altitude variation 300 metres.

– Walking time: 6/7 hrs.

– Breakfast and lunch included.