El Chalten Adventure: Fitz Roy Massif – Rio de las Vueltas – Viedma Glacier
Allow us to show you just how diverse a desert environment can be with this tour of the Lake of the Desert. Experience the unique scenery in a different way as we take you to all the best viewpoints. The obligatory hiking around El Chaltén. If we get an early start, we can make it to El Chaltén in time to see the Cerro Fitz Roy base camp and the Laguna de los Tres before calling it a night.
Seeing the sunrise in person will be an experience you’ll never forget. If we avoid the town’s lower levels, we can explore the Lagunas Madre a Hija on foot the following day. Our destination is the Cerro Torre’s base, the Laguna Torre. Next, we’ll head back to El Chaltén, getting there sometime in the afternoon.
Highlights
- El Chalten
- Lake Argentino
- Mount Fitz Roy
- Lake Viedma
- Rio de las Vueltas
- Lake of the Desert
El Chalten Adventure: Fitz Roy Massif – Rio de las Vueltas – Viedma Glacier
El Calafate – Route 40 – Lake Viedma – El Chalten
Our day starts at 7:30 am as we depart from El Calafate and head along the iconic Route 40 that snakes its way along Lake Argentino up to the Leona River, ultimately arriving at the old-route hotel La Leona for a coffee-and-cake break (own expense).
Once our break is over we’ll continue along Lake Viedma, taking in magical views of glaciers, hidden lakes, and Mount Fitz Roy. After several photo stops, we’ll arrive at the Andean village El Chalten, also known as the Trekking Capital of the World. Upon arrival we’ll make a quick detour to the Interpretation Centre, then the group will be divided according to their preferred activity.
The Lake of the Desert option combines a one-hour trek with a 4×4 trip across the valley of Rio de las Vueltas, boasting wide panoramas of the Andes. The course of Rio de las Vueltas is often the preferred route of condors in their low flight from east to west. If you are lucky you will be able to see them up close.
From here we’ll visit the waterfalls and the Lake of the Desert, hidden within lush forests amid a paradise of ancient trees, glaciers, and streams. After that, there’s an optional, self-guided trek to the Huemul Lagoon and Glacier, perched on the slopes of Mount Vespignani. The path starts at Lake of the Desert and goes up the left-hand side of a stream coming down from Huemul Lagoon. It takes about 45 minutes to climb to the lagoon.
We’ll return to base at 6:00 pm to meet back up with the group.
