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Backpacking in South America
  • Eline Freim
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  • Eline Freim

Backpacking in South America

An open-ended adventure by Eline Read more
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  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Chile Chico

    February 23, 2018 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    I arrived late and checked in to a hostel. The next morning I went to the mirador in town and had a beautiful view over the lake. I hitchhiked early over the boarder to Argentina.

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    The road to Chile Chico

    February 23, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    The whole road from Rio Tranquilo to Chile Chico is filled with «postcard views». The road follows the General Carrera lake, which is super beautiful! It is the second largest lake of South America. I wish I had a tent and could spend more time in this area. It is gorgeous with the lake and all the mountains surrounding it.

    We stopped at one point to look at the view, and it was amazing! The journey took 4 hours.    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Capilla de Marmol

    February 22, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Alex arrived today, yay! We went on a lovely boat ride to see the marble caves here. The weather has been perfect today! The tour was amazing; cruising with a boat in the clare turquoise water, going through the marvelous caves!

    We decided to camp for the night, as Alex has camping gear. I got to borrow some. I think it will be pretty cold.

    After getting the tent up we got a bottle of wine and went to the beach. We hang out there for some hours, chatting and enjoying the view. There was no clouds, and the stars were super clear - lovely!    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Puerto Rio Tranquilo

    February 21, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    I ended up in a funny old bus from Cerro Castillo to Puerto Rio Tranquilo. At one point I had to wonder if we would be able to make it in this runned down bus, but we did. It was colorful and the driver played music from the 80s and 90s, and the whole thing was just funny.

    Rio Tranquilo is very small, and there is not much to do here except for the marble caves and tours to glaciers. The beach and the lake here is beautiful, but today it was too cold to hang out here for a long time. My friend, Alex, will arrive tomorrow so we will do the caves together then. He volunteered in my favorite hostel, 13 Lunas, in Ancud.

    I ended up using couchsurfing to hangout with Jason and his friends in a lovely cabin with a lake view. Wine, interesting conversations, bonita vista and fire in the fireplace - pretty great evening!    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Laguna Cerro Castillo

    February 20, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I was told the hike would be difficult, and take around 7 hours, 7 km each way. I was a bit worried about how it would be, but was positively surprised.

    I used 2,5 hours up, and two of them was fairly nice hiking. It was some steep parts, but it varied so it was not very hard. The last 1,5 kilometres was very steep in a area of small loose rocks - so that part was definitely more dificult.

    The whole hike you can enjoy a beautiful view of the nature surrounding Villa Cerro Castillo.

    The real reward was when I reached the mirador for the Laguna Cerro Castillo. It was absolutely amazing! It was very cold and windy in the start, and a lot of fog around the mountain. I ended up spending 2,5 hours there, and I am glad I did. The wind slowed down, the sun came out and a lot of the fog disapaired. The laguna was shining turqoise in the sun, que linda!!    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Villa Cerro Castillo

    February 19, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Welcome to the country side! I am spending two nights in this very little town one hour south of Coyhaique. Tomorrow I will hike to Laguna Cerro Castillo, that is suppost to be very beautiful. The hike will be 7 km steep up, and then 7 km down. I’m told it is a hard hike that will take 7-8 hours. Good luck to me and my fantastic shape!Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Parque Nacional Coyhaique

    February 18, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I went to the National Park in Coyhaique today. It was very different from the other parks I have been too. It was much more open, and more pine trees. The walk was physically easy, and I spent 3,5 hours on the trail, seeing three lakes.

    The most beautiful along the trail was Laguna Verde - and the name suits the lake very well. Except for that - I have to admit that the park was not very special for me. It was a nice hike on a sunday, but nothing you’d be verry sorry to miss out on. I went early in the morning, so again I had the nature all to myself. I really enjoy that 👌    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Coyhaique

    February 17, 2018 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Took a bus at 06 from Puyuhuapi to Coyhaique. Got a hostel upon arrival.

    I spent the day walking around to some different miradors, and relaxed and enjoyed the sun in Plaza de Armas. I will go to the national park tomorrow, and then move on to next destination on monday.Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Ventisquero colgante

    February 16, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Got transfere to the National Park Quelat at 9 this morning. I was told it is hard to hichhike to the park, and there is no bus going. I paid 5000 CLP for the transportation both ways, which was fine.

    I had until 17.00 in the park, so I got to do all the trails. Three of them is very short, and one is for ca 1-1,5 hours up to a mirador of Ventisquero colgante glacier.

    It was raining heavily today, making the trails very muddy and slippary. Except for that the hike is not physically difficult. There was a thick fog ruining the nice view at the mirador, but it clared up a bit after a while.

    The forest in itself was very beautiful with all the rain - making it more green and giving me the fairytail feeling 👌    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Puyuhuapi

    February 15, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    I arrived at 9 in Puyuhuapi and said goodbye to the ones that gave me a lift. I got a tips that Hospedaje Roxana is very cheap - and got a room for two nights there. It is 8000 per night in a 4 person dorm, but you get what you pay for. The hostel is pretty runned down and it is not very nice or clean - but it will do.

    I walked around and got some information. There is no bus to the nacional park (shock) but I arranged transportation there and back for 5000 CLP.

    I decided to walk to the mirador in town, to get a look at the town and the lake. It was a short hike and a beautiful view. Got to play with a puppy as well, which of course made my day!    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    New ferry and hitchhiking

    February 15, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    Last night at 23 I went with a ferry from Chaitén to Rául Marine, that took 6 hours. The road is closed at Villa Santa Lucia, and therefor there is a free ferry going around. The only problem is that there is no bus from the boat to the next city, La Junta. There might be one later in the day, but the boat arrived at 05.15 this morning. It was hard to get any information about this. The marina is tiny with nothing there, and there was many backpackers trying to hitchhike.

    I decided to start walking towards the town, which is super small. It was completely dark, and I used the light on my phone to not step into mud and water. The road there is a dirtroad. After 5-10 minutes I got lucky and a nice man and his son picked me up. I was going to La Junta, but decided to follow them to Puyuhuapi, which is closer to the Nacional Park I want to hike in.

    Hitchhiking is still not something I love to do, because the uncertainty around it. It would really suck to get stuck in some desert place. But I have to admit that so far all my hitchhikes has been nice experiences, and very good for practicing spanish.

    The drive to Puyuhuapi was nice. We had to wait in line very long to take a small ferry for about 50 metres. The ferry took 6 cars at a time, so when all the cars from the big ferry from Chaitén to Raul Marine arrived it was a long que 🙈 We stopped at a waterfall 👌    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Parque Pumalín

    February 13, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Got up early again to catch the bus at 08.30 that leaves from Chaitèn to Puerto Montt. If the bus is not too full, it will take people going to the national park as well.

    In Chaitén hitchhiking or private transportation is the way to get around, as there is no buses for the nacional park. You can catch the one at 8.30, as I did twice now.

    I hiked the Sendero Laguna Tranador (4,8km), which took me about 1 hour and 15 minutes up. It was much easier then yesterday, but still a bit steep. My legs could feel it after yesterdays struggle. The trail passes waterfall, a mirador for a volcano and then takes you to a beautiful lake. I only meet two other people hiking that early, so it was nice and quiet on the way up.

    I decided to do two other trails that was close by as well; Sendero the Alerces (700m) and Cascadas Escondidas (1,8 km). The walk between the trails is 2-3 km, which leaves me with 10 km hiking today. At the end I realized that I could have been a bit nicer to my legs after yesterday, and I was super exhausted.

    I was so ready to get back to Chaiten, but I tried to hitchhike for more then 1,5 hours without any luck. And yes: the wasps was there with me for the whole time making me go crazy. I realized that the hitchhiking thing is really not for me, especially not when tired.

    In the end I was lucky and the bus from Puerto Montt arrived! That ment 1 hour standing up in a crowded bus with my legs almost shaking 😂 I was pretty happy when I got back to the hostel and could have a nice hot shower and collapse on my bed!

    The nature in the national park is very beautiful though, and I am glad I went. It was very different from yesterday, having a green lush forest instead of burnt trees.    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Chaitén

    February 12, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Arrived Chaitén yesterday. The town got destroyed 10 years ago by a volcano erruption. It has been rebuild, but is not the same it is was. The town is very small and quiet, and is mostly a base for tourists to hike in the beautiful nature surrounding the town.Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Volcano Chaitèn

    February 12, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Got up early today to hike to Chaitèn volcano. The hike up took me 1,5 hours and was very steep. As always I hate this part, and wonder why I’m putting my body through that kind of suffering. For 40 minutes I got company - a swearm of bees or wasp or whatever those devils are called. They sting you! Except for that I had the trail all to myself on the way up, which I loved!

    The way up was through the burnt forest after the volcano erupted in May 2008, soon 10 years ago. From start to end - the view is amazing. But nothing could prepair me for the view when reaching the crater of the volcano. It was absolutely breathtaking!!! I spent almost 1 hour up there just enjoying the peace and quiet - until those nasty wasps got me on my feet again. They suck! I used almost one hour down - leaving me with 3,5 hours spent.

    I went to Santa Barbara beach, which is beautiful. I am not joking when I say that I had 7 wasps following me, so I actually ended up just leaving the place 🙈

    Went back to Chaitén and checked out the ruined houses by the river from the volcano eruption, and went to a mirador. Such an amazing day!!!    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Carretera Austral and ferries!

    February 12, 2018, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I went with the bus from Puerto Montt at 07 this morning. The owner of my hostel in PM was nice enough to drive me to the bus. There was a beautiful sunrise, and the hostel have a panoramic view over the city.

    The trip from PM to Chaiten took about 10 hours, and we went on two ferries. One of them took 5 hours. It was a nice trip with beautiful nature surroundings.

    I could have taken a boat that takes 5 hours from Chilóe to Chaitén, but I really wanted to do the Carretera Austral and ferries, even though the Patagonian fjords remind me a lot about Norway.    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Puerto Montt

    February 9, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Arrived Puerto Montt today. Tried to get a bus for Chaiten tomorrow morning, but it was full. Guess I am spending a weekend in Puerto Montt, hurray for that.

    At least the hostel has a very nice view of the city. Spent the afternoon walking around in town, not much to see.

    Will do a daytrip to Frutillar or something tomorrow :)    Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    Bye bye Chilóe

    February 9, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Had to leave Ancud this morning, as it is about time to continue my travel south. I have had 12 days in Chiloe, most of them in Ancud.

    I have to admit it was with a heavy heart and teared eyes I left 13 lunas hostel today. That place became like a home to me, and I met so many great people that I will miss. One big disfunctional family ❤️ Well, I guess that’s a part of the game while traveling. You meet so many awesome people that you have to leave behind, and most of them you’ll probably never meet again.Read more

  • Eline FreimBackpacking in South AmericaTraveler

    First solo hitchhhike

    February 6, 2018 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today I decided to go to the Faro Carono lighthouse. The bus leaves you 7 km away, and I decided it was about time to try hitchhiking. I have actually been doing it a few times with others here, but never alone.

    The first hike I got was with a man that I did not understand one single word of. I still speak very little spanish, but that man was seriously impossible to understand. Quite awkward car ride!

    He dropped me where he lived, and there was still about 4 km to the lighthouse. I didn’t even walk 20 metres before the next car stopped for me. It was a lovely family of four that kind of ended up «adopting me». After we arrived to the lighthouse they asked me if I wanted to join to a fort, and then back to Ancud. I was super happy about it, and they were so sweet! I got to practice my spanish, as they didn’t speak english. Spent maybe 3-4 hours with them. I was super lucky getting picked up by them :D    Read more

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