Last Moments in Chile. Hello Buenos AIres.

I was so sad today, so very, very sad.  I've so enjoyed our time in Chile that I don't want to leave.  This whole country feels like home to me; I'm very comfortable being here.

Nevertheless, it was time to leave - Argentina waits for us.

Back to Where it All Began. Punta Arenas.

View of  Punta Arenas and the Strait of Magellan from Mirador Cerro la Cruz.

The next leg in our trip took us back to Punta Arenas where our time in Patagonia began a week ago.  I cannot believe that it has just been a week; we've done and seen so much in that short amount of time.  I will really miss the beauty of Patagonia.

A Layover in Puerto Natales.

It was goodbye to Argentina this morning when we boarded the bus at El Calafate this morning for the 5 hour journey back to Puerto Natales. We'll be back in Argentina in two days when we fly from Santiago to Buenos Aires. Don't ask me why I simply did not continue our time in Argentina, after we arrived into El Calafate, instead of returning back to Chile and then going forward to Argentina.  In hindsight, I should've checked for a destination between El Calafate and Buenos Aires that we could've spent time in.  Plan imperfect.

The Awe-Inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier.

The plan for today was to take a denomades.com tour to see the Perito Moreno Glacier which is located in the Argentinian side of Patagonia, near the town of El Calafate. The denomades.com tour is a round trip tour so after seeing the glacier, you return to Puerto Natales.

Cruising down the Seno de Última Esperanza.

 

On the Seno de Última Esperanza heading back to Puerto Natales.

It took us about 4 hours to cruise up the Señoret Channel and the Seno de Última Esperanza to reach the point where we could begin our hike to the Serrano glacier. By the time we returned back to the boat, another hour had passed.

The Serrano Glacier.

The Serrano Glacier.

After cruising by the Balmaceda glacier, in the pelting rain, we went further in to the heart of Parque Nacional Bernardo O’Higgins.  The park is the largest of the protected areas in Chile and also it's least visited.

Cruising up the Seno de Última Esperanza (Channel of Last Hope).

Bro posing with the Balmaceda glacier in the background.  Our first glacier!

We spent pretty much all day today on a boat, cruising up through one of the channels that run off the Seno de Última Esperanza (Channel of Last Hope).  I had high hopes for this cruise but in the end, it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.

Torres del Paine. Guanacos, Flamingos and Rheas.

Darwin's Rhea (Rhea pennata)

When we were in Atacama, admiring all the wildlife we had seen one day, a fellow tourist told us that we would have far better wildlife viewing opportunities in Patagonia.  Not only would there be more diversity but we could also get up closer.  So, for as much as I enjoyed seeing the animals in Atacama, I was really looking forward to seeing what Patagonia held for us.

Torres del Paine. Salto Grande.

There are several waterfalls within the boundaries of Torres del Paine National Park and we got to see one on our way out of the park.  Salto Grande is by no means a large waterfall.  In fact, it's a bit small but what makes is special is the force at which the water rages down the rocks.

Torres del Paine. Lago Pehoé and Cuernos del Paine.

Lago Pehoé and the group of mountains known as Cuernos del Paine in the background.

After the incredible beauty of Lago Toro and Lago Grey, it was hard to believe that the most stunning scenery was yet to come.

Torres del Paine. Lago Toro and Lago Grey.

Chunks of glacial ice floating on Lago Grey.

From Cueva del Milodón, we continued our journey towards Torres del Paine National Park, a place that has long been on my travel bucket list and lived up to every bit of the high bar that I had set for it. 

Cueva del Milodón.

Today, we pretty much spent all day visiting Torres del Paine National Park, located just about 60 kilometers from Puerto Natales.

Into the Heart of Chilean Patagonia. Puerto Natales.

Standing on the shores of the Señoret Channel which leads to La Ultima Esperanza and the Chilean fjords.

Puerto Natales is the closest town to Torres del Paine National Park.  When I was planning this trip, I looked into staying inside the park itself but those places are incredibly expensive.  After quite a bit of research, I decided it would not only be more economical to stay in Puerto Natales and take a day trip into the park but also being in the city would give us the opportunity to do other things.  So that was the original intent behind our coming to Puerto Natales.  I've only been here a few hours but as far as I'm concerned, I made the right call.
 

More of Punta Arenas.

This  mansion was once the residence of Sara Braun.  It is now partially occupied by the Hotel José Nogueira and the Club de la Unión.

With a population of around 125,000, Punta Arenas is the capital of the Magellanic and Antarctic Region XII, and it is Patagonia's most important city.  For, us Punta Arenas is our starting point for our time in Patagonia.

A Lazy Day in Punta Arenas. Cemeterio and Mercado.

Buying fish at the Mercado Municipal.

When I plan our trip itineraries, I try to have a down day every few days so we're not constantly on the move.  Typically, I also don't plan an agenda for our down day.  Its  on Bro's shoulders to bring along a guidebook and read up on suggestions of places we can go to and things we should see and do.

More of Tierra del Fuego.

From Parque Pingüino Rey, it would take us almost five hours of driving (and one short ferry ride) to get back to Punta Arenas.

Pingüinos!

King Penguins.

Undoubtedly, the highlight of our day today was seeing the adorable King Penguins at Parque Pingüino Rey (King Penguin Park), located on the island of Tierra del Fuego.

To Tierra del Fuego We Go! Porvenir.

The highlight of our day today was spending time at a penguin colony on the famed island of Tierra del Fuego. But first, we had to get there.

Travel Day. Punta Arenas.

Photo taken from the front window of our apartment. Timestamp is 9:40p!

Greetings from Punta Arenas!  Bro and I flew out of San Pedro de Atacama earlier today.  As part of our denomades.com tour, we had free hotel to airport shuttle.  We waited outside the front gate of the hostal, along with the French couple who had occupied the room next to ours.  They were also on the same flight as us but they had booked their ride through another company.  Oddly, a van, with the name of their company drove right  by us.  I could immediately see the look on the man's face - wondering if  their ride had literally just passed them by!

Salar de Talar (Tara Salt Flats).

By lunch time today, we had made our way from Monjes de Pacana to a cluster of very colorful rocks, another anomaly in an otherwise barren landscape.  We were in the Salar de Talar.