Highlights of Patagonia, Argentina

Even with an everlasting budget and no time limit, I would have a hard old time trying to see and do everything possible in Patagonia, it's so vast, places are so remote and you could quite happily stay in one place for an extended period just because you like the feel of it. However, with a budget and time constraints come decisions so here are just a few of the places you can go and things you can see in this beautiful part of the world.

Perito Moreno Glacier

This glacier is in the southern Patagonian ice field, home to 47 glaciers with this one not even close to being the biggest. Coming in at 30km long, 5km wide and an average of 60m high, it is still a massive natural wonder that is now in equilibrium, rather than receding like most of the other glaciers in this ice field and the rest of the world.

As always, there are many ways to go about seeing this behemoth. You could rent a car, go on a local bus or go on a tour, however if you want to get up close and personal rather than just view it from the vantage points then a tour is the only way to go. Through the company Hielo y Aventura, you have two possibilities: Mini Trekking which gives about 1 hour on the ice and The Big Ice which has around 3 hours of time on the ice for just a bit more, easy enough decision to make then.

As with all tours, you get picked up at your hotel and from there on you are pretty much on the time schedule allotted and just have to hope you don't get on a group with people who dilly-dally and waste time, the more this happens the less time on the ice.

The glacier is around 80km from the town of El Calafate along a road which is basically a straight shot to Los Glaciares National Park, no prizes for guessing the translation. After paying the inaugural national park entrance fee, the bus goes to the viewing platforms where you can walk along the walkways and see the glacier's south and north face, from a distance of course. The glacier is constantly cracking, sounding like thunder most of the time as it creaks, with luck you can see a part of the glacier fall off and crash into the water below.

Once the staring from afar is over, it is time to get on a boat and after disembarking, follow the guides to the glacier's edge where you get a brief of what will happen and get kitted out with crampons for the walk. The guides lead and follow the group so as to avoid any undue accidents and map out a path through the ice.

There are streams of melted water throughout the glacier, with their routes constantly changing as the ice moves and melts. Around halfway through the guides bring the group to a lagoon of sorts which is a brilliant blue colour and here photo shots abound as well as lunch. After this, it is time to head back to the start but a different way, there's no way you could follow the path taken inward. Once back at the start, the tour group heads back to the boat and then back to town. A fun day out but if you're on a budget maybe just go for the local bus to the viewpoint.

Mount Fitz Roy

Some 215km from El Calafate lies El Chalten, Argentina's trekking capital and home to the Fitz Roy mountain range, with Cerro (Mount) Fitz Roy itself being the premier attraction. The range is still technically in the Glaciers National Park and is also incredibly popular for rock climbing as well if you are into that. Even though there are plenty of trails in the area, rather than lugging provisions, a tent and sleeping bag about to the campsites, it is just as easy to base yourself in the township and do day hikes.

In the area there are two main trails to follow if you are doing day trips. One winds its way to the view point for Mount Fitz Roy itself; to get on this trail all you have to do is follow the main road north out of town and it basically turns into the path itself. The first hour or so is pretty steep going through the woods and after a while the path splits off in two ways: one for Camp Laguna Capri and the other for the first viewpoint of Fitz Roy. In the brilliant sunshine it really is spectacular.

From here the going is pretty standard and there's not much to see as views are obscured by the trees, however once you cross Rio Blanco things get a little more difficult; it's basically an uphill assault to get to the top which takes about an hour. No need to rush here, it really is knackering. Once at the top, there is an amazing view of Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres and it is possible to get right down to the water. After relaxing at the top, the only thing left to do is head back down the way you came unless you take a detour via Lago Madre and Lago Hija, something that won't really add anything to your  walking.

Another trail on offer leads to Lago Torres, a five hour round trip if you are walking at a decent pace. Unfortunately, the trail itself offers nothing as after the initial spurt up hill where the land is open and you are walking through a valley, it is mainly sheltered by trees and dense foliage with narrow paths offering limited views there after. Once at the end of the path, it opens up again and after rounding a few corners where there is so much erosion there are only stones and rock left, Lago Torres is in sight with Glacier Grande in the background. The weather wasn't as good for this trek as it had been for the previous one but it was still a cracking view, just wish there was a little more on offer on the way to it.

First view of Mount Fitz Roy

Fitz Roy with Laguna de los Tres

San Carlos de Bariloche

Some 20+ hours bus ride away from El Chalten is Bariloche, the biggest city in the Argentine Lake District. The main city hugs the edge of Lago Nahuel Huapi but it is such a tourist trap it is better to stay outside of the city along the main road which runs parallel to the lake. Considering the area is a mecca for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer, it is busy all year round so beyond chocolate shops, restaurants and St. Bernards with bells on which you have photos with (city tradition apparently), there isn't much to do there.

Buses run along Avenida Bustillo which links the city with all the attractions in the area. When getting on you have to tell the driver which stop you want by specifying the distance marker you want to get off at rather than the destination so it's good to know your Spanish numbers here.

When the weather is great, it is definitely a good idea to head towards Cerro Campanario for views of the area. To get to the top, there is a heavily priced gondala or a steep rocky path which takes about 30 minutes to traverse, again very tiring but the panoramic views on offer are nothing short of spectacular. National Geographic stated that this was one of the top 10 views in the world and I can see why, on a clear day it really is nothing short of magic.

There are other mountains in the area which are possible to climb: Cerro Catedral, Cerro Goye, Cerro Bella Vista and so on, but these require more time and are usually undertaken as four to five day treks so all of them can be fit in in one go.

At the end of Avenida Bustillo, there are a couple of places where you can rent bikes to cycle along the Circuito Chico, a 25km stretch of road that loops around the Llao Llao area of the park taking in views of Lago Moreno which is divided into an east and west side, and various tracks which lead off to view points.

The area also boasts a Swiss colony, and on Wednesdays and Sundays it is open to the public, who come in droves to sample some Swiss comfort food and other delicacies. I have to say, the cake was a real treat compared to most desserts on offer here. Just make sure you check the bus timetable when coming out here as it is haphazard to say the least and you could end up waiting two hours for a bus, not the highlight of the day.

Of course there are plenty more national parks, activities and places to visit in Patagonia and the Lake District but you wouldn't scratch the surface given months of time here. The best plan of attack is to know which places you definitely want to visit beforehand and plan accordingly as the distance between some places is pretty far. For example, Bariloche to Mendoza is another 20+ hour bus ride away, where I will be swapping the fresh air and calm of Patagonia for the hustle and bustle of a city and region famous for its wine, I think I'll enjoy this change of pace.

The 'W' Trek in Torres del Paine National Park, Chilean Patagonia

Some 140km away (going on the old road) from Puerto Natales is the Torres del Paine (Towers of Pain) National Park, perhaps Chile's most famous and home to the fabled 'W' trek. Described as one of the best low altitude treks in the world, there are waterfalls, lakes, streams, glaciers, forest paths, boulder scrambling, refugios and campsites abound and of course the main draw, the actual Towers of Pain themselves.

There are a couple ways of going about doing the trek. First you have to decide whether or not you want to do just the 'W' trek which takes four or five days depending on quick you do it, or the circuit which takes around nine. Once you know how long you'll be, the next obstacle is food and lodgings. The refugios are plentiful enough but the food is expensive and the lodgings even more so, one of them charged $41 a night for a bed, no sheets. No thanks. With that in mind, you need to carry a tent, sleeping, sleeping mat (recommended) and your food and cooker, quite a handful but manageable when split between two or more people depending on the size of your party.

Above is a map of the W trek and if you wish to do the full circuit, just follow the dotted black line after the coloured ones. For the W trek you can go from either east to west or west to east, many people choose the former but that only really makes sense if the weather is clear on the day you arrive and you think you will get a good view of the towers. With it been overcast upon arrival, taking the catamaran across Lake Pehoe to Refugio Paine Grande and going west to east made more sense. We decided to take it easy so opted for the five day W trek.

Day 1: Refugio Paine Grande to Refugio Grey (11km)

From Refugio Paine Grande it is easy enough to find the path (we initially took the wrong one mind) and then head up through the valley towards Refugio Grey, the campsite for the night. Along the way you walk past Laguna Los Patos but you can't see Lake Grey until you come to the viewpoint for it. As you approach it, the winds pick up and come the time you arrive at the viewpoint, it's so blustery you'd want to take your bag off for photos for fear of getting swept over the edge.

The land is a little more rocky around here as the path winds down to the campsite, the terrain also shows the scars of one of the fires started by a tourist a few years ago, so many trees scorched trying to heal but it will be a long time before that happens. There are a couple streams to cross, a bridge that has been botched together after it fell apart and a final thirty minutes or so downhill over a rocky path until you finally reach the campsite. With the tent up in the wind, pasta for dinner and a luke warm shower later, there's not a whole lot more to do other than crack open the wine (brought the essentials with us) and relax before sleep takes over.

Day 2: Refugio Grey to Campamento Italiano (18.5km)

With the the trek been in the shape of a W, there are three dead ends so you need to head back along the path you came, navigating the rocks but this time going up which is a bit more tiring, it certainly wakes you up though. The way back down is a bit quicker and at Refugio Paine Grande you can stop and cook up some lunch.

Fed and rested, the path now extends eastwards parallel to Lake Skottsberg with great views ahead until the path became a little skinnier and overgrown with hedgerows so you can't see too much in the way of anything beyond the path ahead. From the Refugio to Campamento Italiano, it's a 7.5km hike and takes two to three hours until you reach the bridge that takes you over Rio del Frances and to the camp. This is a free campsite amongst the trees and a much busier one as you start to recognise faces and from here on in spend the evenings chilling out with the same people.

 

Day 3: Campamento Italiano to Refugio Los Cuernos via Valle del Frances viewpoint (20.5km)

Easier start to the walking today as you can leave your tent and belongings behind and walk up to the viewpoint with just a day pack with water and snacks. The path follows Rio (river) del Frances all the way up the valley; initially it is a very rocky haphazard route which then gives way to cobbled ground and woodland. Halfway through the walk there is a decent viewpoint of the mountains up ahead but to get the best views you need to get to the main viewpoint in the valley. Here, there are panoramic views of Cordillera Paine dead ahead, mountains Cabeza del Indio, Escudo and Fortaleza on the right with Aleta de Tiburon dominating the west.

Once you make your way back to camp, it is an easy day in that you only have to carry the packs for 5.5km more to Campamento Los Cuernos. By now, half the food is gone and your body is getting used to the punishment. The views on this stretch are beautiful with Lake Nordernskjold always in sight until halfway to the campsite, from here the hedges become somewhat thicker, barely wide enough to walk through without ripping something, and you pop up in the camp itself when you hit the shoreline again.

Day 4: Los Cuernos to Campamento Torres (20km)

Definitely the toughest day of the trek as most of it is uphill, however it makes for a somewhat easier following day. The tent was soaking even though it didn't rain and in the shadow of the mountains it was a cold morning. Once you get going and the sun reaches its zenith however, it is hard work as it was steep going and then the path yo-yoed up and down whilst still gaining elevation.

Eventually you get to the shortcut which leads up to Refugio Chileano, the camp before Campamento Torres. After a boggy start, it levelled out and with the sun shining it was a lovely section, so much so we chilled out for a lunch break and to dry the tent out. Only when we got going again did we realise we were right at the bottom of the tough bit, from here on up to the camp it was steady uphill going.

The views through the valley were amazing, but once you get to Chileano you still have 5km to go until you reach Campamento Torres. This was mostly under cover of trees so in the shade but constantly uphill with no respite from the gradient. A big campsite greets you at the top and by now you know a fair few people who, if you're not walking with them, you meet at the end of each day to have a chat and a drink with.

Day 5: Campamento Torres to Hotel Las Torres via Base de las Torres (10km)

Early start in the dark to try and make it for sunrise, only need to bring water. Only an hour up but in the dark the path is difficult to find at times and come the top of the track, nigh on impossible and it becomes a boulder scramble. Only in the light of day could I see the path that leads right up to the lake in front of the towers, having not seen it I literally climbed up to the highest point possible to try and get the sunrise and to the towers. Unfortunately the sunrise was somewhat obscured by the surrounding mountains but it really is spectacular as the light hits the towers and works its way down their surface so they reflect in the lake below.

Coming down is obviously much easier and in the light you can pack up your gear and start the shorter walk down to the finish at Hotel Las Torres. Aside from a couple dips the way is pretty much all downhill and this is the route you would have to take up if you didn't take the shortcut. The shortcut was much easier in comparison as this way going up would have been brutal, those who did it said as much too.

Come the end of the route there is a little kiosko selling hot dogs and beers, a perfect way to end the day and the trek before getting picked up to be taken back to Puerto Natales for a hot dinner and shower.

As treks go, this was pretty tough but very rewarding as each day brought fresh new scenery with the views only getting better by going west to east, in my opinion. The weather was amazing and aside from a sprinkle of rain the first couple days, the sunshine was glorious and the mountains and the lakes looked immense. As the trek goes on, the backpack gets that little bit lighter each day too, so come the end of the trek the walk down is, dare I say it, easy. Also, by going west to east you avoid having to lug all your gear up to Campamento Torres on the first day which would be a fair old effort. All in all, an incredible hiking experience I'd recommend to anyone.