The Best Hikes in Latin America

Patagonia

The two Patagonian hikes are long day walks to a lagoon under granite peaks. Laguna de los Tres starts in El Chaltén in Argentina and ends at the foot of Mount Fitz Roy; Mirador Base Las Torres in Chile's Torres del Paine ends below three granite towers. Each is 20 km or more round trip and takes eight to ten hours, and on both the last kilometre is a steep climb over loose rock. Rangers close access to the Torres viewpoint from 2 or 3 PM, and many walkers on the Fitz Roy trail climb the last part before dawn to be there for sunrise.

Altitude and night climbs

Laguna 69 in Peru's Cordillera Blanca lies at about 4,600 m, at the end of a 7 km trail from Cebollapampa. A guide is now required, and most visitors come on tours from Huaraz. Volcán Barú in Panama is usually climbed through the night from Boquete on a rocky 4x4 road, about 13 km one way; on clear mornings both the Pacific and the Atlantic are visible at sunrise from the summit cross.

Costa Rica's waterfalls

The two Costa Rican entries are privately run waterfall trails with an entrance charge. Catarata San Fernando near Cinchona drops through cloud forest past four waterfalls, with fixed ropes on the steep parts, and costs $20 in cash. At Blue Falls of Costa Rica in Bajos del Toro, spur trails lead to six waterfalls, and staff posted at each one help with the river crossings. Swimming is possible in pools at both.