Booked here
The guided day
Pickup, guide, short walks
- Length11 hours
- Coach2.5 hours each way
- WalksLookout and falls
Your group, priced
El Chalten tour from El Calafate, priced from bus seat to private car
Full day from El Calafate to El Chalten
★ 4.4 · 1,003 reviews total
Short answer
An El Chalten tour from El Calafate costs from a modest guided-day fare with pickup, more for treks and private cars, while the bus and a hire car cost less but leave the planning to you; the park fee comes on top.
Price essentials
Compare 4 choices
Work out the cost of your El Chalten day
Set the number of travelers and see each El Chalten day priced for your group.
- Our guided day11 hours · starts at, per person $117
≈
View - Condor and falls11 hours · starts at, per person $90
≈
View - Capri trek13 hours · starts at, per person $120
≈
View - Self-guided day14 hours · starts at, per person $140
≈
View
Starting prices from GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. You will see the exact price when booking.
Every El Chalten tour from El Calafate we could price, set against the bus and a hire car, with the park fee and the small extras that quietly add up.
Editorial team, elchaltendaytrip.top · Updated November 9, 2026 · Quick read: 7 min
Quick look
- Our guided dayFrom $117 for 11 hours, with hotel pickup and a guide.
- Lowest we foundA day with the Condor lookout and the falls starts from $90.
- Private carA private full day with a Capri viewpoint stop starts from $399.
- Park entryThe North Zone charges a fee: ARS 50,000 at the general rate.1,2
- LunchLunch in El Chalten is optional and paid on top of the tour.
What the guided day on this site costs
The day we book for you starts on GetYourGuide from $117 and runs for 11 hours, leaving El Calafate in the morning and bringing you back the same evening. The fare buys the road in both directions, a guide fluent in Spanish and English, and hotel pickup, which is the part of the price that saves the most hassle on an early start.
Inside the day you get a 30-minute break and photo stop at Parador La Leona, a guided 700-meter stroll up to the Mirador de los Condores and a short walk of 300 meters to the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall. Each coach leg takes 2.5 hours, and the record puts your time in the village at about 5 hours. What it leaves out is lunch, which is optional and charged separately.
Pickup comes with a condition worth knowing before you book a cheap apartment. The operator collects only from accommodation with a reception; if you sleep in a short-term rental, you are given a nearby meeting point instead. That costs nothing extra, but it does mean a walk in the dark on a winter morning, so pick your bed with the start of the day in mind.
Side by side
El Chalten days from El Calafate by price
| Trip | From | Length | Free cancel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condor lookout and falls | $90 | 11 hours | Yes |
| Short hike day | $112 | 11 hours | No |
| Our guided day | $117 | 11 hours | Yes |
| Capri trek and picnic | $120 | 13 hours | Yes |
| Self-guided day | $140 | 14 hours | Yes |
| Private excursion | $399 | 10 hours | Yes |
Starting fares only; your travel date and party size settle the real cost.
Other guided days from El Calafate, side by side
The cheapest guided day we found starts from $90 and takes you to the Condor lookout and the falls in 11 hours, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. A similar day with a short hike starts from $112, also 11 hours long, but it is sold as non-refundable, so it suits only travelers whose dates are fixed.
If walking matters more than the village, a Capri trek with a picnic starts from $120 and lasts 13 hours. Its plan splits the time into hiking blocks of 2 hours either side of a 1-hour lunch, which is a very different day from a coach tour with short strolls. Expect a longer day and tired legs in exchange for a lake view under the mountain.
There is also a transport-only option for people who want to choose their own trail. That self-guided day starts from $140, takes 14 hours and rates 3.9 across 27 reviews, lower than the guided days. The extra hours are the point of it: more time on a trail of your choice, with the ride arranged for you. Any of these is an el chalten full day tour; the difference is how much of the day is yours.
Hours you buy
El Chalten days from El Calafate by length
- Private car15
- Self-guided day14
- Capri trek13
- Our guided day11
- Condor and falls11
- Private excursion10
Total length from El Calafate as each listing states it.
Private cars and transfers: when the bill splits well
Private options look expensive per booking and cheaper once a full car shares them. A private full-day excursion starts from $399 and lasts 10 hours, with stops at La Leona, the village, the waterfall, the Condor lookout and the Laguna Capri viewpoint. It has only 10 reviews so far, so you are buying flexibility more than a long track record.
A private car for groups starts from $572 and stretches to 15 hours, with 8 of them in El Chalten for walking and free time. That is the closest thing to a self-drive day without the driving: you set the pace, someone else watches the road. Check whether the price is for the vehicle or per seat before you compare it with a coach fare.
If you only need the road, a private van transfer between El Calafate and El Chalten starts from $297 and takes 2.5 hours, with pickup in town, at the airport or in El Chalten. It has no reviews yet, which is the main caution. For people moving on with luggage rather than coming back the same day, this is the like-for-like price to set against a bus ticket.
Pick by budget
Which El Chalten day fits your wallet
Name your priority and find the El Chalten day that matches your budget.
If I want the lowest guided fare
Condor and falls day
A guided day of 11 hours from $90.
If I want pickup and a proven day
The day on this site
From $117 with 1,003 reviews behind it.
If I mostly want to hike
The Capri trek
A 13-hour day with hiking and a picnic, from $120.
If We are a group of friends
A private excursion
A private guided day of 10 hours, from $399.
If My dates might change
Avoid non-refundable days
One similar day cannot be refunded at all.
By budget
Guided, trekking or private
For hikers
The Capri trek
More walking, a picnic
- Length13 hours
- HikingBefore and after lunch
- Lunch1-hour break
Private
The private day
Your own car and guide
- Length10 hours
- Capri viewpoint3 hours
- ReviewsFew so far
How much is a bus from El Calafate to El Chalten?
How much is a bus from El Calafate to El Chalten is a common question, and this guide has no official fare to quote for it. The town tourism office counts 3 daily departures over the 220 km, and the national park confirms daily scheduled buses between the towns.6,7 Check the fare on the company page for your date.
Operators do publish their own tour prices in pesos. Chalten Travel, which also sells bus seats, lists its own Full Day Chalten from El Calafate at ARS 170,000 per person for travel dates from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.8 Treat that figure as a comparison point, not a quote, because peso prices move often and the dollar from-prices on our listings are what you will see in the booking box.
A hire car is the other cheap-looking route. Chalten Travel quotes a fee of ARS 200,000 to collect or return its rental car in El Chalten, and blocks ARS 600,000 against your card while you have the car.9 Add fuel and the return drive, and a car pays off mainly for families or friends who plan to stay several days rather than come back the same evening.
Where the money goes
From booking to the ride home
At booking
Reserve, pay later
Hold a seat from $117 and pay nothing yet.
Day before
Last free cancel
Cancel 24 hours ahead or more for a full refund.
La Leona
Coffee money
A 30-minute stop where a hot drink is on you.
Trailhead
Park ticket
North Zone entry is card-only, online or by QR code.3
In the village
Lunch on you
Lunch and free time are optional and paid extra.
The park fee in the Fitz Roy area
Older guides say the northern part of Los Glaciares National Park is free. That is no longer true: the park now charges access fees in the North Zone too, and its trails start from the village.1 From June 1, 2026 the general rate is ARS 50,000, national residents pay ARS 25,000 and students ARS 15,000 for both zones of the park.2 Children aged 0 to 6 pay nothing.4
Buying the ticket works differently here than at the glacier. The North Zone portals take no cash at all, so the ticket is bought online, either at home or through a QR code at the portal, with a card.3 Have a card that works abroad and a bar or so of signal before you reach the trailhead.
Our listing does not say whether the park fee is included, so assume it is not until the operator tells you otherwise. Because the walk to the Condor lookout starts at a park portal, ask at pickup or message the operator the day before. Keeping the fee in your budget from the start avoids a surprise at the first trail sign.3
Video
Do you need cash in El Chalten? A walk through the village
Murphy Experiences on YouTube · Tap play to load the video; not before.
In the North Zone, at the Los Condores, Cerro Torre Base Fitz Roy and Rio Electrico portals, tickets are obtained only online. Payment is by credit or debit card only; cash is not accepted.
Before you pay
Paid for, and still to pay
In the fare3
- Hotel pickup in El Calafate and the ride back
- A guide speaking Spanish and English
- Guided walks to the lookout and the waterfall
On top3
- Lunch and free time in the village
- The North Zone park ticket, by card only3
- Coffee and pastries at La Leona
Cash, cards and lunch money in El Chalten
Bring a mix of payment methods. The park service notes ATMs that work around the clock in both El Calafate and El Chalten, while a proper bank branch exists only in El Calafate, with weekday hours from 8:00 to 13:00.10,11 Take what you need for lunch and coffee before you leave town.
Food is the main extra on a guided day. The record lists lunch and free time in El Chalten as optional, at an extra fee, which in practice means you choose a cafe or carry a picnic. A picnic from one of the village supermarkets keeps that cost down.12
On the trails themselves there is nothing to buy, so carry water, a snack, a warm layer, sunglasses and sunscreen even for the short walks.13 The park also says the only places to buy supplies are in the village itself.5 A refillable bottle and a sandwich cost far less in town than anything you might have to improvise later.
Booking, cancelling and reading the ratings
You do not have to pay to hold a seat. The listing lets you reserve now and pay later, and it refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. That makes it sensible to book early in high season and decide on the weather nearer the time, since a clear day matters so much for the view of Fitz Roy.
Look past the headline rating. The day on this site averages 4.4 from 1,003 reviews, with the guide scoring 4.7, the transport 4.6 and value 4.2 in its breakdown. Guests rate the people and the bus higher than the price, which tells you the day delivers what it promises but is not the cheapest way to cover the distance.
The sharpest saving comes from matching the trip to the length of your stay. If El Calafate gives you only one spare day, a guided day removes all the planning; if you can give the village a night or more, the bus plus your own walking shows you more. Our page on tour, bus or transfer sets those choices out row by row.
FAQ
Questions answered quickly.
How much is the El Chalten day tour from El Calafate?
From $117 for 11 hours.
The guided day on this site starts from $117 and includes hotel pickup and a guide.
What is the cheapest guided day to El Chalten?
From $90.
A day to the Condor lookout and the falls starts from $90 and lasts 11 hours.
Is lunch included in the day trip?
No, it is extra.
The listing marks lunch and free time in the village as optional extras you pay for yourself.
Do I pay a park fee in El Chalten?
Can I pay the park fee in cash?
No, card only.
The North Zone sells entry only online or by QR code, and takes cards, not notes.3
Can I cancel the tour for free?
Yes, up to 24 hours before.
The listing refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, and you can reserve now and pay later.
Sources
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Horarios / Como llegar ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Tarifas ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Tarifas ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Tarifas ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Servicios ↩
- Secretaria de Turismo de El Chalten, the town tourism office (elchalten.tur.ar) · Omnibus (getting there by bus) ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Horarios / Como llegar ↩
- Chalten Travel (chaltentravel.com), bus, transfer and car rental operator, for its own services · Chalten Travel online ticket office ↩
- Chalten Travel (chaltentravel.com), bus, transfer and car rental operator, for its own services · Chalten Travel online ticket office ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Servicios ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Servicios ↩
- Secretaria de Turismo de El Chalten, the town tourism office (elchalten.tur.ar) · Recomendaciones (advice for visitors) ↩
- National Parks Administration, Los Glaciares National Park (argentina.gob.ar) · Recomendaciones para visitar el Parque Nacional Los Glaciares ↩