Blogs from Torres del Paine, Magallanes, Chile, South America - page 40

Ok I lie a bit because I am writting this from an Argentinan locutorio on the 21st...I left Chile sunday morning with a bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate where I am still in...until 3 am time of the next bus for Bariloche where I will be 32 hours later!!!! Anyway this page deserve to be under the Chilian flag as Torres del Paine is just outstanding. First the road from Puerto Natales to the National Park is just a track of 150 kms through the endless plain surrounded by mountains and filled with nothing, sheeps, and wind. It is increbible the strenght of this wind...when you arrive at the park, a small lake with flamingoes and a navette to the beginning of the trek. The trek, called the "W", because it consists in climbing ... read more

Today we must be on the bus by 8am, so that we arrive at the base of our trek by 10am, so that we can climb for 4-5hrs, have lunch, descend in 3hrs, back on the bus for 2hrs, and supper at 8.30pm. Exhausted? So was I. The weather held from yesterday, and today we can see the Torres without a hint of cloud from the hotel / Estancia in which we are staying, on the edge of the Park. We leave almost on time, and the drive to the park takes us past a rock with a huge bird sitting on it. And not just any bird, but the largest flying bird in the world - the Andean Condor. We stop and take photos from the bus, and as we open the doors to get ... read more

Yes, yes, backdated again. It´s hard to catch up, as our whirlwind schedule provides scant opportunity for trips to the internet cafe. As for current events, we are in Bariloche, Argentina for two days followed by (hopefully) a trip to Pucon, Chile, to climb a volcano. But that will wait for another time. So, where were we? After getting our backpacks ready and gathering the necessary food, it was off to Parque National Torres del Paine to hike the Circuito Grando, a 143 km trek around the best features of the park. Since there are still no pictures posted, I can´t actually show you what it was like, but you can look up pictures in any number of places. The bus went to the park with a quick stop, at which the Patagonian wind first reared ... read more

Geschter z oobe am 11i bin ich (ziemlig erschöpft) us em Torres del Paine Nationalpark zrugg nach Puerto Natales ko. Kurz zum Afang gseit: dä Park isch ab sofort und bis uf witeres mis Südamerika Highlight No.1! Wieso, das könned ihr euch viellicht scho e bitz anhand vo de Bildli do erkläre, allerdings könne die nur anöchernd vermittle, welli Vielfalt dä Park bietet. lüchtigi türkisgrüeni bis dunkelblaui Bärgsee-e, hellblaui Gletscherzunge, riesigi Isfälder, schier unändliches Grasland, die wildischte Felsformatione, atemberaubendi Täler & Schluchte, Wälder, Buschland, Hügel ... und vieles mehr - und das alles in unmittelbarer Richwite z Fuess erreichbar. Ich ha dört dr sogenannti "W-Trek" (circuito W) gmacht - das sind ca 90km und 2000 Höhemeter in 5 Tag - und das richtig mit Zält, Isomatte, Schlofsack und Camping Gaskocher bewaffnet. Es git zwor im Park ... read more

Wow. National Park Torres del Paine. Geologically speaking not much more than rocks, but amazing to look at and even better to walk around. We came here when touring patagonia three years ago, but only managed to walk around two thirds of the accepted route - called the "W" because it goes up into the three valleys in a W shape. So, this time we are back again to complete the unfinished. We had a weekend free for this and managed to take the Monday off teaching/nursery as well, so three days in total. From Punta Arenas the park is nearly 400km away, and the buses are not terribly frequent, a quick investigation revealed we could get to the park, walk around for about an hour, then get back again in the time allowed! Considering it ... read more