El Chaltén has two ends and a middle. At the north end, where Avenida San Martín finishes, the Fitz Roy trail starts: Laguna Capri and Laguna de los Tres. To the west, behind the last houses, the Laguna Torre trail begins. At the south entrance are the bus terminal and the National Park Visitor Centre. Every place in town is less than half an hour on foot from all three; choosing well saves you that half hour at seven in the morning, which is when it weighs most.
North end: at the foot of Fitz Roy
The best area if you have come to hike. Step out of the door and in ten minutes you are on the Laguna de los Tres trail, the longest one and the one worth starting early. It is the quietest part of town at night and the furthest from the terminal: with a suitcase, take a taxi from the terminal. 7 with their own website:
| Lodging | Type | Fitz Roy trail | Torre trail | Bus terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pudu Lodge | Mountain lodge | 5 min | 15 min | 25 min |
| Las Agachonas | Apartments | 5 min | 15 min | 20 min |
| Rancho Grande | Hostel | 5 min | 15 min | 20 min |
| Destino Sur | Hotel and spa | 10 min | 10 min | 20 min |
| Cabañas Austral | Cabins | 10 min | 15 min | 15 min |
| Hotel Poincenot | Hotel | 10 min | 15 min | 15 min |
| MerKaba Aparts | Apartments | 10 min | 10 min | 20 min |
Minutes on foot by street, worked out on OpenStreetMap at an easy pace (4.5 km/h). The name links to each one’s own website, where you book direct.
The centre: Avenida San Martín
Between the two ends, on the avenue and the streets that cross it, are nearly all the restaurants, the bakery, the grocery shops and the gear rentals. You are halfway between the two big trails and can walk to dinner. Our office is here, at Lionel Terray 145, next to El Puma.
| Lodging | Type | Fitz Roy trail | Torre trail | Bus terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneros del Valle | Hostel | 10 min | 15 min | 15 min |
| Alma de Patagonia | Inn | 10 min | 10 min | 20 min |
| Hostería El Puma | Inn | 10 min | 10 min | 15 min |
Minutes on foot by street, worked out on OpenStreetMap at an easy pace (4.5 km/h). The name links to each one’s own website, where you book direct.
The west side: by the Laguna Torre trail
Higher streets, looking over the Río Fitz Roy valley. The trail to Laguna Torre and the Torre viewpoint starts five or ten minutes away, and the Margarita waterfall is twenty. A good area if you are here for Cerro Torre, the Madre e Hija traverse or the Maestri viewpoint.
| Lodging | Type | Fitz Roy trail | Torre trail | Bus terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaulem | Boutique hotel | 20 min | 5 min | 10 min |
| Pitihué | Apartments | 20 min | 5 min | 10 min |
| Inlandsis | Cabins | 20 min | 5 min | 10 min |
| Cumbres Nevadas | Boutique inn | 20 min | 10 min | 10 min |
| Los Cerros del Chaltén | Boutique hotel and spa | 15 min | 10 min | 15 min |
Minutes on foot by street, worked out on OpenStreetMap at an easy pace (4.5 km/h). The name links to each one’s own website, where you book direct.
The entrance: bus terminal and Visitor Centre
If you arrive late by bus or leave early, sleeping here means getting off and being there. Next door is the Visitor Centre, where the rangers give the trail conditions, and the start of the Los Cóndores and Las Águilas viewpoints, perfect for the afternoon you arrive. The Fitz Roy trail is about twenty-five minutes on foot.
| Lodging | Type | Fitz Roy trail | Torre trail | Bus terminal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostería Senderos | Inn | 25 min | 15 min | 5 min |
| La Comarca Aparts | Apartments | 25 min | 15 min | 5 min |
| Don Galle | Cabins and apartments | 25 min | 15 min | 5 min |
| Cóndor de los Andes | Hostel | 20 min | 15 min | 5 min |
| Don Joel | Cabins and hostel | 20 min | 15 min | 5 min |
| Kau Si Aike | Inn | 20 min | 15 min | 5 min |
| Chaltén Suites Hotel | Hotel | 20 min | 10 min | 5 min |
| Senderos Suites & Aparts | Suites and apartments | 20 min | 15 min | 10 min |
| Familia de Campo | Guesthouse | 20 min | 10 min | 10 min |
Minutes on foot by street, worked out on OpenStreetMap at an easy pace (4.5 km/h). The name links to each one’s own website, where you book direct.
Out of town: the road to Lago del Desierto
About 16 km north, on route 41 towards Lago del Desierto, between the Río de las Vueltas and the Río Eléctrico, the forest begins and the back of Fitz Roy appears. From there the El Pilar trail climbs to Laguna de los Tres without touching town; a few kilometres on is the Río Eléctrico bridge, where our Laguna de los Tres day starts. No noise, no lights and Fitz Roy in the window, but far from the restaurants: you need a car or a transfer.
- Cerro Eléctrico
- Four solar tiny houses made from upcycled containers, 16 km from town and 800 m from the El Pilar trail, looking at Fitz Roy.
- Hostería El Pilar
- An inn in a Patagonian-style house, a pioneer in the Río de las Vueltas valley, in ñire and lenga forest by the start of the El Pilar trail.
- Estancia La Quinta
- An estancia with a Patagonian inn on route 23, about 6 km south of town, before you arrive. For those with a car who want open country.
- Patagonia Eco Domes
- Geodesic domes among the lenga trees, at the start of the trail to Laguna de los Tres.
What kind of place
- Hostels
- A bed in a shared room and a kitchen for everyone. The cheapest way to sleep indoors and the best way to find trail partners. Many also have private rooms.
- Inns (hosterías)
- The most common kind in El Chaltén: houses with a few rooms, breakfast, and owners who live here. They usually know what the weather will do tomorrow.
- Hotels and boutique hotels
- More services: spa, own restaurant, bigger rooms. The ones at the north end and on the west side look at the mountains.
- Cabins and apartments
- Your own kitchen and room to spread out: practical for families, groups or long stays. You save by cooking and packing your own trail lunch.
- Camping
- In town there are paid private campsites such as El Relincho, El Refugio, El Mochilero and La Torcida (locations: OpenStreetMap). Inside the Park, you can camp at Laguna Capri, Poincenot and De Agostini, booked and paid per night, with a dry toilet.
If you want to sleep up high, with the tent pitched, food and a guide: this is our night at Poincenot camp, facing Fitz Roy. See →
When to book, and how
From December to March the town fills up, and January and February are the hardest months: book weeks ahead, especially at the north end. Many places close in winter, from May to September, and those that open are cheaper. October, November and April are the best balance of free rooms, price and long days. Read more →
Every place on this page has its own website where you can book direct. Booking on their site you deal with the owner, with no middleman, and it is easier to ask for something specific: an early check-out, leaving your bag while you are in the mountains or breakfast before time.
The best place to stay in El Chaltén is the one ten minutes from the trail you will walk tomorrow.
Would you rather not plan it all? Our packages include your room in town, the transfer from El Calafate and the guided treks. See →
How many nights
Three nights are enough for Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre with one spare day for the weather; with five you add a high viewpoint such as Pliegue Tumbado and a rest day. Fewer than two is a gamble: if you get the cloudy day, you leave without seeing Fitz Roy. Sleeping in El Calafate and coming for the day is not worth it: it is almost three hours by bus each way. 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
Questions
What is the best area to stay in El Chaltén?
For hiking, the north end of town, where Avenida San Martín finishes: the Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres trail starts a few minutes away. If you are here for Cerro Torre, the west side; if you arrive late by bus, the entrance by the terminal.
Is it better to stay in El Chaltén or El Calafate?
For hiking, El Chaltén. From El Calafate it is almost three hours by bus each way, and the trails start on foot from town.
How many nights should I stay in El Chaltén?
Three at least, for Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre with a spare day for the weather. Five if you want to add a high viewpoint and a rest day.
Do I need to book accommodation in advance?
In January and February, yes, weeks ahead. From December to March the town is full. October, November and April are easier and cheaper.
Are there hostels and campsites in El Chaltén?
Yes. There are several hostels with shared and private rooms, private campsites in town and, inside the Park, the Laguna Capri, Poincenot and De Agostini camps, booked and paid per night.
Where can I stay close to Fitz Roy?
In town, at the north end. Out of town, on the road to Lago del Desierto about 16 km north, where the El Pilar trail starts towards Laguna de los Tres. And to sleep facing Fitz Roy, Poincenot camp.
Do places close in winter?
Many close from May to September. Those that open are cheaper; check each one’s website.