The nature lover’s destination- Argentina attracts tourists for several reasons. The main reason why tourists visit the country is for Patagonia Argentina. The lush green pine trees and crystal glaciers are a treat to the outdoor enthusiasts. You can also experience the cactus deserts inside the North side of the country.
The country houses several hiking trails spread all over the country that is extremely famous. There are also some lesser known trails inside the country for the hikers who like a quieter environment. The best hikes in Argentina are a paradise for the people seeking an adventure trip. Read this article to know about the same.
TOP HIKING SPOTS IN ARGENTINA
The hiking trails and glaciers are famous among the travelers who visit the country. If you are planning on a trip to this country, these are the most sought spots for hiking inside the country that you definitely should try:
EL CHALTEN
El Chalten is a village situated within the Los Glaciares National Park inside the country. This place also marks the starting point of several hiking trails that are well known. Those include the Fitz Roy trek, Laguna Torre, and Laguna De Los Tres.
El Chalten is also regarded as the trekking capital of the country and is a perfect spot for the hikers around the world. The village is surrounded by various snow capped mountains and beautiful lakes all around. If you are looking for soothing views, easy treks or difficult ones, this place has it all.
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MOUNT FITZ ROY
The Fitz Roy hike is also one of the most famous ones inside the country. The starting point of this hike is the village of El Chalten which is the trekking capital of the county. Start this trek and wander into the Los Glaciares national park. There are several trips that you can try from easy ones to five day long treks. Easy or difficult, the hiking trails are wonderful here with spectacular scenery and snow capped mountains along with the pristine lagoons.
FROM VILLA O’HIGGINS TO EL CHALTEN
Mostly, people travel from one county to another through any mode of transportation. However, from El Chalten it becomes to travel on foot from Argentina to Chile. This hike is one of its kinds and is the best way to hike Patagonia. The adventure lasts from two to three days depending upon the speed. The hikers have to walk through the wild forests surrounded by the mountain peaks and pristine lakes all around. They have to pass through a remote and unsupervised border reaching Chile and then take a ferry to reach the Villa O’Higgins. You should note down that the ferry only operates on Saturday afternoons, so plan your trip accordingly.
From Villa O’Higgins, you have to reach the O’Higgins glacier by a ferry and then reach the remote farm in Chile. Then, you will have to continue for another 22 kilometers through no man’s land to reach the country.
After reaching there, you will have to choose between walking or boat ride for another 15 kilometers to reach El Chalten. This hike is comparatively easier than its counterparts.
THE TORRES
If you are looking for an adventure that won’t give you a hard time with sore muscles, then this is the one. You will not even have to plan an overnight trip for this. The starting point of this track is from El Chatlen as well. To make this hike overwhelming, you can cover both Fitz Roy and Torres altogether. If you are active and fit enough, you can cover them both in a single day. The trails are almost flat, but the trek is a long one, so make sure to bring along enough food and water with you.
TORRES DEL PAINE CIRCUIT
There are just so many Patagonia hiking trails that cannot be mentioned inside one article. This is the crown jewel of hikes inside Patagonia if you want to go from north to south of the country. The park is getting famous with each passing year as the tourists are getting well known about it. The trek is of medium difficulty level and takes 8 days to complete. If you do not have much time, you can just hike to the W trek Patagonia. This will save you three days and show you amazing views except for the ice fields.
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TRONADOR
The hanging glacier tronador trek is an excellent one inside the country that definitely is a must try. It is also one of the best hikes in bariloche. You have to take a 2 hour bus ride to reach Bariloche which is a popular spot for skiing during winters.
The beginning of this trek is pretty easy with almost plain trails, but reaches to a steep position which is known as caracoles. After reaching there, the hike is mostly done upon the rocks and along that the trek is not difficult. We can label the difficulty level of this trek as medium. There is also a Refugio at the top where you can stay and spend the night. You will have to book that when you reach Bariloche.
You can lose yourself with star gazing along the snow covered peaks. The sight is extremely spectacular.
REFUGIO FREY
The difficulty level and the time taken for this trek vary from people to people. This is because there are several routes for this. You can either take the ski lift located there and reach the Condor lookout, and then boulder there for a few hours, and then finally go straight up or down to reach Refugio, or you can also take the forest way, or a combination of both.
The Refugio Frey is well equipped with comfortable beds and other amenities, although you can also choose the option to camp.
BEST TIME TO GO HIKING IN ARGENTINA
The best time that you should visit this country for hiking is during springtime, which is from October to November. However, you can also opt the summer months from December to February, to experience a more soothing and less cold weather. If you are looking for a quieter experience with less tourists around, you can opt for the spring or autumn season.
The weather is really unpredictable inside the country, and can also get severely windy on the mountains. Hence, make sure to pack warm clothing, wind cheaters and all the essentials that you will need before traveling to enjoy the best hikes in Argentina.
