EL Chalten: The Best Trekking experience in Argentina

The snow-capped magnificence of the Fitz Roy Mount Range nearby invites you to experience our  Adventure Classic plus programme.

For 3 days you will have the chance to trek to Laguna Torre, Laguna de Los 3 and visit Los Huemules private reservation. All this while spending nights in a stunning natural setting, at Poincenot Camp and at the cottage of Refugio Cagliero.

Be immersed in nature as you walk along numerous trails crossing forests, reaching breathtaking viewpoints of glaciers and mountains which make this corner of Patagonia so unique.

Chalten Classic Plus – 3 Days / 2 Nights.

Day 1:

Early in the morning meet your guide to start the hike to Laguna Torre. This 19km wonderful trekking takes you through a great glacial valley full of Lenga Trees to find Laguna Torre and the famous Torre Mountain. Enjoy this breathtaking view while having a quick lunch. Afterwards descend on the Madre e Hija trail towards the Poincenot Base camp. Enjoy dinner, get some rest and be ready for your next day. 

 

Day 2:

After breakfast we hike to Laguna de los Tres. This steep trek leads you to the beautiful turquoise colored waters lagoon which is the closest point to Fitz Roy Mount showing us great scenery. Afterwards descend by Piedras Blancas Glaciar viewpoint and continue towards Hosteria El Pilar. We meet our driver who will transfer us to Estancia Los Huemules.

Los Huemules is a private reservation focused on conservation. We stop at the Visitors center to get a lot of information and learn about the area and choose the best trail to Puesto Cagliero. Afterwards relax at the cottage, contemplating the stunning views of the Cagliero Glacier as you drink some wine. Dinner is included. 

 

Day 3

After breakfast, this morning is a great opportunity to explore the different hikes that Reserva Los Huemules has to offer. 

 

In the afternoon, we will get transferred back to your hotel at El Chalten village.

Recharge your energy with this active program!

 

 

Included: 

*1 night camping at Poincenot

*1 night at the refuge

*Guide

*1 Porter every 3 pax

*Meals

 

Not Included:

*tips

*Personal expenses

*Pre-Post tours, such as nights in El Chalten and transfers from/to El Chalten.

EXPLORA HOTEL IN EL CHALTÉN OPENING SEPTEMBER 2020

With views to the Electric Valley and the Marconi Glacier, explora El Chaltén will open its doors in September 2020. 

17 km away from El Chaltén and within the heart of Los Huemules private reserve, the lodge will be a headquarters from which to explore a world-renowned destination for those who love nature and trekking.

All the programs that the lodge will offer will include accommodation, transfers to and from the airport, meals and beverages, and a selection of exploration routes designed by their own outdoors team.

 

There will be Standard and Suite rooms with the typical design of the ancient Argentinean Patagonia estancias. Comfortable, luminous and spacious they promise to ensure the travelers’ deep rest. 

The hotel will offer more than 30 activities for every level of difficulty and skills, including overlands, trekking, ice hikes and rock climbing, all as diverse as the El Chaltén surroundings.

One of the places to be explored will be Los Glaciares National Park, with vast ice fields and the world-renowned Perito Moreno Glacier. Also, the Southern Patagonia Mountain Range, Mount Fitz-Roy, the towering heights of the area, and the surroundings of the Los Huemules Natural Reserve, in addition to the Patagonia forest and its rich wildlife.

The explorations may cover a full day or half a day, in groups of no more than eight travelers accompanied by a bilingual guide trained at explora’s Guide School. 

To complete and improve even more the guests’ experience, the hotel will provide a full spa service with hydromassages, sauna, and a massage room especially designed to enjoy the views; a gastronomic experience that has the Argentinean Patagonia as inspiration for the menu, offering different lunch and dinner options that fully renew on a daily basis; bars to enjoy a drink after an active day and a shop with local crafts and literature.

To be able to deeply discover this environment and fully enjoy the activities, it’s recommended a stay between four and six nights. Bookings are available now!

 

SELF HIKE KIT UPDATE FOR EL CHALTÉN & NORTHWEST

Because staying on track is important, add value to your customers’ trekking experiences with our Self Hike Kit.

Argentina offers quite a few destinations for adventurous travelers and nature lovers. Trekking is, without a doubt, one of the main activities selected by this audience to fulfill a one of a kind trip.

The Self Hike Kit is a Kallpa product designed to support two or more independent travelers who want to combine their trip with hikes and discover nature at their own pace, but with a digital support that guides them through the right path.

 The product is available in El Chaltén and in the Argentine Northwest, with different features:

Self Hike Kit Northwest Argentina includes: 

  • Safety tips briefing and operation instructions for GPS preloaded trekking maps.
  • Trekking GPS device with preloaded main trekking tracks (in case of lack of GPS equipment, we deliver the trails on maps for smartphones).
  • Printed document with general information about the treks preloaded on the GPS for the hiker to decide.
Self Hike Kit for Northwest

 Self Hike Kit El Chaltén includes:

  • Safety tips briefing and operation instructions for preloaded trekking maps for smartphones. (IMPORTANT: please read below the requirements).
  • Trekking trails preload on Google Maps for smartphones.
  • Printed document with general information about the treks preloaded on Google Maps for the hiker to decide.
  • El Chaltén trekking map.
Self Hike Kit for El Chaltén

Requirements for travelers hiking in El Chaltén

In order to smooth the briefing process, before their arrival please:

  1. Provide the Kallpa Staff with the passengers’ Gmail address, or we will create one for them to use.
  2. Make sure that the travelers’ smartphone has enough capacity (at least 50 MB).
  3. Make sure that the travelers have installed properly the Google Maps app, and that it works fine.
  4. In Google Maps, travelers must download the area’s trail map to have it available offline. A good internet connection or wifi is required for this step. So, please make sure they download it before their arrival to El Chaltén due to poor or lack of connectivity in the zone.

If you wish to book this product for your customers, please inform our Kallpa Executives.

 

 

KAYAKING IN THE RIO DE LAS VUELTAS IN EL CHALTÉN

This is a unique and unforgettable experience, sailing on Patagonian lakes and rivers by kayak for an enriching visit of the El Chaltén area.

The Rio de las Vueltas is born in the Lago del Desierto lake and, as the name implies (literally, river of turns) descends towards Lago Viedma lake, making numerous curves through leafy forests of lenga trees and vertical walls. It is one of the most important rivers in the area as it transports the meltwater from glaciers in the region.

This experience provides a privileged position aboard a sit on top kayak, for about  20 kilometers enjoying the best views of Mount Fitz Roy and its satellite needles, with a totally different point of view from the one that you get from a trail. This is an excellent complement to the traditional trekking trip to El Chaltén!

In the morning, the adventure begins at a local tourism office in town, where we take a transfer to Laguna Cóndor. After a 17 km drive, we arrive at the mountain refuge where we meet Loli, our expert guide for the day. While we drink a hot cup of coffee or tea, he introduces us to the activity; a full briefing including the itinerary, paddling instructions and safety techniques to keep in mind during our kayaking excursion. 

We try out the equipment and put on the full outfit (neoprene wetsuit, boots and gloves, safety vest and helmet) and we’re ready to rehearse the paddling movements before boarding the river.  

Finally, we get on the kayaks and properly practice our recently acquired paddling skills in the Laguna Cóndor (Condor Lagoon). If you never paddled before, it might take a couple of minutes to get used to, but overall it’s an easy task.

We follow a unique descend through the river and, if the weather allows it, we’ll get breathtaking views from the Fitz Roy Massif along the sail. Nature all around and the subtle sound of our gentle paddling is all we hear and observe, feeling really small at this environment surrounded by giants. 

Wind may blow and make the adventure more fun trying to keep the kayak on track. Don’t worry, Loli is there at all times to help and guide you! The kayaking route is 20 km but the paddling is really easy going. There’s no time pressure as the activity’s duration is adapted on the way according to the group’s size and skills.

The descent and paddling end at El Chaltén, where after a short walk we reach the office where we change our clothes, enjoy a deserved snack to recharge our energy and continue our friendly chat, joking around and remembering the experience that now has become a trip anecdote of an amazing day. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Included services: Transfers El Chaltén – Laguna Cóndor mountain refuge. Enabled expert kayak guide with basic technical English. Full neoprene-suit, gloves and boots. Jacket. Personal safety gear (life vest and helmet). Snacks, tea and coffee  in El Chalten. Radio contact with El Chaltén.
  • Not included: Transfers not detailed specifically. Tips. Box lunch (travelers have to take their own box lunch or book it through Kallpa in advance!). Services not specified in the program.
  • Please make sure to bring: Small backpack 20 lts. Extra clothes and shoes. Sunglasses. Sunscreen. Cap or hat. Jacket. Waterproof camera or protection. Box Lunch.
  • Level of difficulty: Moderate. Activity for people with good physical condition but not necessarily with rowing experience. Both beginners and experienced rowers can enjoy it. Requirement: ability to Swim.