River Las Vueltas Viewpoint Black and White

Chaltén is a Tehuelche word meaning smoking mountain. They believe it was a volcano, for its peak is frequently covered by clouds. Other visited tracks and sights are Torre Glacier, Laguna Capri, Piedras Blancas Glacier, Chorrillo del Salto, and Laguna de los Tres.

In 1877, Argentine explorer Francisco Moreno named mount Chaltén as mount Fitz Roy, in honour of Robert FitzRoy, captain during the Second voyage of HMS Beagle in the 1830s. Mount Chaltén/Fitz Roy makes the town worth visiting because one can seek the impressive peaks from any area. The whole village finds a gorgeous view that keeps expanding due to the tourism and beautiful location.

The village provides national park information for visitors, as well as commercial camping and a limited number of beds, catering mostly for backpackers. It has a few restaurants, bars, supermarkets and shops, with a large variety of outdoor equipment for sale. On the treks outside of the village free campsites are available. The town is nearly deserted during the off-season.