Top Hiking Trails in Argentina Trail Map
Argentina's main trekking areas sit on its Andean border. In the south, Los Glaciares National Park holds the Fitz Roy (3,405 m) and Cerro Torre (3,102 m) massifs above the village of El Chaltén, at about 400 m, 213 km by road from El Calafate. In the west, Parque Provincial Aconcagua protects the highest mountain in the Americas, 6,962 m, reached from Horcones (2,800 m), 185 km from Mendoza on Ruta Nacional 7. Other trekking areas include the southern sector of Los Glaciares near El Calafate, where guided ice walks run on the Perito Moreno glacier; Nahuel Huapi National Park around Bariloche in the Lake District; Tierra del Fuego National Park near Ushuaia; and the Quebrada de Humahuaca in Jujuy. We will add route data for these as we verify it.
Travel Information
Country Code
AR
Currency
ARS (Argentine Peso)
Language
Spanish
Capital
Buenos Aires
Elevation Range
About 400 m (El Chaltén) to 6,962 m (Aconcagua) on the featured routes
Best Time to Visit
Los Glaciares: October to April, with the park charging season from early October to the end of April. Aconcagua: the summer season runs 1 November to 30 April, with ascents from 1 December. From May to September the El Chaltén trails require poles and crampons.
Climate
Patagonian weather changes within hours: wind, rain, sun and snow on the same day, with wind usually building in the afternoon. On Aconcagua the park gives base-camp temperatures up to 25 °C by day and -7 °C at night, nights down to -20 °C above 5,000 m, and as low as -30 °C at the top even in daylight.
Visa Requirements
Visitors from the US, UK, Canada and Australia can stay up to 90 days without a visa; the US reciprocity fee has been suspended since 2016. Decree DNU 366/2025 added health-insurance and sworn-statement requirements that apply once regulated. Other nationalities: check with Argentina's migration authority. More in our Argentina travel guide.
Health Considerations
Altitude matters only in the high Andes: Aconcagua reaches 6,962 m, while the El Chaltén hikes top out near 1,170 m. The CDC recommends yellow fever vaccination for Corrientes and Misiones provinces (Iguazú), not for Patagonia or Mendoza, and it is not required for entry. Emergencies are treated in public hospitals, but since 2026 national hospitals may charge non-resident foreigners for non-emergency care: carry travel medical insurance. Aconcagua permits require medical and evacuation insurance.
Emergency Number
911 (police and ambulance); 107 medical emergencies in Santa Cruz and Mendoza; 100 fire
Permits Required
Los Glaciares (El Chaltén): no trekking permit, but a park access ticket: ARS 50,000 per day, ARS 100,000 for 3 days, ARS 175,500 for 7 days for foreign visitors from 1 June 2026, online or by QR, card only. Registration only for climbing and remote areas such as Laguna Toro. Aconcagua: permit from Mendoza's Dirección de Áreas Protegidas; 2026-27 presale USD 950 for the Horcones ascent with a provider (2025-26: USD 1,170 with, USD 1,640 without); valid up to 20 days; insurance mandatory.
Accommodation
El Chaltén has hostels, hotels and rental gear in town. On the trails you may camp only at the three authorised campsites, Capri, Poincenot and De Agostini, all reservation-only through the Asociación Amigos del Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (30,000 Argentine pesos per adult per night as listed for 2026-27). On Aconcagua, licensed providers run the base camps at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas; toilet service there is contracted.
🇦🇷 Country Facts
Aconcagua (6,962 m)
Highest Peak
Geographic Overview
Argentina’s main trekking areas sit on its Andean border. In the south, Los Glaciares National Park holds the Fitz Roy (3,405 m) and Cerro Torre (3,102 m) massifs above the village of El Chaltén, at about 400 m, 213 km by road from El Calafate. In the west, Parque Provincial Aconcagua protects the highest mountain in the Americas, 6,962 m, reached from Horcones (2,800 m), 185 km from Mendoza on Ruta Nacional 7. Other trekking areas include the southern sector of Los Glaciares near El Calafate, where guided ice walks run on the Perito Moreno glacier; Nahuel Huapi National Park around Bariloche in the Lake District; Tierra del Fuego National Park near Ushuaia; and the Quebrada de Humahuaca in Jujuy. We will add route data for these as we verify it.
Culture & History
El Chaltén was founded on 12 October 1985 by provincial decree, to settle the Andean zone near the border with Chile; it had 1,865 residents in the 2022 census and lives from trekking and climbing. Its main trails start on foot from town. Aconcagua is administered by Mendoza province, and its permit income, rangers, medical posts and police rescue patrol are part of the climbing system.
Featured Trails in Argentina
Argentina at a Glance
6,962 m
Highest Peak
10 km each way
Laguna de los Tres
ARS 50,000
Los Glaciares Day Ticket
Oct-Apr
Patagonia Season
When to Visit Argentina
Spring (October-November)
El Chaltén park charging resumes in early October (8 October in 2026). Snow can linger on the final climb to Laguna de los Tres. Aconcagua day treks open on 15 November; the ascent opens on 1 December.
Summer (December-February)
Longest days and most hikers in El Chaltén; campsites fill, so reserve early. Main Aconcagua climbing period; in 2025-26 the park ranger, medical and air services ran from 1 December to 6 March.
Autumn (March-April)
Lenga forests turn red and yellow around El Chaltén and trails are quieter; days shorten. Aconcagua's summer season ends on 30 April.
Winter (May-September)
El Chaltén trails require poles and crampons, and walking on frozen lagoons is prohibited. Aconcagua winter climbs need a written application approved by the park authority.
Practical Information
Trailhead Access
El Chaltén: 213 km from El Calafate by road, about 3 hours by bus from the El Calafate terminal; the Fitz Roy and Laguna Torre trails start on foot from town. Aconcagua: Horcones is 185 km from Mendoza on Ruta Nacional 7, about 4 hours on the Andesmar bus.
Trail Costs
Los Glaciares access from ARS 50,000 per day (foreign visitors, from 1 June 2026); campsites 30,000 pesos per adult per night. Aconcagua: 2026-27 presale USD 950 (Horcones, with a provider), regular rates pending on 8 October 2026; USD fees are paid in pesos at the Banco Nación rate. Ticket Mula USD 6 per animal.
Park Rules
Los Glaciares: no fires (gas stoves at authorised camps only), no pets, no drones, no bicycles on trails, camping only at authorised sites; May to September poles and crampons are mandatory. Aconcagua: no pets, weapons or fires; human-waste bags mandatory in high camps.
Safety and Rescue
Wind is the main hazard in Patagonia: start early and turn back on exposed ground in strong gusts. On Aconcagua, rescue is by the Mendoza police rescue patrol, charged to your insurance or provider; free medical checks at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas.
Emergency Contacts
Emergencies (police, ambulance)
911National emergency line.
Medical emergencies
107Medical emergency number in Santa Cruz and Mendoza provinces.
Fire
100National fire service.
Los Glaciares North Zone Visitor Centre
+54 2962 493004Ceferino Fonzo visitor centre at the entrance to El Chaltén: trail information.
Tourist Police, Buenos Aires City
+54 9 11 5050 9260Comisaría del Turista, Av. Corrientes 436, Buenos Aires; 24 hours. Covers Buenos Aires city only.
Argentina Trail Regions
Mendoza
Mendoza hiking trails in the high Andes: Aconcagua Provincial Park, 185 km from Mendoza city…
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz hiking trails in Argentine Patagonia start in El Chaltén, in the north zone…
Frequently Asked Questions about Top Hiking Trails in Argentina
No. The Fitz Roy (Laguna de los Tres) and Laguna Torre trails are marked and no guide is required. Registration is needed only for climbing and remote treks such as Laguna Toro.
No longer. Los Glaciares charges a park access ticket in the El Chaltén zone: ARS 50,000 per day for foreign visitors from 1 June 2026, ARS 100,000 for 3 days. Campsites need a paid reservation.
The park gives 10 km one way, 5 hours and 750 m of climbing, so about 20 km and 9-10 hours round trip. The last kilometre climbs about 400 m.
Laguna Torre is gentler: 10 km and 250 m of gain one way. Laguna de los Tres has 750 m of gain and a steep final kilometre under Fitz Roy. On a poor-weather day, choose Laguna Torre.
For 2026-27 the September presale was USD 950 for the Horcones ascent with a provider (foreign climbers); regular 2026-27 prices were not yet published on 8 October 2026. In 2025-26 it was USD 1,170 with a provider and USD 1,640 without.
October to April. December-February has the longest days and most people; March-April is quieter with autumn colour. From May to September poles and crampons are mandatory on El Chaltén trails.
By road, 213 km; buses from the El Calafate terminal take about 3 hours. The trails start on foot from El Chaltén.