In El Chaltén you do not need to walk 20 km to see something that leaves you speechless. Around town there are one-hour viewpoints, a waterfall forty minutes away and a lake with Fitz Roy above it less than two hours from the street. Here they all are on one map, with the National Park’s official figures (one way, from the start of each trail).
El Chaltén, the town among the hills · Photo: Mauro Travieso, CC BY-SA 4.0 1From the Visitor Centre
Los Cóndores viewpoint
1 km0:45 h one way+100 m
The shortest climb and the best one to understand where you are: the whole town below, the Río de las Vueltas and, on a clear day, Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre behind. It starts next to the Visitor Centre, at the entrance to town.
Perfect for the afternoon you arrive.
2Carries on from Los Cóndores
Las Águilas viewpoint
2 km1:00 h one way+100 m
It shares the start with Los Cóndores and then opens to the other side: the steppe and Lago Viedma. Together they make a two-hour round trip.
3Laguna Torre trail
Margarita waterfall viewpoint
0.9 km from the startabout 20 min
The first viewpoint on the Laguna Torre trail, which starts on the west side of town. You look at the waterfall over the Río Fitz Roy valley. Measured on our own track.
4Laguna Torre trail
Torre viewpoint
3 km1:15 h one way+250 m
Keep on the same trail until the valley opens and Cerro Torre appears at its end, with the glacier below. Half the views of the full hike for a quarter of the effort.
If the Torre is clear, it already makes the day.
5Fitz Roy trail
Río de las Vueltas viewpoint
1.2 km from the startabout 30 min
The Fitz Roy trail starts at the end of Avenida San Martín. After the first climb, a viewpoint over the Río de las Vueltas valley, with the town to one side. Measured on our own track.
Fitz Roy above Laguna Capri · Photo: Gagea, CC BY-SA 3.0 6Fitz Roy trail
Laguna Capri
4 km1:45 h one way+350 m
The most beautiful of the short ones. You climb through lenga forest to a lake with Fitz Roy above it, and on a still day it is reflected whole. The Mirador Fitz Roy is a few minutes away. There is a Park campsite on the shore.
A good plan B when Laguna de los Tres is not on.
The town from the way to Chorrillo del Salto · Photo: Miguel, CC BY-SA 2.0 7Route 41, 4 km north
Chorrillo del Salto
3 km0:40 h one way+0 m
A waterfall in the forest, almost no climbing. You get there on route 41 towards Lago del Desierto: walking along the road, by bike or by car to the car park, then a short trail. Access is now booked and paid online: ask at the Visitor Centre before you go.
Which one, depending on the day
- You arrived in the afternoon
- Los Cóndores and Las Águilas. Two hours, walk out of the bus terminal and get your bearings.
- Very windy
- Laguna Capri: most of the way is in the forest. Or Chorrillo del Salto, which is sheltered.
- Tired legs
- Chorrillo del Salto, flat. Or the Margarita waterfall, twenty minutes.
- You want to see the Torre without a full day
- The Torre viewpoint: two and a half hours there and back.
The short walks are not a consolation prize. Some afternoons at Capri are worth more than a summit in the clouds.
Park entrance
The trails to Laguna Capri and the Torre viewpoint are inside Los Glaciares National Park: the entrance fee applies, and one ticket covers every trail that day. These are the 2026 prices: Read more →
| 1 day | 3 days | 7 days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign visitors | $ 50,000 | $ 100,000 | $ 175,500 |
| Argentine nationals | $ 25,000 | $ 50,000 | $ 87,500 |
| Santa Cruz residents | $ 8,000 | $ 16,000 | $ 28,000 |
| Students (Argentine ID) | $ 15,000 | · | · |
Argentine pesos per person, since 1/6/2026. Paid by QR or card; no cash at the booths.
And when you want to go further?
Capri and the Torre viewpoint are the first part of the two big hikes. If you want more, the next step is Laguna de los Tres or Laguna Torre, a full day each. We walk them with small groups and local guides. Read more →
Laguna de los Tres18.3 km · +880 m · 8 to 10 h · from USD 228
Laguna Torre16.6 km · +500 m · 7 to 8 h · from USD 203
Questions
What are the shortest hikes in El Chaltén?
Los Cóndores viewpoint (1 km, 45 min), Las Águilas viewpoint (2 km, 1 h), Chorrillo del Salto (40 min, no climbing) and the Margarita waterfall (20 min from the start of the Laguna Torre trail).
How long does Laguna Capri take?
According to the Park, 4 km and 1 h 45 one way from the end of Avenida San Martín, with 350 m of climbing.
Where does the Los Cóndores viewpoint trail start?
Next to the National Park Visitor Centre, at the entrance to town.
Do you have to pay for Chorrillo del Salto?
Yes, access is now booked and paid online. Ask at the Visitor Centre how to do it before you go.
Which hike should I do the day I arrive in El Chaltén?
The Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints: two hours there and back, straight from town.