Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall Hike in El Chalten

Although the two most popular hikes in El Chalten are to Mount Fitz Roy (Laguna de los Tres) and Laguna Torre, they aren’t the only trails around town. After all, they call El Chalten Argentina’s trekking capital for a reason. There are many other lovely trails zig-zagging through this area that lead you to beautiful spots such as Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall. It’s a short and easy trail, which makes it perfect to complete on your first afternoon after arriving in El Chalten, or as a “rest-day” hike between the two aforementioned iconic but very long treks.

If you’d like to see this hike, make sure to watch our Los Glaciares National Park video, which we shared on our YouTube channel Kitti and Jon. For more videos from the country, check out our Argentina playlist.

About Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall in El Chalten

Chorrillo del Salto is a waterfall along the Rio de la Cascada, located just outside of El Chalten in Los Glaciares National Park in Argentine Patagonia. Surrounded by the typical vegetation of this area, the waterfall drops about 20 metres into a small pool. During the winter months, when temperatures drop significantly, it freezes over completely, which attracts ice climbers.

There are many big rocks to sit on and enjoy the views from, although it does get quite busy in the high season.

Trailhead, Length and Difficulty of the Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall Hike

Trailhead. The Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall trailhead starts from Sendero Fitz Roy Car Park in El Chalten. This is the same point you would start the Mount Fitz Roy hike from.

Trail Length. The hike is about 6.5km / 4 miles long (out-and-back). Depending on where you’re staying in El Chalten, you also have to account for some extra walking to and from the trailhead. To put it into perspective, if you stay somewhere around the main bus terminal area this hike could turn into a 10km / 6 mile roundtrip. We’ll give you some hotel suggestions closer to the trailhead further down.

Elevation Gain and Trail Conditions. It’s a relatively flat trail with around 130 m (430 ft) of elevation gain. The footpath is generally in good condition, although it can be uneven and muddy after rainfall. It’s signposted and easy to follow. However, you’ll have to walk along the road (Ruta 41) for a short while, so be mindful of vehicle traffic.

Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall Hike: Route Description

After passing the trailhead, we followed the dirt path that took us above the road, offering us a lovely vantage point of the Las Vueltas River meandering through the wide valley, with the mountains rising high on either side. In about 0.7 km (0.4 miles) the path merged with Ruta 41 down in the valley. There was no dedicated footpath, so we had to walk along the road for about the same distance.

Soon, to our right, we saw a sign for a dedicated trail which we followed through the forest. It eventually led us back to the road, which we had to cross to get to the footpath on the left side. From this point, the trail essentially ran parallel with the main road. Soon, we came across the official car park for the waterfall. From here, Chorrillo del Salto is only another 500 m further up the trail.

The waterfall itself was pretty impressive and much bigger in real life than we had anticipated from looking at the photos. It was quite busy though, so you may want to come a bit earlier in the day. We still managed to find a good spot to have a quick snack whilst enjoying the views. Once we were ready to leave, we just followed the same route back to El Chalten. On our way back, we spotted a family of wild horses, so keep your eyes peeled as they may be in the area.

Practical Information About the Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall Hike

Entry Fee to Los Glaciares National Park

From 2024, all national parks across Argentina require an entry pass. Currently, the entry fee for foreign visitors to Los Glaciares National Park is $50,000 ARS per day. To save some pennies, there are options for a 3-day or 7-day flexipass. In addition, you can also buy an annual pass for $300,000 ARS, which grants you access to all national parks for one year. This may work out cheaper if you’re spending a few months backpacking through Argentina.

You can purchase your entry pass via the official website, as well as see up-to-date prices and discounts.

Since the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall hike starts at the same point as the Mount Fitz Roy / Laguna de los Tres trail, you’ll probably be asked to show your ticket. If you wish to avoid this, we suggest hiking along Ruta 41 until the trails merge. (Although you would miss out on the lovely views of the Las Vueltas River valley).

Best Time to Hike to Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall

The best time of the year to hike to Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall is between November and March. This is essentially late spring, summer and early autumn in Argentina. During this timeframe, there’ll be more chances for dry, clear and warmer days with plenty of daylight hours. On the other hand, the summer is also the high tourist season in Patagonia, so expect the waterfall to be more crowded.

If you’re booking a few extra days in El Chalten, try to do this hike on a day when the cloud cover is maybe a bit lower. This way you won’t waste a clear day doing a hike that doesn’t really require you to climb higher.

What to Wear and Bring with You

Clothing and Footwear. Wear season-appropriate clothing and footwear. When we did this hike at the start of January, it was warm despite being a bit overcast and windy. Therefore, make sure to wear layers so you can adjust to the conditions. Depending on what you feel more comfortable in, wear either shorts or long trousers. We still suggest taking a fleece and / or a rain jacket. In terms of footwear, try to wear hiking boots or shoes with good grip.

Food and Drinks. Take some water and some snacks, as the area around the waterfall is a fantastic picnic area.

Additional Items. Also, make sure to have enough SPF on you, as you’ll be exposed the majority of the hike and the sun can be pretty strong. Take a hat and sunglasses for extra protection as well. If you suffer from knee issues, take some hiking poles.

Where to Stay in El Chalten

The small town of El Chalten is going to be the perfect place to base yourself for a few nights. There are many hotels and hostels here, although expect higher prices per night than in El Calafate. This is because El Chaten is much smaller, so there are naturally less options and a lot of demand. We also recommend booking your stay as early as possible if you’re visiting in the high tourist season.

Top Tip. The length of El Chalten from the main bus terminal to the Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall trailhead is nearly 2km. If you want to save your legs from walking an extra 4km (there and back), try to book your hotel closer to the trailhead.

Final Thoughts on the Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall Hike in El Chalten

Chorrillo del Salto Waterfall was actually our very first hike in El Chalten. Since there was some cloud cover around Mount Fitz Roy, we decided to skip it on this particular day and go to the waterfall instead. We did hike to Fitz Roy the next day and we’re so glad that we swapped things around because the conditions were much better the following day for that hike. It was a very easy and relaxing trail, perfect to prepare our bodies for a more demanding trek the next day.

Have you ever done this hike before? If so, let us know what your experience was like. If you found this blog post useful and want to show your support you can buy us a coffee here.