Since we were also a little tired of booking ahead we arrived there not knowing were to stay. The tourist information here is very helpful and pointed out the hostels that had some free space (it weren’t many). We ended up in a cheap but a little creepy place surrounded by french (whatever it is about them and adventure holidays), the owner only spoke Spanish but was really nice tough. We spent two days hiking up the steep hills around El Chalten Cerro Torres and the dominating Frits Roy always in the corner of our eyes. The landscape here is really beautiful but not that different from Torres del Paine.

El Chalten on an early sunny morning (just reminded us that we forgot to bring the sun creme).

El Chalten itself was only founded by Argentina a few decades ago to claim the area from Chile. Only the attractive landscape around drawing the tourists here provide a livelihood, so you can guess what’s dominating the place: Hostels, restaurants, tour agencies, kiosks and panaderias selling empenadas (dough moons filled with meat, vegetables or ham and cheese).

Somehow we expected Argentina to be cheaper than Chile (at least that’s what everybody keeps claiming). It isn’t. Especially when you don’t bring Euro or USD. Argentina has an extremely high inflation and since 2011 a law prohibits the investment of money in foreign currency. Therefore everybody here wants to keep there savings in USD. You are able to change USD for a 30% higher rate than the official rate which really saves a lot of money. Luckily somebody already told us in Santiago ;).