Trekking and Hiking

In this small mountain village, the Fitz Roy or Chaltén rises up —one of the most impressive mountains in Argentina. Thanks to all the activities it offers, it is known as the National Capital of Trekking: there are trails of varying lengths, distances, and difficulty levels visited by walkers from all over the world.

Among the most classic trails, you will find:

• Trail to the Laguna de los Tres: it goes up to the closest natural viewpoint where you can see the stunning face rocks of Fitz Roy or Chaltén, the granite peaks surrounding it, and the beautiful lagoon at its feet. It is 25 kilometre long in total, of a medium/high difficulty level, and completing it takes between 8 and 9 hours. If you are looking for an intermediate and shorter alternative within this trail, you can go up to Laguna Capri (8 kilometres total, medium difficulty level, between 3 and 4 hours), which offers incredible views of the hills.

• Trail to Laguna Torre: you can choose either a short trek that gets to a panoramic viewpoint from where you can see Mount Torre and the granite peaks accompanying it (5 kilometres long in total, low difficulty level, around 2 hours), or continue through the valley to Torre Lagoon and be amazed by its hills and glaciers (19 kilometres long in total, low difficulty level, between 7 and 8 hours).

If these are your first steps in the mountains, or if you are travelling with your family, there are short trails available departing from the village to different viewpoints. There is one in particular that goes into the forest and reaches a waterfall known as Chorrillo del Salto. There are also low-and-medium-difficulty level trails in the Río de las Vueltas Valley and the Lago del Desierto area.

Find more information on the trails, when to go, and how to get there on El Chaltén. A must-visit destination!

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Trekking in El Chaltén

Tourist manual of the Santa Cruz experience (find authorized providers on page 138)

If you are looking for almost unexplored places in Patagonia, this is the right national park. It is one of the wildest in Argentina, and is home to turquoise, emerald and silver lakes linked by mighty rivers. It has a large network of trails and mountain lodges where you can explore its amazing landscapes.

There are three large sectors for trekking and hiking:

• South Sector —there are short trails in the surroundings of the beautiful Burmeister Lake. From the south-eastern side of Belgrano Lake, there are over 50-kilometre-long trails with 5 mountain lodges that allow visitors to reach Azara Lake.
• Central Sector —it allows people to explore the great Belgrano peninsula with more than 20 kilometres of trails, and 3 shelters located in bays offer views of the turquoise waters of Belgrano Lake.
• North Sector —there are 2 high-difficulty level trails: one reaching the Río Lácteo Valley (23 kilometres long in total); and the other to Laguna de los Témpanos (10 kilometres long in total), where huge blocks of ice from Lácteo Glacier are often seen. It has 2 mountain lodges.

Note that this national park is very isolated and that the closest town is Gobernador Gregores, 220 kilometres away. So, planning your itinerary in advance based on your experience and equipment is imperative.

Important: Mountains lodges and camping plots must be booked in advance. Contact the park administration for more information. 

Learn when to go and how to get there on this link: Perito Moreno National Park. A must-visit destination!

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This national park protects high plateaus in Santa Cruz: a wild landscape for you to discover volcanic cones, canyons, and large plains with grasslands.

From La Ascensión, the main access gate, you will find trails with varying levels of difficulty. The easiest is a 30-minute trail reaching to the shores of Buenos Aires Lake. The medium-length trails unfold into routes that allow trekkers to enjoy in depth bird and fauna watching. If you are looking for more adventurous trails, get to the edge of the plateau in a hike of 8 hours total (there is a camping area at kilometre 6 and a mountain lodge at kilometre 12). And if you feel like challenging up your experience, continue along the same path and cross the plateau to the south, on a four-day tour accompanied by an authorised guide.

Find more information about the trails, when to go, and how to get there on this link: Patagonia National Park. A must-visit destination!

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As it is in the lowest part of the Andes Mountains, Tierra del Fuego will always display dreamy panoramic views you won’t believe your eyes! The combination of bogs, seas, and forest makes Fuegian paths very special. The best time of year to travel there is summer, but if you want to have a different experience, autumn has fascinating orange, yellow, and red forests for you.

Tierra del Fuego National Park is a great place for experiencing walking at the End of the World. It has short and low difficulty trails for all ages, as well as longer and more challenging trails. The most popular are:

• Pampa Alta Trail: it crosses lush forests, from Ensenada Bay to Pipo River. It is a medium-difficulty trail of 4.7 km (in total), and it takes approximately 2 hours to complete it.
• Hito XXIV Trail: it skirts the northern shore of Acigami Lake up to the border with Chile. It is a medium-difficulty trail of 7 km (in total), and it takes approximately 3 hours to complete it.
• Coastal Trail: it goes through marine and coastal environments all along. It is a medium-difficulty trail of 8 km (in total), and it takes approximately 4 hours to complete it. It is open from November to April.
• Cerro Guanaco Trail: it passes through forests, bogs, and high-Andean landscapes. It is a high difficulty trail of 12 km (in total), and it takes 4 hours to reach the summit. Important: it is open from November to April, and prior registration at the visitor centre is required.

Find more information about when to go and how to get there on these links: Tierra del Fuego National Park and Explore the trails of the End of the World. This destination and experience are a must!

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Trekking & hiking in Tierra del Fuego

In summer, this reserve is a great place for hiking through valleys, mountains, and bogs. Among its medium-difficulty trails, these are the most outstanding:

• Laguna Esmeralda Trail: one of the most beautiful and visited hikes at the End of the World. This lagoon is nestled by bogs, streams, lenga forests, and mountains with snowy peaks. It is 9 kilometre long (in total), and it takes approximately 5 hours to complete it.
• Laguna Turquesa Trail: this trail runs through an old lumberjack route and takes you to another amazing lagoon on Sorondo Sierra. It is in front of the Esmeralda lagoon, and since it is located in a higher place, you will be able to see it from above. It is a 5-kilometre trail (in total), with a fairly steep slope, and it takes around 3 hours to complete it.
• Trail to the Beban Waterfall: this walk crosses an old lumberjack path that goes deep into a lenga forest and large bogs up to a high-mountain environment, where the Beban waterfall is located. It is a 10-kilometre trail (in total), and it takes about 4 hours to complete it.

Find more information about when to go and how to get there on these links: Tierra Mayor Valley and Explore the trails of the End of the World. This destination and experience are a must!

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Trekking & hiking in Tierra del Fuego

The Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest in the country and the second largest. It has more than 700 thousand hectares distributed between Río Negro and Neuquén, and invites you to discover lakes, rivers and waterfalls through a large network of trails of different levels of difficulty and duration.
  
On the Neuquén side there are ideal trails for you to enjoy during the day. On the Route of the Seven Lakes there are paths around Lake Espejo, Villarino, Falkner, and the north arm of Traful. From Villa La Angostura, the hikes go to the Inacayal hill and waterfall, the Cajón Negro, the old road to Lake Espejo, the mouth of the Bonito river and the Quetrihué peninsula. From the base of Cerro Bayo, Villa Traful can be reached in a two-day trek of high difficulty, camping in the Tapera de Los Lagos. Get to know all the trails in this area of ​​the park here.
  
On the Río Negro side, you will find the largest number of trails with the particularity that they have shelters to live the experience of walking, dining and sleeping in the mountains. This is a great advantage: by not having to carry camping equipment, you can make the journey in a more comfortable, light way and encourage yourself to travel longer or more difficult trails. Based on the city of Bariloche, some of the best-known trails are Cerro López, Frey, Laguna Negra and Laguna Jacob. If you are in good physical shape, have a bit of experience and are looking for a different adventure, there are multi-day mountain treks that connect the refuges. Get to know all the trails in this area of ​​the park here.
  
Find more info on when to go and how to get there in the must-see Nahuel Huapi National Park.

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Trekking in Neuquén.

Trekking in Bariloche.

Volcanoes, plains, mountains, lakes and the ancestral customs of the original communities make up the incredible natural and cultural landscape of the Lanín National Park. There are three areas with trails of different levels of difficulty and duration:

• North Zone: this network of trails goes from Lake Ñorquinco to Lake Quillen, passing through Lake Rucachoroy, going through ancient forests of araucaria trees and totaling more than 70 km of trails. Some of its attractions: the Coloco waterfall, the Clugnu Chompiru volcano, the Calfiquitra valley, among others.
   
• Central Zone: in this sector the protagonist is the imposing Lanín volcano with its 3776 meters above sea level. There are paths of high difficulty from the north and south faces to approach the base of the volcano and begin the ascent to the summit (it is advisable to hire qualified guides and have high mountain equipment). To the south, there are trails of medium and low difficulty that connect Lake Paimún to Lolog, adding more than 70 km of enabled paths and uniting attractions such as the southern viewpoint of Lanín, Lake Huechulafquen, the Achen Niyeu volcano, the lava slag , the Green Lagoon, the Lahuen Co hot springs, among many others.
   
• South zone: the trails go from the northern shore of Lake Lolog to San Martin de los Andes and allow you to do the complete "vuelta del Lacar". This network connects more than 80 km of paths uniting attractions such as Curruhue Lake, Rosales Lagoon, Quila Quina, the Chachin waterfall, Hua Hum, the Queñi hot springs, the Trompul pampa and several secondary paths that reach viewpoints, bodies of water and waterfalls hidden in the Patagonian Andean forest and the Valdivian jungle.
   

Find more information on how to explore it, when to go and how to get to the unmissable Lanín National Park.

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Trekking and Hiking in Neuquén 

If you are looking for a place that combines mountains, forests, turquoise rivers and walking trails, the Río Azul – Lago Escondido Protected Natural Area (ANPRALE) will surprise you. It has an extensive network of trekking circuits of different lengths and levels of difficulty that you can do on your own if you have experience, or in the company of qualified mountain guides. In most of them there are also shelters to spend the night or camp.

Among the most classic circuits are:

• Main Circuit: it is the main path that leaves the La Confluencia access (also known as “Chacra Warton”). From here you can reach one of the most incredible and emblematic places in the natural area: the Cajón del Río Azul and its water pools (8 km approx, 2 hours and a half). From this trail you can continue to the Los Lagos circuit or connect with the Cerro Hielo Azul – Laguna Natación circuit.
   
• Cerro Hielo Azul Circuit – Swimming Lagoon: it has two main entrances. The first located at the confluence of the Encanto Blanco and Azul rivers, and the second by the access known as “Doña Rosa”. It is the shortest way to reach the pools of the Azul River in El Paraíso. The first stage ascends from the portal to the Hielo Azul hill (15 km, 6 and a half hours). From here to Laguna Natación it is 2 km (1 hour). Connects to the trunk circuit.

Remember that to visit it you have to register in advance on the ANPRALE website.

Find more information about the trails, when to go and how to get there in the must-see Río Azul - Lago Escondido Protected Natural Area

In the north of the province of Neuquén, many walking trails await you.

The treasure of mountain hiking is in the town of Huinganco, 64 km from the city of Chos Malal. Surrounded by pine forests on the eastern slope of the Cordillera del Viento, you will find trails of different levels of difficulty and duration on historical tracks of animals and ancient settlers. Some of them are on San Pedro hill, Pino Huacho, Las Minas ravine, among many others. If you have experience or want more challenges, you can reach the summit of the emblematic La Corona hill, the highest in the Cordillera del Viento.

Other towns with short or long trails and of different levels of difficulty are Andacollo, Buta Ranquil, Chos Malal, Varvarco, Tricao Malal, El Cholar, Taquimilán and Manzano Amargo.

In the natural protected areas of Neuquén you also have many options. You can visit circuits of geysers, hot waters and fumaroles in the Domuyo System; walk along paths surrounded by ancient cypresses in Cañada Molina, surprise yourself with rock formations in the shape of needles, cones and domes in Los Bolillos, walk through the northernmost Patagonian Andean forest in the province and do bird watching in Epulauquen, reach escoriales basalts in El Tromen, visit archaeological circuits in Colomichicó and Butalón Norte, among others.

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Whether you are a trekking lover or you are just getting started with mountaineering, Mount Champaquí is highly challenging. It is 2790 metres above sea level, the highest peak in Córdoba, and one of its natural wonders.

You can make the ascent from different places, each one with a different proposal:

From Valle de Calamuchita:

• Villa Alpina –38 kilometres from Villa General Belgrano, this is the most popular access. The excursion lasts 3 days.
• Tres Árboles Location –an ascent that can be done in 2 days and begins at 2250 metres above sea level.
• Los Linderos –30 kilometres from Santa Rosa de Calamuchita, in Villa Yacanto. You can go up Linderos hill by car, and then walk 45 minutes to the top.
• La Cumbrecita –the advantage of this path is that the ascent to the summit is more gradual than the other options. This trek lasts 3 days and ends in Villa Alpina.

From Valle de Traslasierras:

• San Javier —This ascent can be done on the same day only with an authorised guide. As the entrance is through a private property, authorisation from Estancia La Constancia is required. Keep in mind that it has a steep slope known as the Cuesta de las Cabras.
• Los Molles –30 kilometres from Mina Clavero, this is the starting point of a path with an extremely steep slope. It can be done in 2 or 3 days.
• Los Hornillos –from this commune 14 kilometres south of Nono, there is a path that reaches the top of the summit. It is a demanding 3-day journey, and on the first day, there is a 1500-metre slope on Cuesta de Totora.

Important: Registration on this website is mandatory to enter/leave Mount Champaquí regardless of the trail you opt for. To enjoy a safe experience, we recommend you to hire a guide authorised by Tourism of Córdoba. 

Find more information about when to go and how to get there in this link: Mount Champaquí. A must-visit destination!

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Trekking in Córdoba

If you like hiking or are just starting out, Sierras de la Ventana is an ideal destination. In the middle of the plains of the province of Buenos Aires, this tourist region has hills over a thousand meters high and trails of different lengths, distances, and difficulties that can be done self-guided or in the company of local guides:

• Ernesto Tornquist Provincial Park: it is located 5 km from the town of Villa Ventana. It has two entrance sectors, the base of Cerro Bahía Blanca and the base of Cerro Ventana. From the latter you can ascend to the Cerro Ventana Natural Monument at 1134 masl (7 km round trip, medium-high difficulty). You can also do the Garganta del Diablo, Garganta Olvidada, Bahía Blanca hill trails and reach natural pools. Find more information about the park, hours, requirements and more at this link.

• Cerro Tres Picos: with 1,239 meters above sea level, this hill is the highest point in Buenos Aires and one of the great objectives of those who do trekking in the province. The ascent starts from the Funke ranch (22 km round trip, medium-high difficulty) and can be done self-guided or in the company of a guide, either in one day or two, sleeping in a wild camp at thousand meters above sea level. More walking trails start from the ranch, such as the ascent to the Naposta hill at 1110 meters above sea level and to the springs and pot of the Naposta stream. You can find more information at this link.

• Sierras Grandes Nature Reserve: this ranch located in the town of Sierras de la Ventana offers various guided trails of varying duration and difficulty. You can access the La Carpa hill at 1060 meters above sea level, the Vavacua hill at 980 meters above sea level and streams and natural pools, highlighting the walk at the foot of the Pink Walls, a geological formation over 100 meters high. Find more trails and information about this reserve on the Sierras de la Ventana tourism website.

Find more information on when to go and how to get there in the unmissable Sierras de la Ventana.

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If you want to cross the jungle and deep green valleys between hills, rivers and waterfalls, and places where original peoples lived, the Tucuman Yungas are for you. There are trails of different levels of difficulty and duration in parks and nature reserves:
  
Aguas Chiquitas Nature Reserve - El Cadillal: very close to the El Cadillal dam you can walk a medium-difficulty trail (5 km round trip, 2 hours) that reaches a 55-meter-high waterfall known as Aguas Chiquitas (like this reserve It is only accessible on foot, it is advisable to do it with an authorized provider).
  
San Pablo Nature Reserve: through the Huaico Hondo trail (11 km round trip, 5 hours) you can enter the mountain jungle and reach a waterfall (it is required to do it in the company of a qualified provider).
  
Sierras de San Javier Park: it has short and low difficulty trails such as El Funicular, Puerta del Cielo, Cuesta Vieja or the one that reaches the Noque river waterfall. If you are looking for a slightly more demanding full-day hike, the Nina Velardez trail starts in Tafí Viejo (9 km round trip, 8 hours) that allows you to reach the top of Cerro Taficillo and have incredible views of the mountains.
 
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Another place with many options for walking is the Aconquija National Park that protects the southernmost yungas of Argentina and the High Andes. Different paths start from each of its portals:

• Portal Campo Los Alisos: there are short and low difficulty trails such as "La Selva Misteriosa", "El Pozón" and "Puesto Los Chorizos". A more challenging one with free camping is the Puesto La Mesada trail (24 km round trip, 8 hours approx). Within this portal is the archaeological site "La Ciudacita" (a pre-Hispanic network of roads, consolidated by the Incas in the 15th century), declared World Heritage by UNESCO. To get there you must travel a demanding and long-distance path (from 5 to 7 days) that begins and ends in the town of El Tesoro in Catamarca. For this journey it is mandatory that you register and do it in the company of authorized High Mountain Site Guides, since it reaches up to 4800 meters above sea level.
  
  
  
• Portal Cochuna: two trails start from here. One of low difficulty and only 1 km that reaches the El Colao stream, and another path of medium/high difficulty that allows you to reach Puesto Zárate (7 km round trip, 3 hours one way). Continuing along this trail, you can go up to Laguna del Tesoro (24 km round trip, 6 hours one way), located at the foot of the Aconquija snow-capped mountain (important: to get to the lagoon you have to cross the El Sonador stream several times, which can make the ascent difficult during the rainy season).
  
  
  
• Piedra Labrada section: here begins the “Campo de Las Azucenas” trail of medium difficulty (12 km round trip, 2 hours one way). It is one of the most sought during the months of September and October when the lilies bloom at 1437 meters above sea level. The trail crosses a river several times with meltwater that can reach up to your knees. It has 367 meters of unevenness and a steep slope. It is mandatory to do it in the company of a guide authorized by National Parks.
  
  
  

Find more information about when to go and how to get there in the must-see Aconquija National Park.
 
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Trekking and Hiking in Tucumán
Aconquija National Park

Get to know part of the Argentine North walking the wonderful mountain trails that start from the town of Tafí del Valle and Talapazo. They combine the jungle and the arid valley creating a unique landscape, with trails of low, medium and high difficulty:
 
FROM TAFI DEL VALLEY:
 
Trail to the Los Alisos Waterfall: a must-see on the slopes of Cerro Muñoz, which is reached after a 2-hour walk.
Sendero a la Ciénaga: of medium difficulty, you can sleep in a mountain refuge to return the next day.
Trails on the El Pelao or “Ampukatao” hill: you can take a walk to access La Cruz and have panoramic views of the Tafí Valley, or walk the hill through longer trails that can be done in the day. There is also a long-distance trail of high difficulty that joins the ravines of the Calchaquí valleys with the Yungas. This trek lasts 5 days (with a qualified mountain guide), and crosses the San Javier mountains ending at the foot of the city of Yerba Buena (you can sleep in mountain posts run by local residents).
Trails in the Muñoz, Morado, Negrito and Carapunco hills: if you have experience, these hills are the most demanding.
 
 
FROM TALAPAZO:
 
Talapazo is a small town near the Sacred City of Quilmes, a few kilometers from the RN 40. From here, the options are:
 
Path to La Loma: you can reach a viewpoint to see the valley and the town of Talapazo from above. It is of low difficulty and can take approximately 2 hours round trip.
Path to the Old Mines: a winding route on the slopes of the Sierras de Quilmes with panoramic views of the valley and the vestiges of the mining work of that time. It is of low difficulty and can take approximately 4 hours round trip.
Path to the Waterfall: it reaches a beautiful waterfall. It is of medium difficulty, it is 7 km and it can take approximately 6 hours round trip.
 
Find more info on when to go and how to get there in the unmissable Valles Calchaquíes tucumanos.

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Trekking in Tucumán 

If you want to walk the mountains of the North of Argentina, the province of Salta offers several trails so that you enjoy breathtaking landscapes, visit historic villages, and get closer to the region’s ancient cultures. Depending on the adventure you want to embark on, these are the options:

• Torreón de la Cuesta: on this route, you will see the North’s most emblematic natural attractions from the top of the Torreón Mountain. It starts at the base of the Cuesta del Obispo (near the town of Chicoana, 45 kilometres from the city of Salta), and it is of moderate difficulty level (18 kilometres, around 8 hours).
  
  
• Tierras de las Termas: this two-day hike begins in El Espinal (in Rosario de la Frontera, 180 kilometres south of the city of Salta on National Route 9), and you will go down a winding road crossing the Yungas, a bioregion packed with trees, plants, and birds —there are more than 400 species! The next day, you will go across the edges of the mountains and gorges until you reach a waterfall. This option has 10 kilometres in total and a moderate difficulty level.
  
  
• Sierras del Candado: if you are an experienced trekker, this 30-kilometre adventure that connects the Recta del Tin Tin and National Route 40 is for you. Starting from Valle Encantado, it crosses desert landscapes surrounded by giant cacti and red mountains, and it goes down a path that passes through narrow valleys with rock faces of more than 100 metres. Then, it reaches El Maray, at the foot of the Cuesta del Obispo, in the Quebrada del Escoipe. To plan this expedition, it is important to get information beforehand at the Los Cardones National Park Administration Office in Payogasta, in the capital of Salta, or in Cachi.
  
  
• De Las Nubes: if you are looking for a longer and more demanding adventure in the mountains, you will love this four-day trekking. It begins at the foot of the Golgota Mountain in Ingeniero Maury village, and ends in Quebrada de San Lorenzo in the city of Salta, covering a 48-kilometre distance. You will walk along an old Inca trail (the ancient southern part of the empire), where the archaeological ruins Sillón del Inca are located, witnessing the transition from the dry and arid landscape at 2378 metres above sea level to the humid jungle of the Yungas at 1479 MAMSL.
  
  

In addition, there are other hiking trails that start from different sections of the Provincial Route 33: Ojo del Cóndor viewpoint (20 minutes), Camino del Pasado (30 minutes), and Valle Encantado (several hours of walking).

In all cases, it is important to go with certified mountain guides.

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• From the Gorge to the Yungas (Jujuy)
• Talampaya National Park (La Rioja)
• Aconcagua Provincial Park (Mendoza)
• Quebrada del Condorito National Park (Córdoba)
• Sierras de Tandil (Buenos Aires)
• Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz)
• Corazón de la Isla (Tierra del Fuego)