Hiking in El Chalten

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All about hiking

Hike of our lives

On December 25th we were ready for “the hike of our lives” - 35 kilometer (20 mile) round-trip hike with 3200 feet vertical gain from El Chalten. Laguna de Los Tres should not be missed, especially in a good weather and our luck was on our side – despite crazy winds, the day was sunny and warm!


Our physical condition though could have been a bit better. Our faces had been under continuous attack from – wind, dust, sun, and dry air. Maria woke up today with puffy eyes, patches of sun burn, and her lips swollen and covered with crust. Nevertheless, the hike of our lives was absolutely worth it. We started out with some amazing views. After a short climb at the beginning of the trail, the space suddenly opened up and we could see great panoramic views with snow peaks of the mountains, valleys, and lakes. From that point on, we were slowly making our way up! We tried to make breaks every 30 min and drink water to keep ourselves hydrated. On our way to Laguna de Los Tres, we passed beautiful Laguna Capri, which on a good day, has a reflection of the mountain Fitz Roy. This day was too windy for that, so we moved on quickly. Four hours after our start we reached the base camp, Poincenot. There were at least 5-6 tents there and a number of hikers enjoying the views of the mountain.

The last 1.5 kilometers of this hike are very steep and exposed, and some hikers choose to overnight at the base camp. The climb indeed looks ominous - steep and long – and after 10-15 minutes of contemplation we got going. On the way up, Matt was upfront and set a pretty good pace. The path was treacherous and hard on our ankles. It took us about an hour to get to the top with a couple of short breaks. The guide book gave the same time, but we wondered whether this was accurate as the slightly lower pace would easily give you anywhere from 30 min to an additional hour. At the top a small surprise - another little hill to climb up. After that though, the jewel of the whole hike - Laguna de Los Tres - was there for us to enjoy. The view was simply amazing. A cobalt-blue lagoon surrounded by Fitz Roy and the peaks around, condors flying up high, panoramic view of the lakes, forests, and mountain walls. We stayed at the top for some 45 min and we didn't want to leave. Getting down was easier, but more tricky because of the steep slippery slope and gravel.

Which way to return?
The next decision was to choose the way back. We were tired, but not very tried and we therefore chose a longer route to get home making our return back close to 5 hours instead of the possible 2. Granted, there were very enjoyable views on the way back, but our feet were on fire and our brains were in a "let's get home" mode. We were also running out of water such that we had to set to take one sip of water per hour. Although the water considered drinkable in this area, we also didn't want to risk it and relied on our limited supply. Around 9 pm we finally saw El Chalten and it was a relief. Our total hiking time – 11 hours! We were dead, but also pretty hungry, so a more basic pasta with canned tuna dinner turned out to be unbelievable enjoyable! Matt, as a true gentleman, had also some strengths left to entertained girls at the hostel reception. Maria was drained more than she wanted to admit, but also very happy with a sense of a big accomplishment. This day was perfect!

Christmas dinner
We got to El Chalten the day before and it was FREEZING. Patagonia Hostel was a good choice considering their international hikers vibe and a kitchen. Matt cooked a great pasta bolognese christmas dinner and with a bottle of wine and chocolate, we felt like we got a little bit of christmas spirit going.

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