TrekkingElChalten.com aims to bring together all the information related to mountain activities in the northern zone of Los Glaciares National Park, so that visitors can easily access maps, traverses, and everything they need to plan their trekking routes.
We are not affiliated with any official body and receive no institutional funding — but running this website does involve real costs, which we can cover thanks to your support. If you find the information useful and would like to contribute to keeping the site going, we’d love your help:
We also invite you to join our WhatsApp Group or Facebook Group, where you can stay up to date with news, photos, and even connect with other travellers heading the same way!
Yes. As of October 2024, an access fee is required to hike the trails in the northern zone of Los Glaciares National Park. The fee varies depending on your country/province of residence and the number of days you plan to visit. For full details, we recommend visiting: Trail Access Fees — Updated Guide.
Tickets are purchased online through the following link: APN Online Ticket Sales.
Please note that trails located outside Los Glaciares National Park (Huemul Glacier, Laguna Diablo, etc.) also require a separate entry fee.
Yes. We are in contact with licensed and reliable transfer operators serving both El Calafate and El Chaltén. Some of the most popular destinations include:
For transfer enquiries, visit our Transfers section.
We don’t offer guiding or tourism services directly, but we are in contact with local certified guides. For more information, send us a message.
The honest answer? Any time of year.
That said, it’s worth knowing that during the winter months some trails may be closed due to severe weather or heavy snowfall. We recommend keeping an eye on the Los Glaciares National Park and Turismo El Chaltén Facebook pages for regular updates.
From December through late February, the days are warmer, daylight hours are longer, and the trails are at their busiest. By late March, autumn begins to set in — and the landscapes transform completely.
For more details, we recommend reading: Weather in El Chalten.
The simple answer: as many as possible. The realistic answer: it depends on how much time you have and what else is on your itinerary.
The two most popular trails are Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre — both can be done as full day hikes (click each link for full trail info). So with 3 free days — keeping in mind that the weather in El Chaltén can be unpredictable — you’ll be in good shape. That said, there are many more trails and traverses in the area, and chances are you’ll want to come back.
A personal recommendation: if you have 14 days, dedicate 2 or 3 to El Calafate (the Perito Moreno Glacier boat excursion is unmissable!) and spend the rest entirely in El Chaltén.
In any season, the weather is quite literally a lottery. You can experience all four seasons in a single day — so preparation is key before heading out on any trail. We recommend reading: What to Wear for Hiking in El Chaltén.
For average monthly temperatures and the best weather apps to use, see: Weather in El Chaltén.
We recommend reading: What to Wear for Hiking in El Chaltén.
Yes. There are several rental shops in the village offering clothing and equipment. For up-to-date pricing, we recommend visiting:
El Chaltén offers a wide range of trails at varying difficulty levels. All trails are listed under the “Trails” section of our site, and multi-day traverses with backcountry camping are listed under “Traverses”.
We recommend reviewing the maps, distances, and elevation profiles before setting out, and always factoring in your fitness level, the weather forecast, and the time of year.
Trails within the Remote Areas are not recommended for those without prior mountain experience. If you do plan to attempt them, please note that Los Glaciares National Park requires mandatory prior registration.
El Chaltén has a well-maintained network of clearly signed trails that are regularly patrolled by national park staff. These are part of the main trail network and include the most popular routes: Laguna de los Tres, Laguna Torre, Chorrillo del Salto, and others.
All other trails, traverses, and climbing routes within the park boundaries are classified as the “Remote Areas” — the paths are not well marked, conditions are more demanding, and in the event of an emergency, rescue assistance could take a significant amount of time to arrive.
We strongly advise against attempting Remote Zone trails or traverses without solid prior mountain experience.
For trails within the main trail network, no registration is required. For trails and traverses in the Remote Zone, completing the mandatory mountain use registration and visiting the Ceferino Fonzo Visitor Center beforehand is compulsory.
Trails that do NOT require registration:
Trails that DO require registration:
For further information, contact the Ceferino Fonzo Visitor Center directly
El Chaltén has a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets. For a full listing, we recommend visiting: Where to Stay in El Chaltén.
Yes. There are several designated campsites within the park, all of which have been subject to fees and require advance reservation since December 2024 (for bookings: Asociación Amigos del PN Los Glaciares):
For more info, please read: Campsites & Refuges in El Chalten.
Keep in mind that these are backcountry campsites — there are no services, no food for sale, and each site has a single latrine.
There are also paid alternatives outside the park boundaries that may require advance booking. For example, those exploring the Río de las Vueltas Valley can overnight at Refugio Piedra del Fraile, and several accommodation options are available near Lago del Desierto.
For day hikes (no camping): What to Pack for a Day Hike in El Chaltén
For overnight camping or multi-day traverses (we recommend the Laguna de los Tres – Laguna Torre Traverse as a starting point): What to Pack for a Multi-Day Hike
As in all national parks, open fires are strictly prohibited. Only gas stoves are permitted, and only in designated cooking areas.
No. There is no internet or mobile phone signal anywhere on the trails. Before heading out — especially on a multi-day traverse — make sure to let someone know that you won’t be reachable for a few hours or days.
No prior experience is required for trails within the main trail network — they are self-guided, very well signed, and highly trafficked, so you’ll never be far from other hikers.
That said, each trail is assigned a difficulty level: Easy, Moderate, or Hard. Before setting out, we recommend carefully reviewing the distance, elevation gain, and honestly assessing whether the route is suited to your current fitness level.
The goal is to enjoy your time in El Chaltén — so don’t push beyond your limits. Your safety always comes first.
The Laguna de los Tres trail is rated Hard / Challenging, but difficulty is always relative to your individual fitness level.
If you exercise regularly, the final ascent may not feel too demanding. If you’re less accustomed to long walks or physical exertion, it may require more effort and time.
💡 Note: If you’ve been to Torres del Paine, the final climb to Laguna de los Tres is very similar to the Mirador Base Torres trail.
Either way, what matters most is that you enjoy the hike and the stunning landscapes this corner of Patagonia has to offer. It doesn’t matter whether the last section takes you 1, 2, or 3 hours — no one is rushing you, and you can stop to rest as many times as you need.
That said, if at any point you feel genuinely unwell or are struggling to breathe, turn back immediately. Do not continue upward — your safety is not worth the risk. There are plenty of other incredible trails to enjoy, and El Chaltén will always be there for your next visit.
No. Pets are not permitted inside National Parks and Reserves, as they are non-native species that can disrupt the local environment and wildlife.
No. Drones and any other motor-powered aerial devices are prohibited under Argentina’s National Parks, Natural Monuments and National Reserves Act.
Yes. Water from rivers and streams along all trails is safe to drink and does not require purification tablets.
The water of the Río Fitz Roy (near Campamento D’Agostini) has a milky, slightly cloudy appearance due to glacial sediment — but it is completely safe to drink.
No. There are no shops or food stalls anywhere on the trails. Bring everything you need to eat and drink — and pack out all your waste when you leave.
There are no bins anywhere in the park, and littering is strictly prohibited.
The rule is simple: everything you carry in must come back out with you. Nothing that doesn’t belong to the ecosystem should be left behind — wrappers, bottles, cigarette butts, paper, fruit peels, used yerba mate, and so on.
Yes, fruit peels and yerba mate are organic — but properly composting them in the backcountry would require drying and burying them correctly until they fully decompose. That’s simply not something we’re going to do in the middle of the mountains. So to avoid leaving them scattered on the ground, pop them in a small bag and carry them back to El Chaltén.
It’s straightforward: if you carried 3 kgs of food up the mountain, you can certainly carry the wrappers and peels back down
