Short walks, one longer hike
Two of the tours on this page combine the Mirador de los Cóndores with the Chorrillo del Salto. The condor lookout is a short climb above the village (the Patagonia Dreams listing gives about 700 m) with a view down over El Chaltén and, on a clear day, across to Fitz Roy. The waterfall is the second, shorter stop. One traveller in October 2026 found the walk to the lookout well paced and fairly easy in good weather, adding that rain would make it harder.
The Info de Ushuaia day is different. Its guided hike to the Mirador Laguna Capri covers about 8 km with roughly 400 m of climbing, around two hours up and two back, with a picnic at the top. No other day trip from El Calafate takes you further along a trail. Minimum age is 12, and you should be used to walking uphill for a couple of hours.
| Trail | Return | On foot | As a day trip |
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| Laguna Capri | ≈ 8 km | ≈ 4 h | Guided hiking day |
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| Laguna Torre | 18–20 km | 7–8 h | Needs a night |
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| Laguna de los Tres | 23–25 km | 8–10 h or more | Needs a night |
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Laguna Torre and Laguna de los Tres: nomadicsamuel.com. Laguna Capri: tour listing, October 2026.
Laguna Torre and Laguna de los Tres each take a full day on foot from the village. Add the drive from El Calafate and there is no schedule that works, which is why none of the day trips offers them. If one of them is the reason you came to Patagonia, stay at least one night in El Chaltén.
The park ticket in the north works differently
El Chaltén lies in the northern zone of Los Glaciares National Park, the same park as the Perito Moreno Glacier and with the same rate table. The payment rules are stricter here: the official rate page lists Los Cóndores among the northern access points where tickets are sold only online, through the website or a QR code, and paid only by card. Cash is not accepted. None of the three tours includes the ticket, so buy it at ventaweb.apn.gob.ar before you set off. Rates and discounts are on our entrance fee page.
Source: argentina.gob.ar, Los Glaciares rates, checked 10 October 2026.
Clouds, wind and snow decide what you see
Fitz Roy is often hidden. A traveller in October 2026 had no sun, did not see the mountain at all and called the trip a wasted day; another, in August 2026, felt the tour should have been cancelled because of the weather. In winter, snow can stop the Capri hike, as a review from August 2026 reports. You book a fixed date, so the weather is a gamble. All three tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the start; if your plans allow it, book El Chaltén early in your stay and move it when the forecast for the north looks better on another day.
Pickup only from places with a reception desk
The Patagonia Dreams tour collects you only from accommodation with a reception desk. From an apartment or a private room you walk to a meeting point. The other two tours list hotel pickup without that condition.
