We get asked a lot: can you go to El Chaltén from El Calafate and be back the same day? You can. It is 213 km of paved road and 2 h 40 to 3 hours by bus each way. On the first bus, the 8 am, you are in town around 11 with four or five hours to walk before heading back. Enough for a viewpoint. Not for Laguna de los Tres. Read more →
What a day trip reaches, and what it does not
| How long | On a day trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints | 2 h there and back, from the bus terminal | Yes |
| Mirador Fitz Roy | 4 km one way and 350 m of climbing, about 3 h there and back | Yes, just |
| Laguna Capri | 4 km one way, about 3 h 30 there and back | Yes, just |
| Laguna Torre | 10 km one way, 7 to 8 h there and back | Not advisable |
| Laguna de los Tres, at the foot of Fitz Roy | 10 km one way and 750 m of climbing, 8 to 10 h there and back | Not advisable |
Distances and times from the National Park trail leaflet, with stops.
The other thing is the weather. Fitz Roy spends many days hidden in cloud, and with a single afternoon that may be your day. With two or three nights in town you pick the clear morning for Laguna de los Tres and keep the grey day for Laguna Torre or a viewpoint. Read more →
If you still come for the day
- How to come
- On a regular bus from El Calafate’s terminal, or on a ready-made day tour from the agencies there, which add the transfer and a couple of short walks.
- On a clear day
- Mirador Fitz Roy or Laguna Capri, on the trail that starts where Avenida San Martín ends. It is the closest you get to Fitz Roy in a few hours.
- Cloudy or very windy
- The Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints, next to the bus terminal: the town below on one side, the steppe and Lago Viedma on the other.
- On the road
- Sit on the left. On route 23 Fitz Roy is on that side.
The trail to Capri and Mirador Fitz Roy is inside Los Glaciares National Park: the entrance fee applies, and one ticket covers every trail that day. Read more →
Every short walk around town, on one map with the official distances. See →
With two or three nights: tours from El Calafate
We pick you up at El Calafate airport or your hotel, you sleep in El Chaltén and hike with a mountain guide. At the end we take you back to El Calafate. Prices are per person, for two, in the cheapest season.
Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre4 days · from USD 1,390
Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre and Viedma Glacier5 days · from USD 1,790
El Chaltén classic5 days · from USD 2,090
Sunrise on Fitz Roy5 days · from USD 2,290
Trekking week8 days · from USD 3,190
From Fitz Roy to the Upsala Glacier7 days · from USD 3,690
Every package, including the ones that start in El Chaltén and the nights at Poincenot camp. See →
Perito Moreno and Fitz Roy in six days
The glacier in El Calafate and the mountains in El Chaltén: the classic pairing of a trip to southern Patagonia. Days 3 to 6 are our four-day package.
- Day 1Arrive in El Calafate.
- Day 2Perito Moreno Glacier, on one of the tours that leave from El Calafate.
- Day 3We pick you up at your hotel and you travel to El Chaltén. That night you sleep in town.
- Day 4Laguna de los Tres with a guide, to the foot of Fitz Roy.Laguna de los Tres →
- Day 5Laguna Torre with a guide, facing Cerro Torre and its glacier.Laguna Torre →
- Day 6Door-to-door transfer to El Calafate airport.
The weather sets the order of the two hikes: the clearest day goes to Laguna de los Tres. Read more →
If you already have a room in El Chaltén
You can join just the guided day hikes, in groups of up to 8. And if you still need a way to get here, we add the transfer from El Calafate. Read more →
- Laguna de los Tres19.6 km · +890 m · 8 to 10 h · from USD 228
Laguna Torre16.6 km · +500 m · 7 to 8 h · from USD 203- Laguna de los Tres Sunrise Trek19.6 km · +890 m · 8 to 10 h · from USD 295
Not booked a bed yet? The areas of town by trail, with lodgings you can book direct. See →
You can come to El Chaltén for the day. Fitz Roy is worth two nights.
Questions
Can you do El Chaltén as a day trip from El Calafate?
Yes. It is 213 km and 2 h 40 to 3 hours by bus each way. That leaves four or five hours in El Chaltén: enough for a viewpoint or Laguna Capri, not for Laguna de los Tres.
Will I see Fitz Roy on a day trip?
On a clear day, yes: from the road, from town and from Mirador Fitz Roy. But it is hidden in cloud on many days. With two or three nights you can choose the good day.
Can I hike Laguna de los Tres on a day trip from El Calafate?
We do not recommend it. The trail takes 8 to 10 hours there and back, on top of about six hours on the road. It is better to sleep in El Chaltén the night before and start early.
How much is a guided El Chaltén tour from El Calafate?
Our packages with door-to-door transfer, hotel in El Chaltén and a mountain guide start at USD 1,390 per person, for two, for the four days. It changes with the season and group size.
Should I stay in El Calafate or El Chaltén?
For hiking, El Chaltén: the trails start on foot from town and our hikes leave early in the morning. From El Calafate it is almost three hours by road each way.
How many nights do I need in El Chaltén?
Three at least, for Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre with a spare day for the weather.
Can I combine Perito Moreno Glacier with El Chaltén?
Yes. Perito Moreno is visited on the tours that leave from El Calafate; one or two days there are enough, before or after El Chaltén. We arrange the El Chaltén part: hotel, transfer and guided hikes.
What if it rains or is windy on my day?
Our hikes go ahead in rain or wind. What changes is what you see, which is why more than one day is worth it.