Mount Fitz Roy or Mirador Las Torres Base Hike in Patagonia – A Complete Comparison

When it comes to hiking in Patagonia, there are two trails usually listed as “must-do”: Mount Fitz Roy and Mirador las Torres Base. Now, the “issue” is that the Mount Fitz Roy hike is located in Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina, whereas the Mirador las Torres Base hike is in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. So, as you’re planning your dream Patagonia trip, you may be wondering how these two iconic trails compare. Are they similar? Which one is better? Which one is cheaper?

Usually when there are two very similar experiences available to people, we do like to compare them. We’ve written many similar articles on bucket list destinations, such as the Argentine vs Brazil side of Iguazu Falls debate. Whilst this guide will purely focus on the hiking trails themselves, in a separate guide we’ve also compared Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine National Parks.

If you’d like to see us do both hikes, make sure to watch our Los Glaciares National Park video for Mount Fitz Roy and our Torres del Paine National Park video for the Mirador las Torres Base hike, which we’ve shared on our YouTube channel Kitti and Jon.

Mount Fitz Roy vs. Mirador Las Torres Base Hike in Patagonia

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s just define the two hiking trails, as there can often be some confusion due to the names.

Hiking Mount Fitz Roy actually means hiking to Laguna de los Tres at the base of Fitz Roy. This turquoise blue lake got its name from the three peaks visible from its shore: Fitz Roy (3,405 m), Poincenot (3,002 m) and Saint-Exupéry (2,558 m). That is why this trail is often just referred to as the Laguna de los Tres hike.

Mirador las Torres, also known as Mirador Base Las Torres, is a viewpoint on the shores of Lake Torre. The lake sits at the base of the three iconic granite towers, or torres (Central, Monzino, Dagostini), in the Paine Mountain range. Torres del Paine National Park was actually re-named after these three peaks. Yes, we also noted that everything in this area is called Torres!

To add to the confusion, next to Fitz Roy there’s also a lake, glacier and mountain peak called Torre, just without the ‘s’. People often combine the Fitz Roy/Laguna de los Tres trail with the Laguna Torre trail, but both are in Argentina.

Location of Mount Fitz Roy and Mirador Las Torres Base

The Mount Fitz Roy hiking trail is located in Los Glaciares National Park, with the route beginning in the small mountain town of El Chalten in Argentina. El Chalten is easily accessible either by hire car or public bus from El Calafate, where most people can get a direct flight to from Buenos Aires.

Mirador las Torres Base hike is inside Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The closest main city is Puerto Natales, about 120km south of the trailhead. You can get a direct flight to Puerto Natales from Santiago.

Overall, you’ll need to take either a domestic flight or a long-haul bus to reach the closest city to both national parks.

Getting to the Trailhead: Mount Fitz Roy vs. Mirador las Torres Base

The main difference between the two trails is the actual distance of the trailhead from the closest main town. You can get to Mount Fitz Roy’s trailhead on foot from El Chalten, which means that you won’t need any additional transportation once you’re in town.

For reaching the Mirador las Torres Base trailhead you have two options. You can either stay inside Torres del Paine National Park, ideally close to the trailhead. There are both camping and hotel options available, although at a premium price. However, you will still need to travel to your accommodation the day before your hike. You can also stay in Puerto Natales and travel to the trailhead on the day of your hike by either renting a car in Puerto Natales or by securing an early-departure bus ticket online.

Overall, the trailhead to Mount Fitz Roy is much more accessible, less time consuming and probably also more affordable to get to.

Cost of Hiking Mount Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base

In this section we’re going to compare the Mount Fitz Roy and Mirador las Torres Base hikes in terms of cost, including entry fees, accommodation and transport costs.

Entry Fee to Los Glaciares vs. Torres del Paine National Park

Both national parks require an entry pass. Currently, the entry fee for foreign visitors to Los Glaciares National Park is $45,000 ARS per day. There are options for multi-day passes as follows:

• 1‑day pass – $45,000 ARS
• 3‑day pass – $90,000 ARS
• 7‑day pass – $157,500 ARS
• Annual pass – $225,000ARS

You can purchase your entry pass to Los Glaciares via the official website.

There are two ticket options to Torres del Paine National Park for foreign visitors:

• “Up to 3 Days” Pass – $34,000 CLP
• “More than 3 Days” Pass – $48,500 CLP

You can purchase your entry pass to Torres del Paine on the CONAF website.

Overall, entry to Torres del Paine is definitely better value for money, as you can visit the park for three days for about $40USD, even though there’s no option for a 1-day pass like at Los Glaciares.

Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base: Cost of Camping

If you enjoy camping, or want to do these hikes over two days, then consider booking a campsite. It’s worth noting that spaces are limited, so you’ll need to book early to secure a spot along either trail.

The most popular campgrounds along the Fitz Roy hike are Poincenot and Laguna Capri. The campsites are $20,000ARS per person (not per tent). The price doesn’t actually include any camping gear, so you either bring your own or rent it in El Chalten. You can reserve your spot on this website.

Campsites along the Mirador las Torres Base hike can be reserved on the Las Torres website. The price will depend on the type of camping you pick (fully equipped, semi-equipped, or just a camping spot). There are two main campground options near the trail:

• Refugio El Chileno – This is the closest campsite to Mirador las Torres.
• Torre Central Shelter and Las Torres Campground – This campsite and shelter are located around the Welcome Centre.

If you’re just doing a dedicated Patagonia trip, then we suggest bringing your own equipment to save money on campground costs and gear rental. The campgrounds in Torres del Paine are better equipped, with showers, toilets, drinking water and even food options. Campsites around Fitz Roy are very basic, only providing composting toilets.

Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base: Cost of Hotels and Hostels

There are plenty of hotel and hostel options available for Mount Fitz Roy in El Chalten. Whilst the cost of accommodation is generally higher in El Chalten than in El Calafate, it is made up for by the fact that you can access the trail on foot from the town. Below are our top three picks, one for every budget:

• Rancho Grande Hostel ($) – This hostel is a great budget option that also offers private rooms. They have a restaurant and are located close to the trailhead.
• Fitz Roy Hostería de Montaña ($$) – Still pretty close to the trailhead, this is another fantastic mid-range option with breakfast included.
• Destino Sur Hotel & Spa de Montaña ($$$) – This hotel offers great luxury to their guests, including spa facilities and mountain views. It’s also close to the trailhead and you can book in for a massage after your hike.

If you wish to stay in a hotel close to the trailhead for Mirador las Torres Base, then expect to pay a premium:

• EcoCamp Patagonia ($$$) – It offers a unique stay in geodesic domes right next to the Welcome Centre. You can pick between shared or private bathroom options. Breakfast and dinner is also included in the price.
• Hotel Las Torres Patagonia ($$$) – This is one of the fanciest hotels in the park, offering accommodation at regular and all-inclusive rates. It’s located right at the trailhead. They have spacious rooms with views of the valley and the mountains. Breakfast and dinner are included.

The best way to reduce the cost of your accommodation is to book your stay in Puerto Natales and either hire a car to drive into Torres del Paine, or take a public bus and shuttle combo.

Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base: Transport to the Trailhead

Getting to the Fitz Roy trailhead is quite simple. After arriving in El Calafate, take a bus to El Chalten. You can book your bus ticket online with Busbud. You can also hire a car if you wish, but since the hiking trail is accessible on foot from the town, you won’t get much use out of it once you’re there.

Reaching the Mirador las Torres Base trailhead from Puerto Natales would require either renting a car and parking at the visitor centre near the trailhead, or taking a bus to the Amarga Ranger Station, then a shuttle from there to the trailhead. You would need to do this journey initially even if you decide to stay at one of the accommodations around the trailhead.

Overall, getting to the trailhead of Fitz Roy is more time and cost effective.

Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base Hiking Trail Comparison

In this section, we’re comparing the two hiking trails in terms of length, difficulty, elevation gain, crowds and overall beauty. We appreciate that these elements can be subjective and based somewhat on your fitness level, the time of year and even the weather conditions on the day of your hike.

Crowds on the Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base Hiking Trail

Since these two trails are probably the most hiked in Patagonia, there will always be people on the paths. Of course, if you’re visiting in the shoulder season, then you may not see as many people, but you’ll never have the whole trail or viewpoints all to yourself.

Both trails have some cluster points. For example, Mount Fitz Roy is usually busier at the start, up until Mirador Fitz Roy about 4 km into the hike. Many visitors only hike up to this point for the view, instead of all the way to Laguna de los Tres. Between the viewpoint and the last kilometre of the hike people space out a bit more. Then, the crowds build up again during the last uphill section. This is probably the worst part when it comes to crowds on the Fitz Roy trail. Whilst there are many people at Laguna de los Tres at any one time, there is also a lot of open space to spread out in, so we didn’t really feel the presence of all the other hikers.

Mirador las Torres Base has a similar crowd pattern. If you’re hiking independently and end up starting at the same time as a group, then the first uphill section can be quite busy. If you’re taking the bus to the trailhead, then most hikers will be starting at the same time as you. Either staying at the trailhead or arriving by hire car will give you the best chance to avoid the crowds at the start. Just as with Fitz Roy, crowds will also build up during the last uphill section. If you don’t time it right, you can get caught up with the many group tours.

For us personally, the main difference between the two trails was that Laguna Torre had a much smaller area to spread out in compared to Laguna de los Tres.

Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base: Length, Difficulty and Elevation

Trail Length. Both trails are around the same length, with Mount Fitz Roy coming in at 22km (13.7 miles) and Mirador las Torres at about 21km (13 miles). However, you could easily add a good 2-3km extra onto the Mount Fitz Roy hike if your accommodation is located at the opposite end of El Chalten to the trailhead.

Level of Difficulty. Both trails are marked as hard on AllTrails. This is mainly because of the length and elevation gain. Although, if you have a good level of fitness and have experience hiking for long periods whilst exposed to the elements, then you may find these trails more moderate than difficult.

Elevation Gain. The Mount Fitz Roy hike comes with a total elevation gain of 1,054 m (3,458 ft) and the Mirador las Torres Base hike with a total elevation gain of 1,041 m (3,415 ft). Interestingly, you’ll gain the same amount of elevation in the first 4 km of both trails (360 m / 1,180 ft and 370 m / 1,243 ft respectively). The middle sections are more like what people refer to as “Patagonian flat”, before the last push being the steepest section on both trails.

On the Fitz Roy trail, you’ll gain around 400 m (1,312 ft) of elevation in just 1 km and on the Mirador las Torres Base trail it’s about 300 m (984 ft) of elevation in 1.5 km. Overall, both trails are very similar, with the last ascent on Fitz Roy being slightly more challenging.

Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base: Scenery

Generally speaking, both trails are incredibly scenic. There are definitely more varied viewpoints along the Fitz Roy trail though, starting with an overview of El Chalten and followed by Mirador Río de las Vueltas, all within the first kilometre or so. Then there’s Mirador Fitz Roy, which on its own is a fantastic view. Of course, Laguna de los Tres is also incredible, but with a little extra effort you can also get a glimpse of Laguna Sucia. Lastly, there are beautiful views from Laguna Capri on your way back too.

Along the Mirador las Torres Base hike you’ll get some nice views of the national park behind you along the first section, then the valley of the Windy Pass in front of you. The next real viewpoint though is Lake Torres at the end of the trail.

For us, the main difference between the two trails was that Mount Fitz Roy was visible pretty much the entire hike, whereas we could only really see the Torres once we got up to the lake. For this reason, we personally preferred the Mount Fitz Roy trail for scenery.

Facilities Along the Mount Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base Trail

Toilets. Along the Mirador las Torres Base hike, there are toilets at the Welcome Centre and the campgrounds, and one further up at the Refugio El Chileno. However, you need to pay for the latter unless you’re camping there. There are toilets at the Laguna Capri and Poincenot Campgrounds along the Fitz Roy hike.

Food. You can get food from the café at the Welcome Centre for Mirador las Torres Base and even at Refguio El Chileno. Expect to pay a higher price though. The only options for food for the Fitz Roy hike are within El Chalten, although you’ll have plenty more options and price ranges to choose from. For the day hike itself, we suggest bringing your own packed lunch.

Water. We could refill our water bottles at Refugio El Chileno along the Mirador las Torres trail. Access to drinking water along the Mount Fitz Roy trail was available from the rivers and streams, so try to have a bottle with a filter.

Final Thoughts on the Fitz Roy vs Mirador las Torres Base Hikes

Both hikes are scenic and popular for a reason. At the end of both, you’ll be rewarded with some incredible views of the most iconic peaks along the Andes. However, we personally preferred the Fitz Roy trail to Mirador las Torres Base. Obviously the weather conditions definitely played a part in this, as we didn’t actually see the Torres without clouds partially covering them. Having said that, we’re pretty certain that even had we done Torres on a much sunnier day, we still would’ve picked Fitz Roy as our favourite. The trail was nice to hike and we got more varied viewpoints along the way.

We also enjoyed spreading out at the lake and not feeling too confined by the amount of people at the top. Plus, we also appreciated being able to set a later alarm and hiking straight from our accommodation, without paying a much higher price for the luxury.

Have you ever done either of these hikes before? If so, let us know what your experience was like. Which one did you prefer? If you found this blog post useful and want to show your support, you can buy us a coffee here.