Patagonia Hiking Holidays for Over 50s

You don’t have to be a mountaineer to walk here. Most people want something simple: see the mountains up close, walk a good distance, eat well, sleep in a warm room, and not spend the trip sorting out buses and bookings in Spanish.

What we take care of

The road from El Calafate: El Chaltén is about three hours by road from El Calafate. Our packages include a door-to-door transfer there and back.
A hotel every night: A 3-star hotel in the village with breakfast. The trails start at the edge of the village. No tents unless you ask for them.
The guide: Certified mountain guides (AAGM), authorized by the National Park, who speak English and Spanish. In the packages the guide walks only with you and your companions. Every guide carries satellite communication.
The pace: The guide walks at your pace and knows the shorter turnaround points if a day gets long. Single guided walks go in small groups of up to 8.
A person who answers: Before and during the trip you write to a real person in our office, in English, by WhatsApp or email.

Hiking packages with hotel and transfers

Prices are per person sharing a double room, in US dollars; the euro figure is a rough guide. The shortest trip, US$1,390, is four days with the two classic walks. The longest starts and ends at El Calafate airport: eight days with the Perito Moreno Glacier, three guided walks and a boat to the Viedma Glacier, from US$2,890.

All the packages, with the day-by-day plan and what is included. Read more →

How hard are the walks?

It depends on the walk, and you choose. The gentlest guided walk is the Mirador de las Águilas, 6.2 km and 150 m of ascent in 2 to 3 hours, with Fitz Roy and Lago Viedma in view (US$100). The Piedras Blancas Glacier is a half day: 9.9 km, 220 m up, 4 to 5 hours (US$180).

Laguna Torre is the one most people can do comfortably: 16.6 km on a good path with 500 m of ascent, 7 to 8 hours, ending at a lake with icebergs under Cerro Torre (US$203). Laguna de los Tres, at the foot of Fitz Roy, is the big day: 19.6 km and 890 m, with a steep last hour on loose rock. People who don’t want that last hour stop at the viewpoint below it, or at Laguna Capri on the way back, and still see Fitz Roy.

Short walks you can also do on your own, from the village. Read more →

Wind and rain

Patagonia is windy, and the weather changes in an hour. We walk in wind and in rain: the agreed date is the date, so bring a good waterproof jacket and trousers, and walking poles help a lot on the way down. Only very heavy snow near winter moves a walk to the next day. Leave a spare day in your plan: it is how you get the morning Fitz Roy comes out of the clouds.

Fitz Roy above Laguna Capri · Photo: Gagea, CC BY-SA 3.0

Coming from northern Europe or the UK

Flights: Fly to Buenos Aires (EZE), usually with one connection in a European hub such as Madrid, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or London, then a domestic flight of about three hours to El Calafate (FTE). Domestic flights often leave from the city airport, Aeroparque (AEP): allow time to cross Buenos Aires, or a night there.
Time difference: From November to March Argentina is 3 hours behind the UK and Iceland, 4 behind Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, and 5 behind Finland.
Visa: Citizens of the UK and the EU and EEA countries, Nordic countries included, do not need a visa for a tourist stay. Check your government’s travel advice before you go.
Season: October to April, which is your winter: long days, up to 16 hours of light in December. March and April are calmer and quieter, with the forests turning red.
Money: We charge in US dollars by card. Bring some cash as well for small things in the village.

Buses, the road from El Calafate and the airport on a map. Read more →

Group prices and private trips

Coming with friends or family? From three people the price per person goes down: Laguna de los Tres is US$228 each for one or two, US$185 for three, US$165 for four and US$105 from six. Walking clubs and families can also have a private guide and their own dates. Read more →

Booking directly with us

You book on each walk or package page, paying by card in US dollars, or by WhatsApp with someone in our office. With 30 days or more’s notice you get your money back in full. We are a family company from the village, founded in 1995 by mountain guide Alberto Del Castillo. Read more →

Questions

Is Patagonia suitable for people over 50?

Yes, if you choose the walks to match your fitness: from a 2-hour viewpoint to a full day at the foot of Fitz Roy, with a hotel every night and a guide who walks at your pace.

Do you cancel walks for wind or rain?

No. We walk in wind and rain; only very heavy snow near winter moves a walk to the next day. Bring waterproofs and plan a spare day.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

No. Our guides speak English, and our office answers in English by WhatsApp and email.

How fit do I need to be?

For Laguna Torre, fit enough to walk 7 to 8 hours on a good path. For Laguna de los Tres, add a steep final hour on loose rock, which you can skip and still see Fitz Roy. Shorter guided walks take 2 to 5 hours.

Can I join on my own?

Yes. We put you in a small group of up to 8 people on the date you choose.

What is included in a hiking package?

A 3-star hotel with breakfast, the door-to-door transfer from El Calafate and back, the walks with a mountain guide just for your group, packed lunch on hiking days and, depending on the package, boat trips to the glaciers. Flights, the national park entry and tips are not included.

Can I see the Perito Moreno Glacier on the same trip?

Yes. Our 8-day trip starts and ends at El Calafate airport and includes the Perito Moreno Glacier with a boat trip, from US$2,890 per person.

How far ahead should I book?

For December, January and February, as early as you can: the hotels in town fill up. Asking costs nothing, and we answer on WhatsApp or by email.

Is it safe to book directly with a local company?

We have guided in El Chaltén since 1995. You pay by card through a secure checkout, and with 30 days or more’s notice you get a full refund.