Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine face each other across the border, two national parks that between them hold most of the images people have of Patagonia: the needle of Fitz Roy, the ice front of the Perito Moreno, the three granite towers and the horns of Paine. This loop gives each of them three nights, which is what it takes to walk them properly and to wait out the weather, and links them by road through the open steppe.
Day 1 · From El Calafate to El Chaltén
Highlight · El Chaltén, where the Río de las Vueltas meets the Fitz Roy.
Drive · 215 km · paved
Straight from the airport onto the road north: across the steppe and along Lago Viedma to El Chaltén, set where the Río de las Vueltas meets the Fitz Roy, inside the national park. Glaciers, hidden lagoons, estancias and the mountain itself make up the landscape of the next three days.
Night · El Chaltén
Day 2 · El Chaltén
Highlight · The trails from town towards the Fitz Roy viewpoints.
A day on the trails that leave from town towards the viewpoints of Fitz Roy.
Night · El Chaltén
Day 3 · Lago del Desierto
Highlight · A lake closed in by forest and mountains at the end of a winding road.
Drive · 37 km
Another day in the area, with the drive north to Lago del Desierto, 37 km of winding road that follows the Río de las Vueltas past woods, streams, lagoons and small waterfalls to a lake closed in by forest and mountains.
Night · El Chaltén
Day 4 · Back to El Calafate
Highlight · Lago Argentino, milky green and 60 km long, gathering the ice of the park.
Drive · 215 km
South again to El Calafate, on the shore of Lago Argentino, a lake of milky green water 60 km long and up to 300 m deep that collects the ice of the park.
Night · El Calafate
Day 5 · The Perito Moreno glacier
Highlight · The ice front of the Perito Moreno from the walkways.
The day for the glacier, 70 km from town, at the far southwest of Lago Argentino. From the walkways the ice front is one of the great natural spectacles of the continent.
Night · El Calafate
Day 6 · El Calafate
Highlight · A day at rest in El Calafate, between the two parks.
A free day in town, to walk around or simply rest between the two parks.
Night · El Calafate
Day 7 · Across the border to Torres del Paine
Highlight · The steppe of Última Esperanza opening onto the Paine massif.
Drive · 285 km · 198 km gravel
To Chile, through the steppe of Última Esperanza to the park, which sits between the Andes and the Patagonian plains.
Night · Torres del Paine
Day 8 · Base of the Towers
Highlight · The climb past the Chilean camp to the foot of the towers themselves.
Walk · Base of the Towers
The classic walk of the park starts at Laguna Amarga, follows a track for 7 km to the ranger post, and climbs past the Chilean camp to the foot of the towers themselves.
Night · Torres del Paine
Day 9 · Lago Grey
Highlight · The western side of the park along Lago Grey, and the glacier on foot in summer.
Another day in the park, best spent on the western side along Lago Grey. In summer it is also possible to walk on the Grey glacier.
Night · Torres del Paine
Day 10 · Back to El Calafate
Highlight · One last border crossing on the way back to El Calafate.
Drive · 285 km · 198 km gravel
Back across the border to return the car at El Calafate airport.
