Mirador de los Condores Hike in El Chalten: A Great Day Hike
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I’ve always said the best thing to do when visiting a new town or city is to find a good viewpoint hike. This allows you to visualize your new destination while also seeing some spectacular views! El Chalten has its own version of this, which is the Mirador de Los Condores hike.
This is a short hike to the first mirador and can be extended with the addition of Mirador Los Aguilas.
In this guide, I’ll go over everything you need to know about this hike and if you should add it to your itinerary.
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Why You Should Hike Mirador de los Condores and Mirador Las Aguilas
If you’re not that great of a hiker but love a good view, then this hike is for you. The trail is steep for only a few sections, but with the entire hike taking only an hour, it isn’t much.
This viewpoint really shows the size of El Chalten and the added bonus of having Fitz Roy in the background is the cherry on top.
Where is Mirador de los Condores Located?
The trailhead for this hike is located by the visitors’ center, right before crossing the small bridge into town. As you get closer, you’ll start to see people at the top of the hike and people along the trail.
How to Get to Mirador de Los Condores Trailhead
The beauty of visiting El Chalten in Argentina and going trekking here is that all the hikes can be reached by foot like Laguna Torre and Chorrillo del Salto.
It’s around a 10-minute walk from the bus station to the trailhead.
If you do end up wanting to drive to this trailhead because you rented a car, then there’s a small parking lot as well.
Things to Know Before Hiking
This hike might seem straight forward but there are some things you should still know before hiking here or during any other hike in El Chalten.
Things to Bring
Patagonia is known for its huge mood swings of weather, and I wouldn’t change that for the world. It’s what makes this area unique. But it’s a good idea to come prepared.
During the peak season between the months of December to February, there will be warm weather, cold weather, and rainy weather. Here are some things I suggest bringing.
Adding on Mirador Las Aguilas
The first stop on this trail will be to Mirador de los Condores but there’s another viewpoint you can add on if you’d like.
Mirador Las Aguilas is marked by signs and takes you along an easy path through green passages. This viewpoint will offer something different than the prior but I’d recommend it if you have the time!
Entrance Fee
One of the best things about visiting El Chalten is that there aren’t any entrance fees when going on hikes in Los Glaciares National Park.
You can enjoy this hike without having to worry about how it’ll affect your budget!
Is the Mirador de los Condores Hike Difficult?
The Mirador de los Condores hike isn’t difficult and can be completed by all fitness levels!
There are a few sections of some steep incline but the hike is short enough that you won’t feel guilty if you need to stop to catch your breath.
This is a great beginner hike that is perfect to do before hiking some of the harder hikes, like Laguna de los Tres to Fitz Roy.
Hiking Details for Mirador de los Condores
Hiking Details for Las Aguilas in El Chalten
I’d suggest using either Alltrails or Mapsme to download the offline maps.
Is Mirador de los Condores Worth it?
The Mirador de los Condores hike is amazing because it offers stunning views while also being a short hike. I think it’s totally worth adding it to your itinerary.
You can go to one of the many coffee shops in town and then, from there, head over to the trailhead!
My favorite coffee shop in town is PAISA High Mountain Coffee by a mile!
Will You See Condors?
All throughout the Andes, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see a Condor. When we were walking up to the trailhead, we could see a few flying over top of where it seemed like the viewpoint was.
As we reached the mirador, all of them had left. There are many reports of them flying daily in that area, so your odds are good!
Best Places to Stay in El Chalten
- Rancho Grande: This is one of the most popular hostels in the area. It’s large and has its own restaurant with a bar! I didn’t stay here, but we grabbed a couple of beers here and loved it!
- Kau Si Aike: Centrally located, this is an apartment that also comes with free breakfast! The place is clean and has some great mountain views.
- Destino Sur Hotel & Spa de Montaña: Looking for a more luxurious experience? Check out this lovely spa located near many fantastic restaurants!
My Experience
We started out this day after visiting one of the coffee shops near the bus station called Vouná. It was good but no one makes a cappuccino like PAISA.
After our coffee, we walked for around 10 minutes and waited to see if we could catch a photo of Fitz Roy with no clouds.
They never fully went away but it was still a great sight to see. Always is.
We arrived at the trailhead and followed the many people on the way up to the mirador.
The Mirador
After around 20 or 25 minutes, we reached the viewpoint. Unfortunately, there were no condors as we reached the top, but the view made up for it!
It was extremely windy the whole time but we have become used to this being the case down in Patagonia. Nonetheless, we waited our turns and took many photos.
Final Thoughts
This is an excellent hike, whether it’s your first one here or you’re looking for something a little bit easier. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of doing a hike with a view like this. It’s hard to complain about anything when you’re up here. With that said, if you have time, add this hike to your itinerary!
