mlgb

I flew LAN from Santiago to Punta Arenas using their S.America Airpass. LAN is an airline that still provides snacks, free headsets, pillows. The weather was fantastic and we could see some of the volcanoes and glaciers from the air. My B&B host was waiting for me at the airport. I highly recommend La Casa Escondida, a new, hand built complex operated by two English teachers. It is closer to the airport than town. I contacted them by email and they prearranged at penguin tour to Seno Otway as well as lunch at the B&B (a delicious parillada with lamb that was not overcooked, & typical salad). The room was comfortable, and Pamela even was able to reserve me the last seat on the 9am bus to Natales the next day. However, you physically have to go into the station to have your ticket completed, even with a reservation! The hosts will drop you off in town and pick you up when ready. I ate at La Luna, and had congrio. Excellent casual place.

The next day I took the regular bus Fernandez to Natales, where I stayed at Lady Florence Dixie, a cute and friendly hotel although you do need to speak some Spanish to manage successfully. I made the reservation by phone, in Spanish. They do seem very popular, especially weekends, the phone seems to ring off the hook continuously. Midrange and perfectly adequate with cable TV. The front desk helped arrange my tour transfer with a local minivan service (18,000 CLP) and next day trip to Balmaceda and Serrano glacier. The tour company was Pepe Coro, but again some Spanish is helpful. We stopped at the Milodon Cave, and entered via Rio Serrano and stopped at several overlooks such as the Lago Grey where you can see blue icebergs and the Lake Pehoe lookout. The route is gravel, however I do recommend coming this way since you see the full display of the Glacier Grey, Cuernos, and peek of the Towers. We also saw some guanacos along the road, and a few of us saw them on the trail to one of the lookouts. The van dropped me at Amarga, and the Hotel Las Torres has a transfer van. I have two nights there, which I booked by using their online chat function. I did not book the expensive all inclusive program. I´m not sure why they changed their mind and allowed me to book B&B only. It is a fine place, pleasant, not stuffy and most of all convenient to the Las Torres hike. They have a nice display of local flora in fauna in their conference room that is open to anyone. Today I hiked to the Towers after breakfast and returned in time for dinner. It was in perfect hiking weather, and it takes every bit of 10 hours. If you take the all inclusive you can bypass the first two hours by going on horseback. I think you might also be able book the excursion independently. So I have the trophy photo at the top, but we will see if I can walk tomorrow.
One does not really need a guide, just follow everyone else and the orange trail markings. The moraine is not impossible if you have some experience with boulder hopping, even 50 to 60 year olds with decent knees or braces can do it.

Tomorrow I leave for Lodge Paine Grande.

mlgb

Part 2, Paine Grande, attempting the W in bad weather.

Unfortunately my mid-week sector staying at Lodge Paine Grande did not work out as well as I had hoped. First, I did not particularly like the customer service at the misnamed Lodge Paine Grande, which seems to be manned by teenagers and 20's who view their time here as a McJob and nothing more. The rooms are okay, bunk-style and unisex, but the bathrooms are not kept clean (for example trash is not emptied during the day, only once at 10 am after checkout). The food was pretty awful, junior high cafeteria, although plentiful. I would not recommend buying the room and board, but instead seeing what is offered that night. The pork was especially bad, the other two nights were turkey. (You better like turkey). You can probably do better in the bar upstairs. Location is the only reason to stay here, if you are trying to do the lazy man's (or woman's) W.

The weather turned decidedly bad, very windy (90 kph) and who knows what the velocity was where the wind funnels on the Glacier Grey walk. After 4 hours of walking, I was advised it was still 2 hours more to the Glacier viewpoint, so I turned around with only a few miserable photos. The next day was a bit better, I made it to Camp Italiano in fairly good weather. The trail above Camp Italiano is harder to follow, for part of the way it goes along a stream bed. By the time I reached the base of the Frances Valley lookout, a frozen sort of rain was falling and visibility was poor. I turned around at the first major stream crossing, with the waterfall. I did see a few avalanches from the face and heard the "thunder", which was very exciting.

Anxious to leave Paine Grande, I took the early catamaran (18.000 CLP round trip) in fairly nice weather across Lago Pehoe, with some great views of the Cuernos (better than I had the prior two days). I walked up to the Salta Grande (again) since there are a few spare hours until the "Bus Regular" companies arrive at Pudeto (the Catamaran landing) to transfer backpackers toward Laguna Amarga. You can take any of the three companies for about 2.000 or 2.500 CLP. I used Maria Jose. I then took the Las Torres minivan (2.500 CLP) to Refugio Torres Central for two more nights. This is another refugio, bunk style. They had real linens on the beds (cama armada) and although I did not eat at their restaurant, it smelled great and my "roommmates" reported it was much better than Paine Grande. The staff was also friendly and professional. I walked up to the Hotel Las Torres, & retrieved my luggage from earlier in the trip (you can use their service for a fee even if you do not stay at the hotel). I also arranged to take the Lago Grey Navigation (glacier cruise) using the guide and "Full Paine Tour" from Las Torres. This was fairly expensive (71.800 for the transfer/tour) and 40.000 for the 3-hour glacier cruise. However there is really no other way to get to Lago Grey in the morning using the regular busses, and a private transfer is much more expensive. Also, the guide Kurt was exceptionally good-looking. As there were only three of us on the transfer, we were able to customize our stops for photos, so long as we reached the Lago Grey Hosteria on time. The tour includes a picnic lunch from Las Torres (pretty good) rather than eating in the restaurant at Lago Grey. We were lucky to see two Chilean flamingos at one of the lakes, and the weather and lighting was spectacular. The cruise worked out rather well, with the sun emerging just as we reached the glacier in time for the photo-taking frenzy, which lasts about an hour. There is a pisco sour with glacier ice served at the end of the frenzy. The cruise ends at about 6pm and we reached Las Torres at about 8 pm. Since my only other closeup visit to the glaciers were less-impressive Balmaceda and Serrano, and I was not going to see Perito Moreno, I felt it was a worthwhile excursion. I did run into others who claimed to be "glaciered out" so that's worth considering.

The following day involved transferring back using the "Bus Regular" JB Gomez (CLP 8,000), a few hours wandering around Puerto Natales, and then Bus Fernandez back to Punta Arenas and La Casa Escondida. The Bus Fernandez service is excellent, but I would try one of the other two rather than Gomez.

The next day I had time for another meal at La Luna, and a visit to the Salesian Museum (Maggiorino Borgatello Museum), recommended and a good spot for buying postcards and t-shirts with images of the Hain ceremony of the Onas people. There is a replica of the "Cave of Hands".

My fantastic host at Casa Escondida picked me up after lunch, and took me to the airport, an included service. I have the highest praise for this B&B and the wonderful Ovando family.

sgerhar1

Thanks for sharing your report. I plan to travel in that area next November and appreciate all the info I can get.

mlgb

I'm glad someone read my report..I posted it because there does seem to be a scarcity of information and trying to communicate with local tour operators isn't always successful.

If you have any questions be sure to post.

MichelleY

Enjoying your report and the details. Thank you for sharing.

MY

mlgb

I have a selection of photos up on Picasa. Torres del Paine is beautiful, but I also found Puerto Natales a good spot for photography, especially the streets leading from the town center to the port.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kiwifann...eat=directlink

wky123

Thanks for sharing your experience. My husband and I plan to go there this December with our 7 year daughter. We are actually a little bit concerned about if we can enjoy the park with a small child. What's your experience? Do you think we can see the best parts of the park by ourselves without extensive hiking? (I think my daughter can manage moderate three to four hour hike but probably not more than that) How's the availability of public transportation inside the park?

Winnie

mlgb

Well not bringing a small child myself, I can only say...I didn't see many of them. I'm not sure I recall seeing one on the Grey Glacier boat..perhaps not allowed?

You can see all of the nice views from the road on the south side of the park. A day tour from Puerto Natales is a good way to accomplish this.

I might try calling Las Torres hotel and see what they can offer. They also have a live chat function if you happen to go on their website at the right time.

mlgb

I should add, I did see families with children on the Balmaceda/Serrano tour, which has nice scenery and includes a stop for lamb parillada at a hacienda.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kiwifann...erranoGlacier#


Turismo 21 Mayo runs the tours from Puerto Natales.

wky123

Thanks for the advice. I'll check with Las Torres to see what they say.

Jed

Hi mlgb. I don't know how I missed your good report last month.

We did a similar itinerary several years ago with a group, and also went to Easter Island and Bariloche.

Good memories.

allisoncw

Thank you MLGB for sharing these details! Great report!

eb2015

MLGB, can you please provide e-mail addresses and phone numbers of the places you stayed and booked you tours.
Thank you

mlgb

I booked through Vertice Patagonia and Fantastic Sur directly, didn't use agencies.

They are on the web.

For my lodging in Punta Arenas, La Casa Escondida website has contact links
http://www.lacasaescondida.cl/home.html

Lady Florence Dixie Natales is now on booking.com. A lot easier than calling.

I think I mentioned the hotels helped me set up tours.

mlgb

Also Hotel Las Torres actually has a separate website, www.lastorres.com

There is a lot of good info on that site, also