The road to El Chaltén
Known as the hiking capital of Argentina, El Chaltén is a small town located at the foot of the towering Fitzroy and Torre mountains on the edge of the famous Glaciers National Park. It is said to be the youngest town in Argentina and it is not exactly the most hospitable place to live – in fact, in the winter months the town is pretty much deserted. It was inaugurated in 1985, apparently because the Governor of the time wanted to create an Argentine presence in the area to counter some of Chilean rumblings over where the border lies.
In the summer, the town is the centre of a vast playground for hikers and mountaineers. For experts, Mount Fitzroy is said to be one of the most technically challenging mountains in the world though there are plenty of other less tricky places to visit; including the stunning Lago del Desierto (The Desert Lake) and you can also kayak down the Leona river to Lake Argentino where the famous Perito Moreno glacier lies.
Lago del Desierto with Mount Fitzroy in the background
