El Chalten has two outstanding features:
Being located at the foot of Fitz Roy, is the location from where you can see and climb this wonderful mountain, and pointed stone stands on santacruceña geography. And, El Chalten is the youngest city in Argentina.
It was founded on October 12, 1985 thanks to a law passed by the government of Santa Cruz. However, the neighboring republic of Chile claimed sovereignty over the nearby Lake Desert and ice in Argentine territory territory. Then the provincial government of the time decided to declare the founding of this town and decided to confirm its position. Finally, in 1994, the International Court of Arbitration favor Argentina and decide that the Ice were in this country.
El Chalten, become one of the largest resorts provincial hierarchy, is a quiet and picturesque village. It is nestled in the valley of Delrío laps. Near the border with Chile and 240 km from El Calafate, El Chalten is the perfect combination of flora and fauna unequaled landscape of blue lakes and glaciers indescribable whiteness.
Its beauty is fantastic. Between mountains looming ice tongues of the glaciers that feed the lakes and streams. A green carpet covers the floor dotted with wildflowers ñires and varied cross the air with song birds that grace the landscape.
It was declared a National Capital of Trekking. Is that the people are trails to various natural wonders, including the Torre glacier lagoon, laguna Capri, Piedras Blancas Glacier and Leaping Drills. Worth mentioning the Laguna de los Tres, which is reached after a difficult climb of 4-5 hours, but it offers one of the best scenery that can be seen in Patagonia.
From El Chalten leave many routes well marked walking paths, both within the National Park and private land. According to your fitness and available time-and of course the weather is unpredictable patagónico- possible to take short walks from ascent venture or multi-day expeditions.
There are also organized tours and activities for all tastes: navigation to Viedma Glacier (the largest in the National Park) with the option to take a walk on it, sailing on Lake Desert from south to Punta Punta Norte, from where you can make several walks, visit to La Leona Petrified Forest, etc. Full day tour to El Chalten.
Lookouts Los Cóndores and Las Águilas
It is the shortest trek from El Chalten, reaching a viewpoint located on the town with an exceptional panoramic view of Adela, Torre and Fitz Roy solid and the valley of this river laps. As an option you can access a second viewpoint on a natural balcony towards the steppe where the great lake Viedma currency.
Trekking Itinerary: Departing from El Chalten, the access bridge over the Fitzroy River crossing and continued until the head of the trail from the offices of the National Park. From there the road well signposted to the viewpoint totals. This path is relatively new, it has been enabled in 2004 As its name implies, the viewpoint is located at a strategic point for the eventual observation condors frequent glide path to and from the Fitz Roy river valley . It is also an excellent alternative to appreciate the towering granite peaks and glaciers that dominate the skyline. The trail to the viewpoint Eagles begins at a fork will spend a few minutes before reaching the viewpoint Condors, and just over 15 minutes to get to this natural balcony with panoramic view over the steppe.
Capri Lake
Description: Beautiful hike from El Chalten to a viewpoint on a blue water lagoon surrounded by native forest which is accessed in less than two hours. From here you can see a fantastic view of the Fitz Roy massif.
Trekking Itinerary: The head of the trail begins at the north end of town, at the end of Avenida San Martin. During the first hour is somewhat steep slope-in half an hour you access to a lookout with panoramic views of the river valley of the Vueltas- to join the Hop Brook valley towards Mount Fitz Roy. The ñires begin to be more and more numerous around the trail and about an hour and a half walk on the path a signal shows the fork to the Capri lake (left) and towards the Fitz Roy (right). From the lagoon have a unique view of Fitz Roy and the peaks.
If you have little time or this is the only trek you think make, worth walking an additional 15 minutes from the junction mentioned above towards the Fitz Roy, to access a viewpoint on a rock, holding a sign that allows interpret the landscape that is presented before us, where the glacier is further appreciated Piedras Blancas.
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