Patagonia!

December 2018

This year we were determined to avoid Christmas and related crap, and what place is better than Patagonia? This is all we saw about Christmas... 

Logistics - Planning this trip was no easy job, no wonder most people we met there were there on an organised tour. If you want to visit Patagonia, and get away from the mass, the only way is to go with a tent and have load of time, go and get lost. Because we wanted to go light, and had only 3 weeks, we compromised on comfy accommodations and the most popular spots. I crammed as many places as possible and the result was a lot of traveling around at unsound hours and a severe allergy to loud groups. 

We were there for the summer solstice so that we never really saw darkness, and that helped psychologically to be up for longer times (and sleep any time we sat on a bus). Because of the limited time, I started planning in June and could only buy tickets from bus companies (El Chalten Travel and Bus Sur) which have online websites. There are loads of companies which operates the same routes with different timetables, so that the easiest would be to buy ticket at their box offices in the bus terminals a few days ahead (the most popular routes tend to sell out quickly). As for boat tours and excursions, is much better to buy them on the spot as they can be double priced online.

Getting there - Three days and 3 flights after we finally made it to El Calafate. First we flew to London, then Buenos Aires and on Monday 3am we were up for the 6am flight to El Calafate, which was delayed. As soon as we arrived Paul noticed his rucksack got opened...and his jacket gone! Too bad as it was quite windy down there (bye bye 30' in Buenos Aires). We wanted to go and see the Perito Moreno glacier in the afternoon but had a couple of hours to kill so that we quickly visited town and got a replacement, which is actually very similar to the previous one! Apart from this incident we didn't experience any other theft and felt safe everywhere.

   

About to melt in Buenos Aires

Coffee number 534...yet another airport

Money - As soon as we landed in Buenos Aires we went to the bank to change money. We changed something like $400 and got out with a pile of notes that we almost need a bag!! Argentinean Pesos are a bit of mess. Things in general are not cheap, especially in Patagonia, so that it's not unusual that to pay for dinner you need 10 notes of 100. The easiest is probably to pay by card, or directly in dollars or euros which are both widely welcome. At some stage I had 5 currencies in my wallet...next time I'll only bring euros!

Equipment – We went light as we were not camping (we only camped one night but rented everything), 1 rucksack each, and a dry bag which we would use for daily excursions, and we didn't even use ¾ of what we brought (we could easily have got away with a 30l rucksack). We expected low temperatures but even when it was windy we were never cold, I haven't used any of the thick warm clothes I brought. I don't know if we have just been lucky but at times it was really very hot. That said maybe we are too used to Scottish weather; while we were roasting in t-shirt and shorts, most people would be wearing a fleeced jacket...
I'm glad I brought walking shoes rather than boots, as paths were always decent and well signed. Poles are helpful as some bits may get steep and rocky.

Chapter 1 – Los Glaciares Nacional Park

Perito Moreno

This glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's few non-retreating glaciers, is an extension of the South Patagonian Ice Field (the third biggest after Antartica and Greenland!) and is indeed a spectacular site. It's a 2h bus journey from El Calafate, and if you have a full day you can combine it with some trekking on the glacier. Because we only had half day, we got the afternoon bus and spent 5h walking around the board walks in contemplation and awe. We even saw a gray fox (which was obviously used to people as it was wondering around the car park) and our first Caracara, a common bird of pray in Patagonia. This is a must see however because you can't really go anywhere out of the signed paths, it inevitably gets crowded and you just feel like escaping the herds after a while...a feeling we would experience over and over again.

Going back to El Calafate at 9pm, that day started at 3am in Buenos Aires...where are we?

El Chaltén

The bus to El Chaltén from El Calafate takes about 3 hours, and goes through the Patagonian desert from one side, and a good view of the Andes on the other. Despite the harshness of the desert Guanacos, Reas and birds abound.

The only place in 300km

Still, I fell asleep for most of it and woke up with the best view ever:

 

El Chaltén is a beautiful little town at the feet of the Fitz Roy. It was built for defense reasons but it's now a place mainly for tourists and climbers. We had a lovely apartment there, Aguila Mora apart, located a 15 min walk to the bus station and by the start of a trekking route. By far my favourite place of all the trip. 

Cute doggies abound in Patagonia, they do belong to someone but they are left free to wonder during the day. Occasionally they adopt the random trekker.

Our beautiful apartment at Aguila Mora Aparts, cosy warm and panoramic

Curcuma, the vegan café

Mirador Condor y Aguila

We got in El Chaltén at midday and went first to drop the bags, then for lunch – amazingly we found Cúrcuma, a vegan café which made the best wrap ever....it did take them 1h 30min to prepare but it was soooo worth it! That was an energy bomb so that we decided to go for a short walk up to the mirador Condor and Aguila by the park ranger visitor center. It was only 5km but it was too late for a bigger walk (plus, again, you are only allowed to walk on signed paths, which are 3, and we had 3 days, no much choice...)

Wind + wind + wind = Patagonia!

Laguna de los Tres - Fitz Roy

After so much traveling and sitting we were eager to get started on a good walk. We also got charged up the night before by watching the movie about the Fitz Roy traverse by Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold. We were not so ambitious but were craving for some physical activity and good views. We took the path to the Laguna de los Tres, a 8km hike to the feet of the Fitz Roy.

The views at the end of it were just priceless:

 

This was really a treat, the only spoiler was the mass of people around, most of which hadn't probably seen a mountain before in their life. We did quite well to avoid most of them as we set off early, however we met the herds on the way down of the last steep bit. We were also a bit puzzled as it was as hot as hell but most people were wearing heavy clothes...We decided to change path and take a longer one but hopefully less crowded, so that we headed to Laguna Madre e Hija and then got the one going to Cerro Torre. It was a total of 23km but was really worth it!

The cloudless Fitz Roy

On the Laguna Madre and Hija path...I need shade!!

By the time we joined the other path I was heath exhausted and slowly crawled back home in what felt like an endless desert. I did get my reward though as waiting for us in the fridge was a cold mint lemonade bottle, really what I needed, who said it would be cold in Patagonia??

Laguna Torres and Mirador Maestri

This walk leads to the feet of Cerro Torre, its not as busy as the other and still offers fine views of mountains and glaciers. The temperature was also more human than the day before (still sunny but with a few clouds and some breeze). In 3 hours we reached the laguna, took a “few” pictures and then headed to the mirador, which was not as close as we thought but was worth it for the close up view to the glaciers. We had our sandwich and started the return, thinking of our cold lemonade in the fridge and a cozy afternoon. On the way back I had a couple of moment commiserating how stupid people can be and promised myself I'll never go to touristy places again in my life (I guess this is a new year resolution?).

Paul touching his first (miny) iceberg

 

Back home we set off to explore town and visit the 3 supermarket to get all we needed. Surprisingly this small village has pretty much everything, and despite our vegetarian and vegan diets we always found something to eat (still thinking of those wraps...)

This was our last day in El Chaltén, we originally planned to have a late bus the day after and do another walk, but we still had to change money to Chilean pesos and being Friday we had to get to El Calafate before banks closed. We now know that this was excessive, as you can easily change money at the bus station in Puerto Natales, but better safe than sorry?


On the bus back we had our last view of the Fitz Roy range, truly one of the best mountains I've ever seen.

Our last view of the Fitz Roy

El Calafate

El Calafate is the biggest town we passed through. If you need to buy food, change money or replace your stolen jackets this is your place. We had an afternoon bus to Puerto Natales and spent the morning spoiling ourselves with good food (we even found a German Bakery selling strudel!), palitos of ice cream and the good surprise was finding the Laguna Nunes, a bird sanctuary located a quick walk out of town and badly advertised. We had a gread time there and can't even remembr how many different species we saw. Definitely to be remembered: the kestrel chasing off the caracara, the Patagonian Mockingbird who stopped in from of us and starting chatting at ease for a good 5 min, and obviuosly the flamingos!

Sleepy doggies abounded there too (my favourite was hiding in the bushes)

still thinking of the Fitz Roy...

the Patagonian Mockingbird

Lago Argentino

View of El Calafate from the bird sanctuary

planning planning planning

strudel and our first espresso since we started the trip!!!!!!

Cute doggy at the Hostal Los Gnomos, handly located 5min from the bus station

El Calafate bus station

on our way to Puerto Natales (5pm)

Leaving Argentina

more desert views

finally entering Puerto Natales at 10pm, with beautiful sunset lights, swans with the black neck and swansets, definitely a good change from the desertic views

View from our hostel terrace, we got there at 11pm, left at 6am, but still enjoyed the place and the views

Bye bye civilisation, ready for Chapter 2!

Chapter 2 – Torres del Paine National Park

Very exited despite being sleep deprived and slightly spaced out, at 7am we boarded the bus to the Torres del Paine National Park, and in 3h we were at its entrance, did an early check in at the Refugio Torres where we would spend 2 nights and had a bite while we figured out what to do next...it took a bit to tune in and sort out the plan! 

  

Refugio Torres

Originally we thought we would do the O circuit, but back in June I couldn't book most of the refugis as agencies would have booked all of them aleady (still think this is very unfair), so that we decided to go for the shorter W circuit, and booked 2 nights in the Rifugio Torres, thinking we could go up to the Mirador Base de Las Torres one day, and head East the other. We soon realised that the heading East day plan wouldn't quite work out as it's a one way direction route, and by the look of it not the most panoramic...

Sorting ourselves out...

At the end we went up to the Mirador both days, which was good as we got wind and rain the first day, and sun and clear sky the other. It's a 16km walk in total, with 850m elevation gained. It starts flat, then it goes up, then flat again among the forest, and the final bit is a steep ascent in big rocks. I did enjoy it but again, the number of people around is a bit of an anticlimax. The first day we were on fire and went up and back in 4h 30 min, the second we just took it easy and absorbed the landscape.

First ascent

This is called "Paso del viento", you are warned!

As for the Rifugis, I was pleasantly surprised by their level of organisation, comfort and cleanness. True it was very expensive to stay there, but given the location I didn't expect such service. We stayed at the Rifugio Torres Norte, a few min away from the main one. We were in a 6 bed dorm, with immaculate toilets and showers, warm and cozy (it did get busy later on, and loud, very loud but earplugs always help). Checking in was smooth and the personnel very helpful and smiley, and the best surprise was the food! Back in European Rifugi, it wouldn't be uncommon to be cursed in Chinese as soon as you say you are vegetarian (don't even try with veganism!!) but here they must be used to weirdos so that when we said about our diets they thanked us for doing that!? We were also lucky to be there for Christmas Eve, and the buffet, where we stuffed ourselves like piglets, while feeling sorry for the poor Caracara who was knocking with her beak at the window to remind us she was waiting politely outside (she didn't get anything poor...).

Rifugio Torres Norte

The Refugio Caracara

Ascent number 2, currently in the corner of shame (you can only smoke in a few spots in the park...)

...unless you hide well

washing time, at least the wind has its use!

Refugio Los Cuernos

Gladly we left the refugio for new paths, and although being flattish, the 13km to get to Refugio Los Cuernos was exceptionally beautiful and scenic, with the view of new mountains on the right, and lakes on the left. We left earlish and really enjoyed the quietness of the place.

By midday we reached the Refugio Cuernos, where we would spend the night in a tent (this was Christmas day and we were both very happy to spend it this way). It was too early to check in, so that we dropped the bags and headed to the Campamento Italiano to check how long it took to get there. This is because the time in the map for that bit didn't make much sense to us (2h for 1km??) and the day after we would walk to the Rifugio Paine Grande to get the Catamaran, and then a bus, and then another bus, and we couldn't afford to miss it (plus, by that stage we really got into the mood of walking the same path twice or 3 times...). This was a very panoramic walk at the feet of Los Cuernos, and in 1h 30 min we reached the other camp. We started to go up to the Campamento Britianico, 6km away, with views of a big glacier, but decided against reaching it as we had to go back to the Rifugio and thought 33km in one day would be too much, we were very pleased with 23km instead!

Christmas lunch at the Campamento Italina, this was actually very gnammy!

Mirador Francés

Back at the Refugio we had our well deserved shower, checked in, got our tent with the best view on Los Cuernos, and chilled out in the breeze until dinner time. Dinner was delicious, and we had a chat with Diane from LA, who surprisingly found the Refugios chaotic...for us it was top level organisation instead, weird how perceptions vary according to what you are used to!

When we went to sleep the tent was boiling hot, but by 3am it was freezing cold and I was dreaming with the extra layers in my rucksack. The cold helped us wake up early , at 5am, and since we were already packed and dressed we just went to get the breakfast kindly left by the staff and the boxed lunches, and in 30 min we were on the move. We left the camp spotting a puma scat, by far the most exiting bit of the day! I just love walking in the morning light, when everything is still sleepy (apart from the puma obviously), the air fresh and the light soft. We were determined not to miss the catamaran at 11.30am and kept a fast steady pace, until when we realised we walked too fast and managed to get the 9.30am catamaran instead...

The boat trip was only 30 min walk, but finally we managed to get the view of all the massive, a beautiful asimmetry of shapes and colours which worked in perfect harmony.

Since we were 2h early, we got an earlier bus to Puerto Natales, and an earlier bus to Punta Arenas, which was good as we got there at 5pm, which gave ourselves time to book the next day boat excursion, visit town, find food, and after 3 nights in refugios and tent, relax in a cozy hotel room in the Hotel Diego de Alamargo, with beautiful views on the oceans, this is life!

Punta Arenas and Isla Magdalena

In the original plan, Punta Arenas was just a place to stop by to change bus and refurnish energies, but at some stage along the trip I found out that you can go on a boat trip and walk among penguins, this is something we really had to do! We were certainly not disappointed, as there were thousands of them and their chicks wondering around not bothered by people, and on top of that on our way there we also spotted Sae Whales!

View from hotel room 1

View from hotel room2

Spot the intruders

Chapter 3 – Tierra del Fuego

Ushuaia 

Batteries recharged we got on a 10h bus journey to Ushuaia, which passed relatively fast as we had to get off first to catch a ferry, then at the Chilean border, then the Argentinean one, and finally the landscape suddenly turned from desert to the Scottish Highlands...seriously, 1h before reaching town the road starts climbing among gray and wet hills, we thought we were going back home!

 

Are we back to Scotland?!

We got there at 6pm (instead of 8.30pm, which is good), got our bus tickets to the national park for the following day and found our way to the Principio de Todo 2 apart we (meaning I) booked online. While we have been very happy with the accommodations booked so far, this time I really got it wrong! I'm still not sure why I chose it, but it turned out to be 30 min out of town, and to put it mildly not in a very good shape... After the initial shock we got resigned at spending 4 nights there and prepared dinner (whatever is your problem, eat first!)

Tierra del Fuego National Park

The weather was not good but we were happy to leave the flat and go to the Tierra del Fuego National Park, 12 km out of town. We were aiming at climbing the Cerro Guanaco, but given the rain and low clouds we opted for the walk by the lochs instead. We got off the bus at the Muelle, kept walking until the visitor centre (where buses loaded with tourists kept coming one after the other, to drop off people who would stay inside the centre for 1h and then recollect them to go to another point, I really don't understand what's the point, can't they just watch TV?). We ate our sandwich, and then kept walking to the (unmanned) Chilean border. We really like borders, especially when you don't need to throw away your veggies and fruit to pass it. To celebrate we ate our apples 1 step into Chile, that tasted like revenge finally.

Cerro Martial

We woke up with slighlty better weather, and hoped to reach the glaciers while the clouds were not covering it. We set off from the flat and started going up. The best bit of the day was to be adopted by Rosita, the cutest doggy ever with huge good eyes, and long and filthy hair! She obviously did that many times before (and who knows how many different names she was given!), she was waiting by the road, and then just joined us uphill. It was quite a climb to get to the start of the walk at the ski resort, probably 1h or more. By that stage we were higher, it was colder and the path was more rough, so I told her “Rosita, go back!”, and she did! Relieved we then went up to the glacier, and the surprise was to get back to that spot and find her still there waiting for us (after being around for 2h!). She was very pleased to see us too and all being happy we started the descent, with her leading with her steady and undulating pace. This was by far the best part of the day (the ice cream in town was quite good too...), oh yes, the walk is quite cool and totally worht it! 

By 1pm we were home, and just took the afternoon to explore town and sort out all the chores and walking by the sea to say goodbye to 2018.

 

rejoined!

Boat trip to the End of the World

I'll let pictures do the talk :)

Happy New Year!

Buenos Aires

On the first of the year we left the end of the world and slowly started the return home. The first stop was Buenos Aires, where we spent 1 full day just chilling out and finally relax in a beautiful room in the Tango de Mayo Hotel, handly located in the centre. We strolled around with no particular site in mind, and just enjoyed the warm good weather and realxing atmosphere.

Conclusion

So, after days and days of traveling and all the places and animals we saw, what did we learn?

1. I really want a dog
2. No more touristy places ever!
3. If you are a long haired cat and live in El Calafate, you must really be pissed off!
4. Caracaras should never be fed...not even for Christmas :(
5. Patagonia can be HOT
6. Sometimes you need to go to the end of the world to realise that home is actually the end of the world!