An Inadequate Description of a Perfect Patagonian Hike

Let me start with a confession: I am utterly unequipped to do today’s hike justice. My vocabulary fails me, and while I’m a perfectly acceptable photographer, my images are but pale echoes of the reality we witnessed. They capture a moment, but not the soul-stirring, immersive feeling of being there.

So, I won’t try to wax lyrical. Instead, I’ll simply tell you about the walk—the Cerro Paredón circuit—and why, if you ever find yourself in El Chalten, you should make it your first priority. I’ll leave you with my photos, which I’m genuinely happy with, even as I acknowledge their inherent inadequacy.

The Stats Lie: A Leisurely Five-Hour Stroll

On paper, our hike was a straightforward affair. A circular route of just 9km, with a gentle 300 metres of ascent and descent. A brisk walker could probably knock it out in two and a half hours. I am, therefore, slightly sheepish to report that it took us a full, glorious five hours to complete.

Why the glacial pace? Well, Kiersten and I are both knocking on a bit, you know! But more importantly, the trail itself refused to be rushed. This wasn't a route to be conquered; it was an experience to be savoured, minute by minute.

The Real Reason for Our Slow Pace: Unfolding Beauty

Our delay was a deliberate, joyous rebellion against efficiency. From the very start, the landscape demanded our full attention.

The morning began with a dramatic unveiling. Thick clouds clung stubbornly to the peaks of the Fitz Roy range, hiding their summits from view. Piece by piece, the granite peaks revealed themselves. And then came the real showstopper: the emergence, for the first time since we had arrived, of "the Tower" — the infamous, almost mythical Cerro Torre. Its impossibly slender spire, often wreathed in a plume of cloud, stood stark and clear against the blue sky. It was a sight that commanded silence. We obliged.

The trail led us past three tranquil lakes, each a perfect mirror for the mountains. Here, our progress was further hampered by the search for our "flighty feathered friends." The quiet shores weren't full of birdlife, but we spent what felt like an age, binoculars in hand, trying to identify the few local inhabitants.

But the greatest time waster of all was the simplest: we simply stopped. We found a comfortable rock in the heart of this marvellous mountain arena, sat down, and just… existed. We ate our snack bars not as fuel, but as a picnic in the grandest dining room on earth. Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre were our centrepieces.

Why This Should Be Your First Hike in El Chalten

This circular hike to the east of El Chalten, up the slopes of Cerro Paredón, is the most wonderful introduction to the area you could ask for. Yesterday was a busy Halloween Sunday, and while the popular, well-trodden trails west of town (like Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre) were undoubtedly packed with a steady stream of pilgrims, we encountered only a handful of other hikers on our route.

The solitude was a gift, but the real magic of the Cerro Paredón circuit is its perspective. It doesn’t just show you one or two famous peaks; it unfolds the entire mountain range before you like a completed jigsaw puzzle. From this vantage point, you see how Fitz Roy, Torre, and all their supporting cast relate to one another, understanding the grand architecture of the place in a single, sweeping panorama.

It’s a hike that gives you context, peace, and a profound sense of scale. It’s not the most challenging trail, but it is, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding. It’s totally to be recommended as your first hike in the area — a perfect overture to the landscapes of Patagonia.

And now, as promised, here are my humble, happy, and entirely inadequate images from a day I will not soon forget.