Cagliero Glacier ice trekking from El Chalten, Argentina

Cagliero Glacier (950m) is a remote, almost unexplored ice mass in the Argentine southern province of Santa Cruz, at about 25 kilometers from the small mountain village of El Chalten – known as the country’s trekking capital –, located within Los Glaciares National Park. Cagliero has remained alive throughout the years thanks to the accumulation of snow coming from the surrounding Neumeyer (1,320m), Cagliero (2,584m) and Loma del Diablo (2,324m) mountains.

Our trip offers participants a true and highly rewarding mountain experience. It combines hiking through alpine trails, via ferrata, and ice trekking on the magnificent Cagliero Glacier, with breathtaking views along the way!

The tour is held every Monday to Saturday from October to April. We usually meet at 8AM at our offices in El Chalten and drive about an hour to the tour’s starting point in Estancia Los Huemules, a private natural reserve. At the end of the day, we travel back to El Chalten, arriving by 6:30PM.

We begin our journey hiking for two hours along the Diablo River and across a beautiful lenga (southern beeches) forest, up to the Diablo Lagoon (770m) and into Campo Gorra Blanca, another private natural reserve in the area. We trek along the lagoon’s northern shoreline up to the beginning of a beautiful 1km-long via ferrata route, with a cumulative elevation gain of 200 meters. The 1-hour ferrata leads us to a mountain gazer from where we can enjoy stunning views to the Cagliero Glacier to the north and to the steep slopes of the Treinta Aniversario peak to the south. Prior to the via ferrata, we usually go over the fundamentals of this activity and the proper use of equipment to ensure the whole group feels safe and confident.

A short trek then takes us to the Cagliero, where I distribute and attach crampons to participants’ boots to give way to the most expected part of the trip: the ice trek on the glacier. Depending on the group’s fitness level and the weather conditions, we hike for about two hours and have lunch on the glacier. Soon after, we begin our 3-hour descent through the same trail, to the tour’s starting point in Estancia Los Huemules.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore Cagliero Glacier. Book your trip now!

If you would like to take this trip smoother, I also offer an option with an overnight stay in bivouacs. Check it out here!