Walking holidays in Patagonia: guided walks in El Chaltén

El Chaltén is a small mountain village inside Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at the foot of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. It calls itself Argentina’s trekking capital, and it earns the name: the walks start where the last houses end. What it does not have is gentle weather. The wind off the Southern Ice Field decides a great deal here, which is why a good guide matters less for finding the path than for choosing the day, the hour and the turning point.

Why book your walking holiday locally

A family company from the village: Founded in 1995 by mountain guide Alberto Del Castillo, who arrived in El Chaltén in 1985, the year the village was founded. Today Josefina Del Castillo runs it.
Qualified mountain guides: Certified by the Argentine Association of Mountain Guides (AAGM, a member of UIMLA), with the National Park course and first aid. Every guide carries a Garmin inReach satellite communicator.
Small groups: Up to 8 walkers. You can join on your own, travel as a couple, or take a private guide.
English-speaking: All our guides speak English and Spanish.
The price of the people who walk with you: No middlemen between you and the guide on the trail.

The classic guided walks

Two walks bring most people here. Laguna de los Tres climbs to the glacial lake at the foot of Fitz Roy: 19.6 km and 890 m of ascent, with a steep last hour on moraine (from US$228, about £170). Laguna Torre follows a valley to the lake under Cerro Torre, where icebergs drift off the Grande Glacier: 16.6 km, moderate (from US$203, about £150). Do both and you have seen the two great valleys of the massif.

Every walk we guide, from a two-hour stroll to a long day above the tree line, with distance, ascent and price. Read more →

Walking holiday packages: hotel, transfers and guided walks

If you would rather not stitch it together yourself, our packages include a hotel with breakfast, the transfer from El Calafate and back, and the guided walks with packed lunch. Prices are per person sharing a double room, charged in US dollars; the pound figure is a rough guide.

Multi-day treks for experienced walkers

For walkers who want more than day walks: the Huemul Circuit, four days beside the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and the Viedma Glacier (from US$1282, about £955), and two crossings that end on foot at Estancia Cristina, on Lago Argentino, the estancia our founder chairs.

Tailor-made and private walking trips

Travelling as a family, a group of friends or a walking club? We put together tailor-made itineraries with a private guide: your dates, your pace, your choice of walks, and a hotel that suits you. Tell us what you have in mind and we will send you a plan and a price. Read more →

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

Getting there from the UK

London to Buenos Aires: An overnight long-haul flight, direct or with one stop in Europe or Brazil.
Buenos Aires to El Calafate: A domestic flight of around three hours to El Calafate airport (FTE). Many international flights land at Ezeiza (EZE) and many domestic flights leave from Aeroparque (AEP): allow time to cross the city.
El Calafate to El Chaltén: 213.8 km of paved road, about three hours by bus. Our packages include this transfer.
Time difference: Argentina is three hours behind the UK in our summer (your winter), four while the UK is on BST.
Entry: British passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist stay in Argentina. Check the current FCDO travel advice for Argentina on GOV.UK before you travel.

Bus timetables, the airport and the drive on a map. Read more →

When to go from the UK

Our walking season runs from October to April, which is the British winter: a long-haul escape from short grey days into up to 16 hours of daylight. December to February brings the longest days, the most people and the most wind; March and April bring calmer weather, fewer walkers and the lenga forests turning red and gold. Christmas and New Year fill up early, so book flights and walks well ahead.

Ten years of climate data, month by month. Read more →

Patagonia in one trip: Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno and El Chaltén

Most walkers from the UK come for two or three weeks and combine places. A common route is Torres del Paine in Chile, then El Calafate for the Perito Moreno Glacier, then El Chaltén for the walking. Buses link Puerto Natales and El Calafate across the border. Give El Chaltén at least four days: walks here are planned around the wind, and a spare day is what turns a cloudy forecast into a clear view of Fitz Roy. Read more →

Booking and paying

You book directly with us: online on each walk’s page, by card in US dollars, or by WhatsApp with a person in our office. We are an Argentine company, so bookings with us are not ATOL-protected package holidays: most travellers book their flights separately, and we strongly recommend travel insurance that covers hiking.

Leave a day free. In Patagonia the weather does not ruin a holiday; a tight schedule does.

Questions

What is the best walking holiday in Patagonia?

For walking from your door, El Chaltén: the trails start in the village and reach Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in a day. Torres del Paine in Chile is the other great choice, and many people combine both.

When is the best time for a walking holiday in Patagonia from the UK?

From November to April, during the British winter. March and April have less wind and fewer people; December and January have the longest days.

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. Multi-day treks need good fitness and experience carrying a pack.

Do your guides speak English?

Yes. All our guides speak English and Spanish.

Can I pay in pounds?

We charge in US dollars, by card. Your bank converts it to pounds; the £ figures on this page are approximate.

How many days do I need in El Chaltén?

At least four: one big walk a day and a spare day for the wind. With a week you can add a high viewpoint or a multi-day trek.

Can you arrange a tailor-made walking holiday?

Yes. Tell us your dates, group and pace and we will put together the walks, the guide and the hotel.

Is a walking holiday with you ATOL-protected?

No. We are an Argentine company and do not sell flights. Book your flights separately and take out travel insurance that covers hiking.

Do I need a visa for Argentina with a British passport?

Not for a tourist stay. Check the latest FCDO travel advice on GOV.UK before you go.