The Laguna de Los Tres hike is one of the most iconic hikes in Patagonia! It is to Argentinian Patagonia, what the Mirador Base Torres hike is to Chilean Patagonia. The Laguna de Los Tres hike is also called the Fitz Roy hike as it brings you close to a breathtaking viewpoint of Mount Fitz Roy. This post covers all you need to know about the Laguna de Los Tres hike, including what to expect, tips, what to pack and other viewpoints along the way.
Quick Facts
- Location – town of El Chalten
- Time – this really depends on you. The official guidance is anywhere from 7.5-9 hours
- Distance – 22.5 km/~14 miles out and back
- Elevation gain – ~882m/2,894ft
- Difficulty – Laguna de Los Tres hike is categorized as a moderate to difficult hike
- Cost – free!
- Reservations – no reservation needed
- Other names – Fitz Roy hike
Starting Point
There are two starting points for this hike. One that is popular and directly from the town of El Chalten and the other that is about 18 kilometers away from town. This post will focus on the starting point and trail from town. The other requires a taxi to get to and I am going to assume that most people do not drive to El Chalten. However, it is worth noting that taking this route will shave you at least 2 kilometers from the total hike.
The trail head from town is very easy to find and is at the end of Avenida San Martín. This road is essentially the main road of El Chalten. Most people walk to the trail head from their accommodation but there is a parking lot there if you want to drive.
If you are interested in starting at the other trail head, make your way via transfer or taxi to the Rio Electrico bridge about 17-18 kilometers north of El Chalten. This is also called the Hosteria El Pilar trail. Both the Fitz Roy and Piedra del Fraile trail heads start together here and then splits a short while later. You can hike back the other way (directly to El Chalten) on the way back so that you avoid a taxi fee. You can also enjoy a different view this way.
Detailed Hike Description
Start of the Hike
The beginning of the hike is the second steepest section of the entire hike. You start climbing from the get go until about the 0.7 kilometer mark, which is around where the Rio de Las Vueltas view point happens to be. Then the climb takes you along first a mountain side full of wild flowers and then a lush wooded area, until you come to a fork.
Left or Right?
Around the 3 kilometer mark OR around 1.5 hours into the hike (if you are a fast hiker, you may get here in about an hour like I did, but the average is about 1.5 hours), you will come to a fork in the trail. The left will take you to the banks of Laguna Capri and the right will take you to the Mirador Fitz Roy. Both offer beautiful views of Fitz Roy on a clear day. It doesn’t matter if you opt to go left or right as you have the option of taking the other route on the way back. I chose to take a left and towards Laguna Capri. Unfortunately Fitz Roy was hiding behind a cloud but I could only imagine how beautiful the lake and the peaks would be on a clear day.
I walked along side the banks of Laguna Capri until I came to the place where the two paths rejoin. This area has some amazing views of Fitz Roy on a clear day. Unfortunately it was cloudy when I visited (but had amazing views on the way back!). You hike with this view ahead of you for a bit!
Open Fields
This next section was my favorite! I only saw how beautiful it was on the way back but wow! Crystal clear streams, lush greener with Fitz Roy in front and a hanging glacier to the right makes for some picture postcard views. This entire part is more or less flat and easy to hike!
Camp Poincenot
You will pass Camp Poincenot around the 8 kilometer mark. If you are staying at this camp, you can drop your bags off before proceeding to Laguna de Los Tres.
Start of the Ascent
There is a small resting area with benches just before the ascent. You can sit and have lunch here if you wish. I had originally planned to have lunch at the top but it started raining when I got to this spot, so I sat and had lunch here under some trees. It was a good way to wait until the rain passed. Once the rain passed, the sky cleared completely and I began the final 1000 meters of the trek. It takes anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour for this final bit. The path is almost vertical and very rocky. You also have to share the path with people coming down, so it’s a much slower pace than the previous sections of the hike.
Laguna de Los Tres
After the rocky ascent, you come to an open area that is also rocky. Suddenly, Fitz Roy and the surrounding mountains, start to peak out. We had some really fierce winds in this section and we all had to crouch down several times. This area is a little flat but it doesn’t last for long as you will have to climb the final slope before the viewpoint. I literally had my mount open once I got to the viewpoint! It was SO stunning! Fitz Roy, the adjoining snowy peaks and the glacier lagoon down below was a view to behold! After taking some picture on top, I made my way to the lagoon down below. Be very careful in this section as it’s very rocky. If it’s very windy, wait a bit until the wind dies down. The path to the bottom is not marked, so you have to make a call on what the best path is.
Laguna Sucia
When facing the Fitz Roy, you will see a little peak to your left. Climbing it will take you to the viewpoint of a second lagoon! The water of this lagoon is a very different color from the one at the bottom of Fitz Roy! Don’t miss this lagoon!
The Return
Climb back down the same way you went up. On the way down, you will see 3 lakes or lagoons on to your right. These are 3 different shades of blue! Since the weather cleared, I had amazing views on the way back. I took a lot longer to get back than I had anticipated because I kept looking back and taking pictures of some of the best views I had seen in my life. I just could not help myself!
Left or Right?
You will once again have to make a decision if you want to continue your hike via the banks of Laguna Capri or go the other way to see Mirador Fitz Roy. I chose the Mirador Fitz Roy route as I had seen Laguna Capri on the way in. The Mirador was now behind me though, so I had to keep looking back!
The two paths will once again come together before the final descent towards El Chalten.
Optional Side Hike
If you have the time and energy (unfortunately I didn’t have the time as I had an early dinner reservation in El Chalten I did not want to miss), you can add an optional hike to see the Piedras Blancas Glacier. This round trip (to the glacier viewpoint and back) will add another 4 kilometers to your hike. It’s mostly flat ground and will take your about 30-45 minutes one way.
If you are taking the Rio Electrico trail head I mentioned earlier, then you will automatically see this viewpoint on your way to Laguna de Los Tres as the viewpoint is located on that trail.
Tips for Hiking Laguna de Los Tres
Having good weather conditions (no rain, mild winds and clear, cloudless skies) can make a huge difference to your hike. This is SO hard to predict though as the weather in Patagonia is so unpredictable and most weather apps don’t do a good job predicting the weather. I found this app to be the most helpful! It does a good job predicting the wind speed and clouds. It was pretty spot on in telling me that the weather, although lousy at the start of my hike, but would clear later on.
Start early if you can. Since the last bit is a little difficult, it tends to get crowded as the pace is slower. If you are going on a clear day, starting early will also avoid sun exposure on that last bit where you are completely open to the elements.
3 Ways to Hike Laguna de Los Tres
As a Day Hike
This is the more popular way to hike Laguna de Los Tres and what I did. With a day hike, you start in El Chalten in the morning and come back to El Chalten once done.
As an Overnight Hike (Sun Rise)
You can hike to see the sun rise over the granite towers of mount Fitz Roy. The sun illuminates the towers in hues of orange and red. If you want to see this spectacular view, it is best done as an overnight hike. To do this, hike to Camp Poincenot at the 8 kilometer mark and stay overnight at this camp before making your way up to the viewpoint just before sunrise the next morning. Note that the camp site offers very basic facilities and you will have to bring everything you need for your stay here. Also, don’t forget to pack a headlamp if you are doing the sunrise hike.
As a Multi-Day Hike
The Laguna Torre hike is another popular hike in El Chalten. You could do the Laguna de Los Tres hike and the Laguna Torre hike as out and back day hikes from El Chalten on separate days or you can combine the 2 hikes into a loop. Start at El Chalten and go to Laguna de Los Tres and then take the loop to Laguna Torre via Lagunas Madre and Hija, eventually making your way back to El Chalten. You can stay at both Camp Poincenot near Laguna de Los Tres on night 1 and Camp Padre de Agostini near Laguna Torre on night 2, when you do this multi-day hike. You can also do this in reserve, going to Laguna Torre first.
Here are some Sample Itineraries. You can do these in reserve too.
Itinerary 1
- Day 1/Night 1 – Hike to Camp Poincenot (optional hike to Piedras Blancas)
- Day 2/Night 2 – See the sunrise at Laguna de Los Tres and hike to Camp de Agostini via Lagunas Madre and Hija
- Day 3 – Hike to Laguna Torre (sunrise or in the morning) and walk back to El Chalten
Itinerary 2
Can this loop be done in 2 days instead of 3? Yes! But day 1 will be long. Most people stick to 3 days! It will be 10+ kilometers from El Chalten to Laguna de Los Tres and about 11 kilometers from Camp Poincenot to Camp de Agostini on mostly flat terrain.
- Day 1/Night 1 – Hike to Laguna de Los Tres and then hike to Camp de Agostini via Lagunas Madre and Hija (overnight at Camp de Agostini)
- Day 2 – Hike to Laguna Torre (sunrise or just after) and walk back to El Chalten
Note that unlike the campsites of Torres del Paine, both of the campsites mentioned above are free of charge and require no reservations. However, they are first comes first served.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Laguna del Los Tres Hike
What is the Best Time to Hike Laguna de Los Tres?
This hike can be done year around. However, it maybe more difficult to do during the winter months if there is snow on the trail. With that in mind, the best time to hike to Laguna de Los Tres is from early November to the end of March/mid April.
Do you Need a Guide?
You do not need a guide for this hike. The trail is well marked and I hiked by myself for long stretches and never felt unsafe.
Can Children do the Hike?
I saw many young children doing the hike. I asked one kid what his age was as he was climbing up the boulders and he said he was 7! It’s a long hike with a steep ascent at the end, but you know your kids best!
Comparison to Mirador Los Torres
If you have done either the Laguna de Los Tres hike or the Mirador Las Torres hike in Torres del Paine and are wondering how the other compares, personally, I found the Laguna de Los Tres to be a lot easier. Both start moderately steeply (after the bridge in the case of Mirador las Torres) and end very steeply but to me it felt like much of the Laguna de Los Tres hike was on flatter ground in the middle parts. I got through the last part of Laguna de Los Tres in about 40 minutes as opposed to the hour that was stipulated, but I also had just done Everest base Camp 3 weeks prior, so I was in the best shape of my life.
The last part of both is very steep and on rocky terrain. I personally thought the views on the way to Laguna de Los Tres was better too as you see Mount Fitz Roy (if you have good weather), ahead of you during parts of the hike.
From a distance and timing perspective, both hikes are more or less similar, with Laguna de Los Tres, being slightly longer. I honestly enjoyed both hikes and are two of my all time favorite day hikes that I have done!
What to Pack for the Hike
This packing list is for the day hike.
- Layers – a good wind proof jacket is a must. I found that a wind breaker with a diver’s style hood to be a game changer against the crazy Patagonia winds
- A pair of good hiking shoes – Salomon hiking shoes are my favorites! Columbia is a close second.
- Rain jacket – the weather in Patagonia is unpredictable. It’s better to be prepared!
- Sunglasses – I love these polarized sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Hat – wear a hat that cannot be blown away for the wind or you can secure tightly. I like this one as you can tighen the string and secure it around your face
- Food – unlike on the Chilean side, there is no place to buy food so bring a packed lunch
- Water bottle or bladder – you don’t have to carry a lot of water as there are plenty of streams along the way and the water is safe to drink. I loved using my water bladder as it is a lot easier to drink on the go.
- Trekking poles – these are optional but I found them super useful going up and down the steep ascent
- Bug Spray – bring bug spray to keep pesky horse flies away, especially if you are hiking in the summer
Wear good hiking shoes as it will help you during the ascent and descent on the steep part
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