There are some parts of the world that protect the mystery due to its remoteness, and Patagonia is one such example. Located as south as you would in Chile, South America, Patagonia is located on the Chile-Argentina border and is not easy to reach, but it is even more impossible to leave due to the pristine beauty that lies here.
Arrivals to Patagonia are usually airplanes to fly four to five hours south of Santiago to Punta Arenas. From there, you will need to make a further five hours on land travel before you finally arrive at the national park itself. But the journey doesn’t end there. In fact, this is just the beginning.
Explore Patagonia
As far as birthdays go, this year will forever be one of the most memorable things. I checked in Explore Patagonia My 23rd dayrd birthday. My arrival was supposed to be the day before, but weather conditions forced me to land an emergency elsewhere in Chile, a new flight heading north, and a flight to Punta Arena the next day, followed by a car trip on my birthday. I knew it was a birthday to remember, but there were actually cakes and candles, but when things were really kicked off the next day I really didn’t know how unforgettable my trip would be.
The French, our two Chilean guides, and myself, gathered in the lobby at 8:30am to begin our day’s hike. Typically, Explorer guests start with a half-day itinerary to make things easier, but given our trip shortened, they were keen to hit the trails right away. We have prepared some snacks for energy, including chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, and fresh glacial water. The kitchen staff prepared sandwiches for each individual to carry with their daypacks. The guide had an extra sandwich filler on the daypack and a delicious desert (my weakness).
Heading towards the foot of the trail, just 15 minutes from the hotel, we began a 14km round trip hike with spectacular panoramic views of Torres del Paine and surround. The first hour was a very steep slope and at least in the second half I was sure this trail would be my death. We all went at a very good pace given that we were young and capable…but this trail was considered to be one of the most difficult things in the park, especially the first hour on steep slopes. No wonder it was so painful!
But of course – there is no pain or profit. And the reward at the end of the day was worth the exhausting of the first hour testing my endurance!
Once we reached the top of the mountain, we were able to sway through the forest and enjoy the best views of Torres del Payne from afar. For most of the hike we were walking on the clouds and on them, but the days carried over the clouds began to change with light winds. By the time we reached the highest point on the trail, Torres del Payne was completely visible, and we had a perfect lunch pit stop shortly after the afternoon.
Our guide – Ben and Trini have begun setting up a “table” – quite new considering the muddy trekking to get here. To warm up, I drank lentil soup and veguen, filling three vegetarian sandwiches with plenty of avocado, tomato, lettuce, mushrooms and seasonings. After that we enjoyed the desert and tea. After that, I continued my trekking to a different perspective.
It was of course much easier to get down than going up, but with such a steep slope completely exposed (previously covered in clouds), it was extremely scary to look down!
After we reached the base we were able to walk another 20-30 minutes to the horse stable and take the late afternoon trail around the mountain. This was just as highlight as the trekking itself. The stable house was impressive beyond words, but there were some of the best trained horses and riders you can find in the country. I also had quite a bit of trouble riding a serdodo (Spanish for Soldiers). He and I were on the same wavelength.
Perhaps putting this day into words is impossible to give justice to the kind of experience I just encountered. Needless to say, this was one of the most memorable experiences I have experienced all over the world and I couldn’t be more impressed with the way Explora captured the art of travel.
World of Wanderlust was welcomed by Explora as a guest, but my opinion has always been my own. Visit Instagram for inspiration for daily travel!