GroovyGeek wrote:
You are a brave man. Renting from Sixt is an iffy proposition in most countries on a good day, but in Argentina and Chile it is downright an adventure. You can expect poor customer service and the car to be inspected with a microscope and nit-picked for every little ding. Make sure to either buy their insurance or get something that will cover you. The roads in TdP used to be loose gravel so you can expect some rock chips on the paint and possibly on the windshield.
I am enrolled in the AMEX Premium Car Rental Protection plan. For under $20 PER RENTAL you are covered for most things. I have had to file claims 3-4x in my life, and they have always paid promptly and hassle free. Most rental companies charge 2x that PER DAY.
I suggest you consider switching to Hertz. Will be more expensive but far less hassles. Not sure if that is the case in Chile, but in El Calafate anything other than Hertz is just not worth the risk, not to mention the shitty customer service....Show more →
Thanks Boyan, for the heads up! I am not sure if there is Hertz at Puerto Natales airport....will check for sure. I have picked the full insurance option from Sixts. I don't believe I had a choice as that was the only rental on airport. Have not reserved anything in El Calafate yet.
imoretti wrote:
I’ve been to the Calafate/El Chalten area twice, in April and May. I’d be happy to share my hotel, activity and guide choices. Please feel free to PM me.
Don't know if this is still relevant. We were there in December 2025. We staged at El Chalten and then hiked all over every day. As mentioned by @GroovyGeek, all the trails are clearly marked. Note that some of these can be really steep. We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 16 yr and 12yr) and left early in the morning every day. We did all the hiking without any guides. Completed the following in the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares:
Mirador Condores, Los Aguilas, Lago Torro, Lago Capri, Lomo Del Pliegue Tumbado, Torre and Fitz Roy viewpoints
We also went to Estancia Los Huemules, and hiked to Glacier Cagliero, Laguna Verde and Laguna Azul.
Note that the entrance fees are based on your nationality, and we bought weekly passes for the national park and daily passes for Estancia Los Huemules.
We’ve camped at both Poicenot and Laguna Torre… keep your eyes out for mice/ratones that will happily chew their way into your tent to munch on something tasty. You can probably guess how I know. (We were there in April/May, when there were maybe 2-3 other campers.)
Great info here. We are thinking of a couple weeks in El Chalten March/April. Wondering if renting a car is mandatory (to cruise around to other photo ops). Also has anyone rented camping gear in El Chalten? Recommendations? I'd like to spend a night or two up at Agostini Campground below Cerro Torre. Hotel/B&B recommendations also appreciated.
Jim Dockery wrote:
Great info here. We are thinking of a couple weeks in El Chalten March/April. Wondering if renting a car is mandatory (to cruise around to other photo ops). Also has anyone rented camping gear in El Chalten? Recommendations? I'd like to spend a night or two up at Agostini Campground below Cerro Torre. Hotel/B&B recommendations also appreciated.
You can rent everything you need in Chalten, but you may be surprised at how spendy it is. They have an Explora, an ultra basic hostel, and everything in between. I mentioned the mid-priced hotel where I stayed with my wife a couple of years ago earlier in the thread.
March/April is a bit early for peak lenga color, which is more like mid to late April.
IMO car rental is mandatory, if for no other reason that the gas station probably has one of the best views in the world (#1 below). A car gives you the ability to explore areas that are fairly distant - the road towards Chalten around Rio de las Vueltas has many beautiful photo ops (#2, #3, #4). Further down that same road and after a substantial hike you can get views like #5 (not mine). Driving around and stopping at random lenga forest locations gets you things like #6 and #7. You can also drive to Lago Electrico.
If renting get the full insurance, and rent from Hertz only. Assume that the car will be inspected with a magnifying glass when you return it and you will be charged handsomely for 1/16" paint chips. Amex premium rental car protection surprisingly is valid in Argentina and paid several hundred dollars for "damage" to my rental.
(#1 below). A car gives you the ability to explore areas that are fairly distant - the road towards Chalten around Rio de las Vueltas has many beautiful photo ops (#2, #3, #4). Further down that same road and after a substantial hike you can get views like #5 (not mine). Driving around and stopping at random lenga forest locations gets you things like #6 and #7. You can also drive to Lago Electrico. 
