Day 32 – Walking to Torres del Paine

Early rise today to get to the national park fro our hike. The transport was to pick us up between six and six thirty. And then we went on to pick up a few other that were to walk with us.

We decided to do a guided tour with a pick up from the hostel, we could have done the trip our selves as well using the local bus service. In the end the price would be about the same so this was the easy option.

When we got to the start of the trail we got some information from our guide and set off. I think de guide intended for the group to stay together, guess we had other plans.

We seem to be more used to the walking that some of the others in the group so ended up going ahead. There is no way to get lost on this walk so I guess it doesn’t matter.

The walk is split into three different parts. The first part is a 5.5 km walk to Refugio Chileno, it’s a relatively steep walk up and over the pass down to the refuge. Taking 1,5 to 2 hours. There we had a short break before continuing on the second part. This walk is about 3 km in relative flat terrain going through the woods. We chose to not stop at the camp site and just pushed on the last 800 meters up to the lookout point. 

This last part of the trek is by far the steepest, but well worth it when you get to the top.

For our walk nature didn’t really want to play ball. The first part of the walk was ok, with just a a drizzle of rain just before Refugo Chileno. Then it kept dry until we were at the top of the trail, just as we started back down the rain came and we got more or less constant rain going back to the bus.

Going in the dry is good, but the rocks and mud get slippery quick when the rain comes. I’m glad we made it down the steepest parts before the rain go to bad.

Just as we left to go down the last people in our group came to the top, which meant we got lots of time to relax at Refugo Chileno before going back to the bus. No use sitting there waiting for everyone.

The rest of the walk back was uneventful, lots of people seem to be returning when we did. I guess quite a few decided not to go all the way. I’m very happy that I did even if it was tiring.  

Back in town we found our new hostel, just a few blocks from the old place and in a much better state.

Some of the others that didn’t do the walk had also prepared dinner for our return. A great deal after the walk. We were to have tacos, but as things go in South America it’s not always that easy.

No tortillas and no proper sauce meant improvising. In this case pancakes and some custom mix of spices for the meat. All in all a wonderful meal.

After dinner it was time for a warm shower and hanging around for a while before going to bed.

Tomorrow we will move again. heading for El Calafate, back to Argentina again.

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