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Fin del mundo: Patagonia
  • annalovestraveling

Fin del mundo: Patagonia

Well, I'm not technically going all the way to the "world's end" at Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost part of South America and only a 1100 km from Antarctica. But close enough 😉 Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 15, 2024
    annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    At least got my hiking pants and shorts with meAll the cloths I have summed up in two picturesVillarica from above

    Who needs luggage, anyway?

    January 16, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    15.01. 9:00 (CET) 🇩🇪
    And it begins! I spent the weekend with my parents and dad kindly drives me to the airport. We calculate more time than usual, as today is the last day of the farmer's protests that in the last week blocked many streets and motorways all over Germany. Luckily, today they seem to be concentrated in Berlin.
    15.01. 11:15 (CET) 🇩🇪
    I'm at the gate waiting for my flight to take off from Frankfurt. I still have two hours left.
    15.01. 23:15 (CET) 🇨🇦
    First layover: Toronto. I have plenty of time and no hussel, as all I have to do is scan my passport at the automatized check point and walk to my gate (where all German passports are for some reason checked manually as well). My next flight takes off at 00:50.
    16.01. 11:20 (CET) 🇨🇱
    I made it to Chile! I now have a longer layover at Santiago, more than enough time to go through migration, duty control and get my luggage, which I have to drop off manually, as I'm changing to a different airline now. Migration is super relaxed (I almost dare to join the official who is half-dancing to reggaeton music in his booth), then I'm being stopped as a dog detects the smell of an apple in my bag (I ate it shortly before landing to not cause any problems). They let me through. My luggage, however, is nowhere to be seen. Upon request I am told that it got "delayed" and will be delivered to me hopefully within two days. I sincerely hope it'll be quicker, since I only have one day before starting a 5-day hike. I'm glad I took the very basics for this hike with me in my cabin luggage, but still, not having the rest would be pretty inconvenient and potentially rather cold.
    16.01. 17:45 (CET) 🇨🇱
    After chilling with a nice coffee in the sun in between terminals, flight no.3 takes off. The views really compensate for the stress of losing my luggage.
    16.01. 21:00 (CET) 🇨🇱
    3,5 hours in the plane and a 20 min cab ride later, I finally get to Punta Arenas. Local time is 17:00, so I still have a few hours to go before going to sleep.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling

    Punta Arenas

    January 16, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Once in Punta Arenas, I go out for a little walk and a trip to the supermarket. A guy at the hostel recommends Kisko Roca, apparently the place to go for Choripan with banana milk. Turns out it's also a great place to meet people. After a chat with a guy from Puerto Montt, I'm approached by Manuel, who is from town and offers to show me around.Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling

    Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos

    January 17, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Patagonia is one of the few places in the world to see wild penguins. The most accessible option on my route is Isla Magdalena, 35km from Punta Arenas. It is home to hundreds of Magellan penguins (in addition to many many seagulls). We're lucky and see also Sei whales (a pretty rare species) and sea lions.
    Despite having to fight strong wind gusts, it is great watching those the penguins wobble around. Especially their social behavior is really interesting. They are very territorial and (mostly) monogamous. When they feel like their territory is threatened, they make a noise that reminds of a donkey. For communicating with each other they use different sounds. Teenage penguins (up to 3-5 years of age), are nomads. Once sexually mature, they mate at the location of their first encounter, where they meet their "spouse" once a year for the purpose of procreating and raising their babies. In between they spend about six months apart.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling

    Up towards Puerto Natales

    January 17, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    Right from the pier where we arrive after the penguin tour, I need to get to my bus to Puerto Natales. It's almost one hour later than the scheduled return, so I make it just in time. At the bus stop I meet Julia, who flew over directly after her sabbatical in New Zealand, but which due to her late arrival and my early tour I haven't been able to greet yet. From here on we'll be travelling together.
    It's fascinating to see the landscape change from bare, flat steppe to a slightly more hilly area with at least a few dry trees. On our way we see lots of sheep, ostriches and guanacos (a type of lama), but not much in terms of civilization.
    Tomorrow we will start the W-trek through Torres del Paine, a 5-day hike alongside emerald rivers and monumental glaciers. The trek will be 80 km in total.
    To make up for the missing items from my luggage ( I will not get it back in time before starting the hike) I still need to by two shirts, a pair of socks and rent a pair of rain pants. Everything else must just be dispensable - I don't really have another choice. Although I don't even have everything, it is still a lot of stuff and packing up for day 1 (where we will not need to carry all our stuff) takes some time.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    Refugio Chileno2

    Torres del Paine Day 1

    January 18, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Start -> Base Torres -> Refugio Central
    ➡️20,9km ↗️1.113m 🕙7:47h 🌞🌬🌧

    At 7 am a bus takes us in two hours to the entrance of the national park. We register and take a shuttle to the welcome center, from where it's just a few steps to Refugio Central. We can leave our backpacks there, as we will come back to spend the night. But since the whether is unpredictable and we have 8 hours of hiking in front of us, we still carry several kilos of clothes, food and water up the mountain.
    We are lucky: during the first part of the hike is sunny and even warm, with a pleasant and relatively easy ascent. The closer we get to the peak, the steeper, rockier and windier it gets. For our lunch up at Base Torres, with a view at the name-giving rock towers, we put on all the layers of clothes we brought.
    We booked a package deal for our hike, including all the accommodation as well as food (the price is almost the same as booking everything individually and without food, but you avoid hours of clicking through a very confusing website and hoping that you won't get stuck with only have the accommodation spots you need). We expected rather basic dorms and uninspired food, but are pleasantly surprised: the dorms are large and have huge windows with a view at the Torres, the showers run with hot water. For dinner we get soup, black beans and frittata (non-vegetarian main course is salmon) and a dessert. Even the lunch boxes are good, with a grilled-vegetable burger as sandwich.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    2Blown away 🌬️The "domos"

    Torres del Paine Day 2

    January 19, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Refugio Central - Los Cuernos - Refugio Francés
    ➡️16,9km ↗️566m 🕙6:19h 🌬🌧

    Today is supposed to be an easy day, so we take our time at breakfast and join our neighbor Lorie for some chair yoga. Then we start to make our way through wide grass lands before we follow the path along Nordernskjöld lake. We were told that today's hike was going to be flat, but we soon realize that is only true for the first few kilometers, whereas especially the last section to get to Refugio Francés is really steep. Combined with the constant wind and rain, as well as the focus required to balance over the rocks covering the floor and sometimes to cross one of the many streams that interrupt our path, we struggle to keep our energy and motivation up until the end.
    Tonight we stay inside a "dome", which from the outside looks a kibble like a plastic iglu. Inside it is cozy and warm, we even have an oven that we fire up for a little while. Besides that the domo comfortably fits your bunk beds (8 people, two toilets and two showers.    Read more

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  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling

    Torres del Paine Day 3

    January 20, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Refugio Francés - Valle Francés - Refugio Paine Grande
    ➡️22,7km ↗️812m 🕙9:39h 🌞☁️🌬

    The shaking of our domo during the night tells us that today will be windy. But at least there is no more rain in sight, so we start the longest of all our hiking days with new motivation and surprisingly still fresh muscles (probably thanks to our daily potassium/magnesium dose).
    We hike up the "French" Valley through a calm forest to the two viewpoints Mirador Francés and Mirador Británico, all the while accompanied by the sound of the wind and the Francés river as well as the thunder of cracking ice on falling from the glacier above us. We are very fortunate to have good weather conditions: the day before a storm and snowfall caused warnings not to go all the way up to the second viewpoint, as the path is steep, rocky and exposed.
    Still the physically demanding trail that again takes us over rock fields and through even larger streams takes its toll. The last three kilometers to Refugio Paine Grande my legs are screaming - they just cannot be heard through the wind. Our complimentary welcome beer with Mike and Gab is well deserved.    Read more

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  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling

    Torres del Paine Day 4

    January 21, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Paine Grande - Glaciar Grey - Refugio Grey
    ➡️19,2km ↗️807m 🕙7:20h 🌞🌬🌬

    The first half of today's program is relatively easy with a flatter path and less rocks. However, the fight with the almost 90 km/h wind consumes energy. At the first lookout at Grey Glacier it gets even stronger, such that it's hard to stay on your feet.
    We make it to Refugio Grey in just 3:15h, leave part of our stuff there and after a quick cereal bar head out to get a closer look at the Glacier with its 30m thick ice fiend from two hanging bridges. Even the probably less than 1% of the area that's visible from here is enormous!
    We spend the evening with the crew we've been gathering since day 1.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    1

    Torres del Paine Day 5

    January 22, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    ➡️11km ↗️443m 🕙4:00h 🌞🌞🌬 (to be completed)

    Last day of the W-trek. All we have to do is walk back to Paine Grande, which feels like a easy stroll now. Before that, I check out the viewpoint close to Refugio Grey. I find myself right in front of a small iceberg, which must be at least 4-5m high (and even higher a few minutes earlier, when a large cube broke off - on the picture lying right in the middle).
    From Paine Grande, a boat takes us over Pehoé lake to Pudeto, where our bus back to Puerto Natales is already waiting.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    Border controlThe infamous GuanacoThe only Time we actually saw Fitz RoyCoffee was the best idea

    Welcome to the Argentinan way

    January 25, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    It's time to have a look at the other side of the border. Again we learn that in Patagonia there's no point in rushing. A girl on our bus when asking if she'll make it to her connection in time is told that there is no point in knowing, because of "la lluvia, el viento, el guanaco".
    And indeed it takes us almost 10 hours to reach our first destination in Argentina: El Chaltén, home to the famous Mount Fitz Roy. Well, at least that's what we are told. Due to bad weather conditions though the only glance we get at it is from the bus. Already at the time we arrive it's much too clouded to possible even see in which direction the mountains are. We spend the night and try hiking the next morning (after several warnings not to go too far, because strong wind and rain are on the agenda today). We return after just an hour of walking (completely soaked) and decide to head towards El Calafate earlier than planned.
    In the meantime we try to get hold of some cash. Though cards are widely accepted, they don't always work especially in remote areas that have as bad an internet connection as El Chaltén (10 MB for the entire town). But our efforts are fruitless: ATMs here give a maximum amount of 40.000 argentinean pesos (around 40€, depending whether calculated by the official exchange rate or the widely used black market "blue" rate), at a charge of ARS 8.000(!), but most German banks will not accept payouts of less than 50€. We soon learn that other places are even worse. Maybe they won't give out more because of the amount of bills required: the largest one available is for ARS 1.000 (~1€). Legend has it that an ARS 2.000 bills exist, but we don't meet anyone who has ever seen one. We also try to change chilean for argentinean pesos, but the currency exchange closes just as we arrive. The reason: "there are no more pesos - probably until next week."    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    Birthday dinner: empanadas & pinot noir

    Perito Moreno

    January 26, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Perito Moreno is probably one of the most famous glaciers in the world. This is because due to its vicinity to the Magallanes island it creates a unique growing and breaking process, at every breaking (which happens only once every few years) creating beautiful archways to let the Rico arm of Argentino lake flow through.
    We get the chance to learn a lot about this glacier and even walk on the ice during the so called Minitrekking. It formed because of the strong patagonian wind, which carries clouds loaded with water from the Pacific Ocean towards the Andes, where they unload as snow (in the mountains that appear on the pictures it snows 360 days per year). The snow masses are compressed over many years until they become ice, the spikes showing how the "flows" of snow had to go over stones and through bottlenecks. Although Perito Moreno grows about 2m per day, it is not enough to balance the pace at which it melts. As almost all other glaciers in the world, it is receding ever faster.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    BarilocheLittle break in BolsónRuta Nacional...The views though!

    (Road) tripping

    January 29, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Our next destination is even more remote than the previous ones. Futaleufú lies in what is called Patagonia Verde (as opposed to the very dry Patagonia Austral) in Chile, just behind the border. Public transport takes 9-12 hours from either Puerto Montt (CL) or Bariloche (AR), running 2-3 times a week.
    To make life a bit easier we fly from El Calafate to Bariloche, avoiding the 35h bus. It would be too late to continue on the same day, so we spend the night. While Bariloche is not a big city, it does have a much more urban vibe than the other places so far. The next day we rent a car and drive down to Futaleufú. The street ("Ruta nacional"!) is not only full of potholes. The last 40 km before the border are gravel. Feels like Argentina doesn't want to make the border crossing too easy. Everyone is very nice, though, especially on the Chilean side, where we joke around with the official while trying to eat some of the fruits we're not allowed to bring to Chile.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    Santi & Mae on our way to Laguna La PazEskimo roll practice... slowly getting thereMood after three intense days of kayaking 5-6 hours a day

    Kayak school

    February 1, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    It's time to get onto the river! We book an intensive three days of kayak school with two lessons (i.e. about 5-6 hours on the water) each day. Our instructor is Santiago, the owner of Austral Expediciones. He was recommended to us by friends (and insanely good kayakers) we met in Slovenia and we can only be thankful for this recommendation! Santiago starts right away to analyse our weaknesses on an easy section of Espolón river. During the lessons, we get to work hard on them, improving both our paddling and our eskimo roll. Most lessons take place on a class II section of Espolón, one on Laguna La Paz, where we focus on our rolling.
    At the end of the three days I can barely move. I think I have never been so tired in my entire life.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    Security setup on Futaleufú: a raft is always accompanied by a safety kayakers and a kataraft
    All the way to Chaitén there is nothing but dirt roadsDifferent from most places we've seen so far in Patagonia, the lake region is situated in a jungleThe best thing about rafting here is watching the safety kayakers dancing through the wavesLook at Nico's beautiful line through the Mundaca rapid 😍Julia and I giving everything

    Río Futaleufú

    February 2, 2024 in Chile ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Finally we get to the actual Futaleufú river. Futaleufú is an indigenous mapungún word and means big ("futa") river ("leufú"), a very adequate name for this world-class beast full of pushy, hard rapids. Most river sections here are class IV to V, i.e. hard to reach for hobby kayakers like Julia and me.
    We spend the morning driving out to some of the harder rapids on another dirt road, trying not to hit any of the dogs or cows that feel like they own the place. We get to watch some kayakers and rafting boats on the Mundaca rapid (V). One of them is Nico, a friend from Slovenia (who like many other Chilean kayakers spends southern hemisphere winters in Europe).
    To at least get to get a feeling for the river, we sign up for a rafting trip in the afternoon. As the river is huge and would carry any swimmers pretty far, all rafts here are always accompanied by safety kayakers and often also katarafts, both of which can rescue people much more easily. The water has such an enormous force that it keeps you too busy paddling and coordinating with the other paddlers to even see many of the huge waves you crash through. You can only imagine how hard it must be to keep a kayak stable in these rapids, even though the safety kayakers make it seem effortless.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    In some classes I'm joined by Pascual, who is about to qualify for the Olympics 😱The Lodge: base of Pucón Kayak School right at the Liucura riverVolcán & Glacier Villarica

    Pucón

    February 8, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Our last destination is Pucón, probably the most famous and thus incredibly touristy town in southern Chile. We happen to be visiting right in one of the four most busy weeks of the year: there are tons of people and traffic, getting in and out of town becomes a nightmare. Besides this, however, Pucón seems to be better suited to the tourist masses than is usual vacation home Bovec.
    With weeks (in Julia's case months) of traveling behind us we get kind if lazy. My only activity is three days of kayak school and a spontaneous rafting trip on Trancura Alto (including the Marimán drop) our friend Pato invited us to, Julia joins just for part of the classes. I feel like in just a few classes with Jano, the owner of Pucón Kayak School, I make huge progress and I'm super psyched to be going not only on several sections of Liucura river (class II-III), but also the Trancura Bajo (III), which has several pretty technical drops navigating through rocks and a few enormous waves.
    The rest of the time we hang out at the beach of Lago Villarica, eat ice cream or hang out with friends from back in Slovenia. We cannot bring ourselves to do one of the many great (but looong) hikes in the area and get to see the famous Villarica volcano only from afar. Fun fact: in winter the glacier on top of this active(!) volcano is used for skiing.    Read more

  • annalovestravelingFin del mundo: Patagoniaannalovestraveling
    Bike ✅Luggage ✅(not) ready to go home

    Santiago & Colina

    February 10, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    And it's already over 😥. In between the challenging activities and long distances, four weeks passed by incredibly quickly. It is definitely true: "Who hurries in Patagonia waists his time."
    Before we leave, we give ourselves a day in Santiago to organize our things. We go to the airport to finally pick up my luggage - yes, I did not arrive all along. Then we drive to nearby Colina, where Julia left her bike which she has been using for her trip through New Zealand with warmshower host Ale.
    And then it is time to say goodbye Chile, goodbye summer, hello Rosenmontag!    Read more

    Trip end
    February 12, 2024
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