Let’s say that our welcome to El Chalten was not one of the warmest. Literally. Have you ever wondered which cafe or bakery open the earliest in town? Neither did we. Or at least, not before being dropped off at the bus terminal station at about 5am on a freezing morning. It was not until the sun started to light up mount Fitz Roy with a soft orange tint that we felt properly introduced.
If you ask around, everybody will agree that El Chalten has something special. It’s just like the perfect mix between trekking paradise, isolated location and affordable prices. In other words, the must-visit destination for all those enjoying amazing DIY outdoors activities on the cheap. And who wouldn’t be up for that?
Main street of El Chalten
The Town
El Chalten is not a big town yet it has all the comforts of a huge city. There are plenty of restaurants (even vegan ones), local breweries, outdoor shops, spas, supermarkets, souvenir shops, libraries and much much more for every taste. Just know what you want and go for it!
In terms of accommodation, there’s also plenty of options. From the super-expensive 500$/night suite hotel to the cheap 10$/night dorm bed in a laid-back hostel, you’ve got everything. Are you in a group? No problem, you can also check out the several self-catering cabañas scattered around town (make sure to stay at Puesto del Sur Cabañas if your budget allow it!).
But that’s not really why everybody comes into town, El Chalten is also one of two gateways (together with El Calafate) to a stunning National Park.
View of El Chalten from above
The Glaciers National Park
Also known as the “Parque Nacional Los Glaciares”, the park extends from the Desert Lake in the north to the far south of the Glaciar Frias. As the name suggest, this park is home to at least a dozen of the most famous glaciers in the country. In other words, if you want to have a chance of trekking among glaciers in Patagonia this is the place to visit.
Marta at the entrance of the path of Laguna Torres
Funnily enough, El Chalten is such an important trekking destination that several trails of the park start right in the heart of town. Crazy, uh? Whether you’re planning to go our for a day excursion or a multiple camping+hiking adventure, everything is possible. I see what you’re thinking and the answer is no: this is nothing like Torres del Paine.
There is no entrance fee for the park and you can stay at all the campings present for free. You literally could be walking around the park for as much as you want, camp all you want and see all the beautiful sights in it without paying a single penny.
You know those places you wish you spent more time in but your schedule didn’t really allow it? Well, for us El Chalten was definitely one of them! The next time we’ll visit the region, this town will surely be the first destination we’ll hit. No matter what, push El Chalten to the top of your must-visit place and you’ll later pat yourself on the back!
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