Guided Fitz Roy Trek
Today, you will embark on a guided tour of the most sought after trek and viewpoint, with spectacular sights of the Fitz Roy massif. This is a private trek, however your transfers to and from your hotel, will be based on a shared service. This natural viewpoint is undoubtedly the most famous of all walks situated close to the imposing walls of Mount Fitz Roy and its surrounding granite peaks. A medium on the difficulty scale, this trek takes about 5 hours in each direction and will be at an elevation of 700 meters from El Chalten. The best time of year for this excursion is normally from October to May.
The headtrail begins at the end of Avenida San Martín, where El Chaltén town ends and your guide will be leaving the car. The slope is quite steep during the first hour, until you reach Del Salto stream valley, towards Mount Fitz Roy. You will notice that the Antarctic Beech trees become more and more visible along the path, and approximately an hour and a half further down the way, you will reach a well marked natural viewpoint. There, you will find a sign that interprets the whole landscape that lies before your eyes. Great photo opportunity!
The trail continues up along the Del Salto stream, until reaching the drainage of the Lagunas Madre e Hija. Four hours away from the starting point, you will arrive to Poincenot base camp (big free campsite) and after crossing the Río Blanco, you will arrive to Río Blanco base camp (only for climbers). From there, the path continues in ascent approximately 400 meters, until you reach Laguna de los Tres. Congratulations, you made it! The trail finishes at the old moraine ridge with an extraordinary view of the lagoon and De los Tres Glacier. This is the closest view to the granite wall of Mount. Fitz Roy and the peaks around that you can get. Heading down the moraine, you can take a trail that surrounds the lagoon until its outfall, where it is possible to admire the emerald waters of the Laguna Sucia and its hanging glaciers.
Note: Although the access to this viewpoint is possible during the months listed above, the access to this trek can vary depending on the accumulation of snow, especially in its last stretch. We always recommend to check the condition of the trail at the Visitors' Center of Los Glaciares National Park located just before the entrance to El Chalten. (This service is on a private basis.)