People come to El Chalten because of the amazing day hikes that are easy to access from the town. This article describes what to do in El Chalten and breaks down some options for if you find yourself in town in rainy weather. There is a strong emphasis on the various hikes in El Chalten, but we specify the ones that can be done in inclement weather. If you cannot do a multi-day trip to El Chalten, you can also do a day trip from El Calafate to hike the most popular hike here, Mount Fitz Roy. You can read more about this day trip option here.
How to Get to El Chalten
The easiest way to get to El Chalten is by bus from El Calafate. The bus trip takes about 3 hours between the two towns and if the weather is nice, you will have beautiful views of the mountains as you enter into El Chalten. We recommend trying to get the front seats on the second floor of the bus if possible, especially if the sky is clear. The buses sometimes have reserved seating that you can reserve in advance or are on a first-come first-serve basis, in which case you want to be first in line to get on the bus.
If you want more independence and flexibility, you can rent a car and drive between the two towns, but this is really not necessary. Most of the things you will consider doing when looking into what to do in El Chalten can be done directly from the center of town. There is also access to taxis and bus services throughout the area that give you easy access to various locations here.
Day Trip from El Calafate or Stay A Few Days?
While you can visit El Chalten from El Calafate as a day trip, we recommend staying a few days in the town so that you have easy access to the various hikes in El Chalten and the best chance possible to get good weather to access some of the best views throughout your time in this part of Argentina. (If you are doing the day trip, you will want to reserve the first and last buses of the day to maximize your time.) Even with a few days in El Chalten, you have to be weary of the weather in the area because it is often unpredictable and can change rapidly, for the better or for the worse. The best time to visit is between September and April, because this is the spring, summer, and fall seasons in the area.
Check out the various hotels and accommodation options in the Chalten area. You can consider the views from the hotel and the location of the hotel in town for the best experience.
The Best Hikes in El Chalten
The beauty of the town of El Chalten is its proximity to trailheads and why it is considered the hiking capital of Argentina. Unlike other National Parks where you have to drive to different hikes, El Chalten is the start of many different hikes in the area, including the most famous one to the Laguna de los Tres, which will give you an incredible view of the peaks that inspired the Patagonia logo. In addition, you will have the opportunity to get on the trails early in the morning, allowing you to avoid the crowds that come in from El Calafate. Below, we list the various day hikes in El Chalten that you can access but for those who are more adventurous, you can look into some different multi-day hikes and climbs that are also available here.
The Blueprint Travelers Hiking Staples
The Best Hikes in El Chalten When It Is Sunny
Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna de Los Tres Hike
From the Glacier Piedras Blancas side
Cerro Torre and Laguna Torre Trek
Hikes In El Chalten When Considering What to Do in El Chalten when it's Raining
Chorillo Del Salto Trek
Huemel Glacier Walk
Hikes In El Chalten When Considering What To Do in El Chalten When It Is Sunny
Hikes in El Chalten: Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres Hike From El Chalten
Distance:
13.7 miles (22 kilometers)
Elev. Gain
3,454 ft (1,053 m)
Time:
About 7.5 hours
Difficulty:
Hard
The Mount Fitz Roy hike is one of the most famous and popular hikes in El Chalten, the Patagonia region, and even the world. It’s a day hike that brings you to a spectacular viewpoint and the peaks that you see are the ones from the Patagonia logo. The founder of Patagonia was one of the first person to summit one of these peaks.
The overall hike is 14 miles (22.5 kilometers). It is an out-and-back hike with over 3,500 feet (1067 meters) in elevation gain. The last few kilometers to the turn-around point are the most challenging with uphill scrambles. In addition, the trail gets crowded throughout the day, causing back-ups, which may make the hike even more challenging.
To avoid the majority of the crowds that are coming to do the hikes in El Chalten, start early in the morning when dawn breaks. If you leave at 6 AM, you may be able to get to the lagoon and final viewpoint at around 10:15 AM. By staying in town, you will be able to start the hike incredibly early in the morning and spend as much time at the viewpoint as you want, ensuring that you will get the best views possible and avoid the large crowds of people bussing in from El Calafate. (The first buses from El Calafate arrive in El Chalten around 10:30 AM)
Make sure you pack a sandwich lunch for yourself that you can enjoy while looking at the Mount Fitz Roy viewpoint. You can also continue beyond the viewpoint of the lake to the left where you will get additional views of various alpine lakes. This is considered a “secret tip” but at this point, many people know about these additional views and you will often find people making their way over on the trail. Finally, you can also trek down to the base of the lake to get some amazing photos of the peaks and snow and take in the peaceful mountain scene.
As you head back down the mountain in the late morning and early afternoon, you will noticed how much busier the trail is with people having to stand in line to make their way up the pathway. Once you get down from the scrambles, the trail will open up and will be a pleasant way to finish the hike. Don’t forget to turn around to continue to enjoy the incredible views of the Fitz Roy Mountain behind you.
With the Laguna Capri Trek
In the middle of the hike to the Fitz Roy Lagoon, you will have to option to go one of two ways. You can either go to the Fitz Roy viewpoint or to the Laguna Capri. We recommend heading to the viewpoint on the way up and the Laguna Capri on the return, both of which have incredible views of the mountain peaks. This changes up the trail as you are returning.
Getting to Mount Fitz Roy and the Laguna de los Tres from the Glacier Piedras Blancas Side
Distance:
13.3 miles (21.4 kilometers)
Elev. Gain
3,139 ft (957 m)
Difficulty:
Hard
If you do not want to do an “out-and-back” hike and prefer and one way hike, you can start the trail from El Pilar. You can schedule a taxi to take you to the trailhead early in the morning. This trail will take you along the Glacier Piedras Blancas to the Laguna de los Tres. From here, you can return to El Chalten from the initial route mentioned above. Make sure you schedule your taxi for early in the morning to get the best experience on the trail.
Hikes in El Chalten: The Cerro Torre and Laguna Torre Trek
Distance:
11.1 miles (17.9 kilometers)
Elev. Gain
1,873 ft (571 m)
Difficulty:
Hard
This hike starts directly in Chalten and winds through the Rio Fitz Roy valley. There will be a number of panoramic viewpoints of different mountains, including the iconic Mount Fitz Roy. This is another best hike in El Chalten, besides the original iconic Laguna de los Tres hike. When considering what to do in El Chalten, prioritize this hike after the Mount Fitz Roy hike to get great views of the Patagonia region.
Hikes When Considering What To Do in El Chalten When It Is Raining
Hikes in El Chalten: Chorillo del Salto Trek
Distance:
4.1 miles (6.6 kilometers)
Elev. Gain
456 ft (139 m)
Time:
About 1.5 hours
Difficulty:
Easy
This trail is a great one to do if it is raining. A lot of the trail is protected by the forest and the trail ends at a beautiful waterfall. It is a short hike with very little elevation change. It is a nice introduction into the Chalten region. When considering what to do in El Chalten, this is a great hike if the weather is not amazing or if you want to get a quick hike in at the end of the day because it is relatively flat and does not have the immense views of mountains like some of the other hikes on this list.
Hikes Outside of El Chalten: Lago del Desierto + Glacier Huemel Trek
Distance:
1.9 miles (3.1 kilometers)
Elev. Gain
692 ft (211 m)
Time:
About 1.5 hours
Difficulty:
Moderate
If it is raining for a full day, this activity is a great one to experience a different part of Los Glaciares National Park. You will need to set up transportation to get to the trail head of the Glacier Heumel. At the bus station, there are postings of different local companies that can provide transportation for this excursion. You can reach out to them on WhatsApp and set up the drive.
You can reach out to Day Van Tur (+54 9 2966 708940) as an option for transportation and tour services for this trek (2024). You will get picked up from your accommodations at 8 AM.
Around 10 AM, you will arrive at the trailhead. This trail is in private property so you will have to pay a small fee in cash to do the hike. If it is really rainy, you can also rent some ponchos that are great quality and heavy so they will keep you warm and dryer.
The hike to the viewpoint is of medium difficulty through a forest. As you get to the top of the hike, the viewpoint opens up in front of you and hopefully, you will have a great view of a glacier. The Blueprint Travelers team did this hike when it was pouring at the trailhead. However, as soon as they got to the viewpoint, the blue skies opened up. It was still raining at the trailhead for the whole hike however.
The guide will give you about 3 – 3.5 hours to enjoy the hike and the area. After the hike to the glacier, you can walk around the Lago del Desierto, a beautiful turquoise lake. If you want to spend a full day at this destination (some transportation companies offer 6 hours to enjoy the area), there is also a catamaran ride on the lake that has beautiful views. Some hikers use the catamaran ride as part of a trek to cross over to Villa O’Higgens on the Chilean side of the region and make their way to Chile. You can read more about crossing the border between Chile and Argentina here.
Near the trail heads, there is also a small restaurant/café where you can get food or something to drink. It’s a great spot to enjoy a hot chocolate after a hike in the rain. Once the allotted time is up, you will be brought back to your accommodations. You can estimate the return to be around 3:30 PM for this kind of tour.
What to Do in El Chalten Beyond The Hikes in El Chalten
While people typically travel to El Chalten for the various hikes, there are still some great things to keep in mind when looking at what to do in El Chalten beyond hiking that still allow you to appreciate the region.
La Leona Petrified Forest
Between El Chalten and El Calafate, there is an impressive petrified forest that you can visit. This is a lesser-discussed activity when looking into what to do in El Chalten and a more unique landscape to discover beyond the mountainous hikes in El Chalten. There are a number of tour operators that can provide excursions within the terrain and they can guide you through this unique fossil-filled and petrified landscape.
Spa Yaten
This small independent spa can be found in the center of town. They have a number of treatments that each last 30 minutes, with some specifically focused on leg and feet recovery after discovering the various hikes in El Chalten. You can also stack different treatments to make a whole spa morning/afternoon experience. This is a great thing to consider when looking at what to do in El Chalten when it is raining or to recover from arduous hiking in the Southern Patagonia region.
What to Do in El Chalten to Eat and Get a Drink
La Cerveceria Chalten – a microbrewery and chalet with great Patagonian beer and food
Ahonikenk El Chalten – a classic Patagonian restaurant with a nice ambiance
Fresco Bar – a modern brew-pub with great food right off the main trails
Mathilda – a café with wifi, great warm beverages, pies, pastries, and desserts
Simple – a sandwich shop specifically targeting hikers with nutritional sandwiches and snacks that are perfect to take on hikes
Maffia – we did not get the opportunity to eat here but it is a popular spot to get pasta. Make sure to make a reservation if you want to eat here
