Patagonia has a reputation for being expensive, and indeed, it generally isn’t cheap. Especially since El Chalten’s access to Los Glaciares National Park is no longer free. El Chalten does offer some of the best hiking in Argentine Patagonia so it’s still worth a visit. And luckily there are some free campsites available in the National Park, which will help make El Chalten hiking more budget-friendly.
You can do a circular hike taking in all the highlights of El Chalten, while staying at free campsites. This way you’re saving money and time and kilometers by not going back to town. And as a bonus, you’ll also be ahead of the day-tripping crowds, who do stay in El Chalten overnight.
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Table of Contents - El Chalten on a budget: 3-day hiking itinerary with free campsites
How to get to El Chalten
By bus
Most travelers visiting El Chalten get here from El Calafate. There are several buses a day and the trip takes about 2.5 hours. You can check the schedule here, but I recommend buying the ticket at the terminal and paying in cash for the best price. El Calafate is home to the famous Perito Moreno glacier so if you’ve got time, spend 1-2 nights in El Calafate to visit this glacier. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
If you’re coming from the north, you can also take a Marga Taqsa bus from El Bolson or Bariloche. However, these buses are very expensive, especially compared to other routes in Argentina.
By plane
Considering how big the distances are in Patagonia, taking a flight might be your best option. Domestic flights from Buenos Aires are generally not too expensive. When booked ahead of time, they are generally even cheaper than buses, especially when traveling light. The closest airport to El Chalten is in El Calafate, a 2.5-hour bus ride away.
By car
El Chalten is about 1400 km south of Bariloche (18+ hours when driving straight) and about 1000 km north of Ushuaia (13+ hours when driving straight). Puerto Natales (the gateway to Torres del Paine in Chile) is about 400 km and a 7-hour drive away.
Hitchhiking is pretty common in Patagonia, but due to the large distances and increasing popularity (= more competition), it’s not always easy.
When to visit El Chalten
El Chalten, and Patagonia in general, is a summer destination. The summer months (December to March) are the best weather-wise. They are also the busiest and most expensive months.
Spring is quieter, but trails might still be closed if they are covered in snow and ice. The mountains will have plenty of snow though, so views from open trails will be even more magical compared to summer.
Autumn is a good option too, and my favorite season for Patagonia. The autumn colors add an extra touch. It does get colder this time of year, especially at night, so trails might be slightly frozen over early in the day.
Where to stay in El Chalten
Accommodation is quite expensive in El Chalten. Luckily you’ll be able to save some $$ with this 3-day hiking and camping itinerary, but you’re going to want to stay in town for the first and last night.
Hostel Casa Azul is the most popular and cheapest hostel in town. They have space for tents as well, so you can save even more by pitching your tent on their terrain. Since this is the most popular place in town, it does get very busy which can lead to queues for the bathrooms and kitchen, which is something to take into consideration if you want to stay here.
If you’re going to be camping in El Chalten, there are several other budget options to stay at. The first time I visited El Chalten, I stayed at Camping El Mochilero, which was fine. Exactly what you’d expect from a budget campsite and less busy than Hostel Casa Azul. There are a few other campsites around as well so you can have a look around and compare prices and reviews.
Hiking El Chalten - A 3-day itinerary
Day 0 - Arriving in El Chalten and an optional short hike
Try to arrive in the morning or early afternoon if you have the option. This way you’ll have the afternoon to buy your supplies and rent camping gear if needed. There are a few stores in town selling and renting camping and hiking gear, so if you’re missing something you can find it here.
If you got everything done super early, make the most out of your time here by doing a short hike, either to Mirador de los Cóndores (condor viewpoint, about 45 minutes) or head to the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall (about 1.30 hours).
If you can’t make it early, no worries. Tomorrow is an easy day, so if you get up early you’ll have enough time to buy supplies and pack your bag for the hike.
Day 1 - El Chalten to Poincenot - 3.5 hours
The estimated hiking time for this leg is only about 3.5 hours. So no worries if you didn’t get everything done yesterday, there is still time this morning.
Set off on the path heading to Fitzroy. You’ll pass a camp spot at Laguna Capri after about 2 hours, which makes for a great stop and a lunch break. Once reenergized, keep going for another 1 -1.5 hours to reach Poincenot. This is where you’ll set up camp for the night.
Day 2 -Poincenot to D'Agostini via Laguna de los Tres - 5.5 hours
Today is a big day: Laguna de Los Tres is the most iconic of the El Chalten hikes. And also the most difficult one of this itinerary. The good news is that you’ll pass by the campsite again to continue the circuit, so you can leave your things there. Just take your valuables, water, a snack, and plenty of warm clothes as it is cold up there. An extra sweater or jacket, a hat, and gloves will all come in handy!
If it looks like it’s going to be a nice and clear morning, try to make it for sunrise. Mount Fitzroy is even more beautiful when it is colored bright orange in the early morning light. It takes about 1 hour to reach the Laguna de los Tres viewpoint from the Poincenot campground when conditions are good. If the ground is slightly frozen over, calculate some extra time. There is no real rush today, especially if you went up for sunrise, so enjoy your time at the viewpoint.
Back at the campsite, pack up your stuff, prepare lunch, and head towards D’Agostini campsite via Laguna Madre y Hija (mother and daughter lake). This is a very nice part of the hike and you’ll hardly see anyone here, as daytrippers will not come across this part. It takes about 3 -3 3.5 hours to reach D’Agostini from Poincenot.
Day 3 -D'Agostini to El Chalten via Laguna Torre- 3 hours
The D’Agostini campground is only about 10 minutes from Laguna Torre, so if you want another shot at sunrise, you got it! Head to Laguna Torre in the morning and leave all your stuff at the campsite, you’ll pass by later on your way back to El Chalten. Enjoy the views and peace and quiet at the lake before the day-trippers arrive.
Once it starts to fill up (or once you’ve had enough) continue on the path along the lake for more spectacular views of both the lake and glacier. The way back to El Chalten is about 2.5 hours, so there is no need to rush. You could even take a bus to your next destination on the same day if you’re short on time.
Optional extra day in El Chalten
If you are not in a rush to get to your next destination, you might as well spend an extra day in El Chalten.
If you’re up for more hiking, hike to Mirador Los Cóndores for views over the town of El Chalten and its amazing surroundings. Or head to the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall.
If you want a break from hiking, you could also just go for food and drinks. Be aware that going out for food and drinks here is a little more expensive, so it’s not the most budget-friendly thing to do. If you want to go cheap, it’s better to buy food and drinks in one of the grocery stores.
If you do want to have a well-deserved meal out, there are plenty of places to go in El Chalten. We’ve eaten at several places and all have been great! But, the very best beer I had was the Pale Ale at Fresco bar! Several people told me they had the best Pale Ale, so I had high expectations. It did not disappoint. Don’t let this stop you from trying other places though. La Birre del Rancho has great beers too, for example, and amazing views from their terrace upstairs. Other great options are La Zorra and La Vineria.
Optional extension of the circuit adding Lago Eléctrico
There are plenty of other beautiful places to visit in El Chalten, like the Piedras Blancas Glacier and Lago Eléctrico, which can quite easily be added to the above circuit. The reason I didn’t add them initially, is because there are no free campsites in this area. You have the option to stay at Piedra del Fraile or Bonanza (which seems to have changed their name to Rio de las Vueltas), both are paid campsites, but with facilities.
Day 1 - El Chalten to Poincenot - 3.5 hours
This day is the same as on the 3-day El Chalten hiking itinerary.
Day 2 - Poincenot to Rio de las Vueltas or Piedra del Fraile via Laguna de los Tres - 6 - 7 hours
Just as with the 3-day hiking itinerary, visit Laguna de los Tres in the morning and head back to Poincenot for lunch.
Once you’re ready to continue, instead of heading towards Lagunas Madre y Hija, head in the opposite direction, towards Piedras Blancas. Enjoy a break here and continue to the campground.
There are 2 paths on the hiking maps like Maps.me and Mapy.cz, El Pilar (following the sign post) is the official trail.
Whether you want to stay at Camping Rio de las Vueltas or Piedra del Fraile depends on your personal preferences. When taking the El Pilar trail, Rio de las Vueltas is closer than Piedra del Fraile. Our legs and backs were pretty tired and as we were not in a rush to get back to El Chalten, we decided to go with the 1-hour walk to Rio de las Vueltas. If you’ve got the energy to go on for 2.5 hours instead, you might want to head to Piedra del Fraile. Then you’ve got all day the next day to spend on Lago Eléctrico. Piedra del Fraile is also cheaper than Rio de las Vueltas, but the facilities at Rio de las Vueltas are better. Contact them directly for better prices.
Hiking to Glacier Piedras Blancas – There are two hiking trails that lead past Piedras Blancas.
If you follow the official El Pilar trail, you’ll get to see Piedras Blancas from a viewpoint, quite far away. The trail is very easy and comfortable to hike and well maintained.
The other trail, on the other side of the river, is very rocky and has small ups and downs occasionally heading into the vegetation before leading back to the riverbed. More or less at the point where the trail curves towards the glacier, there is a sign saying that this trail is officially closed. Since we had already come so far, it didn’t make sense for us to turn back here, so we decided to see if we could get a good view of the glacier at least. The first bit was fine. But further along, it gets trickier as there is no path anymore, it’s just climbing over rocks. And it could potentially be dangerous due to falling rocks from above as well.
Day 3 - Lago Eléctrico
Dedicate this day to Lago Eléctrico. How long you’ll need depends on the campground you’ve chosen. From Piedra del Fraile it’s about 1 hour to Lago Eléctrico. From here you can keep walking along the lake. Spend your day and another night here, or just a morning and head back to Poincenot for the night.
If you’re staying at Rio de las Vueltas, it’s a 3-hour hike to Piedra del Fraile. The first hour is along the road, so you might be able to hitch a ride. Don’t get too excited though, there isn’t a lot of traffic, and most people driving by are tourists with their cars packed. But it doesn’t hurt to try while making your way there! We got a ride heading there but had to walk back.
Unless you hitch a ride on your way and take your stuff with you (you can ask if you can leave it at the shelter at Piedra del Fraile), you’ll need to spend another night here at Rio de las Vueltas and make your way to D’Agostini the next day. This is what we did, as we weren’t in a rush to get back to El Chalten and preferred to go with just our daypacks.
Weather at Lago Eléctrico – Lago Eléctrico is infamous for having the worst weather in the area. Seemingly all storms get formed here, at the huge glacier in the valley on the other side of the lake. Hence the name I guess (Electric Lake). This is something to consider if you’re planning a trip to Lago Eléctrico. The weather is normally better in the mornings, which is another reason to stay at Piedra del Fraile. We arrived close to noon and it started to rain and hail and there were very strong winds. When we got to the point where we needed to hold on to rocks and occasionally hide behind them, we decided to turn around.
Day 4 - Rio de las Vueltas or Piedra del Fraile to D'Agostini via Laguna Madre y Hija
Depending on where you stayed the previous day, you’ll start your day at Piedra del Fraile, Rio de las Vueltas, or Poincenot. If you’re staying at Poincenot, you could even make it back to El Chalten today. The hike to Laguna Torre is only 3 hours, and it’s another 3 hours to El Chalten.
If you’ve stayed at Rio de las Vueltas or Piedra del Fraile, make your way to Poincenot for lunch and continue to D’Agostini via Lagunas Madre y Hija.
Day 5 - D'Agostini to El Chalten via Laguna Torre - 3 hours
The last day of this 5-day El Chalten hiking itinerary is also the same as on the 3-day itinerary.
Other hikes in El Chalten
It’s hard to leave El Chalten, there are just so many beautiful hikes to do here. Even though we were tired, we still wanted to do more! So we took a rest day in town, which consisted of lots of food and craft beer, and did some more hiking.
We took a day trip to Lago Desierto, which didn’t consist of a lot of hiking. You can pay a transfer to get you there and back. They will drop you off at the lake, from where you can do an optional hike to the Huemul glacier, which is about 45 minutes. Note that there is a small entrance fee to access this path. You can also walk along the lake or take a boat tour. We didn’t love this day as much as our other days in El Chalten, but it was still a nice day out. Especially if you want to do a little less hiking.
The next day we set off on another El Chalten camping trip with a free campground. A 2-day hike to Laguna Toro. This hike was actually one of my favorite ones! The route is really beautiful and there are not many people out there. It’s a 7-hour hike from El Chalten to the lake, meaning it’s not possible to do it as a day trip.
Laguna Toro (also called Laguna Tunel) is actually part of the 4-day Huemul circuit, which is still on my list. The first time I visited El Chalten I didn’t know about this circuit, and the second time I just didn’t have the energy anymore after hiking so much in Chile.
Another beautiful hike is the Loma del Pliegue Tumbado, offering spectacular views over Mount Fitzroy and the surrounding mountains.
