In December 2019, I spent seven days with my wife, trekking in El Chalten. It was a truly memorable experience. Every day we were on a different trail, all of which were well marked but not in an intrusive way. We averaged around 20 km per day. The only trail which was physically challenging was the trail up to the Laguna de los Tres, beautiful dark blue mountain lakes.
We would return in the early evening and go straight to dinner at one of the many restaurants in the small town of El Chalten, most of which offered a hearty meal for a reasonable price – at least on international terms. The imposing Mt. Fitzroy was almost always visible, accompanied by striking cloud formations as high prevailing winds from the Pacific sweep over this southernmost evidence of the great Andes mountain chain.
The weather was cool, frequently accompanied by steady winds, but it was not a hinderance. Once you get the blood pumping as you head up the foothills, you welcome the cool air. The scenery – the streams, the waterfalls, the cliffs and rivers – all against the backdrop of Mt. Fitzroy, make El Chalten an enchanted village in the Patagonian wilderness. Combine it with other points around Calafate, like the Perito Moreno glacier, and you have a really wonderful vacation opportunity.
