Chilean Patagonia – Outskirts of South America. Next – the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego.

This part of the land – the most inhospitable on earth. Anyway, I didn’t see anything more uncomfortable to live.

Weather forecast in these places – something inappropriate, silly, and for Aboriginal people – just ridiculous.

As you know, the State of Chile stretched for several thousand kilometers along the Pacific coast. The natural diversity in these places simply fantastic! You can find here almost all the existing climate zones!

Personally, we are well explored the southernmost part of South America – Patagonia. Almost all the places visited by tourists, are the national parks. Nature and wildlife in them are unique.

After unsuccessful trials to cross the Strait of Magellan on the catamaran, we returned to Punta Arenas, rented a jeep (120-130 USD per day), and went to the National Park Torres del Paine. The first and last city on the way to reserve – Puerto Natales. The city is located deep in the fjord. It is small. Mainly one and two storey. Multi-colored houses, very neat. Species are located along the waterfront hotel. Prices quite European – 150-300 USD daily. For budget travel suit small private hotels and rooms to be submitted by local residents – 20-30 USD

Also in town and we booked the hotel, campsites and tents for our onward journey.

The fact is that actually hitting  in the reserve, you will not see  there any shops, no restaurants, no travel agents, service stations or cars, no gas stations. All  must be taken in advance.

On the territory of the reserve – a lot of beautiful blue lakes, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers and gorgeous mountain range, unique in its nature. Many shelters and hotels were already fully booked and purchased a few weeks ahead. Well, there is still camping! On the rental can take everything – tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Booking, pay, live! But everything is  not very cheap – hotels – 250-500 USD per day, shelters – 30-50, campsites – 15-20 USD.  Sleeping bags and mats are paid separately. You can also pay for  own meals in camping. If this is not done in advance, on the ground may not have extra provisions. The campsites and shelters have kitchens. Separately, in the houses – shower and toilet. Really, all very modest. But nothing from which to choose. You can also purchase in the site some  products – water, chocolate, beer. But the prices  5 times higher then in the city.

Torres del Paine occupies a huge territory. It;s like a large mountainous spot with quite extraordinary mountains. In the center of the array appear jagged streaked mountains – their tops are composed of basaltic rocks and they are darker than the main array. Between the mountains tower three huge flat *fingers*. These *fingers* – technically very difficult mountain Their nature is the same as that of the famous Fitzroy in Argentina. But our goal – not the conquest of *fingers*, we want maximum traverse the mountain range.

The most advanced throw the  huge backpack on their shoulders, stocking up with food, tents and go around the array. But there is a *underwater reef*: break up a tent can be only in specially designated areas. Places must be booked in advance and paid. Police control in Chile quite strict. Unpaid catch very quickly. Penalty big, and then deportation from the reserve. Camping is still not everywhere. Therefore we decided not to make a full round. Half of round – not too little, about 80 miles in 5 days. This, including a hike on the glacier Lago Gray. However, you do not chase away anywhere. You can live in each place indefinitely (if paid).

There are  herds of guanacos, ostriches in recerve. Rabbits with enormous ears allowed to the people very close. A Chilean fox just begging for something to eat. Condors flying. A variety of birds. A lot of sheep. Land covered with flowers and herbs – summer is very short and harsh.

Tracking  can be  make  by yourself. All roads marked. Of course, just in case we took a GPS, food, clothing (in case of rain and cold), and sun block. Handy almost everything. By the famous *finger* we get 4,5 hours. It is 10 km. The most difficult was the last part of the way – a  very steep slope. But above we expect a real surprise – a steel-gray glacial lake, as on a canvas-fiction, grew three straight mountain. By the evening over the mountains appeared lenticular clouds or *plates*, as we called them. This atmospheric phenomenon in our region can not be seen. *Plate* appear in certain latitudes, and always have a sharp deterioration in the weather. The next day the weather deteriorated badly. In small lakes start a real storm, and the path to the glacier with a head wind we have done in 1,5 hours longer then without the wind!

Our next stop is the campsite near the lake Lago Pehoe. This opens another wonderful view on the array. We live in a tent. A lots of people. But many of them can not continue their trip – nowhere places – either camping or in shelters. And people are forced to return, because to get in one day in some very beautiful place and back is virtually impossible: too great a distance.

We made a *small* 20-kilometer walk in the mountains. On the way, swim in the purest glacial lakes. Water is invigorating, but clean as a tear!

And then we went to Glacier Gray. The road goes up slowly. Strong wind and cold. Initially, landscapes are strongly reminiscent of Karelia. Here and there, open lake, hills, mountains, covered with mosses and lichens, amazing low  trees. And then it seemed a miracle of nature – Glacier Lago Gray! The lake majestic icebergs floated. Road goes up and down. Appeared tiredness. Headwind!

At the campsite we arrived very tired. And how many people went to camp, was forced to turn around and go back! Placed just chronically lacked! This part of the way seems rather difficult and we decided on the way back take walking catamaran, which appeared there every day. Especially his final stop was next to our next place to sleep. We made a mistake – without reservation get  into catamaran was  unreal!

But we had another adventure – visiting Glacier Lake Gray. Glacial Area in Chile – the third by size in the world. Honorable first place belongs to Antarctica, and Greenland took second place. And the Chilean-Argentine glaciers, which are very important, not all melt away, and not all die. Some of them are still being updated and we have over many years can enjoy their beauty.

Glacier – an amazing thing on the body of the earth. The first time we got to the glacier in Argentina and fell in love with him once and forever. Glacier – is a living thing that grows, melts and moves to its own laws. Glacier may be 100, and perhaps a few thousand years. The speed of its flow is different – more in the center and smaller at the edges. Moving, changes the landscape of glaciers, changes the shape of the mountains. Actually in the body of the glacier has mountains, rivers, tunnels, and of course, lots of cracks. But at the same time, the glacier you can walk! And it is delicious! Walking, of course, in crampons, in certain places only, and always in conjunction with an ice pick. An experienced guide to quickly learn you all the basics of walking on the glacier. Only on the glacier can be seen a small lake with very blue water! Or frozen mosquito in a large air bubbles. Or something very interesting, which  has many, many years. Or simply enjoy the murmur of rivers under the ice.

And then we had another rafting  on kayaks on the Rio Serrano. The river that flows through the reserve. We were taken by car, along with kayaks, with food and tents in certain places. We were unlucky with the weather. River brawled. We waited several hours on shore, but the weather only got worse. Such waves not for kayak. Local boat took us with  our staff a bit further down the river, where we could hide from the weather.

In the morning the clouds have dispersed, but the piercing cold wind only increased. They had increased and the excitement of river. With great difficulty, in some places just go by foot with kayak on rope, we reached the place of our stay. The banks of the river are very picturesque. Several times we saw herds of wild horses. They came to drink water, curiously watching us and then disappearing with a whisper. All the time it was very, very cold. And after dinner usually was the rain. The tent we made in the pouring rain. And then two days were sun  shining and we were floating on the river past the magnificent mountains and glaciers gleaming in the distance. Our river flowed into a huge fjord. And yet we were able get  closer  with kayak to glacier and even push away  by oar from it. Glacier creaks . Since it is continually falling icicles and small water flows. Sometimes quite large detached boulders. Even small enough to turn our little kayak. But water is not more than 2-3 degrees!

Our wonderful trip to Torres del Paine Reserve lasted 10 days.