LARGE CIRCUIT

To get to know the park better, you will of course have to extend your stay in the park and walk for several days without coming back to the starting point, which is El Chaltén. Most of the walks are free and do not require previous mountain experience. Here is an example of a small route that we can recommend:

^1st day: from El Chalten, climb to the Laguna Torre at the foot of the Glaciar Grande, don't miss the De Agostini viewpoint which offers a panoramic view of the Cerro Solo. Pitch your tent up there (be aware that it can get chilly) at the Maestri camp.

Day ²: retrace your steps a bit, and turn left to reach the beautiful Laguna Capri and spend the night there (if you're not in a hurry), or continue to the Poincenot campground, where you can relinquish your tent and camping equipment. In the afternoon, climb to the top of the Los Tres Laguna hiking trail, at the foot of the Fitz Roy, the highlight of the show. Take advantage of the nature to get a breath of fresh air... and come back down to sleep in the campground.

Day ³: From the Poincenot Camp, pass by the Rio Blanco Camp, and continue to the excellent hosteria El Pilar, passing at the foot of the pretty Piedras Blancas glacier. You can camp at the Laguna Condor.

Day ⁴ and 5: Go up to the Piedra del Fraile, from where you will enjoy a beautiful view of the Lago Electrico, and descend (unless you are camping, please allow an extra day). You will reach the bridge of the Electrico River, and the RP23 road that leads to the Lago del Desierto (from El Chalten) and the Huemul glacier. Some people then leave in the direction of Chile and go up to Villa O'higgins. If you wish to continue your Argentinean journey, climb up to the Huemul Glacier (45 minutes) and camp at Lago del Desierto.

Day 6. To get back to Chalten, count on the various transports that go to the lake, but be careful not to arrive too late on the road: otherwise you will be alone, and the trip is still quite long (37 km!) to reach El Chalten. In summer, transfers are more frequent.

Day 7 and 8. It is impossible to reach the Laguna Toro sector without going back through the village. This excursion requires two additional days: one day to go up, another to go down, including the small detour to the Loma del Plirgue Tumbado mound (1,500 meters). This is certainly one of the most impressive panoramic viewpoints in the entire region.