For arrival afternoons, rest days and evenings: a flat stroll to a forest waterfall north of the village, and two short climbs behind the ranger station where condors ride the wind above the Río de las Vueltas.
El Chaltén's big hikes eat whole days. These two fill the gaps: arriving off the bus from El Calafate, recovering from Laguna de los Tres, or waiting out cloud on the summits.
North of the village, a flat path follows the road towards Lago del Desierto, then turns into the lenga forest to a 20-metre waterfall dropping into a pool among mossy boulders. Woodpeckers drum in the trees. The rest-day walk, or the evening one.
From behind the ranger station, a short climb leads to the Mirador de los Cóndores, a rocky knoll above the village where Andean condors circle over the Río de las Vueltas. A fork continues to the Mirador de las Águilas, looking the other way over Lago Viedma and the steppe. Do them the afternoon you arrive.
Do one on arrival and the other on a rest day.
Walk out of the north end of the village on the gravel road towards Lago del Desierto, with the river on your left.
Turn off at the sign into the forest and reach the waterfall pool. Return the same way.
Take the signed path that climbs behind the ranger station at the village entrance.
Look down on the village and across to Fitz Roy; watch for condors on the updrafts.
Continue to the second viewpoint over Lago Viedma and the steppe, then return to town.
Summer daylight lasts until about 10pm, so an after-dinner walk to the viewpoints is easy.
The viewpoints are exposed; bring a layer even on sunny afternoons.
Combine the viewpoints with the free arrival talk at the visitor centre at the trailhead.
Calafate & Chaltén practical notes →Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences.
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