L  A   D  A  T  C  O     T  O  U  R   S
	HOME	South America	Central America	Falkland Islands	Antarctica	Unique Destinations	Unique Experiences	Newsstand	e-mail

Los Cerros El Chalten, Argentina Excursions

EXCURSIONS AVAILABLE AT LOS CERROS - in their own words:

subject to change without notice

HALF DAY WALKING EXCURSIONS

Chorrillo del Salto
Difficulty: low
Description: Short walk following Río de las Vueltas and crossing a beautiful forest of beech. Finally arriving very close to a beautiful waterfall, Chorrillo del Salto.
Duration: 2 hours
Walking distance: 4 km.
Elevation gain: 0 meters

Condors Viewpoint
Difficulty: low
Description: Walk through the little village and pass the Ranger Station, where the Visitors Centre that you may visit is located. The short hike climes up to the Condors Viewpoint where there is a wonderful view of El Chaltén, the valley of Río de las Vueltas and famous Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, contrasting with the Patagonian Steppe towards the east.
Duration: 2 hours
Walking distance: 3 km
Elevation gain: 100 meters

Cerro Torre Viewpoint
Difficulty: medium
Description: Hike along the Río Fitz Roy valley to reach the viewpoint of Cerro Torre. These famous pick is well known and attract climbers all over the world, who attempt to climb its sheer face. If the weather is good this short hike offers unforgettable views.
Duration: 3 hours
Distance to cover: 8 km.
Elevation gain: 250 meters

Laguna Capri
Difficulty: medium
Description: Walk across native patagonian beech forest to get to Laguna Capri. From the trail there are panoramic view of El Chaltén and the first estancia of the area where Andreas Madsen settled in the early 1900’s. Laguna Capri is the best point to sit down and set eyes on the granite wall of Mount Fitz Roy.
Duration: 4 hours
Distance to cover: 12 km.
Elevation gain: 400 meters

FULL DAY WALKING EXCURSIONS

Laguna Torre
Difficulty: medium
Description: Hike along the Río Fitz Roy valley to reach the Laguna Torre at the end of the valley. Get as close as non-climbers can get to the mystical Cerro Torre. You will also visit the base camp where climbers wait for the good weather to attempt the climb.
Duration: 7 hours
Distance to cover: 22 km.
Elevation gain: 250 meters

Río Blanco Base Camp
Difficulty: medium
Description: Short drive to Hostería El Pilar next to Río Blanco 11 miles north of El Chaltén. The trail follows Río Blanco, pass Piedras Blancas glacier and up to Rio Blanco base camp. Piedras Blancas glacier is a hanging glacier that descends from the base of Fritz Roy. Lunch stoop will be in the vicinity of Río Blanco or Poicenot base camp. To return to town the group will follow the trail and pass Laguna Capri to enjoy even more view of mount Fitz Roy.
Duration: 8 hours
Distance to cover: 18 km.
Elevation gain: 400 meters

Piedra del Fraile
Difficulty: low
Description: Short drive to Rio Eléctrico, 12 miles north of El Chaltén. This walk leads through beech forest and riverbeds to Refugio los Troncos, Piedra del Fraile. The place chosen by priest A. D’ Agostini to set camp during his exploration and climbs in the area.
Duration: 6 hours
Distance to cover: 12 km.
Elevation gain: 135 meters

Pliegue Tumbado
Difficulty: medium
Description: Walk through the little village and pass the Ranger Station where the Visitors Centre that you may visit is located. Pliegue Tumbado is a ridge and a summit that offers views of both Cerro Torre and mount Fitz Roy. It is also a less visited area of the park and it is well worth the effort of the climb.
Duration: 7 hours
Distance to cover: 24 km.
Elevation gain: 1000 meters.

NAVIGATIONS & ICE TREKKING

Lago del Desierto and Río de las Vueltas
Difficulty: low (navigation), intermediate (hike).
Description: We travel the nearly 40 kilometres that separate El Chaltén from the Lago del Desierto, stopping at the different spots of interest and panoramic viewpoints. Upon the arrival, there are two different options:

Lago del Desierto navigation: from the South Point (Punta Sur) to the North Point (Punta Norte) of the lake, with the possibility of walking up to the Centinela Viewpoint, or enjoying the view of the Lago del Desierto and the Cerro Fitz Roy. After two hours we return to the South Point. (Navigation is subject to weather conditions).

Huemul Glacier hike: of approximately two hours through a thick forest of lenga and beech trees, reaching several viewpoints on the way, from which we can admire the Lago del Desierto, the Laguna Huemul and glacier and the Cerro Fitz Roy massif. Later, we continue toward the Fitz Roy Adventure Camp, where we are expected for a countryside lunch. In the afternoon and until tea time you can enjoy your free time, or take short walks around the area.

Viedma Light
Difficulty: low
Description: Departure from the hotel to Puerto Bahía Túnel. This excursion takes you on a cruise across the Viedma Lake, passing beside icebergs, which have calved off the front of the Viedma Glacier. The boat will stop at a safe distance from the glacier, continuing to sail down its entire front, allowing spectacular view of the high wall of ice. The excursion provides a totally different perspective of the glacier and it is a unique opportunity for a photographic safari.
Duration: from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Viedma Trek – Viedma Ice Trek
Difficulty: medium – high. Minimum age: 12. Not advisable for pregnant women or people with heart, respiratory or mobility disorders.
Description: Departure from Puerto Bahía Túnel. We will sail through Lago Viedma to the rocky promontory near the glacier. At this point, we can choose between:

Viedma Trek: walking on the rocky promontory with unique sights of the glacier and its caverns.

Viedma Ice Trek: putting on the crampons and walking on the largest glacier of “Los Glaciares National Park” visiting the ice caverns.

Duration: from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Viedma Pro
Difficulty: high. Minimum age: 12. Not advisable for pregnant women or people with heart, respiratory or mobility disorders. This trek is destined for physically fit, because of the requirements of high resistance.
Description: Departure from Los Cerros to Puerto Bahía Túnel. We will sail through Lago Viedma to the rocky promontory near the glacier. This excursion offers you a short ice-climbing practice. The lesson will follow describing the equipment, safety tips and climbing technique.
Duration: from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Trekking on Torre Glacier
Difficulty: high
Description: Trekking and climbing on the Glaciar Torre. One of our most challenging options, this trek is destined for the physically fit, because of the excursion’s requirements of high resistance. Following the Río Fitz Roy margin up to the Laguna Torre, we trek up one of the most popular mountain paths, that have been walked by the greatest climbers of all times. After a short stop at the base camp to prepare ourselves with the necessary equipment, we do a Tyrolean traverse (crossing by rope and harness) of the Fitz Roy River. We continue our walk through a forest first and then among the rocks that precede the glacier. Once we have reached the Glaciar Torre, we shortly trek with crampons, and climb, with pickaxes and harnesses into the ice. Spectacular views of Cerro Torre’s southern wall, the Egger and Standhard peaks, the Aguja Bífida (Bifid Spire), the Paso del Hombre Sentado (Sitting Man’s Pass) and a rare view of the Fitz Roy Massif from the West are among the rewards of this journey.
Includes picnic style lunch.
Duration: 12 hours
Distance to cover: 30 km.
Elevation gain: 250 meters