There were 158,000 reasons we went to Punta Arenas and they were all called Magellanic penguins. We had read about Isla Magdelena where the penguins lay their eggs and are born during the warmer months. Ferry trips to the island – also a national park – leave from Punta Arenas daily and we [...]
Posts under ‘Chile’
Food Diary: Chile
Upon entering Chile we quickly realized that food was much more expensive than in the Central Andes. While we did treat ourselves to a few restaurant meals, we spent most of our food dollars at grocery stores. Greasy spoon type restaurants, known as fuentes de soda (“soda fountains”), were popular in most cities. [...]
Torres del Paine National Park
Torres del Paine National Park was formed by the glaciers of the Southern Patagonian icecap, known as the Hielo Sur. Today, four major glaciers extend into the park – Dickson, Grey (the largest), Pingo, and Tyndall/Geikie. The Paine Massif lies at the center of the park, surrounded by various glacial lakes. The [...]
The Southern Chilean Coast
Background
Chilean fjords, narrow channels and an enormous advancing glacier (72 cm/day). Can you think of a better way to travel through the central part of Chilean Patagonia? The other option was a long bus ride (36 hours) on the Carretera Austral so we opted for the 4 day/3 night ferry. There is [...]
Patagonia
This afternoon after a spectacular 3 day ferry ride down the southern coast of Chile, we arrived in Puerto Natales, Chile. We spent 2 hours running around town gathering gear – waterproof pants, a stove, fuel, bus tickets, money and food – so we could leave tomorrow to hike the ¨W¨ trek in Torres del [...]
Chiloe
Monday, December 21, 2009
The archipelago of Chiloe consists of a main island and numerous islets, covered with rolling hills, rural fields, and forest. It has two main towns, Ancud and Castro. We made our way to Castro from Puerto Montt by bus, crossing the channel on a vehicle ferry. From the ferry [...]
Villarrica
With an ice axe in hand (a first for us) we set off on our way up to the summit of Volcano Villarrica, at 2847 m. The altitude and distance (about 5 hours up) was shorter then most of our other treks but it was the first time that we would be walking on snow. [...]
Chilean Wine Tasting
Some people make wine for the consumer, others make wine for the process,” explained our guide Sebastian (or something along those lines). In any other circumstance we may have brushed aside this remark and another about some wines “having personality” as snobbery, but Sebastian was genuine, down to earth and appeared to truly know [...]
On The Move, Chile
We are slowly making our way down to Puerto Montt for a 4-day ferry ride down the southern coast of Chile (beginning on December 25th). Last night we arrived in Villarrica, which is part of the Lakes District, after spending a few days in the Central Valley trying to tour some wineries.
Lodging: La Torre [...]
Valparaiso, Chile
Valparaiso is a unique port city spread over 42 hills (cerros), several hours west of Santiago. The city has a colorful, bohemian vibe owing to its historic buildings, mediterranean climate, and abundant street art. The lower city (business district) is laid out in a standard, orderly manner, while the cerros are covered with colorful, differently [...]