I’m not exaggerating, nor do I get carried away by the emotions or the excitatory effect of the Argentinian mate. I’m serious; this is one of the best hiking routes in all South America!
The landscapes down there are amazing in the Patagonian style, with trees that change color, large glaciers, turquoise lagoons and disproportionate rock walls.
Many people compare this place with the famous and equally impressive Torres del Paine in Chile, and they are right; both hikes are amazing and have similar landscapes. However, the hikes around the Fitz Roy Trek and Cerro Torre, located in “Los Glaciares National Park”, offer a variety of opportunities for all levels.
Once you reach the small and friendly town of El Chalten, in the South of Argentina, a wide range of options opens up before your eyes, from short walks to long trails or even rock climbing.
Map. Where is the Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy Trek?
Most popular routes and itineraries
The Fitz Roy Trek. One day.
The hike to the Fitz Roy is by far the most popular choice among visitors. The distance is about 25 kms and can be completed in 6-7 hours. El Chalten is the point of departure and return.
After an hour’s walk through beautiful forests and hills, you get to the Fitz Roy viewpoint to enjoy excellent views of the entire environment.
You keep walking until you leave behind the “Poincenot campsite”, then, you walk the last part of the route, which is also the hardest. In any case, the effort will be worthwhile.
In the end, you get to the famous “Laguna de los Tres”, which has spectacular views of the Fitz Roy.
The Cerro Torre Trek. One day.
The second most popular trail takes us to the beautiful Cerro Torre and the mountains around it. The difficulty is low. The distance is about 22 kms and can be completed in 5-6 hours. El Chalten is the point of departure and return.
The trek goes gently uphill and downhill through a beautiful forest before reaches the “Laguna Torre”. There is a path around the right side of the lake that gets you pretty close to the “Cerro Torre”, with amazing views of the glaciers beneath the rock wall.
Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre Circuit. Two days.
This is the route we decided to hike. Basically, it is a combination of the above two routes. You overnight camp in one of the designated areas. The total distance is about 36 kms and the hike is completed in two days. The main advantage is that you can explore nearby areas without rushing and will enjoy the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises.
On the first day, I recommend that you reach the “Poincenot campsite” and pitch your tent. Then, leave most of your heavy stuff there and visit “La Laguna de los Tres”. If you have extra time, you can explore nearby ares. We walked down to the lake “Piedras Blancas ” and it was really beautiful.
On the second day, it’s really worth getting up early to watch the sun rise over the Fitz Roy, turning the rock wall orange. It is spectacular!
Then, you can pack up your tent and head towards the “Laguna Torre”, enjoy the beautiful views and start your walk back to El Chalten. Now that you are done, you can have a “matecito” or a glass of red Argentinian wine (or both) and have a good rest.
Budget for Hiking the Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy Trek from El Chalten
We spent less than $10 a day, including accommodation in El Chalten and food (and wine). However, the Argentinian economy, inflation and the dollar-peso exchange have changed considerably since my last visit, so everything must be more expensive now. If you hire a guide to hike the region, you’ll be spending more, depending on how long your trip is.
Park entrance fee
The entrance to the park, unlike with the Torres del Paine, is free.
Accommodation in El Chalten
The town of El Chalten is basically designed for tourism, so you’ll find lots of hostels, hotels and even a couple of campsites.
We paid 60 pesos per person to camp in “El Relincho” campsite (but, as I said, this price must have changed since then). The camping is really nice. You’ll have a super-equipped kitchen, clean bathrooms and a large camping ground.
If you are looking for a real bed, I recommend that you have a look at Hostel Los Viajeros. It’s a cool place at a good price.
Accommodation during the hike
The authorized camping areas are Poincenot camping, Rio Blanco camping , Capri camping and camping De Agostini. All are free.
Food and drink
There are several stores and minimarkets in El Chalten. Prices are higher than in the rest of the country, but you can find almost anything.
Transport. How to get to El Chaltén
The easiest way to get to El Chalten is by taking a bus from El Calafate, where you should not miss a visit to the “Perito Moreno Glacier”. The journey from El Calafate to El Chalten takes only about three hours.
Weather
The best time to visit this paradise is from October to late April. We went there in April and I have to say that the scenery was amazing. All the forests were showing off the yellows, oranges and greens of autumn.
Tips for hiking the Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy Trek
Do not trust blue skies
One of the main pecularities of Patagonia is how easily the weather can change in a few minutes. It is possible to experience all four seasons in the same day. Bring warm clothes and a raincoat even if it looks like a pretty day.
To get an idea of the weather, I recommend that you visit this forecast website, which is one of the best I’ve found.
If you have the time, make it a two or three-day hike
One of the nicest things about these landscapes is watching the sun rise over the stone giants. If you can, spend at least one night camping and enjoy the spectacle.
Be clean!
It is very important that you collect all your garbage and try to leave the place as you found it.
Did you enjoy How to hike the Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy Trek? Please, leave a comment!
Hi, I’m Miguel; Adventure traveler, scuba diver and hiking lover. I have been traveling the world for the last 12 years and I hope my experiences, photos and hiking routes inspire you to travel the world too.
Thank you for writing this informative. I was wondering about this very matter today. I am headed to el chalten at the end of january and will only have two days and one night to spend on the trail there. So i was debating whether to camp at De Agostini and catch the sunrise at Laguna Torres or camp at Poincenot and capture the sunrise at Laguna de los Tres. One of the primary drivers for me is photography so, my question to you is, which sunrise view of the two is more spectacular ?
I catched the sunrise from someweher close to Poincenot and it was an amazing spot.. I’d go for the sunset at Laguna de los tres..
Stunning photographs, especially the ones of the Cerro Torre in the clouds. Beautiful!
Thank you!
Beautiful pictures!
It doesn’t become clear to me when you visited the park.
Which month?
How cold was it while camping?
Planning on hiking the double trail next week.
Thanks!
Hi Suzan! Thanks!
It was in March.. a bit cold at night, but I had a good sleeping bag. Nothing to worry about. 🙂
Good luck!
Thank you for your help! I’m heading to el Chaltén in mid February! Your blog was very helpful!
Great! Thanks Sarah!
Hi- thank you for the post. Very informative with great pics! I am heading to El Chalten next week. A couple questions-
Do you need reservations at any of the campsites like Poicenot?
What is water availability like? I have a UV light which kills bacteria but not a filter.
How cold does it get in March during the day and at night? My sleeping bag is rated to 9C. I’m thinking base layer long sleeve shirt, lightweight hoodie, and rain coat for the day. Gloves, hat, neck warmer, wool socks. I get cold easily.
Oops- sleeping bag is rated to 20F / -9C
Hey, sorry for the delay on the reply. You don’t need to make reservations. You’ll find streams to take water from. The UV light will do it. Your sleeping bag will be enough, it’s not gonna be that cold in March. Enjoy!
Thank you for this summary! Looks like an amazing trip, and I can’t wait to do it. Just wondering – how can I get a map of the 2 day trail?
Thanks,
Polly
Hi Polly, how are you? You can get maps in El Chalten. I also recommend that you download Wikiloc on your phone and use the offline maps. 🙂 Safe travels.
Thank you soo much for sharing your knowledge! I’ve been searching for maps for the various El Chalten hikes without any luck. Everyone says they’re well marked, but I’d feel foolish starting any hike (in a foreign country no less) without even a basic map. I just downloaded Wikiloc and good to know there are maps in El Chalten. Do they have maps in English?
Hi Marie, there are hundreds of maps in wikiloc, I guess some are in english. Otherwise, you can find english maps in another app like Gaia GPS. Safe travels!
Hi!
I know that a lot of comments have been questions about the weather and temperature. I am planning on doing the two day trek in early December. How warm does your sleeping bag need to be? Do I absolutely need to bring waterproof pants?
Thanks! And great details!
Grace
Hi Grace, well, it was April when I was there and it was pretty cold, so I couldn’t say for sure. I guess zero celsius degrees should be fine, but not totally sure. You don’t absolutely need waterproof pants, you can use other pants, but keep extra pants in case you get wet, so you can change clothes. Safe travels,
Hi! Thank you for the informative article and beautiful shots! What would you recommend if we had two days to spend there, but did not want to camp. Also would you recommend the Artgentine side of Patagonia to the Chilean side?
Many thanks! And may you continue to have wonderful trips and write about them! 🙂
Hi Silvia, you can do two hikes. One-day hike to the Fitz Roy and back to El chalten to sleep in the town. Next day, another one-day hike to Cerro Torre. Two beautiful short hikes in two days. 🙂 Both sides Chilean and Argentinian are awesome!
Safe travels,
Hi Miguel, thanks for the great guide! About the sunrise over Fitz Roy, do you suggest seeing it from Laguna de los Tres (where we’d been the day before)?