It has been a very long time since I posted as I have been in low wifi areas in Peru and Bolivia where I cannot upload photos the past 2 weeks! Back to Chile…
We touch down in Puerto Arenas at 4pm then have a long drive that feels like we are going to the end of the earth (not quite but not far from it – see location on google maps below!)
We stop in Puerto Natales for a briefing with our ecocamp guides and a warm cosy dinner. The bread and pumpkin soup for starters and red wine is particularly appetising but perhaps dinner is a little too leisurely given we still have a long drive ahead of us. We are going off the grid for 3 days with no wifi or phone reception! Eventually we arrive at Ecocamp Patagonia well after midnight in the pitch black. Our eco domes are homely with real beds, a log burning fire and hot showers!
When I wake up in the morning it is absolutely freezing with no fire burning… but in the daylight I can appreciate what a wonderful setting we are in. The camp is nestled amongst snow capped mountains and has lovely communal areas such as a bar dome and yoga dome.
On the first day I opt for the more difficult “Base of the Towers” trek. This is a 22km walk right out of our camp to the base view of the three famous granite monoliths of Torres del Paine. It starts out plain sailing with rolling hills and a few steep climbs (I’m fine with uphill, it is the getting back down I’m worried about!) The weather is not as wet as I have become accustomed to in the lake district. We hike through hills into the forest where we cross several rustic wooden bridges, some of which are for just one or two people at a time.
In the forest, the snow starts falling and we walk through small streams. I notice beautiful red flowers growing in such a harsh environment. We reach a snowy plateau where our group has to decide whether or not to push on. I am of the view we should do it but our guide Josi (who is tiny and like a mountain disney princess!) warns us that the rocks in the snow and wind could be dangerous. As we deliberate, we see a relatively elderly group pass on ahead, two young Brits tell us how beautiful it is up there, and the snow starts to subside. We push on!
The last couple of hours uphill are through huge boulders and rocks. With the snow falling and underfoot, I feel like we are in a North Face or Patagonia advert!
Despite clouds covering much of the towers, the view of the eerily blue lake in the snow and the sense of achievement is worth it! We literally eat the “box lunches” we made in the morning under a big rock for about 20 minutes to shelter from the snow and wind.
Then it is time for the long journey back with plenty of steep downhills where I practically sit my way down! My attempt to use our guide’s extra poles is not very fruitful as I don’t know how to use walking poles and feel safer with my hands free! After setting out at 8am, we arrive back at 6.45pm for a well deserved drink and some much needed stretching in the yoga dome!
On day 2, I opt for the 12km (at least not another 22km!) Cerro Paine hike rather than the less active day trip hoping my legs will not fail me. We climb the eastern part of Cerro Paine for another lookout of the three towers and Ascencio valley. I am glad we did it as we truly experience every season in a day: glorious sunshine, rain, hail and snow. On the long climb up we often have to get low to prevent the strong winds from blowing us over! I nearly lose my hat. Eric in our group loses his glove.
I am thankful we have two guides with us given the winds and the fact we need to use stepping stones to cross rivers. The pressure is high not to fall in so having a guide reach out to us on the other side is comforting!
We sit on the snowy rocky mountain face admiring the insane view. The day is a clear one so we see the towers and blue lakes in the distance. On the way down, the ground is softer than yesterday’s hike so even though it is slippery, is not so tough on the old knees. Our group can’t help but sing “the hills are alive with the sound of music” on the way down! Our girly group also stops for a long photo session… naturally. Hat or no hat?
We have time for beers and pisco sours back at camp. After dinner (wonderfully hot after my mistaken cold choices and massive fail the previous night) we enjoy some more drinks in the bar dome. Our group share their favourite memories of the trip – so cute! I have so many and nod in agreement with everyone else’s. My personal favourite was the craziness of being in -14C at the geysers in Atacama in the morning followed by an afternoon by the pool in the blazing heat – see my Atacama post for more on this.
Our group really gelled over the past 12 days. I am touched that one of Elisa’s good times was having such a positive roomie! Patagonia has been extreme and a wonderful way to bring our Flash Pack tour to a close.
neontraveller.com 