How many days to spend in El Calafate and in El Chaltén
The question everyone has when planning a trip down south. The short answer: fewer days than you think in El Calafate and more than you think in El Chaltén.
· Booking Directo, El Chaltén
It is the question almost everyone has when planning a trip down south: how many days in El Calafate, how many in El Chaltén and in what order. The short answer is this: two days in El Calafate and three or four in El Chaltén. Below we explain why and give you ready-made itineraries.
El Calafate: two days is enough
El Calafate is the base for Perito Moreno glacier, about 80 km from town. That gives you the count:
- One day for Perito Moreno. There and back by road, the walkways facing the glacier and, if you want, the short boat trip or the walk on the ice.
- One day for another excursion. A boat trip on Lago Argentino to other glaciers, an estancia, or just the town and the lakeshore.
A third day helps if you travel with kids, if you want to take it slowly or if your flight lands very late. More than that is too much for most people.
El Chaltén: three or four, plus one spare
People come to El Chaltén to hike, and the two big hikes take a full day each:
- Laguna de los Tres, at the foot of Fitz Roy: 8 to 10 hours. We explain what it is like in this guide.
- Laguna Torre, facing Cerro Torre: a long day, with less climbing.
The extra day is not filler. In El Chaltén the weather changes fast and there are days when you cannot see Fitz Roy. With a spare day you can move the big hike to the day it clears. If you have time left over, there are short hikes to viewpoints, Lago del Desierto or the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall.
What order to go in
Almost everyone flies in and out through El Calafate. The easiest way:
- You land in El Calafate and, if your flight arrives early, go straight on to El Chaltén (about three hours by road). How to do it is in how to get to El Chaltén.
- You do your hiking days.
- You go back to El Calafate and leave Perito Moreno for the end, close to your flight home. If your flight is in the afternoon, that same day can be glacier day.
That way you do not spend the morning of your first day on the road, and the glacier, which depends less on the weather than Fitz Roy, is the last thing you do.
Ready-made itineraries
| Days | How to split them |
|---|---|
| 4 days | 1 arrival and transfer to El Chaltén · 2 Laguna de los Tres · 3 back to El Calafate · 4 Perito Moreno and flight. Tight: if day 2 is bad, there is no spare. |
| 6 days | 1 arrival and transfer · 2 Laguna de los Tres · 3 Laguna Torre · 4 spare or a short hike · 5 back to El Calafate · 6 Perito Moreno and flight. The one we recommend most. |
| 8 days | The 6 above plus a boat trip day in El Calafate and one more day in El Chaltén for Lago del Desierto or to repeat a hike in better weather. |
If you also want Torres del Paine, add two or three days: you go from El Calafate to Puerto Natales, on the Chilean side. See where to stay in Puerto Natales.
What it costs to enter the park
Perito Moreno and the El Chaltén trails are inside the same Los Glaciares National Park, and each has its own entrance. From 1 June 2026 the day pass is ARS 50,000 general and ARS 25,000 for Argentine residents; a second day within 72 hours costs half. There are 3-day and 7-day passes that are worth it if you will go in several times. You buy them online on the national parks portal.
Where to stay
In El Calafate, near the centre if you have no car: tours pick you up at your hotel and at night you walk to dinner. In El Chaltén, what matters most is the distance to the trail you are going to hike: each listing tells you how many minutes you walk. Below are some places in both towns, all with direct booking on their own website.
Questions
How many days do I need in El Calafate?
Two full days are enough for most people: one for Perito Moreno glacier and another for a boat trip or another excursion. Three if you want to take it easy.
How many days do I need in El Chaltén?
Three or four. Two big hikes (Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre) and at least one spare day in case the weather does not cooperate.
Should I go to El Chaltén or El Calafate first?
If you fly in and out of El Calafate, the easiest is to go to El Chaltén first and leave Perito Moreno for the end, close to your flight home.
Can I do El Chaltén as a day trip from El Calafate?
You can on a tour, but it is about six hours on the road there and back and it does not leave time for the long hikes. If you want to hike, sleep in El Chaltén.
