El Calafate, 10/22-23/26

 

Sure, it would be a long haul by bus, in part back the way we came toward Puerto Natales, as apparently there's only one decent, drivable road from Torres del Paine to El Calafate.  No worries, plenty of sightseeing stops en route, plus lunch at El Ovejero in Cerro Castillo, a convenient stop for travelers.  After lunch, we'd walk to the nearby Chilean border office to have our passports stamped (no problem). We also changed buses there and picked up our Argentinian driver. The Argentine border was a short distance away.  And off we went!

Lucky us to be in Torres del Paine this morning.  Spectacular sight.

This poor li'l Austral Parakeet crashed into one of the large windows while we were eating breakfast at Lago Grey.  Stunned, it made it onto the tree trunk and sat for a while.  Perhaps it was posing! 

Look at this vista!  The bulky mountain at left is Paine Grande and those on the right are the iconic Cuernos del Paine -- Horns of Paine -- with Lake Nordenskjöld below (I think).  Seen from our vantage point, the panorama of mountains and lake with a small refuge was simply breathtaking.

A close-up of Cuerno Principal's towering peak.

Wowzers!  

Maybe I've already said this, but, for me, seeing and exploring and experiencing magnificent Torres del Paine National Park was a highlight of this OAT trip.

Well, all good things must come to an end, and so we left Torres del Paine and continued on toward El Calafate.  Above, a gaucho captures our attention.

Photo op!

We arrived in El Calafate in late afternoon.  The bus driver took us through town so we could see how close the hotel was to "downtown."  That was nice, we'd have time tomorrow to check it out.

* * * * *

The next morning (Friday), we made our way to a Patagonian estancia (ranch). where the group would learn more about Gaucho culture.  Estancias were/are large rural ranches, historically devoted to sheep and cattle raising; they relied on gauchos to manage livestock across vast, windswept steppe.

We were met by Gerardo, owner and working gaucho of Bon Accord, established by his ancestors in the early 1900's.  Above, you see a fraction of Gerardo's estancia; he has 30,000 acres!  And he manages it with only one full-time helper (which didn't seem possible to us!).  I do not remember how many sheep or horses or cattle he has, but it's a lot. 

Here's Gerardo, giving us the lowdown on his place and the lamb that's barbecuing for our lunch.  His English was quite good -- he's been practicing with his OAT group visits.  He's wearing a traditional Patagonian gaucho cap called a boina ... and each of us was handed a cap and neck scarf to wear.  Some wore theirs better than others. 😊

Gerardo invited us inside and we were given a brief tour.  Then it was time for group participation:  Meal preparation!  Everyone joined in.  Above, these folks are making salsa.  Starting at left -- Jimmy, Liz, someone I can't identify, Mary V, Bernie and Shirley.  They're rockin' their gaucho outfits.

At the other table is Robin, Suzanne, temporary helper on hand for our visit, Javi (barely seen in blue) and then Deb is the lady in green. We were making dessert -- cookies layered with dulce de leche, the rich, caramel-like milk spread beloved throughout Patagonia.  I shredded the white chocolate that was the topper.  (It was delicious!)

Seen on Gerardo's wall.  My sentiments exactly.

While the lamb was on the fire, we gathered in the main room.  Gerardo held sway here, sharing the history of his family and the estancia.  We were served tea and biscuits and listened as he explained the genealogical chart, above.

Next, we were outside on the grounds.

The day was really fine.

We walked to a large pen where Gerardo's dogs demonstrated herding sheep.

And then into the barn.  Here, kitty, kitty!

This was a puma, endemic to the area.  

Gerardo had 10-15 sheep in pens in the barn.  He grabbed one and, while we gathered around, showed how sheep were sheared using hand shears.  Kind of a gasping moment, as I thought about the poor sheep in inexperienced hands, but Gerardo was a pro.  You see that above!

Group photo before returning to the house.

Lunch was ready, time to eat, and we were hungry.  Not the best picture of anyone above, sorry, but I wanted to show how nice the tables were.  Deb, Ed, and Robin begin with salads.

Set high on a stand, our tasty lunch.

We didn't hang around too long after eating.  Gerardo was a gracious host, and all of us were a little more enlightened for having visited him and his estancia.  Back on the bus for the short drive to our hotel.

Instead, we opted to be dropped off in downtown El Calafate, a neat town, lined with shops and restaurants catering to tourists. Jimmy and I enjoyed a Walkabout, peeking in some of the shops. Founded in 1927 as a quiet sheep-ranching settlement, El Calafate, population approx 35,000, has grown into a welcoming destination with tree-lined streets, cafés, artisan shops, and restaurants.  El Calafate takes its name from the native calafate berry, which we have sampled in several forms. Similar to a blueberry, the berry is a local favorite.

Here's Jimmy with the town's fire truck:  Bomberos!

Our hotel -- Kau Yatun Hotel-- which features traditional ranch style architecture, was close enough that we could and did walk from town.  We'd had another full day, enjoyable, and we were tuckered out.  Jimmy and I opted for a quiet dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Tomorrow, we were told, would be the Icing on the Cake ...

Blue Ice! 10/21/26

 

Whoa, decisions, decisions this morning ... hiking to a rushing waterfall or a two-and-a-half-hour scenic boat tour to the front wall of Grey Glacier?  Of course, we picked the boat and, for us, it was the right move.  Robin and Shirley also chose the boat; the rest of the group did the hike.  Did I mention hike?  We had a mile-and-a-half hike to get to the boat!  And the same on our return.

The boat we'll be on is visible at left.  Looks tiny from this far away.  What a phenomenal vista!

This is Lago Grey (Grey Lake), above.  It appears grey because the light from ice-covered Grey Glacier dominates the water’s surface, and the lake’s shallow, mineral‑laden water and surrounding mountains amplify that pale, silvery look.  So sayeth Wiki.

Hiking the moraine to the boat.  Look at that blue sky.  Instead of rain or possible rain, we have sunshine.  Glorious sunshine (with a few clouds).  Outstanding!

No need to buy ice.  It comes free with the territory.

And it goes in every glass.

We motored a good way before reaching the glacier, even stopping at a refuge to pick up/drop off a few trekkers, and were delighted to watch the icebergs float by.

Hi, Jimmy!  We're getting closer to Grey Glacier.  The top flag is Chile's National Flag and the other is the Chilean Antarctic Territory Flag.  Everyone wears life jackets.

We travelers always called it as we see it, but Paine means "blue" in the native Tehuelche language and is pronounced PIE-neh.  We were all hard put to pronounce it correctly. 😉

Grey Glacier in Torres del Paine is one of the largest outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in Chile, terminating at Lago (Lake) Grey -- it tops out at 82 feet, and its brilliant colors are continually tweaked by sun/shadow, with fantastic shapes that change with each turn of the boat.

I mean ... just look at this!

See how the retreating glacier has "twirled" the rock (called a nunatak).  Twirled is not a technical term, but it seemed apt to me.

82 feet!

No calving while we were there.

Grey Glacier's front divides into three distinct arms (or tongues). The glacial arms are not continuous walls but are separated by large rocky outcrops (nunataks) that have become more visible as the glacier retreats.  I had to jostle to the front of the boat to get my video and show two of the arms.  The other was out of my view at that point.

I took a million pictures.  How does one just pick a few to post on a blog?  It wasn't easy.  But I could've added many more than you see here!

Look!  The clouds are clearing out over the mountains!

What can I say?  Absolutely loved the boat tour, getting up close to the glacier, the landscape crowned by those rugged mountains, the Patagonia Andes.  After our cruise, Jimmy and I went on a Walkabout of the Lago Grey Lodge property.  Above, he stands mesmerized by the view -- where we'd been only a short time before.

Thought you might not see a bird picture in this post?  Nope.  Above is an Austral Parakeet, a good-sized bird, with an easily recognizable call, and another Rufous-collared Sparrow that was busy and didn't want to move out of the way of our big feet.  We compromised.

And THIS!  The Horns of Paine in all their glory!  Wowzers!

Well, what a day, what an amazing day of thrilling vistas and simple ramblings ... it'll certainly be hard to top this!  How-some-ever, we can only spend so much time in one place before moving on to the next.  Tomorrow, we travel overland to El Calafate, crossing the border back into Argentina.  Back on the bus.  Count us happy to have visited this fantastic national park.

On the move ... 10/19-20/26

 

In order to see so much of Patagonia, the group has to travel, and today we'd leave scenic Chiloé Island and fly to Punta Arenas, at the southern tip of Chile.  Jimmy and I spent time in this small city back in 2013 (click here to read about it) and were looking forward to visiting again.  Unfortunately, we wouldn't have time for more than a quick walk to the Strait of Magellan because we'd head overland to Torres del Paine (oh boy!) the next morning.

As we crossed the Chacao Channel, I zoomed in for this pic of Punta Tres Cruces Lighthouse located at the Northeastern tip of Chiloé Island.  I like the white tower with its red horizontal band.  Wish we could've climbed the steps.

For two people who knew nothing about Chiloé Island beforehand, we came to realize how lovely it would be to spend a summer's month here.  It's perfectly laid-back, not too big, with plenty to see and do.

One thing we will miss in Castro is our Enjoy Hotel room with its huge floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the wide river, watching the waterfowl and all manner of boats, clouds and mists and sunrises.

Waiting for the ferry, we watched the Black-necked Swan with cygnets for a long time and at the shore we spotted these Hudsonian Godwits looking for some tasty morsels.  I snapped a pic of a Dark-bellied Cinclodes (bird) camouflaged in the shoreline rocks, but -- so help me -- I couldn't find the durn thing later on the computer.

On our way to Puerto Montt airport, look at the character we found grazing roadside -- a Pudu, the world's smallest deer, about the size of a small dog.  Kinda reminded me of a pig, no offence to the Pudu.  Mary V's photo.  Mine sucked.

A two-hour flight, and we are here!  Yes, it was chilly (in Chile) 😁And, of course, windy.

It's a wonder the Neotropic cormorants don't collapse

the rickety wooden pier on the Strait of Magellan!

I was surprised when the bus pulled up to Jose Nogueira Hotel -- a fantastic boutique hotel, and I have a picture of it taken while on a walkabout in 2013.  A true mansion, it's one of the oldest buildings in Punta Arenas.  So cool.  More déjà vu -- the group had a tasty dinner at La Luna, a restaurant Jimmy and I patronized back then!

Magellan monument, without any "guard" dogs.

We began our overland journey after breakfast, back on the bus.  Before long we were spotting sights you'd never see in the US.  Our bus driver was the best at finding a bird or animal in a tree or on a hill and he'd tap the brakes, a signal to everyone that something special had been spotted.  He'd pull off the road.

Like a family of Lesser Rheas, top left, moseying over the fields, and galloping Guanacos.  A beautiful Chilean gray fox appeared next to a row of shrubs and moved into the open (for a photo op), and more herds of Guanacos, lots and lots of them.  We also saw pink Flamingos and even a white Flamingo.  And ... we saw Andean Condors, but, sorry, lousy pics.

The steppe landscape began to change, and Torres del Paine's rugged mountains came into view.

Yay, a long drive, but we have arrived!

Excited to be here!

Big ol' buzzy on Sand Calafate.

I wish we could've been closer or not have to take a pic thru the window, but nobody wanted to risk opening the bus door and have it fly.  Get a load of this Black-chested buzzard eagle!  Wow, who's ever heard of this guy!

Getting ready for a two-mile hike in the park.  Everyone was layered, prepared for cold and wet.  Turns out we didn't need all the layers (some, yes), and while clouds hovered and gray prevailed, no rain fell. That's Javi, our fearless leader, in the yellow jacket. Our local guide (my brain has erased his name) provided historical and geological info, much appreciated.  Glaciers played a major role in shaping Torres del Paine. 

Simply wonderful hike.  Some walked fast.  Picture-takers like me lagged behind.  Who wants to rush through this once-in-a-lifetime beautiful landscape?

Guanaco Bush -- Patagonia’s Scarlet Cushion Shrub, native to the Patagonian steppe of southern Chile-- was all a-bloom, turning the hillsides a fiery red.

Up/down on the single-track path.

Likely Guanaco bones from a Puma kill.  Pumas are the only critter we did not see on this trip.

We stop to take photos.

Somewhat cloudy view of Cuernos del Paine (The Horns of Paine), Torres del Paine Nat' Park.

Stragglers on the path.  Awesome.

The lake colors!

A couple of Rufous-sided Sparrows, one hovering, left, and Austral Negrito, right.  

We'll be spending two nights at Lago Grey Hotel on the shores of Grey Lake in Torres del Paine NP.  Did I see an iceberg while waiting in the hotel lobby?  Yes, I did!  Surprise!  Our rooms are like cabins, all connected by a wooden boardwalk.  Tomorrow?  I know it'll be fantastic!