Torres del Paine

The trip to Torres del Paine National Park in Chile was more difficult than we had imagined. However, with a little persistence, flexibility and 18 hours on a bus, we finally arrived there on the last leg of our trip.

Unfortunately we had used up our allotment of good weather back in Argentina, and were welcomed in this Chilean National Park with a bone chilling downpour.


















After a damp and chilly catamaran ride, we were happy to check into our deluxe, domed accommodations on the edge of Lago Pehoe.


As the storm cleared out that evening we caught a glimpse of the incredible views of Cuernos del Paine that make Torres del Paine one of the most popular outdoorsy destinations in the world.


The next morning with ferocious, howling winds the only remnant of the previous day's storm, we set off to see Lago Grey with Khaled and Sabrina new friends we'd met on an earlier marathon bus ride.



















A 24K hike, the winds not the distance were our enemy. At times it seemed as though they could easily blow us over. Here Trev works on his sail impression.


The trail was a bit rocky in places, but incredibly scenic...


... as it dipped down to run along lakes with floating icebergs...


...and zig-zagged back up again bringing us closer to jagged mountain peaks.


We stopped for a picnic once we reached the edge of Lago Grey where the lake met the glacier. It was a cool spot where dozens of blue icebergs bobbed along the lake having fallen or melted off the glacier face.


Hungry no longer, we still had a chill from the relentless winds so we stopped at one of the parks full-service refugios for a quick coffee to warm up.

It turned out to be a great spot for an up-close look at the 1,000 year old chunks of ice floating through the lake.


Our time in Torres del Paine was much to short, but we did get a good glimpse of the place and know for sure that we'll make a return visit.



















After the ferry Khaled and Sabrina flew off to Santiago while we waited a few hours for the next bus back to Calafate. We can't wait to visit them in France.


Here in the park - even waiting for the bus back to civilization provided incredible scenery. We found this spot during our last hours in Torres del Paine.


And so, after three weeks on the road, the address of several new traveler friends in our notebooks, camera memory cards full and our backpacks loaded down with dirty clothes it was time to head north, back to Buenos Aires.