Situated in the stunning northern reaches of Patagonia’s Los Glaciares National park and tucked under the shadow of Mount Fitz Roy, sits the tiny mountain town of El Chalten.

The area around El Chalten encapsulates everything that travelers love about Patagonia. It is home to hanging glaciers, sculpted mountains, and crystalline lakes. One would be hard pressed to find a town with a more picturesque setting.

EL CHALTEN ARGENTINA

El Chalten is a tiny town that bursts at the seams with backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts. Made popular for its proximity to some of South America‘s most striking scenery, El Chalten is a magnet for hikers, adventure-seekers and longterm travelers.

El Chalten is to Argentina what Torres del Paine is to Chile. Both are havens for hikers. Both contain a melange of craggy, glacier-crowned mountains draped in glistening waterfalls. Both offer varied terrain, from scrubland to windblown cliffs and from rolling meadows to glacial lakes. Both offer spectacular views that are difficult to capture in pictures and impossible to describe in words.

And yet, while I loved both Torres del Paine and El Chalten, my experiences in the two popular hiking meccas were entirely different. Torres del Paine is remote and more difficult to access. Hiking in the park requires preparation, forethought and gear that is suitable for unpredictable weather.

On the other hand, hiking in El Chalten is made easier by the fact that most of the scenic trails leave from town and can be explored as day hikes. Thus, warm hostel beds and hearty food options are never more than 30km away. For those who feel more comfortable taking day trips rather than carrying their homes on their backs, El Chalten offers a great alternative to trekking in Torres del Paine.

POPULAR HIKES IN EL CHALTEN

El Chalten is a mecca for day hikers and backpackers alike. The town is the starting point for the challenging Paso del Viento trail, as well as a launching pad for spectacular day hikes to the glacial lakes at the base of Mount Fitz Roy.

Though there are many El Chalten hikes that cater to varying levels of fitness, the lengthy day hikes to Cerro Torre (~24km) and Laguna de Los Tres (~30km), are among the most popular in the park.

• DAY HIKE TO LAGUNA TORRE FROM EL CHALTEN

On our first day in El Chalten, Dan and I decided to hike the popular trail to the base of Laguna Torre. Roundtrip, the hike to Laguna Torre from El Chalten is about 24km long and takes hikers along the Rio Fitz Roy, to the base of the towers. The area around the Rio Fitz Roy is home to a colorful array of birds. Throughout the hike, Dan and I kept our eyes peeled for colorful woodpeckers and other signs of wildlife.

During our day hike to Cerro Torre, we followed the river through forests and over hills, using the jagged mountain peaks as our compass. We could see the serrated peaks throughout the hike–rising dramatically above the wide valleys and windswept landscapes.

When we reached the lake, we sat in the shade of the mountains for a while, admiring the floating chunks of ice and watching the clouds dart around Cerro Torre’s towering granite spires.

After admiring the surrounding scenery from the lakeshore, Dan and I decided to continue hiking up a ridge toward an unmarked lookout. We scrambled up rocks and over loose scree to discover sweeping views of a large glacier that flows down the mountainside.

Though the overcast skies cast a grey shadow around us and muted the colors of the landscape, we counted ourselves lucky that we were able to dodge Patagonia’s notorious wind and rain for yet another day.

• DAY HIKE TO LAGUNA DE LOS TRES

The following morning, we were even luckier when the cloud cover lifted during our longer and more strenuous 30km hike to Laguna de Los Tres. On our second day of hiking in El Chalten, light drenched our surroundings in color–bringing out the greens of the trees, the turquoise of the water and the varying shades of grey and brown in the cliffs.

Laguna de Los Tres is the most famous day hike around El Chalten. Like the trail we took the previous day, it crosses over riverbeds and through forests, offering hikers breathtaking views of the serrated peaks that rise above the Earth like jagged teeth.

As we neared the laguna at the base of Mount Fitz Roy, the trail became steeper and steeper, until I found myself practically scrambling 1.5km up the vertical side of a mountain.

For a moment, I wished that the brilliant sun would disappear behind the clouds and give me some relief from the heat.

Then, I saw the peaks in all their colorful glory and reminded myself that seeing them basked in sunlight would be worth the pools of sweat, the burning in my legs and the prodding in my head.

And was it ever.

From the summit of the hike, we were rewarded with spectacular views of Cerro Fitz Roy. Rising from the turquoise waters of the lagoon, the mountain’s jagged spires pierce the sky, poking and prodding the swirling clouds.

We hiked around the lakeshore and scrambled over boulders–exhausted and sore, yet driven forward by the promise of beautiful panoramas and by the ever-expanding views of the adjacent Laguna Sucia.

****

El Chalten is one of the world’s greatest hiking meccas. From its small cluster of hostels and guesthouses, outdoor enthusiasts can explore a number of spectacular day hikes and long treks around the base of the iconic Mount Fitz Roy—Argenitina’s most beloved mountain.

Mount Fitz Roy is an iconic symbol of Patagonia, alongside Torres del Paine, the Perito Moreno Glacier, and Tierra del Fuego. It is these peaks that inspired the logo for Yvon Chouinard’s popular clothing brand, Patagonia. And it is this raw and wild scenery that draws thousands of visitors annually to the tiny and otherwise sleepy village of El Chalten.

As we waved goodbye to Patagonia and headed toward the airport en-route to Buenos Aires, I couldn’t help but think that our hostel-mate, Nancy, was right.

El Chalten really is a little slice of glacier-studded, granite-spired paradise on Earth.

_______________________________________

Did You Enjoy this Guide to Hiking in El Chalten Argentina? Pin It!

The post Spectacular Day Hikes in El Chalten, Patagonia appeared first on Erika's Travels .

The Perito Moreno Glacier is a dazzling blue and white expanse of pure awesomeness. It is one of Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields and a highlight of traveling in Patagonia. 

The glacier  is huge —30km long, 5km wide, and 60 meters tall—and growing every day. With colossal chunks of ice that break off its face and plunge into the turquoise waters below, Perito Moreno provides an immersive experience that is both visual and auditory.

The glacier is a masterpiece of nature. A a stunning example of earth’s forces moving and working in real-time. Visiting it is 100% worth the hype (and price tag). 

PERITO MORENO GLACIER IN ARGENTINA

The Perito Moreno Glacier is among the most beautiful places to visit in Argentina. It lies 80km from the touristy town of El Calafate, in the southern reaches of Los Glaciares National Park.  

A UNESCO World Heritage Site in the southern Andes, Los Glaciares contains many glaciers that are fed by the massive South Patagonian Ice Field—the largest ice cap outside of Antarctica and Greenland and one of the world’s leading sources of freshwater. 

Along with Tierra del Fuego and the multi-pronged peaks of Mount Fitzroy, Perito Moreno is among the top places to see in Argentine Patagonia. 

WHY IS PERITO MORENO SO FAMOUS?

While most glaciers around the world are receding due to climate change, Perito Moreno is unique in that it is actually expanding (albeit ever so slightly). A low gap in the Andes allows frequent storms to cover the surrounding mountaintops in snow all year round. 

Under tremendous weight, the snow crystallizes and flows eastward down the mountain, pushing the glacier across Lago Argentino.

Thus, though chunks of the glacier are continually breaking off the wall of ice and sliding into the lake, the size of the ice sheet does not decrease. 

PERITO MORENO GLACIER VIEWING PLATFORMS

Marked wooden boardwalks give visitors unparalleled views of the glacier wall that towers above Lago Argentino’s icy waters. The viewing platforms allow visitors to see, hear, and photograph the Perito Moreno Glacier up-close.

Our ice trekking tour included about 45 minutes of free time for exploring. We spent the entire time on the boardwalks, soaking in the extraordinary views of the ice sheet. In amazement, we watched as chunks of ice broke off the vertical wall with deafening roars.

We realized quickly that standing in the presence of the Perito Moreno Glacier is as much an auditory experience as a visual one. For the glacier is continually in motion—cracking, expanding, and plunging into the lake below.

TREKKING TOUR ON THE PERITO MORENO GLACIER

In order to appreciate the grandiose beauty of Perito Moreno, I highly recommend joining an ice trekking tour.

Trekking atop the ice field allows you to relish the glacier from a different vantage point. It showcases the pristine beauty of the national park and introduces you to more dazzling shades of blue than you ever knew existed.

Our tour of Perito Moreno began with a short boat ride to the edge of the glacier, near the Big Ice Trek trailhead. From water level, it was easy to appreciate the towering height of the glacier face.

Prior to touring Perito Moreno, I’d visited the the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska and the Columbia ice field on the border of Jasper and Banff. I thought I knew exactly what to expect.

But nothing quite prepared me for the sheer size of Argentina’s most famous glacier.

Even the Grey Glacier that Dan and I had seen a few days prior in Torres del Paine seemed tiny in comparison.

After a short boat ride, we began a forty minute walk up a trail that runs parallel to the ice field.

When we reached the starting point of the trek, our guide taught us how to use crampons and gave us a few safety tips.

Atop the glacier, we were fully immersed in the textures and colors and movement of the ice field.

And as we walked away from its debris-stained edges, all the vibrant blues you can imagine started to sparkle beneath the brilliant sun.

The undulating surface of the glacier is in constant motion, much like a sand dune. At some points, spires of ice rise sharply skyward—their valleys and peaks interrupted by pools and streams of meltwater. In other places, the ice is smooth and stretches as far as the eye can see, before plunging into a brilliantly blue abyss.

It is the kind of place that I find impossible to describe with words.

HIELO Y AVENTURA ICE TREKKING TOURS

We chose to join Hielo Y Aventura for the our ice trekking experience. The company runs two tours on Perito Moreno each day—the Mini Trek and the Big Ice Trek.

Hiely y Aventura is the only company permitted to operate trekking tours on the glacier.

• MINI TREKKING

The Mini Trek offers an introduction to glacier hiking. It is perfect for travelers who don’t want to commit to the hefty price tag or long duration of the Big Ice tour.

Hielo Y Aventura’s mini trekking excursion dedicates 1.5 hours to hiking on the ice.

Participants must be at least 10 years old.

• BIG ICE TREK

The Big Ice Trek allows you to spend three hours on the ice as opposed to one and a half. It also promises the opportunity to see crevices, cracks and glacial lakes on a much larger scale.   

Dan and I chose the Big Ice Trek since we’d read such rave reviews.

We’re so glad we did.  

Our tour granted us 45 minutes to watch the glacier in action from the viewing platforms. It included roundtrip transport to Los Glaciares National Park, a boat ride to the edge of the glacier, all the gear for our three hour trek, and a shot of whiskey at the end. 

Due to insurance liability reasons, the Big Ice Trek is limited to people aged 18-65.

OTHER PERITO MORENO GLACIER TOURS

While Hielo y Aventura offers the only ice trekking tours, it is by no means the sole tour operator in the area. There are a host of other glacier tours, bookable online, that allow you enjoy Perito Moreno from all angles.

Kayak tours on Lago Argentino offers the opportunity to get close to the action and witness the calving glacier from water level.

And if you want to explore the area by catamaran, a full day boat cruise of Los Glaciares National Park will bring you face to face with the Upsala and Bertracci glaciers in addition to Perito Moreno.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK

El Calafate is the closest city to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Unless you’re camping within Los Glaciares National Park, it will likely be your base when visiting the area.

The America del Sur Hostel is a great option for backpackers and solo travelers. While somewhat more expensive than other hostels in the area, it boasts a large patio and lovely views of the nearby mountains and lakes.

Posada Karut Josh is a charming midrange option with lively decor, a lakeside location, and stellar reviews.

And if you’re got some extra dollars to spend, you’ll want to look no further than the Mirador del Lago Hotel—with its clean rooms, stylish decor, and upscale amenities.

PERITO MORENO GLACIER HOURS AND FEES

Entrance to the Perito Moreno Glacier costs 500 ARS (~$30 USD). The fee is payable in cash, at the entrance to the park.

If you sign up for a tour, make sure to check whether entrance to the park is included in the price of your excursion. Most companies—including Hielo y Aventura—do not include the park entrance in their rate.

The gate to the national park opens at 8 am and closes at 6 pm during summer months. In winter, the hours are 9am to 4pm.

You can stay in the park up to two hours past the last entrance time.

GETTING TO THE GLACIER FROM EL CALAFATE

El Calafate is 90 minutes away from Perito Moreno by car.

Most people opt for the easy way of getting from El Calafate to Perito Moreno: a glacier tour that includes transport. We chose this option, as transport was included in our tour package.

During peak season, buses travel to and from the park three times a day. The earliest ones leave at around 8:30 AM and the latest return at 7:30 PM.

CalTur and Chaltén Travel both operate this route. Timetables can be found on their respective websites.

WHEN TO VISIT THE PERITO MORENO GLACIER

The best time to visit El Calafate is during the Southern Hemisphere’s Spring and Summer, from October to April.

We picked the perfect February day to visit Perito Moreno and couldn’t have been luckier weather-wise.

Of course, weather in Patagonia is notoriously unpredictable. Traveling in prime season does not necessarily mean you will have favorable weather.

Whatever time of year you plan to visit, make sure to bring lots of layers and plenty of sunscreen.

****

Our day trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier was absolutely incredible, from start to finish. It brought us face to face with one of South America‘s most striking geographical features and allowed us to witness the dynamic Patagonia Ice Field in action.

At the end of our Big Ice Trek, our guides served us shots of whiskey over 200 year old glacial ice.

It was the perfect way to finish off an unforgettable adventure.

_____________________________

LIKE THIS BLOG POST ON ICE TREKKING IN PERITO MORENO? PIN IT! 

The post Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Trek appeared first on Erika's Travels .

The craggy peaks of Torres del Paine National Park dominate the landscape of Chilean Patagonia. They soar toward the sky like outstretched fingers, concealing glistening lakes, transparent rivers and a host of wildlife in their shadow.

Adventure lovers from around the world flock to Patagonia during South America’s summer months in order to experience some of raw nature at its finest. The region is a backpacker’s wonderland and and an adventure-lover’s playground.

Hiking is the best way to explore Patagonia. As a result, trails criss-cross the landscape and bring travelers face-to-face with its majestic scenery. Among this vast network of trails is the W Trek—Patagonia’s most popular trek and one of the most beautiful multi-day hikes in the world.

TORRES DEL PAINE W HIKE: PLANNING & LOGISTICS

Torres del Paine National Park is one of the highlights of Patagonia, alongside Mount Fitz Roy, Perito Moreno, and Tierra del Fuego.

The park’s most famous hike—the W Trek—is a multi-day backpacking adventure that is as challenging as it is rewarding, and as beautiful as it is wild.

Hiking the W Trek in Torres del Paine requires a fair amount of planning and coordination. In preparation for the journey, I scoured forums, read blogs and made multiple trips to REI for gear. And yet, as Dan and I boarded our flight to Punta Arenas and the prospect of hiking in Patagonia suddenly became very real, I realized that I still had little more than a vague idea of our plans.

Luckily, we had scheduled a day in Puerto Natales to figure out the logistics of our itinerary, rent trekking poles and camping gear, plan for emergencies, and attend an information session conducted by the Erratic Rock Hostel.

The Erratic Rock Hostel was our best planning resource for the W Trek. The popular backpacker’s hangout in Puerto Natales holds an informative overview of the W and O circuits ever day at 3pm. The session is open to the public and covers everything from equipment rental to transportation and from campsites to suggested hiking itineraries.

• GETTING TO TORRES DEL PAINE

In order to reach the park, we took a 7am bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park. Buses Gomez and Buses Maria Jose both operates two daily departures from the Puerto Natales bus station—one early in the morning, and one at 2.30pm. Both bus companies charge roughly $16 one way.

At the park’s administration center, we registered for the hike and reserved a campsite at the popular Torres Camp for the final night of our trek. Then, we hopped back on the shuttle and continued to Pudeto, where we caught a ferry to the Paine Grande trailhead. 

TORRES DEL PAINE W TREK

I would have loved to hike the entire O Circuit in Torres del Paine, but the loop takes about nine days to complete and would have eaten up nearly all of Dan’s accrued vacation time. Instead, we settled on the Torres del Paine’s W Trek—an abbreviated and popular five-day version of the longer circuit that covers many of the park’s most notable highlights.

Heeding valuable advice from the information session, we decided to hike the W Trek from West to East—starting out with the park’s easiest terrain and moving gradually to the more challenging sections of the trail. This would allow us to acclimate to the feeling walking hours on end, with our homes on our backs.

W TREK DAY 1: PAINE GRANDE TRAILHEAD TO GLACIER GRAY

With our bags packed high and the wind at our backs, we began the first leg of our hike from Paine Grande to Glacier Grey.

The trail is lined with craggy mountain peaks on one side and the placid Lake Grey on the other. As we neared Camp Grey, we were afforded spectacular views of the ice field in the distance.

Low-lying cloud cover partially obstructed our views of the mountain peaks and muted the colors of our surroundings. Still, we counted ourselves lucky in terms of weather and marveled at the beauty around us. Most of what we had read about Patagonia warned us of the temperamental and unpredictable forecast. We’d heard of strong winds and heavy rains often posing obstacles to hikers and we’d come prepared for the worst, hoping for the best. Yet, aside from sporadic gusts of strong wind and occasional low-lying clouds that obstructed our view, the weather remained pleasant throughout our hike. 

When we reached the Glacier Gray campsite, Dan and I quickly set up tent, put down our heavy packs and continued walking along the trail in order to get an up-close view of the glacier. We hiked an additional 4km each way, across a suspension bridge and toward the now-defunct campsite between Refugio Grey and Paso Camp.

At one point, we heard the thunderous sound of a calving glacier and saw a massive chunk of ice plummet into the lake below. We were awestruck and giddy with excitement. I couldn’t believe how fortunate we were to witness the forces of nature at play and to have found ourselves at the exact right place, at the right time (little did I know how many calving glaciers we would witness one week later, at the Perito Moreno Glacier).

And yet the glory of our first day on the trail did not end there.

After we returned to camp and fixed up a dinner of dehydrated Pad Thai, we were rewarded with one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen. Lenticular clouds formed over the mountain peaks, making the sunset striking not only because of the reds, oranges and purples of the sky, but also because of the unique shapes of the clouds.

DAY 2: GLACIER GRAY TO CAMPAMENTO FRANCES

On our second day of hiking the W Trek, the trail took us from the Glacier Gray campsite to Campamento Frances. Campamento Frances is the newest camp in the park and offers an alternative stopping point to the free and often booked-up Campamento Italiano. The path between the two camps returns to Paine Grande, before continuing along the shores of Lake Pehoe and Laguna Scottsburg. As we hiked, the clouds lifted a bit, revealing mountaintops that had been largely concealed the day before.

We were exhausted when we arrived at camp. Dan’s knees hurt from tendonitis and the bottoms of my feet were sore from hiking another 20km under the weight of my pack.

DAY 3: DAY HIKE TO THE FRENCH VALLEY FROM CAMPAMENTO FRANCES

On the third day of our trek, we explored the scenic French Valley as a day hike from Campamento Frances. We had elected to stay at the same campsite for two nights, so that we wouldn’t have to worry about taking down and re-mounting our tent. Staying put for two nights also allowed us to leave our heavy packs at the campsite and climb up to the Mirador Britanico with just our cameras and a small pack of essentials.

The French Valley is the middle leg of the W and many consider it to be the most beautiful area of the park. A trail leading to the Mirador Britanico cuts through forested terrain and is flanked by tall, granite spires on either side. As we scrambled up the uneven path, each step revealed views more spectacular than the last–stratified columns of granite reaching toward the clouds, sheer cliff faces plummeting to the valley floor and hanging glaciers lying delicately between the mountains’ crevices.

Behind us, views of Lake Nordenskjold and the sculpted, windswept hills took our breaths away.

DAY 4: CAMPAMENTO FRANCES TO TORRES CAMP

In addition to being the longest day in terms of distance, our fourth day of hiking was made more difficult by the beating sun and constant uphill climb.

But despite the fatigue we felt, we were propelled forward by the promise of beautiful view upon beautiful view. 

The path led us past the Cuernos towers, across bubbling streams and along the shores of sparkling lakes.

During the penultimate day of our hike in Torres del Paine National Park, the sun had decided to peak out from behind the clouds and paint the mountains and lakes in vivid shades of brown, green, blue and grey.

That is, until we reached the base of the towers and the clouds began to form in front of us—muting the landscape’s vivid colors once more.

The famous towers are the crown jewel of Torres del Paine National Park and are considered to be the highlight of  the W Trek. They are Chile’s answer to the jagged peaks of Argentina’s Mount Fitzroy.

The last stretch of the climb to the towers was grueling, especially after such a long trek from Campamento Frances. For the last mile or so, we had to scramble up a steep moraine that shot straight up the mountain with few switchbacks.

The views, of course, were worth every ache and pain in our legs.

As Dan and I sat at the base of the towers and tried to shield ourselves from the fierce wind, we ogled at the remote and wild beauty around us.

Then—exhausted from the longest stretch of our multi-day trek—we hobbled back down the mountain, toward camp.

DAY 5: COMPLETING THE TORRES DEL PAINE W TREK

By the beginning of day 5, we had made it to the pinnacle of the trail. From the towers, it was all downhill, both in terms of difficulty and elevation. With a mere 8km to go on the fifth and final day of our hike, we relished the fact that we had conquered the W Trek in Patagonia and successfully completed our first multi-day backpacking trip together.

***

The rugged tip of Chile is home of sweeping vistas, jagged granite towers and a host of Patagonia animals like the adorable wild guanacos (South America‘s answer to a camel and the largest mammal in Patagonia). It is also home to unpredictable weather; strong winds, relentless rains and, at times, sweltering heat.

Hiking the W Trek in Chilean Patagonia left us tired and sore and battered and bruised. Despite the agreeable weather, the elements had peeled a whole layer of skin off my face and the steep downhill portions of the trail left Dan with a crippled knee.

But hiking the Torres del Paine W Trek also left us invigorated and inspired. The reward of completing the hike washed away any semblance of pain and exhaustion that we might have otherwise felt.

And the views and photographs that we gathered from our five days on the trail, were worth every punishing step.

_______________________________

Like this Guide to Hiking the W Trek in Patagonia? Pin It!

The post Hiking the W Trek in Torres del Paine appeared first on Erika's Travels .