The Fitz Roy 3-day loop is one of the best known short treks in Patagonia, circling the dramatic spires of Mount Fitz Roy, which towers above the Southern Patagonian Andes in Argentina. Set within Los Glaciares National Park, this route combines glacial lakes, lenga forests, and panoramic ridge lines, all backdropped by jagged granite peaks and sweeping Patagonian skies. The trail crosses no villages, but rather passes remote campsites and view points like Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre, offering some of the most photographed landscapes in South America. It's a well-marked and non-technical trail, with designated free campsites where trekkers can stay overnight; though conditions can be windy and cold, even in summer. Did you know that Mount Fitz Roy was originally named by Argentine explorers in honor of Robert FitzRoy, the captain of the HMS Beagle, the same ship that carried Charles Darwin on his famous voyage?

For the Fitz Roy Loop, there are various options to combine different days. If I look at the map now, I think we could have done a more scenic route (there was much forest), but at the same time we also did not always have the best weather frames - both Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre were hidden in clouds when we were at their respective viewpoints. Also, the trail is swamped with other hikers and even day hikers, which took some of the wilderness away from this extremely beautiful place.