Torres Del Paine trek Saturday 20 Jan

Well, I had to attempt some trekking/walking tho not the 5, 9 or more days others do from campsite to campsite.  I took an organised trip with mostly Chileans except for one French couple and myself, and bi-lingual guides Francisa and I think Vincenz.  A 2-3 hour bumpy ride into the Torres del Paine national park, along sometimes unsealed roads through plains.  While stopping at a wild west roaside stop, I purchased a beautiful alpaca scarf.

The trekking is very well organised, a huge ranger station at Las Torres with hundreds of walkers/trekkers. Our bus driver even took photos of us all so as not to lose anyone.

The walk started deceptively pleasant of course, a stroll on wide flat path lined with daisies and white painted stones. Gradually started up steep incline on gravel orange slope incline along the side of the mountain. The aim was to walk along below the mountain up into the base of the Torres (Towers).  Vincenz became my personal guide, endlessly encouraging, slowly, slowly, along the rubbly path, over a windy pass with descent to rushing glacial streams below.

About 2 1/2 hours arrived at Chileno camp and refugio. Tiny tents were on wooden stands to protet from pumas! We lunched at tables, and he convinced me to continue, this time into a completely different landscape along the streams, through a forest of leafy green trees, crossing bridges over rushing water, down, up.

After 4 hours total walk I gave up as knew it was another hour or 90min to base and I still had to get back, so happy to have gone that far, then turn back and continue down, up another 4 hours back to base, walked from 10 am to 6.15pm. Beautiful views of towering peaks above us, the three Towers black and tall in the middle, I think they were used in Lord of the Rings film.

Finally left the park at 8 pm as another woman was slower coming back, and got home at 10pm with sun setting.  Rest day today, Santiago flight tomorrow.  Will try agin to load some pics. Hope all well.

Adios.