Entry #11:

From: El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina

2nd February Punta Arenas, Chile

We left at 09.15 north bound on Route 9 along well paved roads, soon passing from the Peninsula Brunswick onto mainland South America, this was to be a moderate days driving without many roadside facilities. Our hope was that we would find refreshment at Villa Tehuelches after 96 Kms. We were disappointed to find the café owner leaving at the moment we arrived, to take her daughter to the airport. Plan B saw the camp stove produced and we brewed coffee in front of the now closed café, soon joined by bus passengers who had planned the same stop.

On our way again, we reeled off another 48 Kms and found another but unreported café at Morro Chico, where a tethered alpaca provided stroking opportunities. This stop provided homemade soup and fresh bread to power the remaining 106 Kms to Puerto Natales. Our stop for the night was the very pleasant Hostel Natales.

Within an hour the local TV station reporting team had arrived, alerted by the local grapevine to film and report on our passing through.

3rd February, Puerto Natales, Chile

The road to Parque Nacional Torres Del Paine had been researched the previous evening and we left at 07.00 in order to get maximum time in the park. The route started over paved roads, turning off onto ripio after 12 miles where we made good time on a new entrance road into the park, a distance of 63 Kms. The views began to excite the imagination as we wound, dipped and climbed into the park.

We reached the entrance to the park and left our bags at the hostel before driving a few miles to get lunch. A brief pause and we completed the 17 Kms to the centre where we awaited the beginning of the glacier tour. While waiting we watched the paraquets, fox and assorted wildlife, which seemed oblivious of our presence.

We were to start with a bus ride, then a walk through the surrounding forest after crossingf a swaying rope bridge across a torent pouring from the Lago and finally at the shore of the Lago Grey into which the glacier discharges, where we were ferried aboard the passenger boat by small boat. The lake is at the foot of the Coro Paine Grande and flanked by the three towers of Torres Del Paine, which climb around 3000 metres from the surrounding countryside.

We left the hostel to drive past the foot of the Towers, fortunately the weather although cold was clear and so we had excellent views of them during the winding road out of the Park.

We drove out of the park, which I had found awe inspiring. I think it is a combination of the remoteness, the abrupt soar of the rock pinnacles from the surrounding country and the unspoilt beauty of the park, austere yet majestic in its simple grandeur.

Our next destination was the border crossing and a fairly long drag to Calafate in Argentina. After crossing the border we joined “Route 40”, a road which begins on the Atlantic coast and crosses to the west side of Argentina and continues all the way to the far north. More than 4,000Kms in length it is gradually being paved and tamed but is still fearsome in its ruggedness.

Shortly after crossing the border we turned onto “Route 40” and felt that our path now really was north and on the homeward stretch. Our destination for the night and the next few days Calafate and the Perito Mareno Glacier Park.

Arriving at our Hostel above Lago Argentino, we were thrilled by a magnificent sunset over the lake and mountains. We made arrangements to service the cars and deal with some housekeeping, shopping and washing on the following day and would drive to the Glacier Park on the second day.

We were fortunate to have wonderful weather for our stay, sometimes with a cool breeze but always in bright sunshine.

We were fortunate to have wonderful weather for our stay, sometimes with a cool breeze but always in bright sunshine.