We live in El Chaltén and have hiked here since 1995, so we are not neutral. But it is a fair question and the answer depends on you: how many days you have, whether you want a bed every night and how much it matters to change plans when the weather changes. Torres del Paine is a Chilean park of multi-day treks; El Chaltén is an Argentine town where the trails start on foot.
| El Chaltén | Torres del Paine | |
|---|---|---|
| Country and park | Argentina · Los Glaciares National Park | Chile · Torres del Paine National Park |
| Where you sleep | In town: the trails start from the street | In refuges and campsites inside the Park, or in hotels away from the trails |
| The classic hike | Laguna de los Tres: 10 km one way and 750 m of climbing, 8 to 10 h there and back | The W: about 80 km in 4 or 5 days, refuge to refuge |
| Bookings | Day trails need no booking; you pay the Park fee | Entry is bought online before you go; W campsites and refuges booked ahead |
| Park fee | Foreign visitors: ARS 50,000 a day (since 1/6/2026) | Since 1 May 2026, a daily or a 2-day-or-more ticket (pasesparques.cl) |
| If the day turns bad | Switch trail or leave it for tomorrow | You keep going: tonight’s refuge is already booked |
| Gateway | El Calafate, 2 h 40 by bus | Puerto Natales |
El Chaltén: the National Park trail leaflet and official fees. Torres del Paine: CONAF and the refuge operators. Check the fees before you travel.
The big difference: a fixed plan or a moving one
In Patagonia the weather changes from one day to the next, sometimes from one hour to the next. In Torres del Paine the W is planned months ahead, with each night booked somewhere else: if the towers day comes up cloudy, that is still your day. In El Chaltén you sleep in the same bed and choose every morning: if Fitz Roy is hidden, you go to Laguna Torre or a short viewpoint and keep Laguna de los Tres for the good day. That is why we say that here the weather sets the order, not the calendar. Read more →
The distances are similar. Laguna de los Tres is 10 km one way with a very steep last stretch; Laguna Torre is 10 km, nearly flat, until you stand in front of Cerro Torre. They are long days, but at night you have dinner in town and sleep indoors. On the W you walk several days in a row with a full trekking pack.
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
Which one to choose
- You have few days
- El Chaltén. In three days you do both classics with one spare day for the weather.
- You want a refuge-to-refuge trek
- Torres del Paine and the W, booked well ahead. For something similar in El Chaltén, with the tent pitched and meals cooked, there is the night at Poincenot or the Huemul Circuit.
- You do not want to book everything months ahead
- El Chaltén: day trails need no booking and the town lets you improvise.
- Travelling with kids or mixed paces
- El Chaltén: everyone picks their trail and you meet in town at night.
- You have ten days or more
- Both. They link up well through El Calafate.
How to do both on one trip
El Calafate sits in the middle. From El Chaltén to El Calafate is 2 h 40 by bus; from El Calafate to Puerto Natales about 5 hours, crossing the border at Cerro Castillo, and from Natales you carry on to the Park. Bring your passport and buy the Torres del Paine ticket online before you cross. Read more →
- Day 1Arrive in El Calafate. Perito Moreno Glacier.
- Day 2Bus to El Chaltén. In the afternoon, the Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints.
- Days 3 to 5Laguna de los Tres on the clearest day, Laguna Torre and a high viewpoint or a rest day.Laguna de los Tres →
- Day 6Back to El Calafate and, the next day, on to Puerto Natales.
- Days 7 to 11The W in Torres del Paine, with the refuges already booked.
We can put together the El Chaltén part, with hotel, transfer from El Calafate and a guide: our packages. See →
Torres del Paine is booked; El Chaltén is chosen every morning.
Questions
Which is better, El Chaltén or Torres del Paine?
It depends on the trip. El Chaltén is better if you have few days, want a bed every night and want to switch trails with the weather. Torres del Paine is better for a multi-day refuge-to-refuge trek such as the W.
How far is El Chaltén from Torres del Paine?
You go through El Calafate: 2 h 40 by bus to El Calafate and about 5 more hours to Puerto Natales, crossing the border at Cerro Castillo. From Natales you carry on to the Park.
Can I do both on one trip?
Yes. With ten days or more: three or four in El Chaltén and four or five for the W in Torres del Paine, with El Calafate in between.
Do I need to book to hike in El Chaltén?
Day trails need no booking. You pay the Los Glaciares National Park fee. Camping in the Park does need a booking.
Do I need to book to hike in Torres del Paine?
Yes. Entry is bought online before you go and W campsites and refuges are booked ahead, months ahead in high season.
How many days do I need in El Chaltén?
Three at least, for Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre with a spare day. Five if you want to add a high viewpoint.