Argentina's trekking capital, beneath Mount Fitz Roy
El Chaltén was founded in 1985 and exists mostly for walkers, set at the foot of the jagged Fitz Roy massif. Trails start from the village edge, with no permits or fees: the day hike to Laguna de los Tres climbs steeply to a glacial lake beneath Fitz Roy's granite towers, best at sunrise, and the trail to Laguna Torre leads to Cerro Torre and its glacier. Shorter walks reach viewpoints over the valley. The weather is famously fickle and windy, so build in spare days. Craft beer and lamb await back in the village.