With the wind at your back, zoom away from the mountains into the arid Patagonian steppe, where pale-blue glacial rivers penetrate otherwise-barren landscapes and guanacos, rheas and foxes thrive.
Exit El Chaltén from the southeast and join Ruta 23. You'll likely enjoy a tailwind as you zoom alongside the pale blue waters of Lago Viedma and into the vast Patagonian steppe. Keep an eye out for guanacos and rheas, both common and easily spotted in this area. Traffic is minimal, with the exception of the occasional tour bus – buses run daily between El Calafate and El Chaltén.
Directions
 |
El Chaltén |
|
|---|---|---|
| Head southeast on Ruta 23 | ||
| 2 km | Mirador El Chaltén and Monte Fitz Roy | |
| 6.5 km | Downhill (-130 m / 6 km) | |
| 61.5 km | Climb (+90 m / 3 km) | |
| 87 km | Ruta 40 junction - turn right (south) | |
| 94.5 km | Mirador Lago Viedma (narrow sandy trail leads to lake) | |
| 107.5 km | Río La Leona and just beyond the bridge, Hotel La Leona | |
| 118.5 km | Pink House wild camp; camp inside or behind the house on the shore of Río La Leona; sign the wall! | |
| 132 km | Climb (+130 m / 2.5 km) | |
| 138.7 km | AGVP (Puesto Fijo) – La Irene | |
| 142 km | Downhill (-100 m / 2.5 km) | |
| 149.5 km | Downhill (-70 m / 3 km) | |
| 151 km | Mirador Lago Argentino | |
| 160.5 km | Bridge over Río La Leona (river drains into Lago Argentino ~1 km south of here) | |
| 176 km | Río Santa Cruz | |
| 181.5 km | Turn right (west) on RP-11, toward El Calafate | |
| 196 km | Aeropuerto junction — between here and El Calafate vehicle traffic increases substantially | |
| 209.5 km | El Calafate policia checkpoint – known for providing cyclists with reflective neon-orange safety vests | |
|
El Calafate |
Camping Recommendation
The Pink House
One of the only good wild camps between El Chaltén and El Calafate, this is an abandoned restaurant, colloquially known to cyclists as "The Pink House." The walls inside the house are covered in graffiti and notes from previous travelers. While there is space inside for tents, the space behind the house (on the shore of Río La Leona) is a great camping area. During the summer, a tourism business uses this land as a launch pad for kayak tours in the morning. The instructors don't mind if people camp, as long as they clean up their trash! While there, we were visited by a fox three times (it seemed to enjoy snacking on the small pear-like fruits from the trees nearby).
Location |
|---|
| -49.890654, -72.043221 |
Category |
|---|
| Wild/Refugio |
Cost |
|---|
| Free |
Water Source |
|---|
| Río La Leona |
Highlights |
|---|
| Wildlife Riverside Shelter |
Tour Total
Explore Nearby
The above route information is intended to be used as a guide in conjunction with your own due diligence. Although Bicycle Patagonia is a product of extensive research, we make no representations, guarantees nor assurances as to the accuracy of the above information or the associated .gpx and .kml files. Prior to beginning the route, be sure to check local weather forecasts & road conditions. While out riding, respect Patagonia – follow all public and private land use restrictions, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and always #leavenotrace.