Argentinian Patagonia is huge and spans 5 provinces in the country! You could probably spend a lifetime in Argentinian Patagonia and still not have enough time to see everything this amazing place has to offer. However, not everyone has the luxury of time and sometimes you need to make some choices on where to go. If you had only 5 days in Patagonia in Argentina, I recommend spending it in the Santa Cruz province, which is home to glaciers and some really good hikes. This post covers how to spend 5 days in El Calafate and El Chalten of the Santa Cruz province in Argentina.
Notes on How to Spend 5 days in Patagonia in Argentina
- I started in El Calafate but you can start in El Chalten
- You can switch the days around within each city
- You do not need a tour to do this 5 days in Patagonia itinerary. You can easily do it yourself
- Book accommodation as early as possible. Both places are small towns and accommodation can be tight especially during high season
- Reserve restaurants in advance, especially in El Chalten
- Currency exchange maybe unreliable. For the best rate exchange it in Buenos Aires. If you need to exchange currency in either of these cities, you will have to ask restuarants and accommodation providers. Western Union is not a reliable source here
How to Get to El Calafate and El Chalten
El Calafate is the gateway to this area. There is a small airport in El Calafate that has several flights a day from both airports in Buenos Aires. If you are coming from Chile, you can cross the border near Puerto Natales. El Chalten is about 2.5 hours or 214 kilometers from El Calafate. You can get to El Chalten by renting a car in El Calafate and self-driving, taking a bus, a private transfer or a taxi.
I cover all this is more detail HERE!
The earliest flight from the domestic airport (AEP) in Buenos Aires leaves at around 5 am and lands in El Calafate around 8 AM (There’s an even earlier flight from the International Airport EZE) This itinerary is best done if you have 5 full days. Therefore, my advice would be to either get here the night before or take this flight to take full advantage of these 5 days in Patagonia.
El Calafate
El Calafate is dubbed the land of the glaciers and it is easy to see why! There are a lot of glacier related activities that you can do from El Calafate. Days 1 and 2 of this 5 days in Patagonia itinerary is spent with glaciers!
Day 1
Go on a sailing tour, sailing on lake Argentino to see some mighty glaciers on this first day. If you are in El Calafate by 7 am, then you can do an all-day tour. If you get to El Calafate this morning (later than 7 am), then you can take the sunset tour. This sunset tour starts around 11 am (If you opt for pickup from your hotel) and brings you back around 8 pm. It sails to the Spegazzini and Upsala glaciers. You will also see a few other glaciers and icebergs along the way. If you get to El Calafate on the early morning flight, then this is an ideal way of relaxing and taking it easy on day 1. There will be plenty of time on the boat for a nap too!
See HERE for more details of this tour and what to expect!
Day 2
Day 2 of this 5 days in Patagonia (Argentina) itinerary is spent exploring Argentina’s most famous glacier, the Perito Moreno! There are many ways you can explore this glacier, including kayaking next to the icebergs or sailing on a boat to see one of its faces but the best way to explore it (in my opinion) is to be on it! Yes! you can trek on the Perito Moreno glacier and explore its many cracks, crevasses and formations first hand.
You can rent a car and drive to Perito Moreno, which is about 80 minutes away from El Calafate or you can do an organized tour.
I cover all your options, both from how to explore the glacier and how to get there in this POST!
El Chalten
El Chalten is the trekking capital of Argentina and as such, there are lots of amazing hikes you can do from there. The next 3 days in this 5 days in Patagonia (Argentina) itinerary, covers some must do day hikes and lookout points in El Chalten. Feel free to do mix the days around. I left early morning from El Calafate to El Chalten and then drove back, just in time to return my rental car and head to the airport. If you plan to do the same thing, then day 3 and day 5 will have to be early.
Day 3
This day, I left El Calafate around 7 am and got to El Chalten around 9:30 am. Instead of doing a full day hike, on day 3, I decided to do a few small hikes. My recommendation to you is to check the weather the next 3 days and do the Laguna de Los Tres hike the day the weather is the clearest and least windy. If it happens to be day 3, then I say go for it! The Laguna de Los Tres hike can take you anywhere from 7.5 hours to 9 hours. However, if you are in El Chalten in the summer, there is daylight until around 10 pm, so it’s very doable.
When I got to El Chalten, I set off to see and hike the Huemel Glacier. This glacier is located 37 kilometers from the town of El Chalten. You will need to either drive or hire a taxi to get there. Expect to spend around 5 hours, round trip.
I cover this hike and your options to get there in more detail HERE.
On the way back from the Huemel Glacier, make a quick pit stop to see a waterfall called Chorrillo Del Salto. It’s about a 10 minute stop.
If you feel up for it, you can do another short hike to see Mirador de Los Condores and Mirador de Las Aguilas. Both of these are next to each other and is a very short walk from town. If you have a car, you can drive to the start of the trailhead.
Day 4
I did the full day Laguna de Los Tres hike on day 4 of this 5 days in Patagonia itinerary. This hike is considered the crown jewel of all the hikes you can do in El Chalten. It’s a 22 kilometer, out and back hike that brings you to a viewpoint of Mount Fitz Roy, rising above a glacier blue lake. This hike is rated moderate to tough with the last 400 meters being the toughest. These last 400 meters is a steep ascend on a very rocky path. But, trust me! The effort is fully worth it!
I go over all the details of this hike, including what the terrain is like, tips, what to pack and what to expect along the way in this POST. Definitely check it out before you do this hike!
Day 5
Regardless of which hike you do on day 5 (if you need to shuffle the 3 days to do Laguna de Los Tres on a clear day), you will have to start early IF you have a flight to catch in El Calafate this same day. If you are planning on flying on day 5, don’t book a flight before 8 pm.
I did the Laguna Torre hike this day and started early. It was a relatively easy hike with a gradual incline during this first 3 kilometers but then flattened out all the way until the viewpoint. This hike brings you to a lagoon at the base of Cerro Torre, the very distinct mount with three needles sticking out. At the bottom of Cerro Torre is a glacier lagoon with icebergs floating about. There is an optional hike that will bring you closer to Glacier Torre and will add another 4 kilometers to your hike. Laguna Torre is also another hugely popular day hike in El Chalten. It takes anywhere from 7-8 to complete.
I cover all the details of this hike in this POST! Check it out to learn about what the hike is like from start to end.
Where I Stayed
Accommodation in Patagonia is expensive and there are not a lot of options, especially in El Chalten. As I mentioned before, make sure to book your accommodation early!
El Calafate
I stayed at a budget option called Las Cabañitas. This place had lofted cabins and the location was close to everything. The person in charge was super friendly which added to a very pleasant experience and stay!
El Chalten
I stayed at Kuntur Apart and I cannot recommend it enough. The place is walking distance to everything, including the trailheads of both day hikes on days 4 and 5. I walked everywhere from Kuntur, including to all the places I ate at. The room was very spacious and modern. It had a sitting area, a dining table and a full kitchen. Adrian the owner lives just next door and is very friendly and accommodating. I was so happy I stayed at Kuntur Apart.
Car rental
If you want to rent a car, my advice is to book early as possible. Especially if you need an automatic. I rented a car from Servi Car in El Calafate but booked in almost 6 months ahead of time.
See HERE for a detailed guide on El Calafate
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