Here’s your no-BS, sleep-in-a-hostel, eat-too-many-empanadas, get-blown-away-by-nature guide to The Best Hiking in El Chaltén, Argentina. Let’s gooo.
Laguna de los Tres
So Laguna de los Tres is, like, the Beyoncé of El Chaltén hikes. Everyone talks about it, everyone wants a selfie with it, and yeah—it totally lives up to the hype. You hike right up to this electric-blue glacial lake, perched below the legendary Mount Fitz Roy, and for a hot second, you feel like a speck in Patagonia’s IMAX theater of majesty. My legs? Sobbing. My heart? Singing. I may or may not have cried eating a squished alfajor while watching the clouds dance around Fitz Roy’s spire.
Tip: Start at 5 AM if you want sunrise glow on Fitz Roy. And please, don’t be like me and forget gloves. Wind chill is no joke here—it’ll slap you like your abuela when you skip dinner.
Laguna Capri
Laguna Capri is the laid-back little sibling to Laguna de los Tres. You get Fitz Roy views, forest vibes, and a lake so still it feels like Patagonia’s own chill pill. It’s only a couple of hours from town, but don’t let the “easy” label fool you—I tripped on a root while trying to film a TikTok and somehow got dirt in my ears (??).
Laguna Capri is the spot for camping if you want a front-row seat to sunrise without doing the whole full-day hike.
Local tip: If the wind’s calm (rare), you’ll get a mirror reflection of Fitz Roy. Bring yerba mate, a thermos, and live your best “main character in a travel documentary” life.
Laguna Torre
Okay, Laguna Torre is pure cinematic drama. Think misty valleys, winding rivers, and this eerie silence that makes you feel like you’re being watched… by nature. The trail ends at Cerro Torre, this wickedly pointy spire that looks fake. I swear it’s like Patagonia’s version of Mordor, but in a good way.
I had a moment here—sitting on a boulder, trying to eat peanuts, when a gust of wind launched half the bag into the glacial lake. I just watched them float away like a sad snack offering to the hiking gods.
Pro tip: Don’t wear a cap unless you want to donate it to the wind spirits. Also, get there early—clouds love playing peekaboo with Cerro Torre.
Loma del Pliegue Tumbado
You want panoramic, you hike Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. It’s a mouthful to say (sounds like a fancy wine, no?) but hot damn—it delivers. From the top, you get the full 360°: Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, glaciers, valleys, and even Chile if you squint hard enough.
But full confession—I almost turned back halfway. The trail’s steep, exposed, and I forgot sunscreen. By the summit, my nose looked like a boiled tomato. But the views? Oh man. Worth every step and sunburn.
Tip: Layers. All of them. This trail has like four microclimates—sun, wind, fog, occasional existential crisis.
Mirador Los Cóndores and Mirador Las Águilas
Need a quickie hike with max reward? Mirador Los Cóndores and Mirador Las Águilas are your go-to. Just a 30-40 minute jaunt from town, and boom—you’re staring out over the village, with mountains doing their dramatic thing in the background like, “Bet you didn’t expect this for minimal effort.”
I did this one on my “rest day” (lol, what even is rest in El Chaltén?). Saw a condor glide right above my head like it owned the place. I may have yelled, “Bro!” out loud.
Local slang drop: In Argentina, when something is incredible, you say “¡Está zarpado!” This view? Zarpado AF.
Sendero al Fitz Roy (El Pilar Route)
You ever want the scenic route that doesn’t completely destroy your knees? Enter the El Pilar trailhead version of the Fitz Roy hike. It starts at Hostería El Pilar, and lowkey, it’s better than the standard way because you pass Piedras Blancas Glacier, which looks like it was painted by Bob Ross on a Patagonia bender.
I hit this trail with a group of Europeans who thought mate was some kind of herbal beer. We passed the thermos around anyway, shared our snacks, and ended up watching the sun hit Fitz Roy like some Patagonia baptism.
Hot tip: You’ll need to taxi to the trailhead, but hitchhiking here is still kind of a thing. Everyone’s chill—just throw out a thumbs up and wait.
Chorrillo del Salto
You know what’s better than hiking 8 hours? Not hiking 8 hours. Chorrillo del Salto is a mini-hike (like 15–20 mins) that ends in a legit fairy-tale waterfall. It’s great if your legs are screaming and you still want a bit of wow without the work.
I biked here with a rental that had the brakes of a shopping cart and nearly faceplanted into a bush trying to avoid a guanaco. 10/10 would recommend.
Local tip: In summer, locals come here to chill and picnic. Grab some medialunas from town and vibe like you live there.
Final Thoughts: Stay Weird, Stay Windproof
The Best Hiking in El Chaltén, Argentina isn’t just about ticking off trails. It’s about losing the signal on your phone and finding it in your soul (cheesy, but true). It’s about awkwardly trying to pronounce “empanada de cordero” while your face is frozen. It’s watching Fitz Roy blush at sunset, laughing with strangers over wine from a plastic cup, and realizing that yeah—you did just hike through Patagonia and survive on dulce de leche.
Bring broken-in boots. Bring layers. Bring snacks you won’t cry over if you drop them into a glacial lake. And most importantly—bring your awe. Patagonia’s waiting, and she doesn’t do half-measures.
Now go out there and earn that windburn.