From Calafate, we drive for about 3 hours around the huge Lago Argentino to El Chaltén in the north of the Los Glaciares National Park. Just the bus ride there is a real highlight - panoramic windows are available in the first row of the upper deck ⛰️🗻🏔️
The little town of El Chaltén, surrounded by rugged, rock-covered mountain slopes, is a very special place. It feels like a dropout village at the end of the world. Each building looks different, often creatively and colorfully put together (see photos above). Prices in the simple supermarkets reach astronomical heights, likely three times higher than in the rest of Argentina. Overall, there are not many outdoor people around yet. The season starts in mid-October; winter has just ended. As a result, the roads and trails are still empty.
We take short hikes to the Condor viewpoint and through the green valley to a waterfall. For two days, we then really get into trekking tours!
The first tour to Laguna Torre is still relatively easy - although after the 8 hours we need for the round trip, we are quite groggy. The route is varied and leads slightly up and down to the foot of the Torre. The lake is almost completely ice-free; at the far end, a glacier is sliding down the mountain.
Our second tour was THE absolute highlight for us: The ascent to Laguna de los Tres with a spectacular close view of Fitz Roy. The day before, we managed to rent good gear, crampons and poles. They will be extremely helpful for us on the last steep slope with snow!
We start at dawn just after 7 AM. With ample supplies and our gear, we feel well prepared and clumsily climb the first ascent out of the valley.
From then on, the path mostly leads relatively flat through a wonderful landscape, constantly revealing new views of the Fitz Roy mountain range.
After about 9 kilometers, we reach the real test: for about a kilometer, we have to overcome 400 meters of elevation to reach the lagoon. We strap on our crampons and progress with the poles. It gets steep very quickly. The path is full of large stones and snow.
The ascent is worth it. We enjoy the panorama with a view over the frozen lagoon and the Fitz Roy behind it.
As a bonus, two young Caracaras (“Patagonia Falcons”) pose for us tourists. They are unafraid and obviously used to humans.
The return journey then drags on like chewing gum. With breaks, we ultimately take over 10 hours! Phew, we made it 🙏🏻
