A.Bozier has indicated that this thread is about Patagonia
Hey Ash, its great to hear you wanting to travel before settling anywhere, and Patagonia is a great place to continue your journey. Let me just say that Chile already welcomes you, and I'm not saying it because I live in Chile, but because I know we're warm and friendly people who love that foreigners come to visit.
I work for an ecotourism adventure travel agency named Cascada Expediciones that takes people around Chile with organized trips for the day or for a few.
If you're interested in Patagonia, we even run an ecolodge located right on the Torres del Paine National Park, called EcoCamp Patagonia.
As far as clothes are concerned, know that in Patagonia, whether its summer, winter or whatever season, the climate can be a bit chaotic, since there you can have all 4 seasons in just one day. It is pretty rainy too. So take that into account.
The closest cities close to the glaciers and Torres del Paine NP are Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales, but they could be far if you plan things like visiting the glaciers for the day. Besides our EcoCamp there are other hotels and lodges you can stay at in Torres del Paine and around, and then there are always camps you can stay at if you have tents.
If you want to check out Cascada, -snip-
or our Patagonia lodge in -snip-
Good luck and ask if there's anything else I can help you with.
Forget tour companies travelling in Patagonia. You can do it all yourself or with other people you will meet on your travels.
I spent 9 months in South America in 2006/07 and it was amazing.
My plans though soon went out of the window. I flew into Lima and after a few days flew into Cusco although as you have to i had a tour booked for the Inca Trail.
After travelling around Peru it soon became obvious that i had to see Bolivia as so many travellers said DO NOT MISS IT, and WOW i was not disappointed. Cycling the most dangerous road in the world,swimming with dolphins in a river while i looked on at the alligators on the side of the river and thought about the piranha i had caught there the day before,while i heard monkeys howling in the distance. Then the amazing trip from Uyuni across the Atacama Desert into Chile was just mind blowing.
I then headed down to Pucon to walk/hike up Volcan Villarica (another must do) and from there headed into Argentina.
WOW my favourite country. I was only planning 3 months and stayed 6 months.
Anyway basically i eventually ended up in Buenos Aires and went from there to Puerto Madryn,and onto El Calafate (Perito Moreno Glacier),then down to Ushuaia and then up to Puerto Natales for my hiking in Torres Del Paine. In Puerto Natales i stayed at The Erratic Rock hostel and Bill the owner is awesome. They will help you out (hiring equipment,info etc etc) for your hiking. I took my boots with me over the whole trip. Although its fairly cheap to ship things home from Argentina. You take as less kit as possible. 1 spare of everything and thats it.I had 1 thermal top and a fleece and walking trousers that i took with me also.
Sleeping bag and tent you can hire from the hostel. the terrain is not bad going although you need to be fairly fit as i hiked it over 4 days (you can hike further if you want).
Then from Puerto Natales it was back to El Calafate and along trip by bus on Ruta 40 (check what time of year as the road in winter gets blocked). But its one hell of a trip onto Esquel and El Chalten before carrying onto Bariloche. Then you can continue to Mendoza and Salta (another amazing place) and i then went backwards and forwards between Buenos Aires and Mendoza about 4 times as i loved both.
Finally from BA i then went to Iguazu Falls and from there you could head into Brazil
Phew hope i didnt bore you and enjoy South America
Oh and check out Aerolíneas Argentinas for flights from El Calafate to BA.Although they can be abit pricey.Argentinians get the same flight cheaper though.
-reece- speaks lots of sense. Did pretty much the same trip in the opposite direction. Fabulous stuff, especially Bolivia and Patagonia. I assume -reece- is talking about Rurrenabaque which is a must do in Bolivia.
Anyway, re: Patagonia.
My wife and I travelled into Chile from Bariloche arriving at Puerto Montt. We stayed nearby for a few days before getting on board tha Navimag ferry (google it). That cost us about $350US each but it was fabulous. It took 4 days/3nights or so to sail to Purto Natales (your gateway to the Torres del Paine national park). All meals on board were included as well as entertainments and talks about nature and the ways of the south.
To put it into a bus persective coming back would take 30-35 hours typically. We did it in 32 I think (Puerto Natales to Ossorno).
We had booked nothing for the TdP park until we got there and we went mid January 2008 (which is high season). The Rock rings bells but we stayed in a smaller hostel. There are literally heaps and heaps of shops selling bus trips to the park - it's a few hours away.
You can also organise accomodation from the town for x number of nights. Alternaively you can hire tents and everything you could possibly need.
I wore a semi decent pair of boots but by no means the best and was absolutely fine. Indeed I reckon good trekking trainers would be ok.
I put some pics on my blog if you are interested. The place is beautiful beyond words and an absolute must do for any traveller. Obviously it costs a little more down there for accomodation and food but fresh air and walking is free and the best time you will spend so enjoy it.
hey,
big thank you to all for your info and advice, im just starting getting myself organised and looking at dates, seasons, prices, hostels etc etc at the moment and what you all have said is a massive help. Reece you didn't bore me at all. you make me want to go even earlier after reading your message. i understand to take as little as possible, do i leave my bags in the hostel and go to TDP on a day trip with a tour or am i best to carry my bags with me ??
i suppose if and when you start getting up into the warmer tropic climate, i can just buy myself flip flops and shorts and do away with the thermals and jackets to other backpackers who don't have the items.
as said above a bus can take 30 hrs, i did alot of night buses in vietnam (10hrs) and that was painful enough, the boat trip or flights sound like a top idea as im not sure if the buses will be the same but im 6ft 2 and had differcultly getting comfortable in the beds on board. i think ill do as Reece said and meet people and do travel in a group rather then go alone.
the only reason why i want to start in Santiago is so i can work my way south and then north into Argentina and then east into Brazil and across into Bolivia, otherwise if i started off in Argentina id have to travel south into Chile and then Bolivia would mean going into brazil and then back across into Peru.
would it be better to start off in the cold climate (patagonia) then in the tropics ??
the only reason why is if im taking thermals and a warm wind proof jacket once im in the tropics i can get rid of and lighten my load.
thanks again, happy new year
Some days I trekked in my shorts and t-shirt mate. Some days it's warm, but as I said, I went in January when the weather is at it's best. You need a wedge of sun cream though as the ozone is pretty thin down there.
Just get a thermal top and bottom and then add a few thin layers on top.
I too am 6' 2" ish. Some of the buses in SA are aweseome, others aren't. Quite random but if you go to the bus stations and look out for the good one's you will know which companies to book with. It's worth the extra 10 mins before you book!!!
Oddly I was talking with my wife about the Navimag only yesterday and the beds were so comfortable and we were in C class.
If I were you there is no way on earth I would do a day trip to the TdP. Go for a few days. 5 days will see you through the W trek comfortably. You can leave your big pack at a hostel safely no problem whatsoever.
hi Tricky,
im happy with the fact i can leave my big bag safely in the hostel allowing me to camp over in the TDP. ill proberly rent the camping equipment tho.
and as long as theres some good buses ill be happy riding them, at least ill get to see the countryside.
and as for the clothing, ill just take a few of each and go with the flow of what the weather will be like.
thanks for the tip about the sun cream.
hey,
Reece you didn't bore me at all. you make me want to go even earlier after reading your message. i understand to take as little as possible, do i leave my bags in the hostel and go to TDP on a day trip with a tour or am i best to carry my bags with me ??
i suppose if and when you start getting up into the warmer tropic climate, i can just buy myself flip flops and shorts and do away with the thermals and jackets to other backpackers who don't have the items.
as said above a bus can take 30 hrs, i did alot of night buses in vietnam (10hrs) and that was painful enough, the boat trip or flights sound like a top idea as im not sure if the buses will be the same but im 6ft 2 and had differcultly getting comfortable in the beds on board. i think ill do as Reece said and meet people and do travel in a group rather then go alone.
would it be better to start off in the cold climate (patagonia) then in the tropics ??
the only reason why is if im taking thermals and a warm wind proof jacket once im in the tropics i can get rid of and lighten my load.thanks again, happy new year
Yes you leave your belongings at the hostel.
All i took around Torres Del Paine was a spare set of clothes (for getting into after a good days hike) then back on with your smelly clothes the next morning you were hiking in the day before.Then sleeping bag,stove,tent,roll mat,water bottles,gas canisters etc i hired from the hostel, and enough food to keep you going.
Check out The Erratic Rock Hostel website im sure they will have plenty of info.
I actually travelled from Mexico,Costa Rica,Panama and then into Peru (Inca Trail),Bolivia (Rurrenabaque Tropics),Chile,Argentina.
I packed a lightweight waterproof jacket (suitable for wearing at night everywhere),2 pairs of zip off craghoppers trousers,1 fleece and my hiking boots. I carried these for the 12 months. I also bought thermal top and bottoms while in Pucon.
Regarding the overnight buses.Travel full cama when possible.Seriously its luxury.Like 1st class on a plane.Companies like Via Bariloche,Andesmar,Flechabus in Argentina are the best.Pricewise its worth it.Choose a seat on the righthand side if your travelling alone as you get no one next to you. You can watch 2-4 films in English,food,wine,champagne.
I will message you some websites.
Regarding group travel. In south america you will never be alone.I would say in 9 months in Latin America i was alone 2 weeks max.
Happy New Year
just been looking at bits and bobs and am i reading the correct price for the entrance of TDP .
it says the entrance is $1500 for 4 nights camping ?
didn't realise it was going to be that expensive. was hoping it was the case of turn up and pay and once your in you can stay as long as you want, well within reason
this is takien off Erratic Rock
The 'W' - Patagonia's Classic Trek - 4 nights, 5 days
1750 USD 1-5 trekkers / 1580 USD 5-10 trekkers
is that a fair price or is that a cyber price
Noooooooooooooooooooo hahahaha
Read it all mate.Thats them organising their tour for you
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