Under the charm of Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia (Chile)

If you are following our trip “live”, you may have noticed we have been silent for more than a week. No posts, no tweets, no Instagram pictures. So what did we do the last 8 days? We walked. 151kms to be precise, for more than 47 hours of hiking, over 8 days and 8 nights of camping to explore one of the jewels of Patagonia: National Park Torres del Paine (Chile). I am now sharing the magic of this place in 14 pictures captioned with extract from my travel diary. Enjoy the trip!

 

1. Kilometer 0, day 1: the starting point of the “Circuit” trek

Fresh and excited. Note that we are doing the trek in autonomy and carrying around 30kg of equipment between us 2: tent, mattress, sleeping bags, food for 8 days.

2. Wild flowers of Patagonia

Day 1 blesses us with giant fields of wild flowers – it’s summer after all. The best? When the wind of Patagonia start blowing, they all start dancing.

 

3. Campamento in sight!

Even if you love hiking, there is always a relief when finally you can see the camp after 5h of hike (19km), especially when it’s located in the middle of such an idyllic landscape (Day 2, campamento Dickson).

 

4. Blessed by the weather gods for the mountain pass

The John Gardener pass is considered as the trickiest part of the trek, especially in case of bad weather. Three days ago, the pass was closed due to a blizzard. 06.15am, we started our ascent. The weather gods are treating us with a fantastic blue sky and no wind. The sunrise over the mountain is exceptional.

 

5. John Gardener’s pass: a taste of winter in the middle of the summer

Close to the pass, the climates gets colder: frost on vegetation, ice cracking under our feet, and snow to cross. I am telling myself this John Gardener owns a little piece of pure paradise.

 

6. The silence, the immensity

It’s 9.00am, we made it! Intense emotion, we enjoy our reward: The Grey glacier, an ice sheet 26km long.

 

7. In Patagonia, Grey is blue

The very same Grey glacier seen from the lake of the same name, a fantastic panorama to end our 4th day.

 

8. Tanning, the Patagonian way

Ice trekking is the perfect way to get a new perspective of the glacier… Or to perfect your tan! (Day 5)

 

9. Magic sunsets of Torres del Paine

Sunset view from our door on day 5 (campamento Paine grande). Nothing to add.

 

10. Thunderstorm in Valle del Francés

I will remember the sound of Valle del Francés. Blocks of ice falling from the hanging glacier produce a shooting sound which echoes on all surrounding mountains, and you can witness mini avalanches if you manage to catch where the noise comes from!

 

11. Mirador Britanicó, climbers’ paradise

For hikers, the occasion to be surrounded by mountain peaks higher than 2000m at almost 360 degrees. I feel small.

 

12. How about hiking in the middle of the night?

Day 8: after 1h30 of climb with the light from our headlamps, we make ourselves comfortable and wait for the sunrise in our sleeping bags at the base of the famous towers.

 

13. Towers on fire

When the first light of the sun reach the top of the peaks, the optical illusion is perfect: the mountain is burning.

 

14. One last night in Torres del Paine

Day 8 and last evening in the park: our tent under the stars, I couldn’t dream of better picture to end this exceptional exploration!

 

Make it happen – TREK THE CIRCUIT IN TORRES DEL PAINE:

Now you are probably really keen on buying the first plane ticket to go to Torres del Paine. Stay tuned, I am working on a post with all practicalities of the great trek; but for now, if you will excuse me, I have some rest to catch up on!

Published by Amandine D.

Amandine is an explorations junkie who enjoys challenges and outdoors and tries to predict the future. She never gave up her french accent or her love for good food and wine, even after living several years as an expat' in Stockholm. When not trying out new activities, Amandine blogs at Little Big Explorations.

2 thoughts on “Under the charm of Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia (Chile)”

  1. REGIS DUREY says:
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    Hello
    Yout trek is marvellous ! Very nice landscapes, various : glacier, mountains with snow.
    Also various the weather : often cold but sometimes in t-shirt. Nights under tent.
    Your photos are so marvellous ! Thanks !

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