Rio Eléctrico - Laguna Pollone
3–5 Oca 2025, Arjantin ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
Hiking vibes
For the next few days, we decide on a relaxed itinerary with easy hikes along the Río Eléctrico, focusing on camping, enjoying the views, or simply reading or listening to podcasts.
The goal for the first day was Lago Marconi and to camp close to it. For the first 40 minutes, we hike towards Piedra del Fraile, following the same path as the day before. From there, we continue further up the valley. However a few hours later, we are stopped by a too deep and wide rivers, with too strong current to cross it. We decide not to go any further that day and wait until the next morning if the water level has lowered. Instead, we visit the Laguna Pollone, which is next to us. For quite some time, we stay there, making a game out of searching for interesting stones and rock formations and then describing them for the other one to find them. The descriptions are more or less successful (Billie has a bit of trouble with left and right ;)). Our imagination finds wolfes, lions, tortoises, whales, bears, or even a human figure.
Afterward, we return to the gear depot and set up our tent. The view of the Marconi Glacier, the lake, and the surrounding mountains is breathtaking. As the sunset begins, we enjoy our cooked dinner. The silence and nature make us once again revel in memories of the day.
On the second day, we savor a few coffees in the stunning mountain scenery. It is Billie’s birthday (Happy Birthday 🥳🎂). We are a little tired and the water level of the river has not really lowered (although I spot two courageous hikers cross it bare footed with water up until their thighs). All the others give up and we also decide not to go, also because we don’t have hiking poles. So we take it easy. Billie retreats to the tent to read, while I sit on a “rock-chair” with a view. There, I listen and scan the skies with binoculars, soon spotting condors. They don’t take long to display their impressive flight skills and incredible wingspans. Through the binoculars, I also spot four hikers attempting to cross the wild river. They wave their trekking poles around, trying to use them for balance on the uneven terrain. Maybe the sticks are also more of an obstacle for them… After about an hour and one podcast later, they give up and head back the way they came.
We continue as well, reaching our next campsite, Piedra del Fraile, after about one hour. There, we enjoy lunch and Billie’s birthday cake (rice waffles :)—but sweetened because of her birthday (or maybe because I didn’t read the packaging right…). Anyway, the waffles survive only briefly. We then refresh ourselves in the cool Rio Eléctrico. After dinner, with an obligatory celebratory beer, we go back to our comfy tent, before hiking back down to the valley early the next morning.Okumaya devam et
Torre Fino
10 Ocak 2025, Arjantin ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Torre Fino (south west ridge)
Our new year resolution is to climb more, so here we go, we decide to climb/ scramble the south west ridge of the Torre Fino, just outside of Bariloche.
Our guide opened this route because he used to climb in the Alps and was inspired by the ridge scrambling there (actually the north east ridge is supposed to be very similar to the Matterhorn. I have never climbed the Matterhorn but heard that they are a lot of lose stones and dangers of rock falls and it was the case in Torre Fino).
Our guide Jorge comes to pick us up at the hostel at 06:20 (the Argentinian 06:10) and drives us to the start. We equipe ourselves and start the 3 hours hike to the base of the Torre. Jorge explains to us that he has a lot to do at the moment, a small kid and hurt his knee a couple of days before while climbing (a lose stone hit him). After around 2:15 hours hike we arrive to a steep gouly, covered with partially hard snow. The guide is surprised, he was not expecting snow and therefore did not tell us to bring crampons. This seems a bit strange as we could see the gouly from the parking lot and I remember wondering how we would climb it. The guide had been in the area the days prior, we don’t understand why he decided not to take the crampons (he just “did not think it would be snow”). We decide to continue as long as possible besides the snow on the rocks and finally to rope up to go on snow (just soft enough to mark the steps, it goes well).
At the base of the Torre we start to climb. The second pitch is slightly more dangerous because of a section with many lose stones that force us to climb a bit more technical route and the whole rest of the day will be a “game” of not displace any rock (Andreas and I were very good at it, and disturbed no stone).
After some more scrambling (too little for my liking) we arrive at the summit. The view is beautiful (we got lucky again with the weather): on the one side the Lake Nahuel Huapi, so deep blue and scintillating, on the other side the impressive Cerro Tronador and its massive glacier. We can also see the perfectly cone shaped volcano Calbucco in Chile.
We rappel down and the walk down the snow covered gouly is much easier now that the snow has softened enough but not too much. The hike down is long and hot, especially because our guide’s knee is hurting quite a bit.
At the bottom we share a beer and our guide drives us back. Although we were a bit sceptical that he forgot the crampons, was very tired and his knee hurt we had a good day!Okumaya devam et
Bikepacking
11–14 Oca 2025, Arjantin ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Bikebacking from Bariloche to San Martin de los Andes.
Plot twist, we are suddenly bikepacking!
We decided to rent gear at the friendly bike company “bike Patagonia” to cover the 210 km between Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes in about 3-4 days. Now our readers will think that this would be an easy feat to bike 210 km in 3 days. Well, we thought it too :)
Day 1: Bariloche to Villa Llanquin (47.3 km- 582 elevation gain).
The process of testing and renting the bikes, load them with our gear and get ready takes quite a time. Luckily we are able to give the company our big backpacks to be transported to San Martin de los Andes. We start biking around 12:00 and find a nice pedestrian lane to leave the city. Our lunch spot is quintessential “bike trip” for me: on a grass patch of the supermarket in the last village we will see in 2 days: Dina Huapi. We stock on gaz (eyes watering expensive!) and food (also very expensive) and then continue. It is around 15:00 now and it is getting very hot.
We are able to take a nice side gravel road, which comes with very steep ascents and some fences crossing but also goes along the magnificent Rio Limay. The water is perfectly clear and when we are able to go close to the river, it is pleasantly shaded from big trees.
We arrive late and tired in Villa Llanquin and find the recommended campsite Don Jacinto.
Day 2: Villa Llanquin to Villa Traful (65.2 km- 1010 elevation gain).
The day starts with 30 km on the main road, which is surprisingly not too crowded (many locals warned us about the danger of traffic but we find it better than Switzerland, as the roads are broader and there is a gravel lane besides). After 30 fast kilometres we start the VERY thought road to Villa Traful. The heat is increasing, the head wind is getting strong, the road is very bumpy (especially with sore backsides), the ascents are steep and cars passing by create a lot of dust. I am at my limit, although we only need to bike around 37 km. At one point the wind is so strong that we can not stay on the bikes, luckily this is only on one given pass. We arrive exhausted and very dusty at a campsite.
Day 3: Villa Traful to Lago Villarino (50.6 km- 980 elevation gain).
Today is luckily easier than the day before because we can start early with the gravel road (about 25 km) and join the main road for the last stretch.
We stop on the side of the main road to make coffee and meet nice Uruguayan also on a bike trip.
We arrive early at the free campground of Villarino and eat our second lunch there before falling asleep from the heat and biking.
Day 4: Lago Villarino to San Martin de los Andes (48.3 km-600 elevation gain).
Easy day on the main road to San Martin de los Andes, the temperature is perfect and the traffic is mostly going in the other way. With some small exceptions, the cars passing us with caution.
The last part is a long descent to San Martin de los Andes, we meet many bikepackers going the other way.
We are in San Martin de los Andes for an early lunch. Almost all accomodations are fully booked or very expensive so we opt to stay at the local campsite. Also the busses to Pucòn seem to be sold out until 3 days after so we will have 2.5 days in San Martin de los Andes. It rains in the evening so we go have dinner at the restaurant in the village that looks like a copy of an Austrian mountain village and is very touristy.Okumaya devam et
Cerro Colorado (1761 m)
16 Ocak 2025, Arjantin ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Cerro Colorado (1761 m)
The Cerro Colorado is a now extinct volcano and gets its name from the reddish color due to the accumulation of of volcanic rocks.
From the top we can see the Mount Tronador and the volcanoes Lanín, Villarica and Choshuenco. A random cute dog we names San Martin (Andreas) or Don Bari (Billie, please let us know in the comments which name you prefer :)).
We continue to Laguna Rosales and meet many nice local trail runners. We return to the restaurant of the first day for our last meal in Argentina.Okumaya devam et
Volcano Villarica (2847 m)
18 Ocak 2025, Şili ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Volcano Villarica (2847 m)
We meet at the guides office at 06:15 to get our gear and take the bus to the foot of the volcano. We have been there the day before and met the guides plus a very sun burned tourist coming back from the volcano in need of telling us what to do (“take the boots the company is borrowing the tourists, as yours could get dirty”; “pay for the chairlift, the way up is boring and there will be many people at the summit if you are too slow”). Yes, sir, and may I kindly recommend you to concentrate on applying sunscreen instead on what we are doing?
We are a group of 11 persons and 3 of us walk from the parking spot with the guide Pancho. The first part is flat in the forest and get slightly steeper and rocky after. The others take a lift for the first part of the ascent, which is so slow that we meet right above the top station, although we walked.
The group is composed of mostly beginners but the pace is not too slow and we have fun chatting to the nice guides (4 in total). We walked a bit on snow before we put on crampons and it goes like this:
Guide: “Now we put our crampons on, please take them out your bag.”
Canadian man: “What are crampons, what am I looking for?”.
Once everybody has been put crampons on (the guides sit people down and put them crampons on, it feels like the kindergarten for adults), we continue for the last 800 m elevation gain. The British lady tells us that when she “hates it and feels her legs hurting, she remembers she paid for it” but we have a good time. The company is efficient and thank to the high number of guides we can split the group and arrive before most of the other companies at the top. The cratere is impressive and fuming, the view of the lakes and volcanoes clear.
We hike down to the pre summit where we let our backpacks, have lunch and prepare for the most fun part of the day: the descent on the little plastic sledges. Our guide explains us the sliding and braking techniques and here we go. There are pre-made lines and laughter is guaranteed.
On the way down one guide recommend us some tours to do the next days and let us ride the chairlift even though we did not pay for it.
After a sprint action to get cash to tip the guides we go to our favourite coffee spot in Pucòn to organise our hike for tomorrow.Okumaya devam et
Cerro San Sebastián (1905 m)
19 Ocak 2025, Şili ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Cerro San Sebastián
We take the local bus to the national park Huerquehue and after some formalities at the entrance we start to hike. Andreas was about to make a comment on the walking poles of the man in front of us when he turns and asks us in German if we are from Switzerland (busted!). He is Chinese but works in Zürich and his German is very good. We continue at a “pas de zurichois” through an almost jungle like forest to a plateau where we already get the views of the Villarica and the Lago Tinquilco. One more part in the forest of Araukarie trees before some scrambling and ridge walk starts. We are rewarded at the top with a 360 degrees view and spend a good hour at the summit.
The way down is long, hot and steep and the swim in the Lago Tinquilco is pure delight. Once back in Pucón we get some ice cream and beer before heading back to the hostel.
Tomorrow we go to the natural hot springs of Los Pozones, about an hour away by bus from Pucón.Okumaya devam et
Puerto Varas
21–22 Oca 2025, Şili ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Coffee & Gelato in Puerto Varas
Our short trip to Puerto Varas was full of little highlights: the majestic Osorno Volcano and Lago Llanquihue (second largest lake from chile) offered breathtaking views. We enjoyed lunch at food trucks by the lake, followed by delicious coffee in a cozy café. In the evening, we listened to local street music by the shore and browsed a craft market. There we buy two handmade coffee cups for our home.
Our charming accommodation, Hostal Compass del Sur, run by a friendly Swedish owner, provided a welcoming atmosphere. A morning jog along the lake and a visit to a viewpoint with beautiful plant life rounded off our stay. A mandatory gelato after a lunch break filled our already full bellies. A bus ride to the airport marked the end of our time in this wonderful town! And hear: when we arrived the airport, it started to rain - we’re so lucky…
By the way, is anyone interested in a legend about the foundation of Puerto Varas? warning to sensitive people ;)
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Legend of Princess likanrayen
Before the arrival of the german settlers, the coast of the Llanquihue Lake was inhabited by the Williche people, natives of the south of Chile, who left us this beautiful story as a legacy.
Legend has it that there was a young and beautiful Williche named Likanrayen, who was loved by her people because of her generosity and joy. Her beauty was such that, as she walked through the forest, the trees blossomed and the birds accompanied her by singing incessantly. And the heart of belonged to
Kütralpiuke, the bravest and strongest man of his people, his enemies trembled at the mere sound of his name.
Likanrayen and Kütralpiuke lived a quiet life.
However, the Pillán, the powerful spirit that inhabited the interior of the Osorno Volcano, did not take long to find out about their infinite love. And his fury and envy was so great that he decided to leave the volcano in the form of great flames of fire, burning the rucas (dwelling of the williches), setting fire to the forests and devastating all life around them.
Facing this terrible situation, the elders and sages decided to meet together to find a solution. They debated for hours and hours, until a wise man said: "The only way to calm the fury of the Pillan is by throwing into the crater of the volcano a branch of Canelo", the sacred tree of the Williche. "But since everyone knew that it was impossible for a man to reach the crater, the wise man added: "Only a Condor, the largest bird that crosses the southern skies, will be able to carry the branch of a sacred Canelo into the volcano, but in return he will ask for the hear of the most beautiful young woman of the Williche". Everyone knew right away that that young woman would be Likanrayen, and each one of the elders and sages felt a great sadness.
Likanrayen, however, calmly accepted her fate, knowing that her sacrifice would end the destruction caused by the Pillan, and thus protecting her people. She only asked for one condition: that her beloved Kütralpiuke would be the one to rip out her heart, because it had belonged to him since the day that they met.
The two embraced and kissed each other goodbye, but because the brave warrior could not bear to live without his beloved, he took his own spear and thrust it into his chest. Death united the two of them forever.
At that moment, the williches saw the majestic Condor descending from the sky, and taking the heart of Likanrayen. Then, after picking up the branch of Canelo, the Condor took flight towards the volcano, and as soon as he reached its top, he dropped the sacred branch into the Pillán. At that very instant the clouds covered the sky, and a thick snow began to fall. The snow fell for days, weeks and months, and as the snow fell, the Pillan melted it with its fire, creating rivers of water that flowed down the slopes of the volcano. Little by little that water was transformed into the lakes that we know as Llanquihue and Todos los Santos.
And after fighting and fighting against the snow, the Pillán finally gave up, returning to the depths of the volcano, where he remains a prisoner under the ice sheet that we see to this day on top of the Osorno Volcano.Okumaya devam et
Praia de Bonete - Ilhabela
23–28 Oca 2025, Brezilya ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Ilhabela - Praia de Bonete - São Sebastião
From Puerto Montt, we take a flight to Santiago, followed by another to São Paulo — so far, so good. Upon arriving in São Paulo, we board a bus toward São Sebastião. The journey is long, but we stay positive about what awaits us on Ilhabela.
Then comes the first hurdle: the ATM doesn’t dispense any cash. Not an ideal situation when we need money for the one hour bus ride. So we improvise — exchanging a few dollars for reais at a bar, but somehow, it’s still not enough. Instead of the required 20 reais, we only have 12. Fortunately, some locals kindly help us out. A woman named Erica generously pays for our bus fare without hesitation. That moment makes us realize: traveling isn’t just about exploring new places; it’s also about experiencing human generosity in South America.
After the one hour bus ride, we find ourselves at the entrance to the Atlantic Rainforest. Our accommodation is a four hour hike away. A friendly Brazilian woman insists on giving us a walking stick—“for the snakes,” she emphasizes. Not a bad idea, as we soon learn. At the trail entrance, a ranger stops us and explains the risks of the hike.
The path goes through the forest, accompanied by the increasingly loud hum of cicadas. Time passes, and daylight fades. And then a small black snake cross the path. I decide to tell Billie about it later… By the time we finally arrive at our accomodation for the next days. It is already dark, but our effort is well rewarded: a small hut right by the beach, the soft sound of the waves, and a fantastic dinner with freshly caught fish.
The next three days are pure relaxation in paradise. Mornings begin with a light workout on the beach, followed by reading, swimming, and playing with the waves during the day. And in the evening, we play our own little “memory game” of favorite travel moments. Every evening, we enjoy delicious, freshly caught fish.
But adventure calls us once again on our way back. To have money for the bus, we exchange our last argentinian pesos in brasilian Real with some friendly Argentinians. This time, we spot even more wildlife: a vibrant green snake, a squirrel, a type of black wild chicken, and a large lizard—possibly a black-and-white tegu. Then, we witness something fascinating: a massive spider, likely a species of tarantula, lies motionless on the ground. Next to it stands a tiny wasp. It is probably a pepsis wasp that has paralyzed its prey with venom, preparing to use it as food.
Back at the end of the path, a bus driver with, let’s say, a “sporty” driving style takes us to the ferry. In São Sebastião, during dinner, we experience what “Brazilian portions” really mean. Our meal is more than enough for the next day’s lunch.
On our last morning before departure, we go for one final run, a perfect ending before spending hours on a bus and on planes again. Now we have to say goodbye to Brazil and South America.Okumaya devam et
Gezgin
I read a report, recently. They have found out that by cutting your coffee consumption to zero, you will experience a 60 % reduction in the will to live 😀
Gezgin😂😂😂😂