Checked into someones house or should I say hostel before beginning "the W" trek in the Torres del Paine national park. So named because of the shape of the trail. In the teeny tiny town of Puerta Natales we found a trekker's dream, a dried fruit and nut stand. Lots of shoe box sized containers with dried kiwis, pears, melons, strawberries, candied peanuts, to name some of the more exotic ones.
Next came normal food and we stopped at a supermarket chain that seemed to be out of everything crucial to a backpacking trip , flavored instant oatmeal, salami, tuna in pouches (cans weigh a bunch), hot chocolate, peanut butter. Most of these are due to simply being in south America but being out of any sort of dried salami like meat, I mean come on ! Luckily we passed a second store later on that topped off our supplies.
A bus took us into the national park and we boarded a catamaran to begin the first leg of the trek. Clouds and misting rain were hanging low in the sky so i wasn't sure what to expect. The plan was to hike for 6 days and 5 nights to cover 80 kilometers, my longest trek ever!
A spectacular landscape and the best mountain views I've ever seen accompanied us along the hike. We stayed at mountain cabins and ate dinners there while bringing our own lunches. The dinners rated 5 stars every night, slow cooked chicken, creamy tomato soup, fresh baked herb bread, home made salsa, and chocolate mousse. I would have easily paid $40 or $50 dollars back home in the city.
Lady luck travelled with us as well and gave us sunny skies or clear views with only two days of light mist for an hour or so. One day the wind blew so strongly that I had to stop and stabilize myself (thank you trekking poles) whenever I heard it coming, later we learned it was up to 70 km/h.
All too soon the hike was finished and after four different buses/shuttles we made it back to El Calafate.
Location:Torres del Paine, Chile
