Sightseeing route to the Torre lagoon below Mount Fitz Roy in the Land of Fire

Easy hiking to Lake Torre in Patagonia

Starting point

The trek starts in the morning in the small town of El Chaltén, where you can leave your car in one of the free parking lots. The starting point is well marked on maps and from a distance.
 

Description of the hike

The second of the walking trips to the vicinity of El Chalten in Argentina's Los Glaciares National Park, we start at a sign marking the trek on the outskirts of town. The trail is mostly flat through open countryside, followed after a while by a steeper climb over rocks to the Cascada Margarita lookout, where you can enjoy stunning views of the canyon below you.

From this stop we continue to the Mirador Cerro Torre viewpoint, then partly through the forest until the path leads us to the river. The path around the river is not long, but it was probably the most beautiful part of the trip (except for the view of the glacier), this is how I imagine Alaska, if the idea is correct, I will surely find out in one of the upcoming trips :-)

The path around the river leads through the D'Agostini campsite, where you can spend the night, there are no facilities apart from toilets. After a short climb on a well-maintained path, you will have a wonderful view of the Torre lagoon and the majestic glacier. You can walk around the lagoon from the right side to the Maestri lookout, where you are guaranteed the best view of the ice mass in front of you. Go back to El Chaltén by the same route.
 

Difficulty

An easy trek, which even smaller children can easily manage. The trail leads along a clay paved path, gravel, stones. The whole route can be walked without problems even in rain (tried). On the way I met people with dogs again, so pets are probably ok :-) The path is not suitable for a stroller even though it is without technical passages. The hike is well marked and there is nowhere to get lost, a printed map of the park is available at the main gate.
 

Water availability

Water can be refilled in El Chaltén before the trip, and from the Rio Fitz Roy on the way (this will be appreciated especially by fans of Evian and similar mineral waters), as the river flows from a glacier. We needed about 1 liter of water per person.
 

Sleeping options

You can spend the night at the campsite by the lagoon or in one of the accommodations in El Chltén. We have tried Confluencia aparts new, clean with hot water (5 people, 3 nights 200 USD - year 2020), very nice owner Edgar is happy to help with everything.
 

Mountain peaks

Along the way, you won't see any marked peaks, but you will see many of them around - Fritz Roy 3,405 m above sea level, Aguja Poincenot 3,002 m above sea level, Aguja Rafael Juarez 2,482 m above sea level, Aguja Saint-Exipery 2,558 m above sea level and other peaks belonging to Los Glaciares National Park.
 

Danger

We didn't meet any animals along the way, but that's not to say they aren't here :-) Otherwise there is no objective dangerous place on the route. A mountain man fattened by the Tatras will have no problem here.
 

Food

We set off after breakfast (one of the cafeterias in El Chalten had sweet cakes + espresso), with a banana and a bar on the way.
 

Attractions

El Chaltén and its surroundings are far from being just for classic hikers. There are also about 138 climbing routes, rental shops and equipment stores. You can check out the routes here, for example. As described by the authors of the Patagonia Vertical 2016 Chaltén Massif climbing guide. "The dramatic Chaltén Massif in southern Patagonia offers everything a climber could want, from excellent quality granite to unique wildlife. It is one of the world's best alpine areas, tempting climbers from every corner. This group of peaks offers a wide range of objectives, from gentle alpine ascents to steep faces, from pleasant day trips to unrepeatable horror shows".

The name Chaltén comes from a Mapuche word meaning "smoking mountain" because clouds form over the mountain, if it is visible at all. The mountain is also in the emblem of the province of Santacruz. The name Cerro Monte Fitz Roy comes from Francisco Moreno, who named it after Robert Fitz Roy in 1877. More on wikipedia here.

I definitely recommend all travellers to visit probably the most famous glacier Perito Moreno (by bus / car from nearby El Calafate), 70 meter high walls of ice falling with a great roar into the lake right in front of you is an experience of a lifetime. More about the iceberg here.