Perito Moreno National Park trails: tips for hiking the Azara Circuit, the Río Lácteo Valley and the Belgrano Peninsula
Trekking guide · Updated November 2026 · By Centinela Explora, organizing treks in the park since 2025
In a nutshell
Perito Moreno National Park has three main multi-day routes: the Azara Circuit (about 52 km, best done in 4 days), the Río Lácteo Valley and Laguna de los Témpanos (about 11 km to the Tompkins hut plus 5.2 km to the lagoon, ideal in 3 days) and the Belgrano Peninsula (16.8 km, or 9.6 km with a shortcut, in 1 day from a hut). You sleep in mountain huts booked at trekkingpnpm.com. Below are our tips for planning each one, day by day, based on what we have learned guiding groups in the park.
Trails at a glance
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | How we recommend it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azara Circuit | About 52 km in total | High according to National Parks, mainly because of distance and isolation | 4 days |
| Río Lácteo Valley | About 11 km each way | Mostly flat: one climb at the start and one descent at the end | 1 day in, 1 day out |
| Laguna de los Témpanos | 5.2 km from the Tompkins hut (about 10 km round trip) | The hard part is fording the Río Lácteo | Half a day, with time to stay at the lagoon |
| Belgrano Peninsula | 16.8 km (or 9.6 km with a shortcut) | Moderate | 1 day, with a light daypack |
How to hike the Azara Circuit? Day-by-day tips
The Azara Circuit is the longest route in the park: about 52 km starting from the Lake Belgrano Viewpoint and crossing the transition from steppe to lenga beech forest up to the Lake Azara area. It is done in stages, sleeping in the huts along the circuit.
Sections of the circuit
The circuit has four sections connecting the Tucúquere, La Angostura and Azara huts:
| Section | Between | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Roca Azul trail | Trailhead parking and Tucúquere hut | 11.5 km, plus the first 1.75 km shared with the Lake Belgrano Viewpoint trail (about 13.25 km in total) |
| Laguna Islote trail | Tucúquere hut and La Angostura hut | 10 km |
| Brazo Belgrano trail | La Angostura hut and Azara hut | 6 km |
| Laguna Clara trail | Azara hut and Tucúquere hut | 11.2 km |
Our recommendation: do it in 4 days
- Day 1: from the trailhead parking to the Tucúquere hut on the Roca Azul trail, about 13.25 km.
- Day 2: to the La Angostura hut (Laguna Islote trail, 10 km) or to the Azara hut (Laguna Clara trail, 11.2 km), depending on which direction you hike the loop.
- Day 3: back to Tucúquere. This is the longest day: you hike the Brazo Belgrano section plus Laguna Islote or Laguna Clara, 16 to 17 km in total.
- Day 4: from Tucúquere back to the parking, on the same Roca Azul trail as day 1.
If you have more time, you can spend one night at each hut. Keep in mind that one day would then be only 6 km (the Brazo Belgrano section). If you do not want such a short day, we suggest using the extra day to hike the Belgrano Peninsula, even if only the short 9.6 km route.
What about the René Negro hut? It is a short option near the start of the trail. We do not recommend it if you have already done the Azara, unless you want to add a night before heading back: the landscape is very similar to what you see on the circuit. If you have an extra day, we would rather spend it on the Belgrano Peninsula.
How to hike the Río Lácteo Valley and Laguna de los Témpanos? Our tips
Some people hike the Río Lácteo Valley and Laguna de los Témpanos in a single day. It can be done, but we think you do not get to enjoy it that way. We suggest two options.
Option 1, our favorite: 3 days
- Day 1: from the Gilberto hut, at the parking where the trail starts, to the Tompkins hut. About 11 km, mostly flat: just one climb at the start and one descent at the end. Rest that night at Tompkins.
- Day 2: round trip to Laguna de los Témpanos. It is 5.2 km each way, about 10 km in total, and you have to ford the Río Lácteo. Since it is a short day, there is time for lunch and a long stay at the lagoon. Sleep again at Tompkins.
- Day 3: back through the Río Lácteo Valley, the same 11 km as day 1.
Option 2, faster: 2 days
It has a practical advantage: two nights at the Tompkins hut are not always available, and although there are domes, they tend to be quite cold at night.
The idea is to combine the round trip to Laguna de los Témpanos with one leg of the valley on the same day. It is a long day of about 21 km:
- Day 1: hike in through the Río Lácteo Valley (11 km) plus the round trip to Laguna de los Témpanos (about 10 km), and sleep at Tompkins.
- Or day 2: Laguna de los Témpanos plus the hike out through the Río Lácteo Valley, and sleep at the Gilberto hut.
How to hike the Belgrano Peninsula? Tips
It is the easiest route to plan: it has many huts and they are spacious, so there is almost always one available, even if you have to share.
Our recommendation: if you can choose, book the Caleta Huala or Archipiélago hut. They are closer to the isthmus, so you can arrive, leave your gear at the hut and walk the whole peninsula loop carrying only a light daypack.
How do you book the huts?
All huts are booked on the official website, trekkingpnpm.com. Book early, especially the Tompkins hut, which has limited capacity. To learn what the huts are like, what to bring and how to get to the park, see our complete guide to Perito Moreno National Park.
If you want to travel with everything organized
If you want to travel with everything organized, check out our group departures.
We also organize private trips from El Calafate or Río Gallegos
