Top 7 Places to See When Visiting in Chile

Having traveled a bit through Chile (though, admittedly, I missed some places I hear are worth exploring like Valdivia), I thought I’d share what I would recommend as a good itinerary for those with time (but not boundless time either).   I will either expand on some of the items below in other entries or they have been covered already in entries I already made (true for the Atacama and Patagonia bits).

Valley of the Moon, Valle de la Luna, Chile, Atacama, desert, desierto, mountain, color, purple, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

The Valle de la Luna is one of the key sights in the Atacama Desert

Chile offers a wide range of landscapes due to the fact that it runs a long way in the latitude dimension, therefore, the climates along the country vary significantly.  The presence of the Andes clearly has a major effect in the climate as well as provides a great backdrop to many of the places you should see (heck, sometimes it is not just the backdrop but part of what you will explore).

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View near the Cueva del Milodón near Torres del Paine

A trip to Chile typically starts of in Santiago, its capital, though one can enter the country from any of the neighboring countries in places like the Atacama, Pucon, the lake district, or Patagonia.

Valley of the Moon, Atacama, desert, Chile, desierto, San Pedro, landscape, nature

In the Atacama Desert, near the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon)

Here are my top 7 places to have in your itinerary to explore wonderful Chile (most of the items below have a hyperlink to posts I wrote about each place with plenty of photos!):

  1. Patagonia/Tierra del Fuego including Torres del Paine, fjords, glaciers, etc. (8-10 days).  Only reasonable way is to fly down from Santiago, about 4 hours.  The flight may be direct or may make a stop in Puerto Montt which means you could also spend a few days in the area around Puerto Montt!  I went and booked a series of tours at a local agency in Puerto Arenas once I arrived there – great way to do it as they explained what things there were to see and then they connected the dots for me in terms of transport and tickets.  As a solo traveler with only 4-5 days, it was a great way to maximize the visit.  The second time, 5 years later, I focused on hiking the ‘W’ circuit of the Torres del Paine, a 5-day endeavor with Puerto Natales being the starting point.
  2. San Pedro de Atacama and nearby sites in the Atacama desert (4-6 days).  If you go from Santiago, it is about a 2-hr flight to Calama and then catch a bus ride at the airport (about 1 hr or so to reach San Pedro).  The Atacama desert is the driest desert in the world which is mind-blowing as it is so close to the Pacific Ocean.  From seeing the salt lakes, the altiplano, the Valley of the Moon, and the geysers to watching the multiple types of flamingos fly by to enjoy what feels like (but really is not) a true frontier town, San Pedro and the vicinity is a spectacular place in this planet.  I only spent a 3-day holiday weekend there while working in Santiago and, while we saw the key sights, I was left wanting more time to chill and explore more.
  3. Puerto Montt, the Lake District, and Chiloé (4-7 days).  About a two hour flight from Santiago.  Endless amount of sights to see:  the town of Frutillar, crossing the Andes into Argentina by crossing the lakes, the charming island of Chiloé, etc.  Notice the German colonists’ influence in the area.  Driving around best but there are other ways to see it.
  4. Pucón and the Villarica area (3-6 days).  A long drive from Santiago (about 8 hours), it showcases nature at its best.  We went white water rafting down the Trancura and stayed at a lakeside hotel that felt like ‘peace’ personified.
  5. Valparaíso (2 days) A little less than an hour and a half’s drive from Santiago, it is charming and colorful.  Explore the various funiculars (“ascensores”) available so people do not have to climb MASSIVE staircases to reach the areas atop the hills of the city.  But do be careful:  some of the areas of town you get to with them are higher crime areas (we were warned by a local as we went up one of the funiculars!).  Some of the funiculars are more storied (some dated from the 1880s!) or peculiar than others so worth researching a little.  Add on next-door Viña del Mar and its beaches to the visit but they don’t rank up there in my book in terms of beaches.
  6. Santiago (2-4 days) A city is a city is a city – but I find it worth exploring.  It is not Paris but I love this city for its relative ‘calmness,’ its livability (I spent most of a year there with work), and its proximity to the amazing Andes.  Good food, and lovely and diverse neighborhoods make it worth the visit.  In the right season, ski resorts are really close (Valle Nevado being one of them) and the beach just an hour and a half away.  Wineries nearby too…  Do I need to say more?
  7. Mendoza (2-3 days minimum) OK, this is Argentina but it is almost in Chile (and seems more Chilean than Argentine in temperament…) and easier to get to from Santiago than from anywhere else!  It is a very short flight (less than an hour) from Santiago.  If you buy the ticket in Chile it is WAY cheaper than if you buy it abroad…

Puerto Natales, Chile, Patagonia, Canon EOS Rebel

A typical house in Puerto Natales, the closest town to Torres del Paine

A typical house in Puerto Natales, the closest town to Torres del Paine

Readers, please feel free to add or provide other perspectives.  I, by no means, saw EVERYTHING Chile has to offer!


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Exploring Chile’s Glaciers by Boat Tour

One of the highlights of visiting Chile’s Patagonia is seeing the many glaciers in the area – what an incredible sight!  Some of the glaciers can be hiked, like the Grey Glacier (something I did in a trip a few years later when I hike the W circuit around Torres del Paine).  Other glaciers one can admire from a distance from the water (like the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers).  All these amazing glaciers are easy to reach from Puerto Natales with a glacier boat tour.  I got to see these beautiful glaciers by boat and it was a very enjoyable cruise in the Chilean Patagonia.  But there was even more than the glaciers to enjoy, as I would discover…

On the way to the glaciers from Puerto Natales

My tour boat left from Puerto Natales and the route over was breathtaking.  Milford Sound in New Zealand was more splendid but this still was noteworthy for sure.  Even if just seeing this part had been the purpose of the boat tour, that would have been worth it in and of itself.  But, of course this initial part was not the end goal – the glaciers would turn out to be even better.  Like it is often said, the journey sometimes is better or as good as the destination: the way over offered many great sights!

Chile, Patagonia, glacier, Puerto Natales, outdoors, nature, tourism, travel, Canon EOS Rebel

What a country home – I would take it!  Wonder how isolated it feels in winter…

Chile, Patagonia, glacier, Puerto Natales, outdoors, nature, tourism, travel, Canon EOS Rebel

Right after leaving Puerto Natales

Chile, Patagonia, glacier, Puerto Natales, outdoors, nature, tourism, travel, Canon EOS Rebel, seal, wildlife

Seals have many good resting places along the “banks” of the channel

Some of the best sights of wildlife are only possible via a glacier boat tour for sure.

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I believe these are corcorans (not penguins), covering all the cliffs

Chile, Patagonia, glacier, Puerto Natales, outdoors, nature, tourism, travel, Canon EOS Rebel

Beautiful rock formations that betray geological history beyond my knowledge

Chile, Patagonia, glacier, Puerto Natales, outdoors, nature, tourism, travel, Canon EOS Rebel

More of the rock formations

Chile, Patagonia, glacier, Puerto Natales, outdoors, nature, tourism, travel, Canon EOS Rebel, Torres del Paine

A view of the Torres del Paine from afar – awesome!

Grey Glacier

While I got to hike the Grey glacier during my trek in Patagonia in 2015 (see here for that story), on this glacier boat tour we took a different approach:  we got off the boat and drove to the opposite shore from the glacier.  It was not close enough to be awed by it, compared to being ON it, but it was a neat place to visit as we got to walk to an area on the opposite side of Lake Grey from the glacier and face the glacier and watch the ice floes.  There were even waves hitting the piece of land where we were standing!Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photo Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photo Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photoThe deep cold blue of the floes was beautiful especially with the contrast to the shades of gray in the background.
Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photo Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photo

Grey, glacier, Chile, Patagonia, tourism, travel, photo

Strolling around…

Before I go on to the other two glaciers… a couple of non-nature images that I like from this boat trip.

Handrail, Serrano glacier, Chile, Patagonia

Handrail on the path to visit the Serrano glacier

Boat, ride, ladder

Wooden ladder on the boat – colorful

Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers

During the cruise, we also visited the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers.  The Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers kiss the water like Grey glacier does but in what seemed a narrow and steeper “face” as it hits the water.  We were able to get off the boat in one of the glaciers (the Serrano glacier) and hike around the shoreline near the glacier on some type of boardwalk built for this purpose.

Balmaceda, Glacier, Chile, Patagonia, ice, boat tour, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Balmaceda Glacier has little ice as it touches the water

Balmaceda, Glacier, Chile, Patagonia, ice, boat tour, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Balmaceda Glacier

Balmaceda, Glacier, Chile, Patagonia, ice, boat tour, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Balmaceda Glacier

Balmaceda, Glacier, Chile, Patagonia, ice, boat tour, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Balmaceda Glacier

Serrano, Glacier, Chile, Puerto Natales,Patagonia, ice, boat tour, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Serrano Glacier has more ice volume as it meets the lake’s waters

Serrano, Glacier, Chile, Puerto Natales,Patagonia, ice, boat tour, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Serrano Glacier

And more beauty

Seeing the glaciers so close was nothing short of spectacular.  These “things” are monumental and magical just like I expected they would be.  But during the glacier boat tour I also saw some beautiful sights that had nothing to do with the glaciers:  the unique flora in the immediacy of the glaciers.  These plants were unexpected beauties – I had not stopped to think if there would be any vegetation worth looking at in this part of Patagonia.Flora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel Flora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel, fernFlora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel, greenFlora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel, bush, treeFlora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel, bush, tree

Flora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel, orange

No idea what this is but it is beautiful, especially because orange is my favorite color

Flora, Patagonia, Serrano glacier, Chile, photo, vegetation, Canon EOS Rebel, pink, purple

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Puerto Natales, Chile | Starting Point for the Torres del Paine

Puerto Natales is an outpost town in Chile that is entry point to the Torres del Paine National Park.  It is about 150 miles northwest of Punta Arenas and serves also as an entry point to the glaciers that kiss the water in this part of Patagonia (Grey, Serrano, Balmaceda, etc.).

A small southern town

It is a small town by our standards with less than 20,000 inhabitants.  The area where the town is was first sighted by Europeans in the second half of the 1500s, by a Spaniard.  The area was populated by quite a diverse combination of European nationalities (English, Welsh, Croats, Spanish, Greeks).  The city of Puerto Natales itself was found in 1911, a relative newcomer.

However, I would venture say that it is impressively big given where it is in this planet!  So far south, in such tough climate.  And hard to reach being almost 3 hours away from Punta Arenas which, itself, is like four hours flying from Santiago.  To continue by road up to the rest of Chile from Puerto Natales, one must cross over east to Argentina, then north, and then head back west into Chile.  Hard to reach indeed!  And you really want to avoid crossing the border to Argentina unless you like inefficiency and waste of time…

Two visits five years apart

I first visited this town of 18,500 inhabitants in December 2010, at the start of summer.  I got to return in 2015 when I went hiking in Patagonia in February towards the end of summer and I was delighted to walk around town again, but with friends this time.  I noticed some improvements like the main square across from the church and a little better tourism infrastructure.

Food in Puerto Natales is pretty good

I also got to go to two restaurants that I greatly enjoyed back in 2010:  La Burbuja and La Picada de Carlitos.  See pictures below for some images of what I got to eat!

Great day trips

There are a few neat things to pack into day trips from Puerto Natales beyond the obvious must-see Torres del Paine National Park.  La Cueva del Milodon is impressive and the route there offers some beautiful landscapes.  A boat tour to explore the fjord and see the nearby water-kissing glaciers is a phenomenal opportunity to explore deeper into the wilderness of Patagonia, much as it is a tourist trip.

Colorful town

As you can appreciate from the pictures below, the town is colorful.  I assume that the darkness of the prolonged winter calls for bright colors.  Much as you see if you visit towns in Scandinavia.  While some of the construction is simple there are beautiful details around doors, windows and eaves.  Walk around the town aimlessly, especially beyond the main streets.  Pretty cool.

Two summer visits – how is winter?

Having visited twice in the summer season, I only see the town in the best weather.  While it is hard to get down there in winter, it must look and feel very differently.  I realize that the idea may be crazy but… I would enjoy experiencing this town in the middle of winter just to see what life in a southern town is.  The town has definitely been spruced up in the five years between my visits, clearly an indication of the effect of rising interest in Patagonia and the influx of more tourists.

I leave you with images of this Patagonian town in Chile.  Click on a photo to enlarge!


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Puerto Natales Chile Patagonia Torres del Paine National Park

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 5

After the fun of day 4 with all the wind and beautiful views of the lakes and the Torres del Paine, the big day finally arrived:  no, not because it was the last day of hiking but because it was the day we were trekking up to the lagoon to see the peaks close and personal.  But it would all depend on the weather as there could be rain or cloud coverage over the iconic conical (alliteration!) peaks.  The morning light showed everything looked good – and majestic!

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Samsung Galaxy, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

View of the top of the range

About an hour later, the light had changed and a rainbow appeared.

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Samsung Galaxy, photo, trekking, travel, rainbow

Rainbow nicely framing the massif

The Refugio Chileno

Trekking from the Refugio Chileno, where we had stayed overnight, back to our exit point at Hotel Las Torres would be about 9 kms.  But before starting on that, we would go up to the Mirador Las Torres, about 4 kms away and mostly going up about 380 m to reach the lagoon at around 875 m above sea level.  So, in total, this day would be 17 kms worth of distance covered.

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

The main lodge at the refugio (nearest to us, the dining room)

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

The refugio also offers space for camping, if that’s your thing!

I have not mentioned how the refugios work.  They usually have rooms with several bunk beds (stacks of 2 or 3), shared bathroom facilities (with private showers), and communal dining (usually scheduled as not everyone fits at once).  I am not saying they are super clean but they were generally better than expected.  The meals were acceptable if not good and wine and beer were always available.  I gained weight in this 5-day hike!

Getting to the Mirador Las Torres

Alright, back to the hike.  The route up was not always a nice path, there were a couple of spots with makeshift wooden bridges to cross small streams.  But that all added to the fun of the climb.

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Rickety bridge…

bridge, creek, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Another bridge

bridge, creek, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Enjoyed all these bridges!

Of course, going up was more fun due to the expectation of arriving to the top mirador (viewing point), of getting as close to the Torres as possible.  Returning to the Refugio Chileno, by comparison, was slightly less exciting but probably more tranquil.

hiking, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Peaceful trails

creek, hiking, Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel,

Roaring waters

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A very unique tree

So, while the weather had been iffy in the morning, it improved as the climb up happened.  Sadly, we did have some cloud coverage at the top of the towers as you can see in the photos.  We heard that they cleared up later – just the nature of the weather down in Patagonia:  you never know!  Though mildly disappointed, it was still a great feeling to make it up there.

hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

For those who may need coordinates…

hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

The beautiful lagoon and cloud-covered peaks of the Torres del Paines

hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

My roommate Dave and I – ’til the next trek!

And then leaving the Torres del Paine National Park…

Once we returned to the refugio, we did the usual (pit stop, eat something, etc.) and then picked up our stuff and started to make our way out of the park and our phenomenal 5-day hike of the W circuit of the Torres del Paine.  The vistas continued to be breathtaking all the way until the end of the hike, pretty much.

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

Looking along the creek/gorge near the Refugio Chileno

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel, Refugio Chileno

Just beautiful!

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

Leaving the gorge area

Torres del Paine, mountains, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

One final bridge and it is over… 🙁

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, sunlight, morning light, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

Looking back before the final short stretch…

I was on the front group and I ran into the Hotel Las Torres, where the bus was picking us up, to make a pit stop when I spotted the bar.  And that’s when I remembered how, upon finishing descent from Mt. Kilimanjaro, one of my fellow trekkers, Len Stanmore, and I grabbed a beer (I wish I could have added “cold” as an adjective but it wasn’t…) to celebrate.  So I ordered a beer for me and fellow trekker Paula who was there with me and we celebrated completing the W circuit in proper form!

trekker, beer, hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

Done and cheers!

With this, I end the series of the hike in the Torres del Paine National Park.  It is as beautiful a landscape as there exists in this planet:  the Chilean Patagonia.  I have been blessed with seeing it once as more of a tourist (in 2010) and again, fulfilling a wish I had since 2010, of returning to trek the W circuit so I could see everything further up close than in 2010.  I am lucky guy indeed.

lagoon, hiking, Mirador Las Torres, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, Olympus, photo, trekking, travel

A happy trekker

 

Go back to day 4 of this Patagonia trek!

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Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 4

A windy night at Refugio Los Cuernos

I woke up around 7 AM on day 4 after a night thinking the place we were staying at was going to blow away at any moment.  On top of that, something right outside our window kept hitting the window on and off throughout the night (we discovered in the morning that the window was perfectly shut and it was making the noise).  I am told the gusts we experienced overnight were between 80-100 km/hr!  I wanted to go outside to look at the lake as the wind was howling to perhaps take video or a photo – I did but ran back inside!  A little later, the skies cleared a little and we were rewarded with a view of the cuernos (towers) of the Torres del Paine graced by a rainbow!

rainbow, Refugio Chileno, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Rainbow over los cuernos

It was still very windy…

The wind along Lake Nordenskjold howled

But, it wasn’t just the refugio!  We started our hike and it was windy for a good bit of the first half of the hike along Lake Nordenskjold!  We could see white top waves on the surface of the lake.

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The white tops of the lake’s waves

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The wind created some beautiful sights

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

And with a rainbow to boot!

Until we turned a corner around a small peninsula.  Then that part of the lake was flat as it could be!

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

On the top and right of the lake in this photo, you see the wind’s effect. The rest is flat!

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

From then on, nice and flat!

The winds and gusts along the way were so strong that they would throw you off balance.  We learned to crouch quickly at the first hint of a gust (or after it hit others first!).  I believe one of our guys was lifted up an inch even with his backpack!  It was surreal.

Refugio Chileno, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Not even the wind can stop my friend Bridgit!

Maybe a tiny bit scary but, actually, more thrilling than scary (except when it threw me sideways once…).  Don’t believe me?

Check out this one minute video I took at the refugio and along the way!  (turn down the volume as it is noisy but don’t mute your speakers!)

Despite the winds (constant at around 40-50 km/hr with gusts exceeding that), hiking along the lake was quite a neat experience.  It was just beautiful! Lunch was shredded chicken sandwich on bread that was actually “stamped” with the name of the refugio we had left, “Los Cuernos“!

sandwich, bread, Los Cuernos, Torres del Paine, Chile, food, photo

An authentic “Los Cuernos” sandwich!

Past the wind and on to the Campamento Chileno!

The hike (about 15km / 9mi) took us about six hours counting our stops and towards the end got away from the lake and went through some private lands.

Refugio Chileno, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Two of my fellow Morocco/Camino trekkers: Always good to see friends!

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

I guess we have to be careful, Mick Jagger may be around!

Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The massif

Lake Nordenskjold,Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Plenty of photo opps along the way!

Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Cool bridge – right before our lunch stop!

The final stretch of the trail heading to the Campamento Chileno was gorgeous, along what I would call a sort of canyon or gorge (but maybe not as narrow as a gorge?) but it had some very steep hills toward the end!  I will end this post with photos after we left the shores of the lake and heading inland to our refugio for the night!

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Leaving the lake behind

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Neat landscape

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The canyon or gorge looking towards the Campamento

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The canyon or gorge looking towards the lake

Refugio Chileno, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The canyon or gorge looking towards the lake

——————  More about this trek!  ——————

Back to day 3.

And on to the last day:  day 5!

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Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 3

Day 3 started with me looking out the window from my room at Refugio Paine Grande to the tents that some slept in.  It is incredibly hard to believe anyone could sleep in those with the high winds experienced.  But, some did!

Refugio Paine Grande, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

The campsite at Refugio Paine Grande on a wet morning

It was a nice start to the day though it would not remain so for the entire hike that day.

Refugio Paine Grande, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Sun rising…

Refugio Paine Grande, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Looking towards the torres at Refugio Paine Grande

Refugio Paine Grande, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Looking at one wing of the refugio

Headed to the Campamento Italiano and the French Glacier

We left camp around 9:15 AM.  Our next meal would happen about 3 hours later…

Skottsberg Lake, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Walking along Skottsberg Lake headed to Campamento Italiano

The main attraction for the day would be to see the valley of the Glaciar Francés (French Glacier).  To get there, we would detour from the main route taking us from Refugio Paine Grande to our destination for the night:  Refugio Los Cuernos.  It would imply a very long day of hiking to the Campamento Británico (British Camp) and back out requiring a steep climb.  I was not sure I would have the energy for the very long day that would result from the hike (a total of 15 miles in about 10 hrs) but was not going to miss it if the group went (always a good motivator!).  But the weather made the decision for us.  Visibility was going to be too low for the trek to the valley to be worth it.  However, our leads suggested that we hit the “mirador” spot from which one could, at least, see the glacier.  After a lunch stop at the Campamento Italiano (Italian Camp), we left for the mirador, despite slight rain, and it was a nice compromise worth the trouble (about an hour roundtrip – not bad!).  We also saw the Paine Grande Glacier above the French Glacier.

Campamento Italiano, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Arriving at the Campamento Italiano

Campamento Italiano, Torres del Paine, Chile, hiking, trekking, Patagonia nature, adventure, photo, travel, Olympus

Upon arrival at the Campamento Italiano

ilivetotravel, Glaciar Frances, French glacier, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

The view of the French glacier

rocks, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Beautiful smooth rocks

On to Refugio Los Cuernos

The remainder of the hike went smoothly though the weather was not spectacular.  It was very muddy at spots and there were a few places were boards had been placed to walk on since it got too muddy.  On one of those, I lost my balance as the planks were not quite horizontal and I fell off.  Luckily for me, I nailed the landing (2 ft down).  Wish there were a video of it!  Still we enjoyed the closer views of the torres as we headed to our resting place for the night (and a hot meal!).Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, OlympusTorres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, OlympusTorres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

And finally… at the Refugio Los Cuernos!

Towards the last part of the hike, we hit Lake Nordenskjold and by 4 PM, we made it to the refugio.

Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Welcome to Refugio Los Cuernos!

We enjoyed white fish for dinner, wine and games.  I was out like a light before 10:30 PM!

Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Olympus

Typical room at the refugio

Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Dinner was always a good time to chat!

Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

Outdoors at the refugio – it was very windy!

We were one happy bunch, and not forgetting why we were doing this:  for the kids!

nature, outdoors, travel, photo, Refugio Los Cuernos, lodging, Torres del Paine, national park, Chile, Patagonia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy, Torres del Paine

Trekkers and the supporting crew

——–  Read more about the trek ———

Day 1 at Torres del Paine

Day 2 at Torres del Paine

On to day 4 at Torres del Paine!

Hiking around Fitz Roy in Argentina

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Hiking the Torres del Paine W Circuit | Patagonia Day 2

After a successful day one in the Torres del Paine National Park, in southern Chile, we were ready to embark on day two.  This day would have re-trace our route from day one in reverse to get us to Refugio Paine Grander where we would spend the night.  It would be the only trail we would do a round-trip on. However, this day would start with a real treat.  It would include a Grey Glacier hike!

Good morning from Refugio Grey

As the group was too big to go as one onto the glacier, the group was split into two groups.  To my disappointment, I got assigned to the group that was leaving earlier that morning.  I like my sleep when I can get it.

I woke up 30 minutes earlier than I needed to, not on purpose.  Electricity had not yet been turned on at the refugio at that time in the morning, something I had not known (or stopped to think about) so it took me by surprise – and I had not been ready with my headlamp so I went out of the room in the dark.  Off I went, fumbling my way to the restroom down the hall…  Fun times!

Crossing the lake to get to Grey Glacier

After we all had breakfast, etc. we left the building to get going on the glacier hike.  We broke up into our two groups and off we went to the shores of the glacier.  The boat ride was uneventful, very short – around 20 minutes.  Getting off the boat was tricky as there was a big gap.  We had to jump to a narrow ledge on the rocks that was wet.  Happy to report that we had no accidents in either group!

On the moraine

At that point, we had to walk some along the moraine in order to get to the ice proper.  It took about 2 hours under a constant drizzle.  It made me nervous that the rocks were wet with the soft rain so I probably went slower than my normal.  The rock was slate which was surprisingly not slippery but the “doubting Thomas” in me wouldn’t take risks 🙂  I did not get to appreciate how beautiful this part of the hike was was until the return hike back to the boat when I was more awake, it was not raining, and I was riding high after the time on the glacier!

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

Our group after making it to the edge of the icefield

Give me my crampons and set me off

In any case, we got on the glacier proper and we were excited to get to the spot where we would enter the ice field.  At that spot, the gear was waiting for us.  A brief presentation showed us how to walk on ice and not die – or something like that.  Then, we proceeded to put on the crampons (mine looked like Peary or Amundsen used them over 100 years ago in their epic hikes through ice…), learned to use the ice pick, and climbed onto the ice.

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus, crampons

My crampons – antiques!

Finally on the real Grey Glacier hike

It had stopped raining shortly before getting to the ice.  The timing was great so we could enjoy being on the ice and not deal with water falling on us.  It did not rain again during the rest of our glacier hike – at least my group which went first. But it rained at the end of the hike of the second group. A good reminder to always be prepared for rain!  Fortunately, the sun was out most of the time which made for beautiful pictures.

We greatly enjoyed looking down crevices (I have to admit being a little gun-shy of getting too close to the edge)  Also, it was neat to see pools of water on the ice that looked like mirrors.  In total, we spent somewhere between an hour and hour-and-a-half on the glacier itself.  The hike on Grey glacier was a really neat experience that I would recommend as part of the W Circuit hike.  Or, actually, anywhere else in the world you can do a glacier hike!

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

My friends Mira and Kim – real explorers!

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

Beautiful colors!

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

Posing with all my Grey Glacier hike gear on

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

Trekking along the glacier – so cool!!!

Grey glacier, Chile, Torres del Paine, W circuit, glacier hike, Olympus

Coming off the ice field onto the moraine under MUCH better weather!

Comparing the Grey glacier hike to my Franz Josef glacier hike in New Zealand

I couldn’t help but compare this glacier hike to my helicopter ride onto the Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand.  On the one hand, flying the heli to the glacier saved time so we spent more time on the glacier.  Plus just the thrill of flying in a helicopter and enjoying a magnificent approach to the glacier.  On the other hand, climbing the moraine at Grey Glacier was a fun experience.

However, I have to say I’d prefer doing Franz Josef over this one as we got to crawl in ice caves and do things like that over there.  But I enjoyed the Grey Glacier hike nevertheless because glaciers are amazing.  And I was with good friends, out on a beautiful day walking on ice!

glacier hike, blue ice, outdoors, adventure

Fun at the Franz Josef glacier

A brief stop at Refugio Grey

We made it back to the Refugio Grey after the glacier hike.  There we enjoyed some lunch prior to getting going on part two of our day:  hiking back to Refugio Paine Grande, where we had landed by boat the day before.  The lunch was a delicious plate of spaghetti and meatballs as you can appreciate from the picture below!

spaghetti, Refugio Grey, lunch, Chile, Torres del Paine, trekking

Delicious!

The main hike of day:  headed to Refugio Paine Grande

We started off on our hike at 3 PM which felt late.  It rained a good bit on the trail that day so I did not take as many pictures as I would usually do.  The good news was that the rain was hitting us from behind vs. the front which is way more annoying.  Not being able to take photos was not a big disappointment, though, because we were on the same trail we had walked the day before in the other direction to get to Refugio Grey.  Things finally cleared up when we were getting to the end of the trail (around 7 PM) which was nice.  I got a couple of pictures in anyway to remember the end of the day.

Torres del Paine, Chile, trekking, hiking, South America, Olympus

Not ideal weather but it was not hard rain either…

Torres del Paine, Chile, trekking, hiking, South America, Olympus

The weather was beginning to clear up…

Torres del Paine, Chile, trekking, hiking, South America, Olympus

My hiking partner that afternoon was Mira. We were thrilled to see the refugio ahead and blue skies!

The end of a fun but long day in Patagonia

Day 2 on the W Circuit was almost one for the books.  In spite of the rain, it was a pretty incredible day on good account due to the Grey Glacier hike!  And after a great meal (meat with mashed potatoes, red wine and a brownie!), the time to rest came.  I gladly climbed on my bed as the wind howled outside – nice to be dry and warm inside!!

Torres del Paine, Chile, trekking, hiking, South America, Olympus

My bed was the bottom one!

——–  Read more about the trek ———

Day 1 at Torres del Paine

Day 3 at Torres del Paine

Hiking around Fitz Roy in Argentina

Hiking the Torres del Paine W Circuit | Patagonia Day 1

My first visit to Patagonia left me wanting to go hiking the Torres del Paine National Park.  That was 2010.  Luckily, the opportunity arose in 2015 to return to Patagonia to trek the W Circuit, the set of trails that goes around the Torres del Paine peaks in the park.

Back in 2010, I was not into hiking but I recall seeing people who had just finished the hike.  I was left wondering what it would be like and wishing I got to do something like that.  So, the wish became true when the opportunity arose with my friends from Trekking for Kids.  And now here I was on day one of the five day trek!

Getting to the starting point at the Torres del Paine NP

We had made it to Puerto Natales, the gateway to the Torres del Paine, from Argentina where we had gone hiking around Fitz Roy.  That was one long and mostly forgettable drive – hours and hours.  At least the bus the group had was fairly comfortable.  And the group was fun.

In any case, on day 1, we left Puerto Natales early in the morning.  We had to cover the 2-hour+ route to get to the port where we would take a catamaran to cross Lake Pehoé.  The boat ride took about 30 minutes. But, before getting on the boat, we got a preview of the majesty we would be getting ourselves into and explore during our hike.

The peaks or towers of the Torres del Paine stood before us in simple but great majesty.  Do you agree??

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, lago Patos,Olympus

The Paine Grande on the left and the towers/peaks on the right. Awesome view!

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, lake Pehoe,OlympusThis boat ride would take us to the Refugio Paine Grande, the starting point in our hike.  Right at the departure “port,” we saw evidence of the fires that ravaged the area a few years ago.  The trees were reminders of the fragility of the environment there (or anywhere, for that matter).Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, dead tree,OlympusThe map below shows where we took the catamaran (A), where we landed at near Refugio Paine Grande (B), and where we were going to hike that day, Refugio Grey (C).  The next day we would return to and stay at Refugio Paine Grande again.Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, map,Olympus

But, before hiking the Torres del Paine, let’s have lunch

The ride was smooth and the views were awesome, especially because the day was so beautiful.  By the time we got to the refugio, it was about lunch time so we had lunch at the refugio.  The meal was simple but pretty tasty and, certainly, hefty enough to help us with the trek ahead.  However, by the time I was done eating the lentils and rice dish, I was longing for a nap, not a hike 🙂

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, refugio Paine Grande, lentils, food, Olympus

My first lunch on the trail!

Off to Refugio Grey

We got on our way to Refugio Grey around 2 PM.  The landscape started a little on the bland side and then we moved through forest of burnt trees before stepping back into the beauty of life with purple, pink and yellow flowers as we bordered lakes.Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, refugio Paine Grande, OlympusChile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, dead tree, Samsung GalaxyChile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, wild berries,Samsung Galaxy Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, dead tree, flowers, flora,Samsung Galaxy Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, flora, flowers,OlympusApproaching a high point overlooking Laguna Los Patos, we got our first taste of strong winds – and our first long break.  The route is not overly signed but I did like the signs located along the way.

At this point, we had covered 1/3 of the total hike for the day as the sign at Laguna Los Patos shows.  We would encounter a couple more of these signs before reaching our destination.Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, OlympusSoon after we could see the end of the lake facing the Grey glacier.  In 2010 I had visited that edge of the lake and walked it, resigned to see the glacier from a distance.  This time, I would get to walk on it!!

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, Samsung Galaxy

Behind me, the grounds I walked on 2010!

One of our vantage points, the Mirador Lago Grey, was close to the highest point on this trail sitting at around 250m over sea level.  By virtue of its location and altitude, it offered phenomenal view of the glacier straight ahead.  And it was WINDY up there!!!

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, glaciar,Olympus

About to have the best views of the glacier at this point

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, glaciar,Olympus

Our first full frontal view of the Grey Glacier

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, glaciar,Samsung Galaxy

The next day, we would be hiking on the glacier (the left corner in this pic)!

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, glaciar,Samsung Galaxy

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, glaciar,Samsung Galaxy

Fellow trekkers Jose and Kat fighting the wind to take photos of the glacier

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Grey glacier, glaciar,Olympus

At some point, one must pose for a photo with the glacier!

Among the beautiful scenes I saw was this marsh or bog (not sure what it was, technically) which sat, across the lake, the Grey glacier.  Out of a movie!Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, marsh, bog peat,OlympusChile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, marsh, bog peat,Samsung GalaxyAnother neat spot was when we crossed the small but quite powerful Rio Olguin.  We were getting close to the destination!Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Rio Olguin, Olympus Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Rio Olguin, Olympus

Overnight at the Refugio Grey

And finally, we arrived, 4 hours and 15 minutes later!  The Refugio Grey was very welcoming and a great place to rest and relax.  The outdoor seating area hosted us as we sipped some wine after showering.  Eventually we made it inside for a great meal (carne mechada and rice chased by chocolate mousse!) and camaraderie.

Soon thereafter, I crashed, ready to let my body recover before our fun-filled day 2.  The sights from this day confirmed for me that hiking the Torres del Paine National Park was a great thing to have aimed for!

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Refugio Grey,Olympus

Welcome to Refugio Grey!

Chile, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, W circuit, hiking, trekking, travel, photo, Refugio Grey,Samsung Galaxy

Outdoor porch – very nice!

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hiking the Torres del Paine, W circuit, Patagonia, Chile

Photo Essay: Skiing in July

No, no, I am not referring to water skiing but to snow skiing!  Snow skiing in July, you may say?  Yes, in the southern hemisphere, in wonderful Chile!

A few years ago I was fortunate to work in Chile for a whole year and one of the many things I enjoyed was the closeness of the ski resorts in the Andes to Santiago, where I lived.  I got to go twice to Valle Nevado with a co-worker.  Though the distance is short, there is a stretch of the road with three dozen curves or so (they are numbered – for the impatient, I assume!).

So here are some photos from those July skiing days!

 Do you have a favorite place to go skiing?  I certainly enjoyed skiing in this awesome place but I do have a favorite elsewhere!

Sights of Pucón, Chile

Many moons ago, I spent a few days in a beautiful corner of ChilePucón.  Pucón, about 480 mi (775 km) south of Santiago, sits on the eastern shorelines of Lake Villarica in the region called Araucanía, looked over by the Villarica volcano.  The town by now has gained reknown for its beautiful setting and the opportunity for great outdoor activities (skiing, hiking, white river rafting, hot springs, etc.).  Maybe it is now a little too popular but its setting is definitely gifted and well worth going down the beaten path to it.  Warning:  The photos are “vintage”, meaning pre-digital and by a dozen years or so!  They may not do justice to this part of Chile – but I hope you can imagine…

map, Santiago, Pucon

“A” Marks the Spot

Nine of us drove down in a minivan, leaving Santiago in the early evening and arriving early the next morning after I-don’t-know-how-many-hours of driving down the Panamerican Highway which was one lane in each direction most of the way (back then).  Thankfully, I didn’t have driving duties so I could try to sleep some.  It was a fun group and a fun ride!

In Pucón

Once in Pucón, we stayed at a hotel on the shores of Lake Villarica, not far from the town itself but not in it.  It was an idyllic spot with a peaceful view of the lake, home-cooked meals, and easy access to the places we wanted to go.

Pucón, Chile, nature, outdoors, volcano

Welcome to Pucón

Villarica, Pucon, hotel, Chile

The lake-facing side of the hotel

The Villarica volcano

One of our first outings was to go up the Villarica volcano, to the top of the ski slopes that sit on it.  Ski season had just ended so I was bummed as I would have loved to ski down a volcano!

Villarica volcano, Chile, snow, ski

The Villarica volcano on nice day

Villarica volcano, ski, Chile, Pucón

The top of the Villarica volcano once we drove up as far as we could. Shame ski season was over!

Chile, Villarica, volcano, tourists

Our group (minus 3) at the volcano

Salto del León

We were lucky that one in our group knew the area as his sister had a house in Pucón.  That got us to see some places perhaps less visited by, er, visitors.  El Salto del León was one of these places.  Beautiful waterfalls in a gorgeous setting.

Salto del León, Pucón, Chile, Trancura, nature, outdoors

Salto del León

The Trancura Valley

The Trancura River is born in the Andes near Pucón and runs its course to the Pacific Ocean.  Snow melt contributes to its waters and the rapid fall in altitude makes its waters fast.  Perfect for white water rafting.  I had never white water rafted before and was not sure about it but it was lots of fun though the water was FRIGID and we were ill-prepared for that!Trancura, white water rafting, Chile, Pucon

That area, sort of east-southeast of Pucón, was simply beautiful.  Lush greens and other vegetation, old bridges, and little development made me feel I was enjoying a unique place.

Trancura, Pucon, Chile, river, nature, outdoors

Scenes from the Trancura Valley

old bridge, Pucón, Chile, Villarica, Trancura

We were not certain our minivan could cross this bridge. We all got out & left only the one driving stay in it!

Trancura, river, Chile, tourism

The fearless group (minus the photographer!)

When I returned to Chile in 2010, I wanted to return to Pucón but there was so much of Chile I had not seen yet that those places (the Atacama desert, Patagonia, etc.) took precedence and my time there ended without returning to Pucón.  But, oh, I shall return!

Photo of the Week – A Cross in the Desert

As I visited the desert of Atacama in Chile‘s north, it was neat to visit small towns and villages in the area.  On the way back from the Geysers del Tatio, we stopped at a village called Machuca.  Atop some of the houses were small crosses.  Weather-worn crosses that reflected the faith of the locals. Chile, Atacama, desert, village, Machuca, cross, blue sky

Out, Up, and Down in Chile’s Valparaíso

Chile is truly an amazing country.  Nature, in and of itself, offers a myriad different possibilities from the Atacama Desert and the salt lakes in the north to the fjords and glaciers down in Patagonia.  But Chile’s urban areas offer some incredible sights and experiences.  And Valparaíso may take the cake as its character is quite unique.  No wonder it is a UNESCO World Heritage site!

Valparaíso sits by the sea but it does not have the almost unmanageable scale of Rio.  It is old (founded in 1536) but does not have the colonial feel of cities like Old San Juan or central Lima.  And though it is large (the greater Valparaiso metro area is Chile’s second largest) and a center of portuary activity, it is not an economic center like Santiago is.  It faces the ocean but it is not where tourists go for their summer beach vacation – that would be neighboring Viña del Mar.  However, what makes Valpo, as it is referred to in Chile, so great is the charm it has which is a combination of its setting and that it has not been spoilt by becoming a megalopolis.

Out to sea

Valparaíso is surrounded by hills and exploring the city is not just exploring sea-level Valpo but exploring its hills.  But before going up those hills, the best thing to do is to admire Valpo’s lay of the land by taking a boat tour in the harbor.

Valparaiso, Valpo, boat, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

The boat taking us to cruise the harbor

Valparaiso, Valpo, sea lion, marine life, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Sea lion enjoying the summer day

Valparaiso, Valpo, hills, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Looking back at the town and hills of Valpo (notice a funicular in the center of the photo)

Valparaiso, Valpo, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo, National Congress

National Congress (on the left) sits in Valparaiso, not Santiago, the actual capital of Chile

Valparaiso, Valpo, port, ship, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

View across the harbor back towards the center of the city

Up the hills

Valpo is quite famous for the funiculars (or ascensores) that help move people up and down its famous hills.  The oldest funicular was built in 1883 and it is still in service.  Many of these funiculars are an experience onto themselves with very unique stories and some are considered national monuments.

Valparaiso, Valpo, funicular,rail, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

One of Valparaiso’s famous funiculars (Ascensor Cordillera) – we didn’t take this one

When we went, we were advised by some locals to keep an eye out as we went up to the hills as not all areas above are equally safe for people who look like tourists.  We took the advice and went up making sure we were aware of our surroundings.

Valparaiso, stairs, funicular, Valpo, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

For the sake of the experience, we climbed the stairs…

Valparaiso, Valpo,funicular, cat, rail, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

… and this cat had a similar, if different, approach to going up.

Valparaiso, Valpo, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

A house perched on one of the hills looks mighty precarious to me… one lil tremor and…

We were rewarded not only with views of the city and sea below, but also by some neat architecture in the hill we visited.

Valparaiso, Valpo, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

View from one of Valpo’s hills towards some of the other hills (spot the funicular on this pic!)

Valparaiso, Valpo, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

View from one of Valpo’s hills towards the harbor

Valparaiso, Valpo, architecture, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

House up in one of the hills

Valparaiso, Valpo, architecture, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Another great sample of the neat architecture around

And then back at sea level

All this being said and done, I just enjoyed walking aimlessly through the city.  Here are some of the images from our exploring “sea-level” Valpo.

Valparaiso, Valpo, old payphone, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Charming “booth” for a pay phone

Valparaiso, Valpo, power cables, street scene, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

A mess of utility cables… who knows how many legally set up!

Valparaiso, Valpo, street scene, architecture, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

A side street (Cochrane) that was not as interesting (they deserve to show up on a website too!)

Valparaiso, Valpo, street scene, bus, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Street scene

Valparaiso, Valpo, street scene, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Street scene at Plaza Echaurren

Valparaiso, Valpo, Navy, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo, architecture

Navy Building in Plaza Sotomayor

Valparaiso, Valpo, Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo, monument, war, history

Monument to the Heroes of Iquique (war memorial) in Plaza Sotomayor

Valparaiso, Valpo,Chile, travel, tourism, charm, Canon EOS Rebel, photo, architecture, dog

Dog laying in the middle of the street (right below where the bus shows)

My favorite souvenir from my year in Chile is a wood carving depicting one of the stairs and funiculars of this charming city.  A great reminder in my every day of this unique town!

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