Lago San Martín: Excursions by the Lake and to Viewpoints

Getting your bearings around Lago San Martín

In the province of Santa Cruz, Lago San Martín is listed as a destination on the RN 40 Patagonia Sur tourism corridor. The nearby area of Lago San Martín is accessible via Provincial Route 31. Road conditions and access arrangements may change; check conditions before setting out. Also nearby is the tourist estancia El Condor, on the lakeshore and surrounded by rivers and pristine lenga forests.

Excursions at Estancia El Condor

One excursion follows about 14 km of lakeshore to the anchor-shaped Península del Ancla on Lago San Martín. From the peninsula, you can look out over the lake, several small islands, and the Península Maipú massif. The approximate route length and the views give this tour its own character among excursions in the surrounding area.

Las Condoreras crosses the Río Freire and then passes through a dense lenga forest to a viewpoint at an elevation of 700 meters, overlooking Lago San Martín. The excursion takes three hours, whether on horseback or on foot. This makes it easy to compare the time required for both options, while the route and its viewpoint remain the same.

The excursion to Laguna Corazón follows the slope of Cerro Grande, through lenga forests and the valley of the Río Condor. It takes six hours on horseback and eight hours as a trekking tour. Compared with Las Condoreras, it is a longer excursion according to the stated durations and leads to a different destination. Tour duration and availability may vary depending on the weather and conditions.

The fields and hills of Estancia El Condor are home to a diverse range of native birdlife; the Andean condor can also be seen flying overhead there. Before your trip, check the estancia’s current operating status and the availability of excursions and wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Access to other destinations on the lake

Estancia La Josefina is located on the northern international arm of Lago San Martín. It is accessible only on foot, on horseback, or by boat. Access depends on local arrangements and conditions; confirm these in advance. This makes it very different from access to the nearby area of Lago San Martín via Provincial Route 31.

In the Departamento Lago Argentino

In the Departamento Lago Argentino, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares covers 726,927 hectares and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. At Glacier Moreno, the network of walkways and viewpoints is more than 4.5 km long and extends to the glacier front. Trekking with crampons and specialized guides is offered on the ice of Perito Moreno Glacier.

El Chaltén is also in the Departamento Lago Argentino. The hike from El Chaltén to Laguna de los Tres is 25 km long and takes eight to nine hours. The route from El Chaltén to Laguna Torre via Cerro Torre covers 18 km round trip. From the viewpoint at Laguna Torre, you can see Cerro Solo, Cordón Adela, and the Cerro Torre massif. The two routes can be compared by their stated distances; a duration is given here only for the hike to Laguna de los Tres.

Discover more destinations: Colonia Francisco Perito Moreno, El Chalten, Charles Fuhr, Lago Viedma, El Calafate, Los Antiguos

Return to the main travel overview: Departamento Lago Argentino.