Patagonia's wildest short trek: four days round the Huemul massif, across rivers on zip lines in a climbing harness, over two windswept passes and along the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, with the Viedma glacier spread out below.
The circuit goes round the Huemul massif south of the village. There are no refuges, no waymarked boardwalks and, for long stretches, no trail at all, only cairns across moraine and rock.
From El Chaltén the route heads to Laguna Toro for the first night, then crosses the Río Túnel by zip line in a climbing harness and climbs the Túnel glacier's moraine to Paso del Viento, the "pass of the wind", where the ice field fills the western horizon. Day three crosses Paso Huemul above the vast Viedma glacier, then makes a knee-wrecking descent to the shore of Lago Viedma. The last day follows the lake back, with a second zip-line crossing.
You must register at the ranger station, which checks your gear, and guided versions with harnesses and tents are available from the village. The hardest and finest trek in Argentine Patagonia, and self-supported.
Distances and times vary with conditions; build in a spare day for wind.
Leave the village by the Pliegue Tumbado trail, climb over the hills and drop through forest to camp near Laguna Toro and the Túnel glacier.
Cross the Río Túnel on the zip line, walk the moraine and glacier edge, and climb to Paso del Viento and the first view of the ice field. Camp below the pass.
Traverse to Paso Huemul with the Viedma glacier below, then descend very steeply through forest to Bahía del Túnel on Lago Viedma.
Follow the shore of Lago Viedma, cross the Río Túnel again by zip line near its mouth, and walk out to the road.
Arrange a transfer from the road or walk the last kilometres back into El Chaltén.
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Register at the ranger station in El Chaltén before you start; rangers check your harness, tent and route plan, and log your return.
Several agencies in the village run the circuit with a guide, harnesses and tents included, a sensible choice without glacier experience.
Much of the route is unmarked across moraine; carry a GPS track and turn back in whiteout.
Calafate & Chaltén practical notes →Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences; Pexels photographs under the Pexels licence.
