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Published: December 26th 2008
The word ´beautiful´ just isn´t good enough to describe Patagonia. Incredible and amazing. Yes - but they are still not adequate. Extraordinary, superb and magnificent. That sounds much better. Perfect. Yes, perfect it is! Patagonia is pristine and pure perfection. I cannot express to you fully just how amazing this part of the world is. Where else can you walk under giant mountain glaciers, through wonderful green valleys, around fluro emerald green lakes, past enormous floating aqua ice bergs, through fields of colourful wildflowers and alongside thunderous avalanches?? Torres Del Paine National Park is where!
We visited and trekked through it for 5 days and I did not want to leave. Day 1 involved trekking to the towers high up in the first valley and then on Day 2 we set of across country through the lake area. Day 3 was then the unbelievably beautiful Frances Valley followed by Day 4 & 5 exploring icey Grey Glacier.
This was not just an ordinary National Park - it was heaven on earth! It is by far the best one I have ever been to and one I will never forget. I hope the photos will at least give you a
Grey Glacier
Christmas cheer on the glacierlittle idea of the beauty we saw everyday. We did the ´W´trek which involved 4 nights staying in little refugios and we walked about 80km in total. There was something new and amazing to see every day. There was not just one thing that we were walking to view, there was beauty in every direction. From hiking up a boulder field to view three searing rock formations one day, to trekking up a gorgeous snow covered valley with 360 degree views of the park, to climbing up to the famous Grey glacier the next. It had it all and I loved it! It was just so special. Never before have I seen such overwhelmingly stunning natural scenery.
Torres Del Paine is pristine. We could fill our water bottles at any lake or creek and drink from the clear waters and the air was crystal clean. There was no pollution in any way shape or form. It was just delightful and I felt very priviledged to be there. It was a place that everyone who visits South America must see. If you come here and don´t see this spectacular park then you really have missed out.
It was heartbreaking
to leave. I took an entire memory card full of photos and I was still clicking away in the bus on the way out right to the park gates. It was seriously such a magical place and I strongly believe that I will return in my lifetime at some stage.
One day I was lucky enough to hear and view an avalanche from the top of one of the mountains with all of it´s power and thunderous sound. Snow cascaded down from the top and the winds really were something else. You could get blown off your feet even with your backpack on!
We were very lucky with the weather as it could change every 10 minutes. Even the locals couldn´t predict what it may do. We trekked in rain for only one day but we were then rewarded with an unforgettable rainbow stretching out from the valley. It was seriously the closest I could imagine heaven being on earth. It was after all, simply perfect.
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golfkat
Gerry Kataoka
Nicely Written
I enjoyed your story. How much Spanish did you need? And how about cold weather gear? Food? Thanks, Gerry