Our trip to Chile started off in the protest-shaken capital Santiago. After that we made our way down to the southern part of Patagonia.
Santiago de Chile (07.-09.11.2019)
After 8 hours flight, a short stay in Melbourne, where we changed airports and walked around the city, and another 13 hours in a comfortable plane we arrived in Chile’s capital.
The approach to Santiago is spectacular: after flying over the Pacific all the time, we now see the Andes rising directly behind the city. Many are still covered with snow and the sight arouses the desire in us to get quickly into nature. Arriving in Santiago, we take the bus from the airport to the city and are confronted with the foothills of the ongoing protests in the city centre. The bus crawls over an intersection where some Chileans loudly and using smoke to show their anger. Also the metro station, which we should have taken towards our couchsurfing-host, is closed, so we decide to use Uber.
In the quarter of our host it is much quieter and we move into a beautiful, light-flooded room in Hardy’s house. He shows us a part of his quarter and we enjoy a delicious Chilean soup before the jetlag becomes very noticeable.
The next day we go to the city centre by subway, whose price increase was a trigger for the protests according to the media. There we stay away from the critical, protest intensive districts, but still get a picture of the extent, because the city is littered with posters and graffiti.
The area around the presidential palace is also closed off and secured by police officers, who have to be asked for admission. We could have a look at the palace and this part of the city. Later we went to the city market, which reminded us of the ones in Kyrgyzstan. There are many stalls selling fruits, vegetables, meat and other everyday products.
When the jetlag becomes aparent again, we set off for our accommodation. Later we spend the evening with Hardy, his girlfriend and his 2 playful (but huge) dogs. Of course we also talk about the current situation in Chile. Hardy tells us that in Chile all companies are privatized, for example water, electricity, gas, mining and internet service providers. In addition, the ownership of these companies is concentrated in a small number of very influential families. This is one of the aspects that leads to frustration for many Chileans. Nevertheless, most Chileans protest peacefully – only a few (mostly) young people take the riots and chaos as an opportunity to create riots and vandalize. Hardy also explains to us that the influence of drug cartels in South America should not be underestimated and that they favour the destabilization of functioning states in order to increase their own influence. These are speculations, but people in Chile are concerned with them.
Otherwise we spend a very entertaining evening together, and the night becomes especially short. After about 1.5 hours of sleep, we head back to the airport to take the flight to Punta Arenas in Patagonia at 6am. On the way there, our Uber driver makes a real slalom ride, as burning blockades block the roads again and again.
Punta Arenas (09.-14.11.2019)
After a pleasant flight with spectacular views of volcanoes, Patagonian glaciers, lakes and the Fitz Roy Passage we arrive at Punta Arenas. Since our host doesn’t have time until the evening, we spend the day informing ourselves about the region and exploring the city.
Around 6 o’clock we set off for our host Juan. He lives together with 6 other people in a house. In this big flat we get to know nice Chileans and get an insight into their social life.
After 3 days we change our accommodation and move back into our tent. In the accommodation belonging to the garden where the tent is located, we get to know a couple from Belgium, with whom we do a hike the following day in the nearby Reserva Nacionales Magallanes.
Even in Punta Arenas, protests, albeit smaller, are the order of the day. On the day of the national protest (Paro Nacional) the shops are closed and in the evening the protest procession with several thousand people, who present their fears, demands and concerns loudly or on banners, moves peacefully through the city. But at night it doesn’t stop there – pictures of the burning building of an AFP bank in Punta Arenas are shown on television – it is just one kilometer away from our tent. You can also feel the tense atmosphere during the day. Here, too, there are many graffiti on almost every house façade, all shops have metal or pressed wood panels screwed in front of their shop windows, and the supermarket looks from the outside as if it is preparing for the apocalypse. At banks and other buildings, which symbolize for many Chileans what goes wrong in the country, windows were smashed. In the supermarket there are security guards with vests – a strange picture after the city itself made a very peaceful and quiet impression.
The next day we leave early for the ferry because we want to see the Magellan penguins on Isla Magdalena. The trip there takes 2 hours, but is entertaining, because we can enjoy a good view on the Magellan Strait and dolphins accompany the ferry on the way again and again.
Now that we have arrived in Patagonia, we really want to see some nature. We take the bus for a few hours to the next town, Puerto Natales. The reason for this is the proximity to a great national park!
Puerto Natales (14.-20.11.2019)
After our first overland bus trip on the South American continent we arrived (in the rain) in Puerto Natales. The town with 50.000 inhabitants is the capital of the province Última Esperanza, which like Punta Arenas is part of the Región de Magallanes y de la Antártica Chilena. The main reason for our visit is that in Puerto Natales the organization for our planned hike in the more or less nearby Torres del Paine Parque Nacional can be done. But this should be a bigger challenge than we expected at this moment. The first challenge is to set up our tent in the rain – but it is only a small one! After the tent is erected, the rain stops quite fast and we can enjoy a nice view over the fjord in front of Puerto Natales.
In Chile, everything is liberalized. This is also true for the different campsites in Torres del Paine Parque Nacional. Since this is one of the most visited national parks in Chile, the business is lucrative and there are currently three companies that share the control over the campsites: CONAF is the national forestry authority and manages two free and simple campsites, Vertice Patagonia is a company that owns four campsites and last but not least Fantástico Sur, which also owns four campsites. All three have online booking portals of varying quality. In the National Park itself, you can either go on day trips, the W-Track or the big O-Circuito. We would like to hike the O-Circuito, but it has been fully booked on the Internet for months – about since May, since the booking portals were opened. At the campsite in Puerto Natales we learn, however, that the offices of the various providers still hold back capacities for last-minute bookings – this would apply perfectly to us! So for the next day we decide to head towards the main road to visit the three companies.
We’ll start at Vertice’s first office. There is a semi-enthusiastic employee sitting opposite us. We looked at the weather forecast and asked if we could book the campsites of Vertice from 20.11. on. First of all two pieces, we don’t know what the availability of the other companies looks like. This is affirmed after some initial difficulties and finally we leave the office after about half an hour with two reservations and step with a good feeling into the sunshine of the streets of Puerto Natales.
However, this should only be of short duration. Arriving at the CONAF office, we come across a highly underqualified and motivated lady who has never heard of the National Park. With empty hands we leave the building and have to find another solution for our overnight stay. So we walk on to the office of Fantástico Sur.
We meet a competent, albeit rather unfriendly, employee. We check if their campsites are still available for the data we want. „No“ is the short answer. When would it work again? „In February there are still isolated dates or in March.“ Well then …
We will leave again after having checked out a few availabilities at other campsites. This means that we have to postpone our bookings at Vertice. So we walk to Vertice’s office, which is conveniently across the street, and for the first time we meet a very friendly and very competent lady who helps us go through the possible options of the Vertice campsites. So we first make sure that the campsites at Vertice are available for a new start date. But in order to make it harmonious with Fantástico Sur, Lucas quickly runs to the other side of the road and clarifies the availability with the local staff. It fits here too. So quickly back again and change the booking data, because these are the last two available pitches on one of the important campsites…
When that worked out, we make our way back to the office of Fantástico Sur with four firm reservations and secure the last two campsites that are still missing for a successful circumnavigation of the Torres massif. The employee at Fantástico Sur warns us once again that our penultimate day’s stage with 23 km is probably very long. But since he and we can’t change anything, we leave it at that and leave the building relieved and with six reservations for the campsites and the certainty that we can walk the famous O-Circuito! The start date is still six days in the future and so we still have some time for relaxation.
Nevertheless, we still have one or two little things to do. In order to enter the park, we need a ticket that costs the equivalent of 25 Euro. But as this is indispensable, we of course also get it and have to watch a small educational film, which brings us closer to the fact that you shouldn’t ignite in nature. A few years ago there was a man-made forest fire in the national park that destroyed 11,000 ha of forest within four days. Since then, the bans on gas cookers outside the campsites have been greatly tightened.
Last but not least, on the evening before our departure we only have to buy the bus ticket for the transport to the National Park, which is about 120 km away, and after we have bought hiking-compatible food worth 45 Euro and stowed everything in our backpacks, we go with a weight of about 15 kilos on our back at 6 o’clock in the morning towards Torres del Paine Parque Nacional.
Torres del Paine (20.-27.11.2019)
After our organisation marathon in Puerto Natales it’s finally time on 20.11. and we sit in the morning in the bus, which is full of tense hikers, towards the Torres del Paine Parque Nacional. We pass long stretched hills, mountain tops – which are snow covered by the rain of the night – and above all many guanacos, the lamas of Patagonia. The bus unloads at the administration building and everyone runs there to get a good place in the queue for the national park ticket. But we are quite relaxed, because we already bought ours the evening before. Until the actual start of the hike there is still a 7 km long distance to be covered. We want to walk it, because the shuttle bus costs extra again – not much, of course, but we have already jumped a lot of pesos into the campsites and for other fees and do not want to use the shuttle bus on principle. But we are lucky! After 10 seconds walking, a rental car stops behind us and we are asked by the two occupants whether they should take us to the entrance of the national park. Thanks we accept the offer and thus we arrive even before the shuttle bus! After the registration in the entrance building is finished, we can finally start our walk of the O-Circuito. Seven days are ahead of us in the Patagonian summer, when the temperatures are rarely higher than 15 degrees, rain is almost daily on the agenda and strong wind is an integral part of everyday life.
Day 1
Centro de Bienvenido to Campamento Serón – 13,8 km
The hike starts with leaving the masses of other hikers behind, as only a few of them run the O-Circuito, in addition it is only allowed to run counterclockwise (compared to the W-Trek, which is run in both directions). After a few minutes we realize that we have skipped breakfast so far and sit down with a nice view and enjoy bread with cheese. There is still a layer of clouds hanging over us, but you can already see the Paine massif.
One notices that it has rained the last days without ceasing. The paths are sometimes very muddy and you often have to take a detour so that your hiking boots don’t get wet immediately. All in all, the first stage is relaxed and the scenic attractiveness is moderate. After some time we arrive at the highest point of the day’s stage and can enjoy the view over the wide landscape.
Shortly before the end of the first day’s stage we meet a hiker from Berlin, with whom we should spend a lot of time in the next days. Micha has just sunk into the mud and so we know where we shouldn’t go!
On the last meters we meet some horses who have chosen a nice place to graze.
On the way, however, we also pass less alive animals:
The first stage of the day ends after about 4.5 hours. Just in time for the tent the sky opens and the sun and blue sky appear.
When we relax later at the tent, we make acquaintance with a cheeky visitor.
The bird, with a wingspan of about one metre, walks specifically to the tent entrances, looks if nobody is looking or if food is available and then moves on. Fortunately we sit in our tent entrance, otherwise the Caracara would probably have stolen a pack of our instant soups.
After having cooked ourselves mashed potatoes with chorizos as an afternoon snack and spaghetti with ready-made sauce for dinner, we retire to our tent and our first night of the track.
Day 2
Campamento Serón to Campamento Dickson – 18,5 km
Well rested, we get up the next morning. For breakfast we have oatmeal with milk powder – real porridge. Diana likes this very much, Lucas is less looking forward to the view the next morning to eat the same dish.
The hike begins on this day, as it ended the day before – with clambering through swampy landscapes.
After some meters of altitude and a strong left turn we could soon enjoy the view towards a new valley.
The wind had increased strongly and so we continued with closed hoods. Soon we were again protected by the trees and could communicate normally again. The climbing continued – this time more and more over small rivers.
The views of the mountains became better with every meter:
After about 3/4 of the stage we came to a very wet marsh landscape. We went first to the left and hoped to find a dry crossing, but were disappointed. Then we had to collect dry wood so that we didn’t have to wet our shoes completely when crossing the swollen river. However, our little bridge did not hold as well as expected and Diana, who crossed the construction last, slipped a little and so one hiking shoe was completely wet. Nevertheless we had to keep walking so that we could still have a chance to dry the shoes at the campsite.
Also the acquaintances with the winged wild life were never long in coming:
After a last ascent and an immediate descent we arrived after about 6 hours at our destination of today’s stage – the Campamento Dickson. From here we had a good view of Dickson Lake and the adjacent glacier.
After we had stayed the day before on a camping site of the company Fantástico Sur, which was quite expensive (15 Euro pp.) and semi-well equipped, we had low expectations to the camping site of Vertice which served us today as accommodation. But we were positively surprised. Not only was it much cheaper here (7 Euro pp.), but also all facilities from the cooking room to the bathrooms were better. A very welcome development!
From the campsite we went to a black beach that had a nice surprise for us.
We spent some time looking at these large pieces of ice. From time to time a big piece crashed down with a spectacular bang. In addition, the glacier movements from earlier times had formed the stones beautifully smooth and thin – perfect for letting them jump over the water.
Of course we could set up our tent again in front of a beautiful mountain scenery.
Today’s dinner insisted on instant paella, which actually tasted very good. Our hiking boots were still a little to very wet and a Swede on the campsite gave us the great idea to fill our water bottle with boiling water and put it in our hiking boots. After about an hour not only our shoes were dry, but also very warm – a perfect hiking shoe heater!
Day 3
Campamento Dickson to Campamento Los Perros – 11,9 km
Today was another shorter day, with a few meters of altitude on the plan. Before we could look into a new valley, we said goodbye to the beautiful location of Campamento Dickson.
A few meters later we could see our first Guanaco! Or at least so similar…
After a long walk through the forest we came to a clearing at the end of the stage and could already see the glacier Los Perros from a distance.
After we had fought our way up a last, somewhat more strenuous ascent, we arrived at Laguna Los Perros and were able to see the entire glacier including the glacial lake.
A little later we witnessed a very impressive but also alarming event. When we had moved a few meters away from the terminal moraine, but still had a view of the glacier, it banged very loudly and we turned around scared. In the upper part of the glacier, large chunks of ice fell, followed by an explosive waterfall. The pressure of the water had become too great for the ice wall and had made its way into the open.
After a few seconds the spectacle was over and the previously ice-free glacial lake was now adorned by many chunks of ice.
A few minutes later we arrived at the destination of the day, the Campamento Los Perros (like the glacier). Due to the great weather we could still sit on the riverbank in the sun, wash and dry our socks and tan a little – Lucas even took a fast and refreshing lake in the river that feeds directly from the higher glacier field!
Today the menu again included spaghetti with ready-to-serve sauce and instant soups. In the small cooking room it became very warm – fortunately the warmth reached into the sleeping bag.
Day 4
Campamento Los Perros via John-Gardner-Pass to Campamento Grey – 15,1 km
It’s 4 am. The alarm clock rings. It is still pitch dark. Today we have the probably most time-consuming of all stages in front of us. Over the John-Gardner-Pass we go far down to the camping site at the Grey-Glacier. We want to start at 6 o’clock at the latest. From the chubby warm sleeping bag we go out into the cooled down tent. Like every morning we pack up the contents of our tent, Diana goes to cook and Lucas takes down the tent. At 5:58 am. we are ready to take off and walk through the now much brighter forest towards the pass.
In the course of the steep ascent it went over stony slopes…
fields of snow…
and stony fields of snow!
With a bright blue sky we reached the highest point of our hike: the John Gardner Pass!
Then came the actually strenuous part: from 1.180 HM it went down hilly to 78 HM. The way led the whole time along the Grey glacier and one could see deep blue glacial lakes and crevasses.
After 10.5 hours we arrived at Campamento Grey quite exhausted but happy. This time everybody was a little bit happy and so we had free beer!
Day 5
Campamento Grey to Campamento Paine Grande – 10,9 km
The fifth day was a relaxed stage, which was also necessary after the lecture. In the morning we walked without luggage to a viewpoint of the Grey glacier.
After that we had to pull up our backpacks again in order to get through our day’s stage. The weather was excellent again and so we went in sunshine towards Paine Grande. This part of the trek belongs to the W-Trek again and our small, hiking hostel is now far less alone than on the rest of the O-Circuito. We are met by travel groups and day tourists with mini backpacks and you feel very different from the others who have come to enjoy the natural beauty of the park.
As soon as we have left the momentum of day tourists behind us, we enjoyed the hike to the full again. We went to small lakes, …
dry trees, …
snowed-in mountains, …
and turquoise lakes!
The Campamento Paine Grande is situated at the foot of the mountain of the same name. This and the adjoining Cuernos del Paine offer a breathtaking scenery, especially at sunset:
After we had some wonderful instant soups for dinner that didn’t taste perfect, but were very heavy in our backpack, we made ourselves comfortable in our tent again.
Day 6
Campamento Paine Grande to Campamento Central – 22,9 km
The alarm’s ringing. 4.30 am. It rains heavily. It is the first time that we have to take down our tent in the rain. And it’s much colder than the night before. First we hang out the inner tent to keep it at least dry. The hands hurt when rolling up the wet tent mass. After a quick porridge breakfast we start our hike. In this weather we don’t really feel like covering the long distance to Campamento Centrál. Therefore we decide to ask on the way whether it is possible to camp spontaneously at another place.
As we run it is still raining continuously and our shoes, which are supposed to be waterproof, slowly but surely fill up with water.
Our first stop is the Campamento Italiano, one of the two campsites of CONAF. But since we don’t find anyone here who can help us, and we’ve only been walking for two hours, we decide to continue on our way. The next stop is the Campamento Francés. Slowly we have warmed up well and so we decide to go on. Here we unfortunately have to part with Micha, because he booked the trek long in advance and also has this campground in his repertoire. So we walk on and the trek is very varied – even the rain stops at times completely.
We also pass one or the other beautiful view point:
The next possible place to stay is the Campamento Los Cuernos. But this one doesn’t suit us and so we decide to walk the way to the end. Meanwhile the rain has stopped completely, it winds only a little.
The end of the way is very hilly and drags itself. Nevertheless, after about 9 hours we arrive at Campamento Centrál. The camping site belongs again to Fantástico Sur and is as expected very below average, after we got used to the great camping sites of Vértice – and of course more expensive again. But it doesn’t matter, because for the first time we can catch a piece of the famous Torres del Paine towers.
The next day there is only one more hike without much luggage to Lago Las Torres. We have already circumnavigated the Paine-Massif.
Day 7
Campamento Centrál to Torres del Paine and back – 22,7 km
The weather in Patagonia is known to be very changeable. The ranger advised us to leave at about 7 am so that we could arrive at noon. We start in best weather, no rain. But the day before we met people who walked to the view point and didn’t see anything of the towers. However, we have time and three packs of cookies in our luggage and can therefore also wait.
The hike is in principle a steady ascent to the desired view point. After we have mastered the first hill, a view opens up into a new valley.
We left the backpacks in the tent and use Diana’s sleeping bag cover as a daypack. We fly the hiking trail, free of our big backpacks, up and are for the first time much faster than the given times. There are always other hikers coming towards us, but otherwise the path is quite empty at this time. Approximately half an hour before arrival it closes and it starts to snow easily.
A quarter of an hour later it comes up again and we can see the whole valley.
Ten minutes later it’s snowing again. Then we arrive at the view point.
However, we are prepared and immediately put on our warm jackets. The first pack of biscuits is emptied within a few minutes. We find a place sheltered from the wind to sit out the weather. It is snowing continuously and the cloud cover looks very solid.
It’s getting fresher and fresher as we cool down. The second pack of biscuits is opened and also devoured within a short time. The fog always moves a few meters up and down.
We’ve been waiting 45 minutes now. Diana encourages Lucas to move, but the mood is now semi-splendid and so is the motivation to move.
Again and again we stare into the fog where the tips should be. Would we still be able to see the massive towers? Shortly before our arrival we met some frustrated Germans who had called us to turn back. „You can’t see anything anyway! This vantage point is supposed to be the grand finale of our circumnavigation of the Paine-Massif and so we decide to wait a little longer.
Suddenly the fog rises and movement comes into the dreary, grey mass. The lower part of the towers slowly becomes visible!
The fog clears up more and more and soon we can see the towers completely!
We are so excited – even from the cold – that we destroy the third pack of cookies. Slowly many hikers around us come out of their sheltered holes and enjoy the clear view! After more than an hour, we are even rewarded with a blue sky!
The obligatory picture with the front camera of the mobile phone must not be missing of course!
Many people have arrived at the view point in the meantime, but it is surprisingly quiet. Everyone is watching the natural spectacle and is simply overwhelmed.
After about two hours we decide to slowly start the way back again.
As we slowly leave the view point, however, we cannot detach our glances from the peaks and have to stop a few more times.
The way back is the same as the way out. Because of the better weather we can enjoy some new perspectives.
Back at Campamento Centrál we pack up our now dry tent for the last time on the hike. The sun is shining and we are happy to have survived the hike without blisters, twisting or bad weather. The final picture shows that quite well:
At the end we even meet a relaxed fox.
We also want to avoid the shuttle on the way back and try it again by hitchhiking. That also works and so we sit about 30 minutes later in a rental car from an American Mormon family.
At the bus stop we meet some of our comrades from the O-Circuito again and all are tired but also very happy. At the bus stop we also see one of the most beautiful small wind turbines in the world:
The bus departs with a smooth 30 minute delay. In the bus it gets warm because the sun goes down and after a few minutes we both fall asleep.
In Puerto Natales we head back to the campsite of our trust. We set up the tent. For the first time since a week it rains again.
Puerto Natales (26.11. – 12.12.19)
After we really had a good sleep after the hiking tour in the Torres del Paine Parque Nacional, we agreed on the same day that we could work for two weeks at the Camping Güino in order to stay for a longer time in one place and at the same time save the costs for the accommodation. Our tasks include cleaning the baños, keeping the refugio tidy, managing the reception and advising travellers (mainly regarding the hike we had just completed). The team is super nice and so we spend a relaxed time. At the beginning we start the production of Käsespätzle again.
We also meet again the other hikers from the O-Circuito. We were recommended a gin distillery in Puerto Natales, which we of course still had to try.
The drinks are quite impressive. There’s a dry gin and a calafate gin, which is even drier. But the mix of gin, ginger, lemon and beer is especially appealing to us.
When we are not working, we usually roam a little through the small streets of Puerto Natales, up to the sea.
During work we spend our time here – at the best campground in town!
At the campground there are dogs with whom we made friends of course.
Near the city there is another viewpoint that can be reached after an hour of walking – the Cerro Dorotea.
But the best thing was to watch the evening sky. Sometimes you could see interesting cloud formations…
… and other times great sunsets. This one, however, was unique.
On our last evening we had a typical Chilean dish – Completos. Hot dogs.
The next destination is Argentina, more precisely El Calafate, the city near the famous Perito Morneo glacier. So we position ourselves in the morning near the monument La Mano. It is windy and soon it gets quite cold. We have to wait a whole 4 hours until finally a friendly Argentinean takes us over the border. But there is soon the end, because our first driver has arrived at the end of his route. Another gentleman takes us after few minutes from the small border place Río Turbio up to the Ruta Nacional 40. There we try our luck again. There are only a few cars coming, but the fifth car takes us after a few minutes to our destination. The drive is scenically very nice and the couple in whose car we are is very friendly. The drive passes wide plains, snowy mountains, guanacos, flamingos and emus before we arrive after 3 hours at our destination.
Just Geography Things 