TREKKING PATAGONIA

Patagonia is for landscape photographers, dramatic, large and unique. I always wanted to visit that part of the world, having heard so much about this "reserva de la Biosfera," biosphere reserve. Patagonia is located in the southern ends of Chile and Argentina. For this three week trip in March, Torres Del Paine in Chile and Los Glaciares in Argentina, where the Morino glacier and Fitzroy are located, were chosen for trekking and photography. Three weeks is just about the right amount of time, to get there, reach the various places, trek to destinations and have some days to wait out the typical rainy days. Buses will take you anywhere, excellent services. I rented a car so that I didn't need not be concerned with bus schedules and be able to stop anywhere I wanted. Car travel between places is arduous, long hours on gravel roads with unchanging scenery and occasional minimal services. Many of the gravel roads are being paved, in a couple of years driving between the parks will be much easier. If you are not concerned with meeting bus schedules, which by the way are convenient, buses run frequently and to just about anywhere, or are willing to pass up photo ops, take the bus. Car rental and gas are very expensive. For a detailed travel/photo log click the link.

All photo were taken with a Nikon D200 and a Nikkor 18-200 VR, hand held. For trekking on primitive and difficult trails this combo was enough to carry in a camera holster mounted with two biners on my backpack chest harness, it worked great! At no time did I wish I had a different lens.The holster, a Lowepro TLZ2, was perfect for the camera kit and it's front pocket allowed for 2 extra batteries and CF cards. The D200 is weather sealed and in fact got a bit wet in two days of rainy hiking with no resulting problems.

You need time in Patagonia, it's a lot of hard travel to get to Torres Del Paine in Chile or El Chalten in Argentina where Fitzroy is. If, for the one or two days you are there, the weather is rainy, cloudy, too windy.. you wasted your time and effort, you cannot see the massifs, the trekking is miserable, I assure you, in Patagonia when the weather is bad you are not having a good time. The next day maybe fine, and the experience is so much worth it. Given my time there, I would travel to Torres Del Paine and Glaciares early to mid March. Theoretically it's less windy then, it was not particularly windy, for Patagonia.On any given day you may go through all seasons within a few hours: sunny and sixties, cold and windy, cloudy and wet, snow and sleet and then a gorgeous sunset and star light night sky. But more practically, beginning in March, there are much fewer trekkers and tourists and you do not have to worry about reservations at the mountain campgrounds, huts (refugio) or lodges. It gives you flexibility you really need. In the summer season, December, January and February the place is packed and you must have reservations for the huts and lodges. So what if it rains for the three days you reserved a bunk at the huts? The fourth day when the weather is gorgeous you maybe out of luck, no space. You can always camp, however, usually right next to the hut, and what is really nice in Torres Del Paine, you can rent all camping equipment at the hut, and the tents are already set up. You need to take nothing with you for camping other then bucks. Campgrounds in the Torres are comfortable with outhouses, some have bathrooms, kitchen and eating shelters, the most lux camp ground is right next to the lux Pehoe Paine Grande refugio. If camping next to a hut, meals can be purchased and eaten in the hut, a comfortable alternative on wet days. Other refugios are not as large and fancy as the Paine Grande, but they are clean, cozy with three pairs of bunks per room, bathroom, hot shower and food and drink for sale. The breakfast and dinner served in the huts, although modest, is just fine. Huts are heated in the main dinning area by a wood burning stove, the bunk rooms are cool, a few degrees warmer then outside temps. Bring slippers of some sort or thick socks since you are not allowed to wear boots inside.

El Calafate is the gateway town to Los Glaciares in Argentina, about a seven hour ride from Torres Del Paine. The main attractions there are the glaciers. It's a well developed tourist area with all the conveniences of lodging and fine food. Another four hours from there is El Chatlen, the gateway village for the Fitzroy area. Despite it's undeveloped look at this time, building is on going all over, in a few years it will be a major tourist destination and lose it's simple charms, you can find luxury lodging and really fine restaurants. There is a camp ground at the edge of town right next to the Fitzroy trail head. Other then trekking to the massifs, rock and ice climbing, guided or otherwise, horse back riding, glacier walks and other outdoor stuff is possible.

                                                                           Photos from Torres Del Paine and Los Glaciares.     

                                                                                Additional photos in the Travel/photo log