Laguna de los Tres is one of Patagonia’s iconic hikes. It’s a 22-kilometre out-and-back hike from El Chaltén. The reward, after a long climb, is a view of the peaks of Mount Fitzroy over a turquoise laguna. That was not quite the view we got (more on this below) but that did not by any means detract from what was an excellent hike.
I’ve set out some of the practicalities of the Laguna de los Tres hike first, then I’ve dived into describing what the hike is like.
What time should you start the hike to Laguna de los Tres?
We started at around 6:30am. The hike is long at around 22 kilometres so it’s best to get going early.
Some people start super early to get up to the top for sunrise. I’ve heard it’s beautiful but that was too much for me!
What should you wear/bring for the hike?
I advise wearing:
- Warm layers. Patagonia’s weather is very changeable. I recommend thermals, as well as a hat and gloves.
- Waterproof clothes. A waterproof coat is essential and waterproof trousers are ideal if you have them.
- Proper hiking boots. I saw some people doing the hike in trainers and it seemed like madness.
Bring food for the hike as there are no cafés or restaurants along the route. Bring lots of water too.
What’s the Laguna de los Tres hike like?
The hike begins with a relatively gentle slope upwards for three kilometres through the woods, offering nice views of El Chaltén from above, spread out along the valley. In the other direction is a vista of the river running between the rocky mountains, branching off and rejoining itself at random in a web of flowing threads.
The next six or seven kilometres are flatter, more open and very scenic, giving you your first glimpses of Mount Fitzroy and taking you across precarious wooden bridges over crystal-clear streams bubbling along pebbly ground. So far so good.
Ten kilometres in, the toughest section begins. At first it is not too bad – not too steep and there’s a clear path to follow. But after a short while, the path practically disappears and you are essentially ascending a bunch of loose and jagged rocks. Your ascent is made trickier by a stream running along where the path should be, making it slippery underfoot. At this point of the hike when I did it, a crosswind began to blow snow over from a nearby mountain which didn’t help!
What’s the Laguna de los Tres viewpoint like?
After about an hour of this, you emerge at Mount Fitzroy.
Ideally, its peaks would be visible against a deep blue sky, topped with powdery snow lit by fresh sunlight, with a turquoise laguna sweeping beneath. When I did Laguna de los Tres in mid-November, however, the laguna was frozen over and covered with snow so unfortunately I didn’t get that perfect view.
However, you’ll see another mound ahead of you which people might be climbing. You should follow – it’s only another ten minutes. The view that meets you is the cobalt-blue Laguna Sucia tucked into a crater between steep mountain edges. Considering the weather when I did the hike, it was a gratifying splash of colour against the sharp rocks and fresh, cold snow.
Now for the descent
Once you’ve taken some photos and had a well-deserved snack, you’ll begin your descent back the way you came. Depending on the time of day, this might be more challenging than the ascent – not only is it very steep but, when I did it, there was about an equal number of people coming up and going down so it was chaos!
Before long, you’ll reach the flat section and you can be content that you’re set to complete one of the best hikes in Patagonia.
If you’re heading to Chile as well as Argentina, check out my comparison between Laguna de Los Tres and the Base of the Towers in Torre del Paine. Good luck!
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