Hikers paradise, welcome to El Chaltén.
In this blog we go to El Chaltén in Patagonia Argentina. This place is also known as hikers paradise. We spent a long weekend with a friend in this magical place and in this blog I share my top favorite hiking trails and places for food or a coffee with you.
Day 1
We drove with our car from El Calafate to El Chaltén in 3 hours. During this route we enjoyed the beautiful landscape and the wild animals you will see along the way. After arriving in the village we first went to Paisa for a good cup of coffee and cake. Then we drove to our Airbnb to unpack and started our hiking adventures really calm and easy with the trail Chorrillo del Salto. From the city this trail is less than 4 kilometers, you can go by car or walking. The level of this trail is easy, and coming closer to the end of this route you will already hear the waterfall. The waterfall is one of the last legs of the Arroyo del Salto, before it flows into De las Vueltas river. For dinner we went to our all time favorite bar, La Zorra.
Day 2
We started our hike really early around 8 o clock in the morning, so it was still a bit cloudy. We decided we wanted to hike the famous route, Laguna De Los Tres, which has the closest view of the Mount Fitz Roy! The first kilometer of this trail is quite steep. After the first kilometer it is getting easier and you can start enjoying all the beauty you are surrounded by.
Our first stop is Laguna Capri close to the famous camping Poincenot. The landscape and the route are constantly changing. There are parts where it is easy to hike, but the route is also uneven in large parts. Passing the beautiful Rio Blanco, if you like you can fill up your bottle of water here. And then, the last stop before it is getting real. Because the last kilometer up the Laguna de Los Tres, is seriously difficult. There is also a warning that you have to be in good physical condition. The slope is around 400 meters steep and it will take you around one hour to get all the way up. And there it is! Laguna de los Tres, and the view on the Mount Fitz Roy. The blue color of this lagoon is insane and you have to hike a little bit more to see this. After a well deserved lunch, including wine, we continued our hike. We decided to return by a different route, named Lagunas Madre y Hija. Also a beautiful trail, and this trail has a medium level. In total we hiked 30,7 kilometers in one day. It was worth every step! In the night we decided to go the pasta restaurant Maffia where they serve delicious home made pastas. Also the pasta dessert is here a favorite!
Day 3
On our last day we had a well deserved rest day. We went to La Wafleria and spent a couple of hours in their garden playing with our dogs. We filled up our tank and returned to El Calafate to continue our adventures there.
Tips; take a good lunch and a bottle of water with you. Also take your sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, gloves, a warm jacket and a waterproof jacket with you!
If you like you can also watch our movie about this magical place on Youtube.
