“The mountains will always be there, the trick is to make sure you are too” – Hervey Voge, Mountaineer

The tallest mountains in Glacier National Park sit 3 hours north of El Calafate, just outside El Chalten. This little town is full of good restaurants, cute shops, and some of the best hiking in the country, all within a day’s walk. During our three days in El Chalten, we took one of my all time favorite hikes to Monte Fitz Roy, rode horses through an estancia (“ranch”), and spent a couple of mornings relaxing in the town’s cafes.

One of the other things that will stay with me about Patagonia is our bus rides between towns. By the time we left El Chalten for our flight to Buenos Aires, we’d spent almost 20 hours riding buses across the mostly flat plains broken up by the occasional herd of guanacos, turquoise lake, or mountains in the distance. It is a hypnotizing beauty.

– Phil

The view at the end of the hike to Monte Fitz Roy; maybe the best day hike in the world

A gorgeous glacier coming down off the side of Monte Fitz Roy

Valley below Monte Fitz Roy

The haunting spires of Cerro Torre piercing the clouds

Approaching the back side of Monte Fitz Roy

Erika casually riding along the Patagonian

Having a chat with my horse during a brief break

Just hanging with the ponies

Horses relaxing after a long day