The boat trip
On the lake.
Janitoalevic — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Florenciabrayer — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Janitoalevic — CC BY-SA 4.0
Lago del Desierto, the Lake of the Desert, is a long lake in a glacial valley north of El Chaltén, near Mount Fitz Roy and Lake O'Higgins/San Martín, ringed by forest, mountains and hanging glaciers. The area was the subject of a long border dispute between Argentina and Chile, settled by international arbitration in 1994. Visitors reach it on a gravel road through forest and past the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall, ending at the lake's southern tip. From there boats tour the lake, a short trail climbs to a small lagoon below the Huemul glacier inside a private reserve, and viewpoints show Fitz Roy from the north. It is a full-day trip from El Chaltén by car or minibus. Boat trips and the Huemul trail charge separately, and some services do not run every day, so book ahead in season.
On the lake.
A lagoon below it.
A different angle.
About 37 km north of El Chaltén on Provincial Route 23
Booking is wise in season, as boats do not run every day; they and the Huemul trail charge separately.