Torres del Paine, Chile
Dec 7 - Dec 10
We had planned a trip to the Chilean Fjords in 2020, but unfortunately, it was canceled. This year, we seized the opportunity to make up for it. Although we didn’t visit the Chilean Fjords this time, the 2020 location would have been a duplicate of our more extensive trip to El Calafate this year. This year we had the chance to search for pumas in Chile and hike up to see the actual ice field in El Calafate.
I have placed camera icons where I travelled.
The Hotel
Dec 7
The Tierra Patagonia hotel is purposely designed to be as hidden as a 2 story hotel can be. From across the lake it appears only as a black line. Pulling up to the entrance most of the building is underground. Inside the main area offered sweeping views of the mountains on the other side of the lake.
Pumas
Dec 8
The goal today was to find Pumas. They could be anywhere (or not at all). A local ranch next to the park had been converted into a nature reserve. That is where we would do our hunt
It's 0439. They are active early so we needed to be ready. We decided not to do an afternoon activity.
The landscape were were searching in was once a ranch. Now the owners have converted their business to tourism. We started EARLY and a group of us in separate vehicles spread out over the property to try to find something
After some time driving around we got a call on the radio that a pair had been located. We all converged on a hillside. The pumas were across the valley on a ridge, but easily visible in binoculars. This movie was taken from an iPhone connected to one of the telescopes.
Here we are at the puma site. The pumas were on the ridge on the other side of the road where the telescope is pointing (roughly behind the guy with the white beanie)
We got back in the early afternoon in time for the lesson on how to make Pisco Sours. Piscos always great me when I am in Chile (this was my 4th trip)
"PostCard" Hikes
Today, we embarked on our first significant hike. We traveled to the Salto Grande, one of the largest glacier-fed waterfalls. From there, I hiked to the Mirador Cuernos overlook, while Carrie simply walked to the waterfall.
The hike to Mirador Cuernos wasn’t particularly challenging, but the winds were near gale force, so it required some caution at times.
Walk to Mirador Cuernos
The hike to Mirador Cuernos took us past Mirador Salto Grande.
Lago Pehoe ViewPoint
Once we returned to the bus we drove on to Camping Lago Pehoe and then out a short trail to the viewpoint