The Falling Sky
Patagonia
04 CHAPTER
TORRES DEL PAINE
From the small town of El Chalten, Argentina, we traveled by bus to Chile, the home of Torres Del Paine National Park. Since we left so early in the morning, our bus was already approaching the Chilean border closer to the lunchtime. The driver was listening to the rhythms of energetic Salsa beats during the entire duration of the trip. It seemed as if he wanted the landscapes that were always moving when looking through the window, to be accompanied by some music. The tunes did force me to watch more attentively what was going outside the bus and catch hints of any activity in the pampas of Patagonia.
The customs officers conducted a thorough inspection of just arrived tourists and their belongings. They were mainly looking for any illegally brought vegetables or fruits. Those were immediately destroyed if found in the luggage. Even the leftover of an apple was detected and confiscated.
We crossed the border successfully and entered the town of Puerto Natales, from which our four days journey to the Torres del Paine National Park has begun.
W-Trek
The park itself has excellent infrastructure. W-trek can be conveniently divided into 4 days. This route allows you to see all the most beautiful places, remotely hidden from the rest of the world. This trek will also test your survival skills. We were very well equipped and supplied with maps containing detailed information about the hiking trails. We also studied all the distances between the shelters and camping sites. After dropping our things off in the tents, we went on the first trek to the granite towers of Las Torres.
“Blue Towers” / Trek to Torres Base
Three vertically sticking out towers, 2,600 to 2,850 meters in height, can be seen in proximity only when you overcome an incredibly long journey. First, you are making your way through densely overgrown mountain forests, then almost creeping along the steep slopes, and finally, agitated from fatigue, climbing steeply upwards along the stone ledges that are revealing breathtaking views of the valley. These stone peaks, soaring into the sky, are the hallmark of the national park and proudly bear the name: “Blue Towers” (translated from the language of Native Americans). When looking at the beauty that suddenly opens up before you, after an exhausting climb, you will be overwhelmed not only from the height but also from the stunning landscapes!
Very tired but proud that we’ve reached the Towers, we returned to the campground. My first night in a tent in the expanses of Patagonia was not entirely calm. All night I could not sleep a wink. I listened to how the wind was desperately trying to tear my tent down. The wind started to howl loudly, next to my ear, and then began kickboxing with the unstable frame of my temporary asylum. From these reckless blows, the tent went shaking, and I've been waiting for the final outburst, during which I would’ve been carried away, along with this unfortunate tent. Fearing to move, I imagined how I would be lying in total solitude, on the bare, cold ground, in the mountains of Patagonia, and the wind would continue its mockery, gradually approaching towards my still body. Exhausted by the expectations of the end, I just fell asleep.
Los Cuernos - Camping Frances
In the days following the trek, the weather was continually changing. The scorching sun was replaced by heavy rains, after a while the sun started shining again. Only the wind was very consistent. It raised water whirls on the surface of the lake that we passed by, tore snow caps from the tops of the mountains and sometimes pushed us along the steep slopes.
Patagonia is infamous for its strong winds. Here your body constantly bends, almost like grass – side to side, and yet you feel very happy, like a child! During the W-trek, more than once, I found myself noticing that even though my face portrayed funky grimaces, caused by the sudden bursts of the wind or rain, during our hikes – I still managed to smile. A human being is a strange creature! Sometimes we feel unreasonably good, in the most unexpected, extreme situations, and sometimes it feels unbearable in the well-known and comfortable conditions.
During the trek, emerald lagoons covered by randomly floating, melting icebergs, occasionally show off their stunning views. You stand there, looking far ahead, and observe the way vast forests are hiding the base of the mountains, while their peaks, which are covered with eternal snow – get lost in the clouds. There you will be walking soon…
Camping Francés was our next overnight stop. This time wooden platforms greeted us in a zone covered with trees, which made us rejoice. In such conditions, the wind was not a problem. There was a different issue to face now - a possibility of meeting a wild beast in the forest.
The largest predator of Patagonia is a puma. In Torres del Paine, they even put special leaflets with instructions on how to behave if you happen to meet this wild animal on the trail. The most important thing is not to turn your back on a puma but make eye contact with it. Immediately start screaming and actively swaying with your hands, while dismissing the natural desire to run. And of course, it is advisable not to roam the woods after dusk and put tents only in strictly designated areas. After we reached the campsite, and settled in our tents, at our own risk, we still decided to get out at night and gaze at the stars. Of course, after studying the frightening leaflet, the image of the puma was continually spinning in my head, and I waited that at any minute now, the beast would appear from the bushes. It was creepy to stride through the darkness, in complete silence. And every funkily shaped root ball on the way looked like a lurking monster. Suddenly, amid this silence, we heard some sort of activity. The tension started to grow, and we all froze. Did the puma really decide to go hunting? Right after we witnessed the strange noise, we then heard the loud voices and laughter. A group of young and not very sober people were approaching us. These were locals, who worked on the territory of the campsite and apparently were returning back to their tents after the duty… Pumas, stars… What? The guys were just having fun. Utterly fearless and confident, they were strolling through the dark forest, making noises and having the best time of their lives. I think that nocturnal pumas definitely avoided them that night!
Britannica Lookout - Paine Grande
On the way to Paine Grande, the wind and rain hit us hard. Perhaps it was the windiest area on the route. Unexpectedly challenging was the climb to Britannica Lookout. Due to the increasing rain force, the surface of the stones was rather slippery, and we literally rolled back down. For the last couple of hours, we stomped past mountain lakes and through grassy meadows overlooking the Gray Lake. This trek was our last one. There was no more strength left, but the desire to see as much beauty as possible has remained our only driving force ...
Even though the location of the campsite was right in a pit surrounded by mountains, it was the coldest overnight stay on the whole trek. The three of us crammed into one tent, to warm up the sleeping space with our bodies. Almost hugging each other, we fell into a deep sleep coma. Nonetheless, we were pleased with the dining area on the camping premises and the most delicious dinner that we had tried on the entire trek.
A ridiculous and at the same time sad event happened. A catamaran, on which we were supposed to return to Pudeto, can only fit a certain amount of people. There is always a line of people waiting on a pier. The ferry only runs a few times per day, and if for whatever reason, you don’t make it there on time, then there is a chance that you will spend another cold night in the tent at Paine Grande. Knowing this, I rushed to a queue when I saw how tired tourists “from all sides of the world”, slowly crept in towards the catamaran and formed a long line. As it turned out if it was not for my sudden agility, then most likely we would not have gotten onto the catamaran, and our trip could have been severely affected. Exactly half of the tail of that line standing behind us was doomed to wait for the next catamaran. Completely confused, these people remained standing on the shore, while we slowly sailed away from the pier, and watched as all those human figures started to diminish, until the entire panorama became blocked by the majestic mountains and the picturesque Pehoé Lake along which we rode. Happy, we were anticipating the moment when we will be cozying up in a warm hotel room in Puerto Natales while remembering our adventures in the mountains of Patagonia. I think we were very fortunate!
