Description

In order to get to the starting point of this trail you have to take a shuttle from El Chalten to Hosteria el Pilar - 17km from El Chalten.  There are daily buses to the trailhead.

The beginning of the trip is on foot or following a path to the west. You will cross an open area without slopes, dotted with rocks, bushes and low ñires, where you will find some coloured marks on the stones that indicate the path. In less than half an hour of starting you will already be walking inside the lenga forest, very close to the mighty electric river, in an area protected from the wind.

The path is always close to the river, and it is gaining height very slowly.

After two hours of starting the hike, you will arrive at the Piedra del Fraile facilities located next to the Electrico river, with a camping site, a sleeping area and a small restaurant.

Ten minutes from Piedra del Fraile facilities it's located the Piedra del Fraile natural viewpoint, which is reached by a path that rapidly gains height. From this lockout you can see the Eléctrico valley to the west and to the south the north face of Cerro Chaltén, and the Mermoz and Guillaumet needles.

During the trip you will have magnificent views of Andes Mountains, views of the different granite peaks which characterize the area and a view of Marconi Path, doorway to Continental Ice fields

To return you must hike again along the path to the Hosteria del Pilar and take the bus back to El Chalten.

Description

This is a good option if the weather conditions do not permit for the climb up to Laguna de Los Tres.

To get to the starting point of this trail you must take a shuttle from El Chalten to Hosteria el Pilar - 17km from El Chalten.

The start of this lovely walk is on a path that borders the Blanco river and after 45 minutes there is a great view of the Piedras Blancas glacier, which is one of the lowest in the area.

If you wish to get closer to the icebergs in the lagoon you need to continue on the same path to the Camping Site Poincenot and from there cross over the Río Blanco from where you can access the area where the icebergs will be.

You continue along the same path until you reach the creek Piedras Blancas, which descends from West to East and is one hour walk away from the Camping Poincenot. You then retake the path bordering the river on the right side and cross it almost where its source is and you will finally be at the lagoon and close to the icebergs.

If you do not go to the lagoon as described above, the path you were originally on then ascends gently through a forest, the trail begins the slight ascent, which at times moves away to return to approach the course of the river as it gains height, always in a North-South direction. In less than an hour, you will arrive at the gate where the protected area of Los Glaciares National Park begins.

After approximately two hours of walking, you will reach the viewpoint and you will see the beautiful Piedras Blancas glacier, about 2,000m away, hopefully, it is possible to witness some of the small glacier breaks that happen during the summer.

If you continue walking you will get to Poincenot and Rio Blanco campsites where the footpath splits into two with one direction heading to Mount Fitzroy and the other to Laguna Capri - where there is a campsite area, but no services.

On the trek looping back to El Chalten it winds its way down the valley passing through a Lenga and Ñire-tree forest.

Description

This trail is less traveled than the main trail (walking from the village).

In order to get to the starting point of this trail you have to take a shuttle from El Chalten to Hosteria el Pilar - 17km from El Chalten.  There are daily buses to the trailhead.

This is a simple trail that goes through a well-populated Lenga forest, the slope is quite steep until you reach the Del Salto gorge. From this point, it is already possible to begin to see several glaciers in the distance, after that you will pass by some pretty views of the Rio Electrico Valley and Piedras Blancas Glacier.

After approximately 6km, you will join the normal route that comes from Laguna Capri. Almost immediately afterward, it goes back into the forest, and after only 120 meters from the junction, you reach the Poincenot campsite.

Here, the hike is the most demanding part of the trek, ascending a steep slope until finally reaching Laguna de los Tres where there is the majestic sight of Mt Fitz Roy, “Los Tres” Glacier and its lagoons.

This option offers a perfect loop that goes via Laguna Capri and then dropping back into El Chalten village.

Description

This trail is less traveled than the main trail (walking from the village).

In order to get to the starting point of this trail you have to take a shuttle from El Chalten to Hosteria el Pilar - 17km from El Chalten.  There are daily buses to the trailhead.

This is a simple trail that goes through a well-populated Lenga forest, the slope is quite steep until you reach the Del Salto stream. From this point, it is already possible to begin to see several glaciers in the distance, after that you will pass by some pretty views of the Rio Electrico Valley and Piedras Blancas Glacier.

After approximately 6km, you will join the normal route that comes from Laguna Capri. Almost immediately afterwards, the path goes back into the forest, and after only 120 meters from the junction, it reaches the Poincenot campsite.

Description

One of the most used trails in the park because it joins the two other most walked trails in the park, the one that goes to Laguna los Tres and Cerro Torre.

The trail begins at the end of Avenida San Martín. During the first hour of walking, you will have access to a natural viewpoint of the De las Vueltas river valley.

After a few minutes of hiking, you will enter the valley of the Del Salto gorge in the direction of Mount Fitz Roy. You will find a Ñirre forest and approximately after an hour and a half of walking, the trail leads to a well-marked natural, rocky viewpoint, with an information board that describes the mountainous and glacial panorama that can be viewed.

The trail continues up the Del Salto stream to the drainage area of the Madre and Hija lagoons.

Description

This is the classic, most stunning and memorable trek at El Chalten. However, the final sector is steep and not recommended on windy or wet days. Sturdy footwear and trekking poles are recommended.

After 20 minutes ascending from El Chalten, you will walk through a forest and into open, often windy areas, however, from here there is a superb view of the Rio de las Vueltas valley.

The pathway will split into two at a sign-posted fork, and you can choose to go to the Mount Fitz Roy viewpoint or go to Laguna Capri where there is a free camping site, but without services. At a later stage both paths join again to go to the Poincenot camping site.

At the first Fitz Roy viewpoint you will get the dramatic sight of the entire Fitz Roy Massif. From here, continue walking for two more hours through beautiful forests full of Lengas and Ñires trees until you reach the Rio Blanco. Here, the hike is the most demanding part of the trek, ascending a steep slope until finally reaching Laguna de los Tres where there is the majestic sight of Mt Fitz Roy, “Los Tres” Glacier and its lagoons.

Description

Two trails lead to the base camp Poincenot, but here we will explain the path that starts from El Chalten village and then you take the same route to get to Laguna Capri (see Laguna Capri trek info), but at the trail fork, you take the path sign-posted to Poincenot.

This trek offers a great viewpoint to the Fitzroy range. It is an easy but long trek. This walk allows you to enjoy the mountains, glaciers, glacial valleys, Patagonian forests, and lagoons.

The trail head start is located at the end of the main San Martin Avenue. This is also the current northern urban limit of El Chalten village.

During the first thirty minutes the trail is quite steep until you reach the natural viewpoint of the De las Vueltas valley.

Shortly after the viewpoint, you will enter the Del Salto river valley heading towards Mount Fitz Roy. The path winds its way up the glacially-formed valley side, affording a lovely view. After about one and a half hours more trekking you will notice the beginning of the Patagonia forest of Ñires and Lenga trees until you reach a signposted fork that indicates the footpath to Laguna Capri is to the left and to the right is to the viewpoint of the Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna de Los Tres, you must take the trail from the right.

From here you will walk a further 2hrs through a forest of Lenga and Ñires trees, the trail continues going up the Del Salto stream to the drainage area of the Madre and Hija lagoons and after that you arrive to Rio Blanco where the camp site is located. Poincenot campsite is a good spot to take pictures of Fitz Roy during sunrise.