El Chaltén Highlights

Day 1: Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén; Hostel

On arrival at El Calafate Airport you'll take a minibus directly to El Chaltén on a 2.5hr drive across the Patagonian steppe and through wind-hewn gorges. Once the vehicle turns to the west along the huge glacial Lake Viedma you'll have your first spectacular views of the famous granite peaks and immense hanging glaciers.

This evening you will have time to meet your guide for a briefing on the itinerary, and to ask any questions you may have. Your guide can recommend gear hire shops in town if you require any last-minute additions.

The small town of El Chaltén, nicknamed the 'Argentine capital of trekking', and only established in 1984, is nestled in a small valley between the Patagonian steppe (prairie) and the immense Southern Patagonian Ice Field and very much retains its 'frontier feel'. The gateway to such famous peaks as Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre make this a climbers' and trekkers' paradise and it's also a great town to base yourself for the various day hikes in the region. You should try the locally-brewed beer in the Cerveceria, or perhaps the hot chocolate in the Chocolateria. Either way, this little town will enchant and make you want to stay for longer.

Accommodation: 'No frills' hotel (private room)

Day 2: Trek to Loma del Diablo; Refugio Cóndor

Today begins with a 30min drive north to a private reserve area of Los Huemules. From here you'll start your day's hiking to Lake Diablo or Diablo Hill. The Lake Diablo hike follows a valley path through pristine beech forest, over undulating trails with wonderful views of Fitz Roy and some glaciers. Your private mountain guide will help you decide the most apt trail to tackle and will also be on hand to give you an insider's story of Patagonia and its wonderful history.

Perhaps you'd prefer the tougher Loma del Diablo (Diablo Hill) hike where you'll rise above the tree line in the valley, taking in the stunning views of the various peaks of the region and possibly reaching up to 1200m.

Either way, you'll not encounter many other trekkers in this area given that the number of visitors is limited. Upon returning, transfer to the nearby Refugio Cóndor where you can enjoy a dip in the hot-tub overlooking the forest and river – a great end to a great day's hiking.

Length of hike: 7-8hrs, 16km

Physical Intensity: Medium – High

Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Refugio Cóndor

Day 3: Trek to Laguna de Los Tres; Poincenot Camp

We begin the day by taking our vehicle to Hosteria El Pilar to meet the trailhead to Mount Fitz Roy.

From there we'll spend 2-3hrs hiking a mostly flat trail, through local sub-antarctic forest and observing the impressive Piedras Blancas hanging glacier. We'll also have the chance to marvel at Mount Fitz Roy from different angles.

After arriving at the rustic Poincenot Camp, we'll leave our overnight gear at our tent and continue up to Laguna de Los Tres, climbing some 800m up a scree path. It's tough going up, but your reward will be possibly the best view in the whole of Patagonia: Mount Fitz Roy.

After having lunch and taking time to relax and take photos, we'll return to the camp and rest for the evening before enjoying a camp meal.

Length of hike: 6-7hrs, 11km

Physical Intensity: Medium – High

Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Poincenot Camp

Day 4: Trek to Laguna Torre; El Chaltén

From our campsite we wake to wonderful views of the Fitz Roy range. After breakfast we make our way into the beautiful valley of the Madre and Hija lagoons, which then leads us through the lenga and ñires forests of the Cerro Torre valley. The trail has some gentle ups and downs with changing views to the surrounding mountains before we arrive at our destination – Laguna Torre.

Here we will stop for lunch and enjoy the stunning views of the Torres range and Glacier Grande. If the weather permits, we'll continue on to the Maestri Viewpoint, from where the legendary Italian climber Cesare Maestri eyed-up his climb of Cerro Torre in the 1950s. From here we can see Cerro Torre and the Glacier Grande from above in all its length.

From here we follow the trail to El Chaltén along the Río Fitz Roy.

Length of hike: 7-8hrs, 17km

Physical Intensity: Low – Medium

Meals: Breakfast, box lunch

Accommodation: 'No frills' hotel with bed and breakfast

Day 5: Transfer to El Calafate Airport

Today you'll transfer from El Chaltén to El Calafate Airport taking approximately 3hrs.

Meals: Breakfast