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Outdoors North of El Chaltén

Lago del Desierto

An outdoor spot in North of El Chaltén, free to visit and worth about 4 hours. Best time to go: Clear day.

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Lago del Desierto in North of El Chaltén
Photo: Sônia Alencastro · Google

Why go

Forest-ringed lake 37 km north, with the Huemul glacier trail nearby.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in El Chaltén, alongside 5 outdoor spots, 2 places to eat and 1 activity. The closest of our other picks is Laguna de los Tres, 28 km away as the crow flies. Set aside about 4 hours here; it works best as the anchor of a day rather than a quick stop.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
North of El Chaltén
Price
Free
Time needed
4 hr
Best time
Clear day

Nearby

The 2 closest curated picks in El Chaltén, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Laguna de los Tres

    Classic day hike to the glacial lake at the foot of Monte Fitz Roy.

    Outdoors · 28 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Chorrillo del Salto

    Easy walk to a waterfall in the forest north of town.

    Outdoors · 29 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Lago del Desierto is a stop on our Patagonia Peaks route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More outdoor spots in El Chaltén

3 more curated outdoor spots in El Chaltén. See the full El Chaltén guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in El Chaltén run from 2°C in July to 11°C in February; April is usually the wettest month. For Lago del Desierto itself, we suggest: Clear day.

Modelled monthly averages for El Chaltén from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full El Chaltén weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Lago del Desierto, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Desert Lake, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina
Coordinates
-49.03722, -72.86472
Destination
El Chaltén, Argentina

Lago del Desierto: quick answers

How much time do you need at Lago del Desierto?

Plan on about 4 hours at Lago del Desierto. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Lago del Desierto?

Our pick: Clear day.

Is Lago del Desierto free?

Yes, we list Lago del Desierto as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Lago del Desierto?

Lago del Desierto is at Desert Lake, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, in North of El Chaltén. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Lago del Desierto?

Lago del Desierto appears on Patagonia Peaks, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Lago del Desierto to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to El Chaltén.

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Also in El Chaltén

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.