Patagonia and Ushuaia

We've had an action-packed time in both the Chilean and Argentinian areas of Patagonia. Patagonia is a region in the south of South America that encompasses both Chilean and Argentinian land. Chile and Argentina finally agreed in the 1980s that if the water descends off the Andes and into the Pacific, then it's Chilean land; if the water goes to the Atlantic, then it's Argentinian land.

Our tour started in Buenos Aires where we met the other adventurous members of the group and our highly passionate and experienced tour leader. After a brief stay in the city, we flew to El Calafate, a 3 hour flight into the northern Patagonia region.

Patagonia is said to be the windiest place in the world; we were welcomed with strong winds, but nothing too bad.
The landscape in El Calafate is bare but pretty. Snow capped mountains paint the horizon and stunning blue lakes appear out of nowhere. You immediately realize the remoteness of the area.

That night we enjoyed walking around the small, quaint town and getting local delicacies for dinner: lamb stew and trout. We finished dinner around 11:15 pm and noticed that it wasn't completely dark yet.

We spent the next day at Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciers National Park. The glacier is gigantic; in total, it is bigger than the city of Buenos Aires. Even though we could only see a small portion, it was an absolutely stunning and beautiful sight! The glacier has hues of blue ice walls and seems to be over 200 feet high. You can look up pictures or see videos online of glacier sections breaking off into the water.

Throughout the trip we drove through the wide open landscapes filled with huge estancias (farms) that are home to cows, horses, sheep, llamas, goats, hares, and guanacos. We saw condors, pink flamingos (who knew), and many other bird species. Glaciers and mountains continually shape the horizon.

From El Calafate, we drove to El Chalten for two intense days of hiking in the Argentinian capital of hiking and trekking. The winds that welcomed us were very fierce, but our excitement dulled the pain.

The next morning we set out for an 8 hour hike to Fitz Roy Mountain. Unfortunately we weren't able to see the peak because of bad weather (including low cloud cover). The landscape was very scenic and varied; it consisted of lush forests and we continually passed by lakes, rivers, and glaciers. It rained and snowed for long sections throughout the hike, but that did not dampen the fun at all.

About 4 hours into the hike we reached the area that is the main lookout for Fitz Roy. It consists of a 450 meter steep ascent that takes 1 hour each way up and down. The weather conditions had worsened and our guide was cautious about going, but ultimately decided to take on the challenge. At the top we were pelted with snow and winds in excess of 50 mph, which the guide said could get much worse. The winds did not let up for the rest of the hike and we were happy to get back to town; wind shelter, heat and delicious food awaited our return!

We woke up the next morning and knew that we wouldn't be able to see that day's mountain hightlight (Cerro Torre) since the weather hadn't improved, but we were excited for our hike. We started hiking and then the snow started. It must have snowed 6 inches in the first 4 hours, but the winds were not burdensome. With the snow accumulation, it was a truly magnificent hiking experience. Tara was thrilled to be walking through a fresh winter wonderland. Whenever we ran out of water, we would simply refill our bottles with fresh glacier agua from the rivers and streams. The snow eventually stopped and by the end of the 8 hour hike, the snow had completely melted. The storm had passed and condors soared in the sky under the shining sun.

The group was bummed out because we did not see two of the main mountain peaks in this area. Tara and I weren't disappointed because of all the peaks we saw in Nepal. Luckily that was the only bad weather of the trip and we have been very lucky with optimal conditions since.

After Chalten, we then headed into Chile for 4 days and 3 nights of camping in Torres del Paines National Park in Chile. We arrived to beautiful clear skies and minimal wind; we were so happy and everyone was in great spirits.

We woke up the next morning with confirmation that we would be doing the main 9-hour hike to the Towers of Torres del Paines (TdP) and back. This hike is the highlight of the area that attracts trekkers and climbers from all over the world. There are a couple of longer treks - one for 5 days (the W) and one for 7 to 10 days (the loop). It's not an easy place to get to so you get some serious trekkers.

The hike did not disappoint. It had varied terrain, elevation, and scenery - it was all beautiful. The Towers are quite a site because they rise straight up and have a beautiful lagoon at the bottom. The winds were mostly calm, but we did encounter some strong bursts by the Towers.

The weather throughout the region can change in a heartbeat, especially in Torres del Paines. On all our hikes we had to bring day packs with a variety of clothing; they tell you to prepare for all 4 seasons in a day, which is spot-on advice. Our guide also said that the winds can reach up to 125 mph at TdP.

That night we ate a lamb that had been slowly roasted over an open fire for 4 hours. It was a lot of fun and very tasty.

The next day we went on a 7 hour hike to see the flora and fauna of the area, along with the wildlife. While sunny, it was a much windier day. Overall, the park was extremely clean and pristine.

Tara and I stayed up late that night to see the stars. The sky was free of clouds and light by 1 am (the sun had finally set and the moon was behind the Towers). It was a beautiful site.

About an hour later we woke up to intense winds and rain. Our tents were very high quality, but the winds made one side flex in / buckle. It was a wild ride as the winds were off and on for the next few hours. Luckily it was clear and calm again by breakfast.

We left TdP a few days ago and headed to Puerto Natales, a quaint town. The following night we stayed in the port city of Punta Arenas. We were lucky since the winds were very light in both places (very unusual for this time of year).

We left Punta Arenas for a 14 hour bus ride to Ushuaia, often called the southern tip of the world. As part of the trip, we passed through the Straits of Magellan on a small barge. We ultimately arrived at our hotel and got dinner at 11:30 - quite normal for the country even on a work night.

Yesterday was another action packed highlight day. We took a boat ride through the Beagle Channel where we saw sea lion colonies and other wildlife. We also saw the boat that was recently damaged in Antarctica due to 8 meter high waves.

In the afternoon, we took a pontoon boat to an island that is a natural penguin habitat. Those little guys are so damn cute and they are everywhere. There were two different types of penguins that inhabit the island.

The food in the Patagonia region is gourmet, hearty and pretty inexpensive; the wine is reasonable and very good as well. The food on the Chilean side consisted of great sea food and a lot of avocados.

The unofficial national drink it mate; everyone is constantly drinking and sharing it. Mate consists of chopped caffeniated tea leaves served in a communal cup with 98 degree water. The straw has a filter on the bottom to prevent drinking the leaves. We enjoyed sampling it, but found it to be a bit bitter for our taste buds.

It would be a challenge if we were doing this trip without an organized tour. It's not the easiest area to navigate; for example, international border crossings have been in the middle of nowhere on dirt roads without guide markers, bus "stations" can be in front of a random house, and there can often be 3 bus transfers to get to the next destination. That said, the buses are quite comfortable. I highly recommend coming here for some incredible outdoor adventures.

It's sad to say that our trip is coming to a close. Soon we'll be heading back to civilization in BA and on to our final destinations: Mendoza (wine region) and Santiago. Everything has been incredible and we can't wait to send out pictures.

Tivon and Tara