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Get ready for a life-changing 4-day hiking adventure in Patagonia! Argentina’s beautiful lagoons, glaciers, icebergs, and valleys await. Experience the impressive Paso del Viento and enjoy the panoramic views of the Southern Patagonian Icefield! With almost 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) of elevation gain, this exciting and aesthetically pleasing trip is ideal for intermediate hikers. Let your guide show you the best places in Patagonia and enjoy the fresh Argentinian air!
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Start your adventure from El Chalten, walking straight from the hotel into nature. Take the trail to Laguna Toro and walk between 6 and 8 hours. Wade through some streams surrounded by amazing views of the impressive Fitz Roy Massif as you walk up the hill and down to the Toro Valley.
Distance: 9,3 miles/ 15 km
Elevation gain: +1640 ft/500 m, -2300 ft/ 700 m
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Spend your second day hiking up to Paso del Viento (‘the Windy Pass’), the highest point from which you can see part of the Southern Patagonian Icefield. You’ll also spend a portion of the day walking through ice with crampons, exploring crevasses and seracs. This day is full of beautiful glaciers and fun terrain, leading up to the next camping spot, nestled next to a small lagoon and a tiny hut: Paso del Viento.
Distance: 8,3 miles/ 13,4 km
Elevation gain: +3280 ft/ 1000 m, -2,132 ft/ 650 m
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On your third day, trek through another pass. Traversing further along with Viedma Glacier by your side, ascend a steep slope to Bahia Tempanos (meaning ‘the Icebergs Bay’), and as soon as you reach the views, you’ll understand the name. The bay is filled with all the icebergs from the Viedma Glacier terminal face pushed by the wind. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even have a cold bath as soon as you reach this incredible camping spot!
Distance: 8 miles/ 13 km
Elevation gain: +1,805 ft/ 550 m, -3,940 ft/ 1,200 m
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On your final day, you can wake up earlier to see the beautiful sunrise and walk back to El Chalten through the steppe, the main landscape that covers most of Patagonia. Here you can find orchids and enjoy some breathtaking views of both Viedma Glacier and Lake. Before reaching the end of your trail, cross a fixed line across the Toro River. An exciting way to finish the trip, you have to admit!
Distance: 9,3 miles/ 15 km
Elevation gain: +1,640 ft/ 500 m, -1,640 ft/ 500 m
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What you get on this adventure:
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- An experienced hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- Three, four, or five days of hiking depending on your chosen itinerary
- All meals while on the tour
- All camping fees and permits
Also included with the Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre trek:
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- All camping equipment
- Private campsite accommodations in 2-person tents (single tents
available for an added fee) - Dining dome for rainy days
What’s not included:
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- Transportation
- Personal hiking equipment
- Camping equipment
- Travel insurance
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The Fitz-Roy and Cerro Torre trek is beginner-friendly, but you need to be relatively fit to participate. You need to be able to hike for 3-4 full days, covering between 5 and 12 miles (5-20 kilometers) a day. The terrain can be challenging and the weather can change at the drop of a hat. That said, to ensure a lighter and more comfortable hike, your guide will provide all the camping equipment you need!
To participate in the Huemul Circuit trek, you need to be able to hike for 5 full days while carrying a loaded backpack. You’ll be hiking between 3 and 10 miles (5-15 kilometers) a day. This is a technical ascent and you’ll need crampons, helmets, and a guide’s assistance for smooth glacier traversal and hiking on rocky terrain and slabs. Keep in mind that the terrain can be challenging and the weather can change at the drop of a hat, so make sure you’re well-rested and well-prepared.
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Your guide will give you a detailed gear list before the trek.
Here’s what you’ll need to bring:
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- Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 55L bag)
- Dry sack (13L or 20L)
- Helmet
- Trekking poles
- Fast-dry base layer
- Light and warm jacket or fleece
- Wind and water-resistant soft-shell jacket
- Rain jacket or parka
- Rain pants
- Gloves (medium thickness, waterproof preferred)
- Beanie and baseball cap or hat
- Buff or scarf
- Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear, and socks
- Clothes for layering
- Spare clothes
- Water shoes (Crocs are ok if with a heel strap)
- Gore Tex-lined boots or similar water-proof hiking boots
- Gaiters
- Fleece sweater
- Wool sweater
- Synthetic-fiber/organic-cotton hiking pants
- Jeans or slacks for the evenings
- Water bottle and 1L of water
- Thermos — optional
- Compass
- Toiletries (sunscreen, first aid kit, toilet paper, etc.)
- High-quality sunglasses
- Headlamp
- Snacks
- 3-season tent (for the Huemul Circuit trek)
- Sleeping bag (for the Huemul Circuit trek)
- Mattress (inflatable or not) or a sleeping pad (For the Huemul Circuit trek)
- Pillow
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
What exactly will you need to carry during the tour? You will carry your clothing, trail food, and personals. The tent, sleeping bag, mattress, and camping gear is already set up at the camps.
For the Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre trek, your guide will provide the tents, inflatable mattresses, and sleeping bags. Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Your guide will send you a detailed equipment list after booking.
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All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
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- Camping equipment from Viento Oeste
- Boots and trekking poles from Viento Oeste
Rental locations are in El Chalten and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
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For the Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre trek:
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- The max client-to-guide ratio is 5:1, with a maximum of 10 participants per tour.
- If joining alone, you will be placed in a group of your peers.
- You can go out with a private guide for an additional cost of $470.
For the Huemul Circuit trek:
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- The max client-to-guide ratio is 4:1, with a maximum of 8 participants per tour.
- If joining alone, you will be placed in a group of your peers.
- You can go out with a private guide for an additional cost of $570.
Treks can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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To get to El Chaltén, most people fly into Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From there, take a local flight to Comandante Armando Tola International Airport in southern Patagonia. Once there, you’re a three-hour bus ride away from El Chaltén.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, which will usually be your hotel accommodation. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in El Chalten, Argentina, please refer to the US Government’s travel advisory for Argentina.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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We highly recommended that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.
As we’ve recently seen, travel plans can be abruptly halted, so it’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance that covers cancelled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans. For peace of mind, we suggest you consider both options of insurance.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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Argentina’s local currency is called Argentine Peso (ARS). There are two different exchange rates to buy pesos called “official” rate and “blue” rate. This creates a confusing situation in which products can have an absolutely different price.
Since the country’s government introduced tough currency change restrictions, alternative ways of exchange have emerged. You can exchange your money at an official outlet (banks or legal currency exchange offices) for one price; or you can go to one of many shops, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and car rentals and exchange money at the “blue” rate – which will put many more pesos in your pocket.
If you pay with credit card, debit card or money transfer, the rate applied will be the “official” rate. Using credit or debit will cost you almost double the price that you can get by paying in cash.
Taking plenty of cash contradicts the usual advice to tourists travelling abroad, but many have been doing just that to take advantage of the “blue” rates. Ask your local guides for advice on exchanging money.
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