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 By coach and boat into the park
(Chile).: By the airline we already lacked a day and thus we decided
to go not only by the coach sonder still with a catamaran directly
to in the middle of the park to be able to use Birtes valuable time
optimally. Then in the Lago Peoe Nadine awaited us and twe came along
on the way in the Valle del Frances. |
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 Valle del Frances (Chile).: After we had
spent our first night in the Campamento Britannico the next morning
we enjoyed the wonderful morning mood surrounden from mountaintops.
At 10:30h we had finished our extensive breakfast, just on time, before
all those that had spent the night below in the valley arrived. |
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 Lot Cuernos (Chile).: The probably most
imposing rock formation in Torres del Paine are the Los Cuernos (horns).
Particularly in the play of the morning sun with the clouds the bright
rocks with the dark points look especially impressive. |
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 Lunch break (Chile).: Lunch break on the
way from the Campamento Cuernos to the Campamento Torres. As with
all travelling tours we have in our thermos jug hot water. 1 litre
is exact enough to conjure a cup of tea and 2 lunches for 2 people.
After the water for the tea is teken out the noodles for our Asia
noodle snacks are filled in the thermos jug, so that they can stream.
If the tea is drunk the noodles are also ready, so that we pour them
in our bowls and stir the sauce powder in. Without using a stove we
have thus within a few minutes a hot drink and a warm meal what is
a luxury not to be underestimated (or a gigantic security aspect in
particular on cold, windy and rainy days, because one can cool down
very easily if one must unpack the stove to make a warm meal). |
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 Knee problems (Chile).: Then in the third
day Birts knee became apparent bad before the Campamento of Torres
, and although she hhas strong pain we make it still to the camping
site. Birte is not alone with her knee pain, nevertheless which already
before had struck us that there here a lot of travellers is by the
area hobble. |
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 Torres del Paine (Chile): After these
three rocks the national park was named. After an extremely steep
slope one reaches the glacier lake below Torres del Paine, already
under normal conditions a magnificent view. |
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 Morning mood (Chile).: The highlight of
the national park is the view of Torres at sunrise. Also we want to
have a look at the spectacle of nature, nevertheless, Martin is a
little bit too late because he stayed too long in bed. Because Birtes
knee has not become better yet a lot we let Nadine run ahead, while
I took a little slower pace with Birte. Nadine came so though a little
bit out of breath, but exactly at the time in the view point in when
the mountains from grey about matt changed colour red in radiant orange!
Birte and I can catch only the view at the last points of the summits
and when we arrive at the view point the mountains are grayish again.
While all the other tourists start now the descent we unpack our thermos
jug and drink first of all comfortably a cup of tea, before we start
again to the descent. |
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 Plan B (Chile).: Already on half a way from the view
point back to our tent it caught in to rain and as it keeps on raining
we decide toin our tent fort the rest of the day. The next morning
Birtes knee is better , however, to play it safe we decide our tour
to put down something. Instead of continuing the circumnavigation
of the Torres we run back to the park entrance. There us takes a coach
with Birte to the Lago Pehoe and us to the administration go. While
Birte again travels with the catamaran over the lake to the Campamento
Pehoe Nadine and I hike from the park management to a camping site.
Because we had to wait very long for the coach, nevertheless, the
daylight was not sufficient for us any more, so that we meet after
an overnight stay in the Campamento Carretas the next morning again
Birte. From here we want to have a look together at the Glaciar Grey. |
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 Glaciar Grey I (Chile).: As well as the
glacier Perito Moreno and the Glaciar Geike Glaciar Grey makes his
way from the Campo Hielo Sur to a glacier lake. Only a few steps of
the Campamento Grey one comes to a very nice view point from one can
admire the glacier and some icebergs. |
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 Icebergs (Chile).: Also on the Lago Grey
there are swimming icebergs, even if they can keep up with those on
the Lago Geike they are lovely. |
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 Glaciar Grey II (Chile).: Nevertheless,
one has the substantially nicer view of the Grey of glaciers if one
follows about 1.5 hours the footpath. There the way runs parallel
with the gigantic glacier and so one can admire him in his whole size. |
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 Ice Hiking (Chile).: While Birte spends
one night alone I go with Nadine further to the Campamento Paso. Because
Birte wants to save her knee rather is our plan that Nadine goes to
complete the Circuit from here over the pass alone, while I plan to
do one more small paddle tour with Birte. In the Campamento Paso we
follow a beaten path which leads to directly to the glacier. Already
in Ushaia we had got ourselves Grödel (for not alpinists: Grödel
are the slight version of grampones, however only suitably if the
ice is relatively level). So we pull our Grödel over the shoes
and transfer us on the ice. Unfortunately, the ice is very bumpy,
so that the short points of our Grödel do not work really well,
but at least, we can turn a small round. |
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 Nadine alone on tour (Chile).: After
only two hours I had defeated the very precipitous increase of the
Paso John Gardner. On account of this precipitous increase it is recommended
to go anticlockwise and then to go down the precipitous side of the
pass. I was the only one that has gone clockwise and thus I had the
privilege to be in all view points completely alone. The weather was
perfect, I could look down rom the pass on the glacier with no cloud
in the sky, and see all surrounding mountains.
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 Camping Dickson (Chile).: Because I arrived
already at 13.00 o'clock in the camping place I decided to ignore
this and to use the good weather and to go to according to map further
4 hours to camping Dickson. On my my way I came in the glacier lot
Perros as well as in some wonderful view points the back of Torres
del Paine pointed before I, finally, in the Casmping Dickson with
his marvellous view arrived. |
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 Torres with sunrise (Chile).:
Also the next day I did the travelling distance most would do in two
days in one long day. The next morning I could admire therefore over
again the sunrise and the red colouring linked with it Torres from
my tent. Now I had to go only by coach at the other end of the park
to change there again to the bicycle and cycle 90 km back to Puerto
Natales . Because this, however, for a day, however, was a little
bit too much I spent the night 20 km of Puerto Natales situated national
park.. |
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 Outdoor Disney World "Torres
del Paine" (Chile.) : Torres del Paine Nationalpark is promised
in many guides as the highlight in Patagonia and the businesslike
Chileans have used this of course also immediately for her adview.
Starting from the fact that foreign tourists pay almost the fourfold
admission price up one finds to many five-star hotels (overnight stay
for 1000, - $) in the park. We have every now and then the feeling
that it here not this is why goes of protecting the nature and of
allowing an insight into a unique world to visitors (at least, the
park is an UNESCO World Heritage), but therefore here possibly a lot
of money is to be earned. Prices for a 2-day kayak tours is between
500, - to 800$ orone can do a half-day glacier tour for 130$. So far
the highest prices that we have seenin the world (in New Zealand a
3-day paddle tours comes for 250$ or all-day glacier tours for 70$)
. Because the park management has also sold the exclusive use of almost
all rivers as concessions to private companies here one may not paddle
except on Rio Serrano also as a private individual (presumably also
unique in the world).Also the park ranger could not persuade us really.
Instead of taking care of the park (especially on the way to the view
point Torre one must search for himself because mainly his way in
the stone field himself what of course worsened the erosion) have
concentrated a lot of ranger more on it also to invite all only travelling
girl in the evening to to the party in their ranger house! As already
said, the park is really very nice, however, thanks to the tourist
masses here yearly and by the fact that the salary in the park visitors
before the nature conservation seems to stand leave with us with a
sad feeling. For us Torres del Paine resembles rather Outdoor Disney
land than a national park. Fitz Roy NP in Argentina was much better. |
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