Blogs from Torres del Paine, Magallanes, Chile, South America - page 5

I'd read other traveller's accounts of Torres del Paine, and so expected a lot of this remote Pategonian national park with its towering granite massif, exotic wildlife, fields of ice and snow, glaciers calving into crystal turquoise lakes, fast flowing rivers, powerful storms and biting winds, and a hardy horse culture at the far end of the Americas. Pristine Torres del Paine is all these things and some more..... ahh, how the temptation is to launch into superlatives.... Like all vast wilderness areas it makes you feel small yet somehow connected, daunted yet somehow reassured. Like the Kimberley in Western Australia or the Great Barrier Reef, it feels like I was emersed in something magnificient. We spent 5 days in the park, staying at the Rio Serrano Hotel, directly to the south of the massif, and ... read more

der tag beginnt noch strahlender, wolkenfreier als gestern und hebt damit die stimmung noch etwas an. der perfekte tag, um den berühmten parque nacional del torres de paine zu besichtigen. natürlich hätten wir gerne mehrtägige wanderungen dort unternommen, aber wir haben schon beschlossen, einmal im chilenischen sommer wieder zu kommen und unter dem torre grande zu campieren! schon vor dem park sehen wir erstmalig alpakas (oder waren es lamas?!), wie sie uns mit ihren großen kugeligen augen mustern und für ungefährlich einstufen. wir dürfen ihnen recht nahe kommen ohne, dass sie aus ihrer andächtigen gras-fresserei aufschrecken. riesige schafherden, umgeben von treuen hunden und berittenen hirten, auf der weitläufigen pampa, sind ein beruhigender anblick. eindrucksvoll sprintente nandus vollführen am rande der straße ihre wettläufe, während große greifvögel ihre bahnen durch das blitzb... read more

PATAGONIA: Torres del Paine...The most beautiful place in the World. In Europe all roads lead to Rome...in Africa to Mto Mbu...in Asia to Katmandu...in Australia to Uluru...in Antartica to Mawson's Hut...in North America to Yankee Stadium...and in South America to the front gate of Torres del Paine. But for the latter its not always easy to get through...and its definitely not easy to get to. ****** When planning our Patagonia trip...I took one look at the picture of La Explora Hotel and its staggering view...took another look at its prices of over US$2,000 per night...and made two decisions. We are definitely going there...and we are definitely going to find alternative accomodation. Our friends planning the trip were suggesting we stay in Puerto Natales and visit daily...which seemed more affordable but a hassle...but what would I know? ... read more

On approche de la fin, aujourd'hui route vers les tours du parc, le spot du parc. J'en ai déjà pris plein la vue avec la vallée des français et le mirador britanico mais il reste encore plein de chose a voir pour mon plus grand plaisir, même si mes jambes demandent un peu de repos ! Depuis plusieurs jours l'un des campings (le plus près des tours) est fermé pour cause de problème sanitaire, les campeurs se rétractent donc sur le camping le plus proche à savoir Los Chilenos (au pied des tours) on avait donc décidé la veille de quitter assez tôt le camping pour espérer avoir une place pour notre tente et éviter de devoir redescendre jusqu'au 3ème camping, 2 heures de marches plus loin. Au réveil mauvaise surprise, on m'a volé mes bâtons ... read more

DAYS 15 Ruth woke up feeling a little better after hitting the virus hard with drugs & made a late decision to stick to the itinerary instead of travelling with the bags to our next hotel. What a good decision as we have has such a fun day. We left Puerto Natales by ferry travelling up the Esperanza fiord with a 3.5 hr trip passing huge Mt Balmaceda & Serrano hanging glaciers and entering a very fast flowing Serrano River which in turn is fed by the Rio Grey making for a huge amount of crystal water heading down to open waters. The evidence of retreating glaciers is very evident loosing 20-30 mtrs pa. After a brief stop at a Serrano glacier view point we kitted up into wet weather & safety vests for a quick ... read more