Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
385
Finally, I can 't emphasize enough ho w prepared you must be for the w eather in E l
Chaltén. Often, there are severe winds, rain, and storms that will keep y ou indoors for
your entire stay and offer not a single glimpse of the glorious peaks. Dress appropriately,
and try to embrace the wild w eather that brings so much character to P atagonia.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Tour Operators
Fitz R oy E xpediciones
, Av. S an M artín 5 (
&
/fax
02962/493017;
www.fitzroy
expediciones.com.ar), offers a variety of trekking excursions, including a complete 9-day
circuit ar ound the backside of the F itzRoy and Cerr o Torre peaks on the spectacular
Patagonian Ice Cap, for $1,850 (£1,249) per person, all equipment and meals included,
as well as 2 nights ' lodging in an
albergue.
This is a trip for har d-core adventurers only.
They also have an excellent day trip to Lago del Desierto, which includes a short hike or
boat cruise and lunch at their adv enture camp, which offers rafting trips. The full-day
trip costs $75 (£51) and is a good option on a stormy day , as the weather is often better
toward Lago del D esierto than in E l Chaltén. F inally, they hav e multisport trips, with
river kayak trips, mountain biking, and horseback riding fr
om their lo vely F itzRoy
Adventure Camp, just north of El Chaltén.
Boat Trips
The rugged and wild Viedma Glacier is accessed fr om El Chaltén. It's a powerful place
where y ou can strap on some crampons and go explor e some magical ice.
Patago-
niaAventura
(
&
02962/493110;
www.patagonia-aventura.com) curr ently has the
concession to run this excursion. They have four categories of excursions: Viedma Light
is a half-day boat trip, where you don't step on the ice; Viedma Trek includes a light hike
at the base of the glacier; Viedma Ice Trek is a crampons-on tr ek atop the glacier; and
finally, Viedma Pro is an ice trek that includes a short course in ice climbing. All include
transfers fr om E l Chaltén, but not lunch—y ou must bring y our o wn food. Another
interesting boat trip is across the remote Lago del Desierto, which, despite its name, is in
one of the most lush v alleys in southern Patagonia. See above for booking details.
Horseback Riding
There's nothing like horseback riding in P atagonia, and the gauchos at
El R elincho,
Avenida del Liber tador (
&
02962/493007
), have been leading rides fr om their stables
in “downtown” El Chaltén for years.
12
Hiking & Camping
El Chaltén is Argentina's national trekking capital and home to some v ery good hiking
guides who'll take y ou out for an afternoon str oll, a full-day tr ek, or ev en a multiday
hiking expedition. The best can be found at
Mountaineering Patagonia,
whose office is
at E. B renner 88 (
&
02962/493915;
www.mountaineeringpatagonia.com). Also tr y
Manuel Quiroga, at
El Chaltén Mountain Guides
(no phone; www.ecmg.com.ar). They
also can arrange mor e-challenging mountaineering objectiv es, such as climbs of local
peaks, multiday treks to Paso Marconi, and weeklong traverses of the majestic Southern
Ice Field.
Although the trails here are generally very well marked, a local guide will help y ou to
have a much mor e enjoyable experience. G uides will help y ou understand the natural
history, learn about amazing mountaineering feats that took place in the area, and ensure
safety. If you're planning to hike in the par k, you'll want to pick up a copy of Z agier &
Urruty's trekking map,
Monte FitzRoy & C erro Torre,
available at most bookstor es and
