Hiking the Laguna de los Tres | A guide to help you prepare
Laguna de los Tres Hike | What you need to know before you go
One of the most popular hikes in Patagonia is the Laguna de los Tres Hike in El Chaltén but how much to do you really know about it? If you’ve heard the views are epic and the hike is long, you are not wrong.
There is a bit more to it than that and I’ll be honest, we went in a bit blind and made some mistakes, so I share this post in hopes of helping you plan a little better—both in terms of what to bring and not bring and how to prepare mentally for this grueling hike in Patagonia.
The most popular hike on the Argentinian side of Patagonia is … Laguna de los Tres in El Chaltén.
When it’s all said and done, the views are worth the effort!
Most plan to do this hike for views of the famous and stunning Mount Fitz Roy. It’s famous for many reasons but most recognize it thanks to the Patagonia Brand label. When you are there, it’s clear to see how Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia was so inspired.
There are many reasons this hike is so popular.
On this 15 mile hike, there will be views that are almost indescribable—glaciers, rivers, valleys, lakes, mountain peaks and of course, Mt. Fitz Roy. Trust me, pictures cannot do it justice. It’s truly one of those mountains that will take your breath away.
On social media, you’ll often see the highlight reel for the Laguna de los Tres Hike and while I stand by the idea that you should do it, there are a few things you need to know. We went in relatively unprepared and unaware, which led to some mistakes and lots of tears from my teenage daughter in the end.
I’m sharing those lessons learned and mistakes made, so you can have a better experience!
As I mentioned above, the Laguna de los Tres Hike is truly one of the most incredible hikes we’ve ever taken but it also proved to be one of the most mentally and physically challenging ones too.
This is where you will begin if you start with a shuttle ride to the trailhead outside of town.
Before you hike the Laguna de los Tres Trail, a few things you should know.
Laguna de los Tres Hike is LONG. 15 miles, much of it rolling hills, very little flat terrain, some very, very steep, rocky sections and narrow trails at times. There are camping sites along the trail but most make it a day hike. An all-day hike!
Much of the Laguna de los Tres Hike is through forest of various trees, which means there are not always views, you’ll have miles of just tree-lined trail but when you reach views, they will be worth it.
Laguna de los Tres Hike will take you about 10 hours if you walk at a steady pace. You will spend most of the time hiking, breaks are short and few and far between if you want to aim for 10 hours and trust me, you should. More than 10 hours is a whole new level of mental strength as your body tires.
Below are my top tips on what to do and not do as you prepare for the Laguna de los Tres Hike.
What to do on the Laguna de los Tres Trail in Patagonia.
Start at the trailhead at the Piedra del Fraile instead of starting from the trailhead in town. There are tours and shuttles that take you to this trailhead. This gets you started on the trail sooner and gives you great viewpoints that you will not otherwise see if you start from town.
Hire a guide. While this hike is well marked, a guide will help pace your group and tell you more about the area. It’s a long, slow hike. Not all guides are created equally so if you have limitations or want details about what is ahead, ask questions, share facts. The more they know, the more they can help support you in this adventure.
Bring trekking poles but be sure they are the right size. The steep declines are hard on knees & poles will help. Get poles that are sized properly and avoid ordering them off Amazon days before your trip. If you do that (like my husband did), you’ll essentially be carrying sticks for no reason.
Wear really good hiking shoes. Real hiking shoes. Not sneakers, not running shoes and it’s better if they have ankle support. They will be crucial for the rough terrain, rocky trails and miles and miles you’ll be putting in. If you struggle with arch issues, I 100% recommend adding arch supports in your shoes. I did not and my feet still hurt a month later.
Wear Sunscreen. It may not be hot but the ozone layer is thin here and you will get sunburned without it. Also, reapply often. Really.
Learn the term “Patagonia flat”. It’s deceiving, also a running joke for locals because it does not at all mean flat trails…think rolling hills and lots of them.
Start early and try to get to the lakes before noon. After noon, the crowds are heavy and getting down the steep trail from the lakes will prove to be a bit harder when you are constantly stopping for foot traffic.
Remember, those going up have the right of way when hiking. The down trail is so hard that you’ll be grateful for regular breaks as you let those going up pass by.
Views of the Glacier de los Trails from the first half of the Lagunas de los Tres Hike in El Chaltén, Argentina.
What not to do on the Laguna de los Tres Trail in Patagonia.
Don’t make this your first hike in Patagonia. Take a shorter hike to acclimate and build some endurance. We hadn’t hiked in about 2 months and this was the longest hike we’ve done in years…we paid the price for going in cold.
Avoid dressing too warm. You’ll heat up fast and extra layers will be hindrance. I wore long underwear under my thin pants because the temps started in the 50s and at the top of Laguna de los Tres trail, I had to hide behind a rock and strip down. Not my best moment but it got quite warm as the day went on and there was no way I could last with two pairs of pants for the remaining portion. You may need to pack an extra layer but the key is to pack it, not wear it from the start.
Don’t forget snacks to refuel—they will help for the hours and hours of hiking ahead of you. The best advice is bring your favorite snacks from home so you have what you like. You will not find the snacks you are used to in El Chaltén.
Also, the hotel will likely provide you a packed lunch for the hike but it’s a mystery meal so you may not like everything in it. Having extra snacks will be a huge help when energy or blood-sugar levels get low. Bring things that are easy to eat while walking.
Don’t get too excited when you finally see the town…you might have to walk another mile or so to get to your hotel. One of the most challenging aspects of the Laguna de los Tres Hike is that it is all one way (if you start from the Reservoir), so not being an out & back or loop, it’s really hard to know when you are reaching the end and after miles and miles and miles of forested trail, you begin to lose hope you’ll ever get there.
At some point, you’ll see El Chalten in front of you but depending on where you hotel is, you may have over a mile to hike once you hit the trail end. The shuttle that dropped you off, does not pick you up, so you have to rely on your tired feet to get you home.
Don’t rely on the one public bathroom. It’s an outhouse and it is rough…prepare to use the great outdoors. Thankfully with the trail have many forested sections, you’ll find places to go the bathroom with a little privacy. As always, leave no trace. No tissues, no toilet paper or other times. If you have to go #2, be sure to bury your waste.
Don’t leave your earbuds/AirPods behind…music can be a great distraction when the miles feel endless. My son had his and we were all jealous. Sometimes you need to drown out the voice in your head that says “I can’t”.
Music helps you change your pace up and has a way of motivating you to keep going. It also helps create memories connected to music. Epic views and favorite songs have a great way of going together. Trust me, for the rest of the hikes on our trip, we all had our AirPods! It’s a great way to give the teens a little personal space when hiking for hours together.
Try not to get discouraged. The Laguna de los Tres Hike is a long hike, ask your guide for reference points and take breaks when you need them.
Avoid planning another long hike the day after this one. Unless you hike 10-15 miles on the regular, you will be sore and tired. Our agency had planned for us to do another long hike the next day and on our final miles of the Laguna de los Tres Hike, we told our guide there was no way that was going to happen.
We opted for a rest day, which happened to be Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day, we did two easy hikes on our own. We know we likely missed out on more great views of the area but we knew our limits and that we had more miles ahead of us in Chile so we opted out and that was the right choice for us.
Views of Mt. Fitz Roy from the backside, they get more incredible as you get closer to the lakes.
A few takeaways for the Laguna de los Tres Hike:
There is a difference between being a fan of hiking and avid hikers. As a family we love to hike and almost always do so when we travel but we don’t hike regularly at home so we quickly realized that we were not prepared mentally or physically for a 15 mile tough hike on our first day of hiking in Patagonia. Know your ability and your limits and plan (or adjust) as needed.
We did this hike with two teens and as I mentioned above, this hike ended with a lot of tears from my 19 year old. She had enough and was over it. We did not see many young kids on this hike and I think there is a reason for that….it’s hard!
It’s not to say young kids can’t do this hike if they are truly avid hikers, have the right gear and love to hike, but it will be challenging at times and as parents, you may have to be prepared to carry younger ones. Can’t say I could have carried another human at the end but maybe you can.
If you are someone that likes to stop a lot and take pictures, that might be something to mention to your travel planner or agency that is setting up your hikes. Our guide, despite being a photographer himself, did not have much patience for me stopping to take pictures. It made for a frustrating experience for me and looking back I wish I had someone that was a bit more patient. After all, there is no telling if we’ll be back to Patagonia to hike the Lagunas de los Tres hike again.
Some final tips as you plan your trip:
The most popular months to visit Patagonia are between September to March because those are their Spring and Summer months. Spring and Summer are not what we are used to in the States.
Expect high winds, mild temps and a mix of rain and sun. You will need to pack for all weather. It’s not cold (usually) but you are fighting a variety of elements each day.
We learned so much from our two week trip and I have full intentions of sharing more soon but if you have any specific questions or need to know something quickly before you depart for your adventure, drop your question below or just over to the contact page and drop me a note. I promise I’ll reply.
Ready to take a trip to Patagonia but haven’t started planning?
If you are feeing overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start, I can help. Let’s set up a time to chat and before you know it, you’ll be hiking the Laguna de los Tres trail in Patagonia!
If you are coming up on your first trip to South America, be sure to check out my post about Tips for Traveling to South America. It’s not like Europe and takes a little extra patience and a bit of experience to navigate well. This post will help you get started!
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