Laguna de los Tres: the Fitz Roy hike and what to pack

Laguna de los Tres is the hike everyone comes to El Chaltén for: the green lake at the foot of Fitz Roy, the one on the postcards. You can do it in a day without a guide, but the last section catches a lot of people off guard. Here is what is worth knowing before you set off.

The hike in numbers

• Distance: about 10 km each way from town; 20 to 22 km round trip.
• Time: 8 to 10 hours in total, with stops.
• Trailhead: at the end of Avenida San Martín, on the north edge of town.
• Difficulty: moderate most of the way; hard in the last hour.

What the trail is like

The first hour climbs gently through the forest and brings you to a viewpoint with Fitz Roy straight ahead. Then the trail goes almost flat: across wet meadows and lenga forest, past Laguna Capri if you take that branch, to Poincenot camp.

That is where it gets serious. After crossing the Río Blanco the trail climbs about 400 metres in a little over a kilometre, on loose rock and very steep. It is the hour that hurts most and the one that decides whether you make it. At the top, the lake and the peaks right in front of you.

If halfway up the final climb the wind will not let you walk or the clouds close in, turn back. The lake is not going anywhere, and the loose section is where most people get hurt.

What to pack

• Layers: a quick-dry shirt, a fleece or down jacket and a wind and waterproof shell. It is much colder at the top than in town, even in summer.
• Hat and gloves, even in January.
• Hiking boots with a good sole. Smooth trainers on the last climb are a bad plan.
• Poles, especially for coming down the last section.
• Water: at least a litre from town. There are streams along the way.
• Food for the day: there is nowhere to buy anything on the trail.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses: the sun is strong and the wind fools you.
• A head torch if you leave in the dark or come back late.
• A bag for your rubbish: whatever you carry up, you carry down.

When to leave

Early. Leaving between 7 and 8 you reach the top before midday, when there is usually less wind and fewer people, and you have plenty of light to get back. Some people start in the dark to see sunrise turn Fitz Roy red: if you do, take a head torch, extra layers, and check the wind forecast the day before.

The weather in El Chaltén changes fast. If your planned day is cloudy, move it: that is why we suggest keeping at least one spare day in town. Our hiking forecast for El Chaltén shows cloud and wind at the lake hour by hour.

Another way: start at El Pilar

In season there are morning shuttles to Hostería El Pilar, on the road to Lago del Desierto. From there you walk towards the lake past the Piedras Blancas glacier viewpoint and hike back to town. It is a different loop, with a bit less climbing at the start.

The park entry fee

The trail is inside Los Glaciares National Park. From 1 June 2026 the day pass for the El Chaltén entrance is ARS 50,000 general (ARS 25,000 for Argentine residents). Retirees with an Argentine ID and children up to 6 go free. A second day costs half if you use it within 72 hours, which is worth it if you also plan to hike to Laguna Torre. You buy it online on the national parks portal.

In winter

The trail is open all year, but from May to September the last section usually has ice and snow. Before you go, ask about trail conditions at the park visitor centre at the entrance to town. Without crampons and experience, do not climb the last section: up to the Río Blanco you already have Fitz Roy in front of you and the walk is still worth it.