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How many days in Patagonia? 6 days for Perito Moreno and Fitz Roy
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Argentine Patagonia is enormous, but the part most travellers come for fits in one corner of Santa Cruz province: Los Glaciares National Park. Give it six days: three from El Calafate for the Perito Moreno Glacier and the ice fields of Lago Argentino, and three from El Chaltén, the trekking village under Fitz Roy, 215 km north. The weather decides everything here, so keep one day loose.
Short answer
Four days covers Perito Moreno and one big hike from El Chaltén. Six give you a glacier boat day and a spare day for the wind and cloud that hide Fitz Roy.
The 6-day plan, day by day
Day 1: El Calafate: Laguna Nimez and the Glaciarium
Morning. Fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate (about 3h15; the airport is 20 km and 25 minutes from town, transfer about US$15-20). Then walk the main street, Avenida del Libertador.
Afternoon. Walk 15 minutes from the centre to Laguna Nimez Nature Reserve (about US$8-10), a 2.5 km loop around a lagoon on the shore of Lago Argentino, with flamingos and black-necked swans. Then take the shuttle 6 km to the Glaciarium (about US$20-25), a museum of the ice fields.
Evening. The Glaciarium's ice bar, kept at -10°C, is a novelty for one drink. Then eat cordero patagónico, lamb slow-roasted on a cross over a fire (asado al asador), at a parrilla on Libertador for about US$20-30.
Book Perito Moreno buses and boat trips on day one in town, so you can shift them if the forecast changes.
Day 2: Perito Moreno Glacier
Morning. Take a bus or tour 80 km (about 1h20) to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Pay the national park fee at the gate (for foreigners roughly US$40-50 in pesos; it changes often, check the current rate on the Parques Nacionales site). The glacier front is 5 km wide and about 60-70 metres above the water.
Afternoon. Walk the pasarelas, about 4 km of metal walkways on the Magallanes peninsula facing the ice. Allow 2-3 hours and wait: towers of ice crack and fall into the lake with a sound like gunfire. The 1-hour Safari Náutico boat (about US$40-50) takes you to the base of the wall.
Evening. Return to El Calafate by 18:00-19:00. In summer it stays light until after 22:00, so walk down to the lake shore at Costanera before dinner.
For walking on the ice itself, the Minitrekking with crampons (about 1.5 hours on the glacier, roughly US$300 or more, ages 8-65) sells out weeks ahead in January and February.
Day 3: Lago Argentino by boat: Upsala and Spegazzini
Morning. Take a bus 45 km to Puerto Punta Bandera for a full-day boat trip on the northern arm of Lago Argentino, through fields of floating icebergs to the Upsala Glacier, one of the largest in South America, which has retreated dramatically in recent decades.
Afternoon. Continue to the Spegazzini Glacier, whose front reaches about 80-135 metres high, the tallest in the park. Some trips land at Estancia Cristina, a remote sheep ranch from 1914 reachable only by boat, with a museum and a 4x4 ride to a viewpoint over the Upsala (about US$200-350 depending on the trip).
Evening. Return around 17:00-18:00 and eat at a restaurant serving trout and king crab (centolla) from Ushuaia, about US$30-45 with wine. A Malbec by the glass costs about US$5-8.
The lake gets rough in strong wind; boats may be cancelled. Take a seasickness pill if you are prone, and wear windproof layers on deck.
Day 4: Bus to El Chaltén and Mirador de los Cóndores
Morning. Take the 8:00 bus from El Calafate's terminal to El Chaltén (about 3 hours, 215 km, roughly US$30-40 one way). Buses stop at the La Leona roadhouse halfway, where Butch Cassidy is said to have hidden in 1905.
Afternoon. On the way into the village, stop at the Centro de Visitantes for a short park briefing and the trail map: hiking in this northern sector of the park is free. After checking in, walk 1 hour return to the Mirador de los Cóndores and Mirador de las Águilas for the first view of Fitz Roy and Lago Viedma.
Evening. El Chaltén, founded only in 1985, has craft breweries and pizza places on Avenida San Martín; a pint of local beer is about US$4-6 and a pizza US$12-18.
Check the forecast for Fitz Roy before planning the next two days: do Laguna de los Tres on the clearest day, Laguna Torre on the other.
Day 5: Laguna de los Tres, under Fitz Roy
Morning. Start from the north end of town at 7:00 on the trail to Laguna de los Tres, about 20-22 km return and 8-10 hours. The first 2 hours climb gently past Laguna Capri and through lenga beech forest to the Poincenot campsite.
Afternoon. The last kilometre climbs about 400 metres up loose moraine, 1 hour of steep effort, to the glacial lake directly below Fitz Roy (3,405 m). On the way down, take the 10-minute detour to Laguna Sucia, a lake hidden behind the ridge.
Evening. Return by about 17:00-18:00 tired and hungry. A hearty lamb stew or a plate of empanadas (about US$1.50-2 each) and a long sleep are all you need.
Take 2 litres of water, food and windproof layers. Stream water is drinkable in most of the park, but the final climb is exposed, and in strong wind turn back at the edge of the moraine.
Day 6: Laguna Torre and back to El Calafate
Morning. Walk the trail to Laguna Torre, about 18 km return and 6-7 hours, with less climbing than yesterday. It follows the Fitz Roy River valley to a grey lake with icebergs at the foot of Cerro Torre, the needle-shaped peak famous among climbers.
Afternoon. Return by early afternoon and, if your legs allow, do the short walk to Chorrillo del Salto, a 20-metre waterfall 4 km north of town (1 hour on foot or a short drive). It is the easiest walk in El Chaltén.
Evening. Take the 18:00 bus back to El Calafate (about 3 hours) for an early flight the next day, or stay in El Chaltén and leave in the morning.
Fly out of El Calafate with a buffer: winter flights and summer wind both cause delays, and the bus from El Chaltén cannot be rushed.
Only have 4 days?
With 4 days, do Day 1 and Day 2 in El Calafate, then take the bus to El Chaltén and hike Laguna de los Tres on Day 4, returning by the evening bus.
Got extra days?
Extra days cross the border to Chile's Torres del Paine (bus to Puerto Natales about 5-6 hours with the border crossing), or fly to Ushuaia for the Beagle Channel and Tierra del Fuego National Park, or to Puerto Madryn for whales at Península Valdés (June-December).
Where to stay in Patagonia
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | El Calafate centre / El Chaltén hostels | Dorms and simple rooms within walking distance of the bus terminals. | US$25-60 |
| Mid-range | El Calafate: around Avenida del Libertador | Walk to restaurants and tour offices, pick-ups at the door. | US$100-180 |
| Mid-range | El Chaltén village | Small inns and cabins at the trailheads; the whole village is walkable. | US$100-170 |
| Comfort | El Calafate lakeside hills / estancias | Lodges with Lago Argentino views, or ranch stays on the steppe. | US$250-600 |
Getting around
Fly into El Calafate (FTE) from Buenos Aires (about 3h15), Ushuaia or Bariloche. Shuttles to town meet each flight. Buses run several times a day between El Calafate and El Chaltén (about 3 hours), and from El Calafate to the Perito Moreno Glacier (about 1h20). El Chaltén is tiny: every trailhead is a walk from your bed. Renting a car (from about US$70-100 a day) adds freedom on Route 40, but distances are long and fuel stations are few: fill up whenever you can.
What to eat in Patagonia
The dish of Patagonia is cordero patagónico, whole lamb roasted for hours beside a fire, served at parrillas with chimichurri. Argentine beef, empanadas, milanesas and pizza are everywhere. Try calafate berry ice cream or jam; legend says whoever eats it will return to Patagonia. El Chaltén has good craft breweries and is used to hungry hikers. A café con medialunas (croissants) breakfast costs about US$5-8, a parrilla dinner US$25-40 per person with wine.
Best time to visit
November to March is the season, with long days (up to 17 hours of light in December) and highs of 15-22°C. January and February are busiest and windiest; December and March are calmer and cheaper. Expect wind of 60-100 km/h on some days at any time. From May to September many lodges in El Chaltén close, trails can be snowy, and days are short, though Perito Moreno is open year-round.
Month-by-month weather for Patagonia →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | US$30 | US$70 | US$180 |
| Food & drink | US$30 | US$55 | US$100 |
| Sights & tickets | US$25 | US$80 | US$150 |
| Local transport | US$15 | US$30 | US$70 |
| Total per person, per day | about US$100 | about US$235 | about US$500 |
Approximate 2026 prices in US dollars because the Argentine peso changes so fast; pay in pesos by card (foreign cards get a near-market rate) and check the current national park fee before you go.
Before you go
Common questions
El Calafate or El Chaltén: which is better?
You need both. El Calafate is the base for the glaciers: Perito Moreno, Upsala and Spegazzini. El Chaltén, 3 hours north, is for hiking: Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre trails start in the village and are free. Spend about three nights in each, and put El Chaltén where you have the most flexibility for weather.
Can I see Perito Moreno without a tour?
Yes. Regular buses leave El Calafate's terminal in the morning and return in the afternoon, giving about 4-5 hours at the walkways. You pay the park entry at the gate. Tours add a guide and sometimes the Safari Náutico boat, but the walkways are self-guided and well signed.
How fit do I need to be for the Fitz Roy hike?
Laguna de los Tres is a long day: 20-22 km with about 1,000 metres of total ascent, most of it in the last steep hour. Anyone who walks regularly can do it at a steady pace; start early and turn back at the moraine if the wind is too strong. Laguna Torre and the Mirador de los Cóndores are much easier.
Should I add Torres del Paine in Chile?
If you have three or four more days, yes. Buses run from El Calafate to Puerto Natales in about 5-6 hours with the border. Torres del Paine needs park tickets and, for the W Trek, refugio or campsite reservations booked months ahead for December-February. A day tour from Puerto Natales works for a quick look.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.