Routes · South America
Chicago to Argentine Patagonia: El Calafate and El Chaltén
Chicago → El Calafate → El Chaltén
Glaciers & granite spires Best season (general guide): Nov–Mar
Los Glaciares National Park, in Argentine Patagonia, has ice fields and granite peaks. This route spends three nights in El Calafate and three in El Chaltén. From Chicago you'll connect via Buenos Aires to El Calafate. The park is listed by UNESCO for its glaciers and mountains. The Perito Moreno Glacier is famous for walls of ice that calve into the lake, seen from walkways.
How to pace it: Spend days one to three in El Calafate: day one, Lake Argentino; day two, Perito Moreno Glacier; day three, glacier boat. Then spend days four to six in El Chaltén: day four, bus to El Chaltén; day five, Laguna de los Tres; day six, Laguna Torre.
El Calafate sits on Lake Argentino. El Chaltén is known as Argentina's trekking capital, with trails to viewpoints of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. The hike to Laguna de los Tres reaches a lake below Fitz Roy. November to March is the main season.
Good to know: Winds are strong and weather changes fast. Carry layers.
El Calafate's airport is a short drive from town, and buses meet arriving flights. The Perito Moreno Glacier is a drive from town, and tours and buses go daily. Boat trips on the lake bring you close to the ice. Buses run from El Calafate to El Chaltén, taking a few hours across the steppe. In El Chaltén, most trails start from town and are free, though some require registration. The longer hikes take a full day, so start early and bring food and water. Accommodation in both towns books up in peak season, so reserve ahead. Cash machines can run out in El Chaltén, so bring enough money.
Patagonian lamb is a local dish. El Calafate's lake shore has a bird reserve where flamingos and other species can be seen. In El Chaltén, cafés and breweries offer a warm place to relax after a day on the trails, with views of the peaks on clear days. Pack gloves and a warm hat, even in summer.
Suggested outline
Chicago
El Calafate
A lake town near the Perito Moreno Glacier.
El Chaltén
A trekking village below Fitz Roy.
"El Chaltén.jpg" by David, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Day by day
- Day 1 · El Calafate — Arrive; Lake Argentino· Chicago → El Calafate (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
- Day 2 · El Calafate — Perito Moreno Glacier
- Day 3 · El Calafate — Glacier boat
- Day 4 · El Chaltén — Bus to El Chaltén· El Calafate → El Chaltén (overland)
- Day 5 · El Chaltén — Laguna de los Tres
- Day 6 · El Chaltén — Laguna Torre
- Day 7 · El Chaltén — Travel home from El Chaltén· El Chaltén → El Calafate (overland), then El Calafate → Chicago (by air)
A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.
Flights, leg by leg
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- Chicago → El Calafate (CHI → FTE) · Check today's price Search fares CHI → FTE · 3 Dec ↗
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El Calafate
Plan the trip: El Calafate
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El Chaltén
Nearest airport: El Calafate Search fares · El Calafate ↗
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