Patagonia 2009 with Explore, Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Paine, Fitzroy, Cerro Torre, Calafate and more.

 

 

 

Jan 10th. Gatwick airport, the temperature is -7C and all the planes are being de-iced, but there's no rush as we have some 8 hours to wait in Madrid. Eighteen hours as it turns out as Madrid was closed due to snow yesterday and our plane is still in Buenos Aires. We've only been to Madrid airport twice and both times we have spent a night in an hotel, last time due to Iberia quietly canceling our flight. See previous SA trip.

Jan 11th. On our way at last to BA with Aerolineas Argentinas. OK, so the planes were rather well used but did the crew have to be quite so grumpy and did the food have to be quite so dire and did they forget to order a gluten free meal for Sue as requested? We decided that we would gladly pay another £10 or more on the fare for some decent food and a smile. It turned out even worse for Tina, whose luggage was not to reappear until a week later. We arrived in BA 7pm local time, where we and the rest of our group were met by our Explore guide David Hilton and whisked of to our hotel, the BA Waldorf. After catching our breaths we were out to dinner for one of those legendary Argentinean steaks that we'd been reading about. It was all true.

Jan 12th. Early start from our hotel to the airport for a 3 1/2 hour flight to Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego see top left. This pleasant frontier town lays claim to being the most southerly town on the planet though across the Beagle Channel, predictably, the Chilean town of Puerto Williams contests that claim. It's a smaller town though, and all the boats heading for Antarctica seemed to use the facilities in Ushuaia. No sooner had we collected our luggage when we were off on a boat trip on the Beagle Channel after an impromptu clothes changing session on the pavement next to our coach. All except Paddy that is, his bright red Explore bag failed to appear at Ushuaia though he did get it back a few days later. Two down and 14 to go?

Our 3 hour trip up the Beagle channel with the encyclopedic guide Carla proved fascinating and we saw lots of sleepy Southern Sea Lions, Rock, King and Emperor Cormorants and various ducks, skuas and geese, (see footer). After our evening meal we were treated to one of those once in a lifetime sunsets which we almost missed.

Jan 13th. We spent the morning pottering around Ushuaia, taking photographs, sampling chocolate and cakes (except for Sue who is coeliac) and getting an Ushuaia 'End of the World' stamp for our passports. The weather was unseasonably warm and in the afternoon we were taken on an easy walk around the Tierra del Fuego National Park with a local guide where there were lots of unusual plants and animals including a beaver. Many of the plants had been wrongly identified when they were first found and now seemed to be graced with a 'false' prefix.

Jan 14th. Despite Chilean Punta Arenas just across the Magellan Straits looking quite close on our map, the journey took over 12 hours, no thanks in part to the dilatory action and the mindless bureaucracy at the Argentinean customs. As we travelled, the bleak hills which surrounded Ushuaia gradually changed into rolling sage green steppe which seemed to cover most of lowland southern Patagonia, and the roads, once surfaced now became gravel. Picture left shows our coach being loaded onto the ferry across the straits for the 30min trip from Bahia Azul to Pta. Delgada with South America's most sSouthern lighthouse. After the crossing, the gravel roads gave way to asphalt, first west then south to our overnight stay at the Hotel Savoy in Punta Arenas.

Jan 15th. Today we headed for the Torres del Paine National Park, another full day on the coach, broken by a coffee and cake stop with Llama and a visit to the Milodon cave near Puerto Natales. The cave, huge though it was, was just a deep hollow in what had been sea cliffs some 10000 years ago and the Milodon bones which had been found in 1895 by Otto Nordenskjold were now safely ensconced in the British museum and replaced by a large plastic replica. We felt a little disappointed with the visit, perhaps exacerbated by the rain which was becoming persistent as we approached the mountains. Full marks to our guide though, who bubbled over with enthusiasm throughout our visit.

Left, Yerba time, the Milidon cave, notice board, "as I was saying to my learned friend..", Unidentified flower.

In the gathering gloom of the evening, the coach topped a rise in a potholed gravel road and through the driving rain we glimpsed a collection of cabins and larger buildings dotted across a sodden plain between a grey lake and a grey meandering river. Our first glimpse of the Paine National Park. Our accommodation however was brand new (picture 1) , we were warmly welcomed as the first visitors and later, the friendly bubbling restaurant soon had our spirits on the rise.

Jan 16th. The rain and wind rattled on the roof all night and next morning David informed us that the National Park had closed the route that we planned to take to the Torres del Paine due to snow and high wind. Somewhat disappointed, we took to the foothills with a NP guide and were able to glimpse many of the park's highlights through the squally showers that battered the peaks including Condors, Guanaco and petraglyphs. Left top shows the Cuernos across the waters of Lago Pehoe. The Fortress and The Cathedral would probably have been visible up the Francis valley to the left of the Cuernos had it not been for the cloud. Above also, Guanaco, Patagonia's answer to the Llama and the Towers of Paine through the driving rain.

Jan 17th. Up at 5.30 for a 6.30 start on the coach which was to take us to Lago Grey for a look at the glacier which is calving into the lake. Lago Grey and its glacier are on the west side of the Paine massif and is one of the many arms of the great Southern Icecap which sits on the Patagonian tip of the Andes and many a tale can be told of explorers who have crossed or attempted to cross this ice sheet from the Pacific side. Our visit was on a 3 hour boat trip and still bleary eyed we were allocated life jackets as we boarded the dinghy which took us out to our boat. I suspect that the life jackets were almost academic as survival time in water close to zero is probably only a couple of minutes, still, the thought was there. Above, Sue and the glacier, a view of Glacier Grey, Sue on the Zodiac, iceberg, and another iceberg.

Top left, the Chilean Firebush Embothrium coccinium and below it, the ubiquitous Calafate Berberis buxifolia. Legend has it that if one eats a berry of the Calafate one is sure to return. More seed than berry, we liked them so much we bought the jam. Back again soon then and last, unknown flower

Bottom the Puma, Puma, Puma. On the return trip by coach to our hotel David stopped in mid flow while describing some aspect of the local history. He's rarely lost for words but on this occasion a Puma took his voice. The coach slewed to a halt and we all rushed out to be rewarded by glimpses of a large sandy coloured feline disappearing into the undergrowth. We all attempted photographs too but Bob's turned out by far the best. Something of a coup, apparently puma are rarely seen in the area.

Jan 18th. Up early and off the Argentina.This time there was a bit less bureaucracy at the border and we were soon on our way through dun coloured steppe along the legendry Routa 40 which runs along the east side of the Andes for 5000km from Cabo Virgenes in Santa Cruz province in the south to La Quiaca in Jujuy Province in the north. For hundreds of km the scenery was much the same, brown, bare grass and shallow ravines and it was possible to fall asleep and wake half a hour later with no apparent change in scenery. Eventually we arrived at the side of Lago Argentino the largest lake in Argentina and soon, the town of El Calafate where we were to spent 3 nights.

Jan 19th. A free day and after a bit of light shopping in the busy little tourist town of El Calafate the four of us, Mal, Bob, Sue and I headed for a hill behind the town that had been recommended to us. The walking was relatively easy, despite the number of prickly bushes and ferocious burr spreading vegetation, though there was something of a headwind which eventually beat the distaff side of the team Sue and Mal, into submission. Pressing on for another 15 minutes rewarded Bob and myself with fine views over the town and a distant glimpse of two sharp peaks on the horizon, Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy.

Descending, we were admonished by the leader of a touring group in 4x4s, who informed that the land was private (isn't it all?) and that it was dangerous up here and people had died. It looked about as dangerous as Stanage Edge to me and I resisted telling him that the four of us had either climbed or walked in many mountainous places on the planet since before he was born. I guess he and his clients had paid dearly to drive up the hill.

Anyway, we all got sun burned and were forced to consume lots of anaesthetic in the local bar to counteract it when we got back. Tablita restaurant, lamb as you have never tasted it. Tesco eat your heart out.

Jan 20th. Another fine day and we all piled onto the coach for a trip to Perito Moreno glacier. The drive took us about an hour and the site was something of a tourist trap but once there one could see why. The Perito Moreno glacier was unique for two reasons, 1. it was not retreating and 2. it had an interesting habit of cutting off the outflow from the Brazo Rico lake into the Canal de los Tempanos, its natural exit, just discernable on the map. Consequently the water level in Brazo Rico gradually rises for up to 30m until it is able to break through the ice barrier and drain to its natural level. Picture left shows the Brazo Rico side of the glacier.

We took the obligatory boat trip along with about 100 other tourists to examine the ice cliffs and tottering seracs at the glacier snout though none would oblige and calve off into the lake for us. After, the coach took us to a series of wooden walkways which zigzagged around the hillside opposite the division between the two halves of the glacier. It was very busy with people like us but the position was almost as spectacular as the boat trip. Currently, the water from Brazo Rico was passing through an ice tunnel, bits of which kept dropping into the lake.

Jan 21st. On the road again, this time to the town of El Chalten north of Lago Viedma and the starting point for exploration and climbing in the Fitz Roy group. Despite looking close on our map the journey took over three hours, once more across the brown semi-desert of the steppes until, on topping a small rise in the road the whole of the Fitz Roy group and the Cerro Torre became visible, starkly outlined against a backdrop of grey sky and lenticular clouds. This was a stunning view and we were told that we were fortunate to see these peaks out of the cloud. The road dropped down to the small town of El Chalten, the indian name for Fitz Roy and a place whose existence depends entirely on tourists and climbers. Once we had settled into our pleasant hotel, the four of us Mal, Bob, Sue and I took the 50 minute walk up to the Cerro Torre viewpoint and onto Cerro dos Condores where we saw dos condores but no Cerro Torre, it was covered in cloud. As the evening wore on, the sky became overcast and the rain started.

Above left, Cerro Fitz Roy, right, Cerro Torre.

Opposite our hotel was a microbrewery selling excellent home brewed ale from the brewery in the back room, a happy coincedence. They also sold excellent food so we didn't even need to try and stand up.

Jan 22nd. Overnight and into the morning the rain drummed down on our hotel roof and our planned walk up to the Fitz Roy base camp became delayed. Around mid day however, the rain eased and the sun showed signs of breaking through and accompanied by our guide we took a shortened version of the Base Camp walk. The clouds cleared, the sun broke through and we were awarded some spectacular views of the Fitz Roy and Cerro Poincenot, top left.

In the evening we had a final group dinner at a local restaurant as Kate, Ken, Tina, Hazel, Evan and Paddy were diverting to Trelew and the Valdes peninsula on the Atlantic coast of Argentina to check out penguins and things. Now we were 10.

Jan 23rd. At breakfast we met a slightly spooked Dave who had just returned from and early morning walk up to the Cerro Torre view point hoping to see the sunrise. No sunrise apparently but he did meet with a Puma sitting on the path. His rather shaky pictures of the cat perhaps reflected the state of his nerves at the time. Our feline friend slunk off into the undergrowth, much to Dave's relief. After breakfast, the four of us walked up to the same viewpoint once again, no Pumas but this time Cerro Torre was visible in all its savagery, see lower picture and the Gallery.

Cesare Maestri claimed in 1959 that he and Toni Egger had reached the summit and that Egger had been swept to his death by an avalanche while they were descending. However, inconsistencies in Maestri's account, and the lack of bolts, pitons or fixed ropes on the route has led most mountaineers to doubt Maestri's claim. Only in 2005, after many attempts by world-class Alpinists, was a confirmed route put up on the face that Maestri claimed to have climbed.

The first undisputed ascent is that by Daniele Chiappa, Mario Conti, Casimiro Ferrari, and Pino Negri in 1974.

In 1977 the first Alpine style ascent was completed by Dave Carman, John Bragg and Jay Wilson. They spent a week climbing Cerro Torre an ascent which had previously taken the Italian group two months.

In the afternoon we climbed back into our coach on the first leg of our journey home. First El Calafate airport, then a flight to Buenos Aires arriving at the Waldorf Hotel about 1.30am.

Jan 24th. BA was quite warm, probably low 30C and the four of us pottered around the city, first visiting the nature reserve at Puerto Madero where there was not much to see at this time of year and then working our way back through a labyrinthine matrix of streets and alleys, past markets piled high with fruit, clothes, mattes and jewelry, past tango dancers and traditional indian dancers in brightly coloured clothes until we finally stumbled on our hotel. Here, a coach took us on a whirlwind tour of the city including the obligatory grave of Eva Peron in La Recoleta cemetery and the brightly coloured artist quarter of La Boca.

So that was it. The 12 hour flight from BA airport to Madrid was more or less on time, as was our connection from Madrid to Gatwick. As before, Aerolineas Argentinas failed to come up with a gluten free meal for Sue that we had ordered and had she not brought some rice cakes with her she would have gone hungry on the 12 flight to Madrid. Were we surprised? No.

Below, BA street scen, Argentinian Tango Dancers, La Boca district.

Thanks Explore, David and everyone in the group for a wonderful trip to Patagonia.

Comments.

There are two main comments that we would make about what was otherwise a very enjoyable trip.

1. With hindsight, we would have preferred to have travelled or had the option to travel direct with British Airways and paid the extra. AA left a lot to be desired particularly the very poor food and the unhelpful attitude of the cabin crew.

2. The extra night spent in Calafate would have been better spent in El Chalten where there more scope for walking and other activities. Another day in Ushuaia and one in Torres del Paine would also have been nice.

chris.jackson@zen.co.uk

• Fauna
• Lesser Rhea Pterocnemia pennata
• Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis
• Coscoroba Swan Coscoroba coscoroba
• Black-necked Swan Cygnus melancorphus
• Upland Goose Chloephaga picta
• Crested Duck Lophonetta specularoides
• Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica
• Andean Condor Vultur gryphus
• Southern Crested Caracara Caracara plancus
• Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
• Austral Parakeet Enicognathus ferrugineus
• Long-tailed Meadowlark Sturnella loyca
• Guanaco Llama guanicoe
• Puma Felis cocolor
• Patagonian Grey Fox Dusicyon griseus
• Rock Cormorant Phalacrocorax megellanicus
• King Cormorant Phalacrocorax albiventer
• Imperial Cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps

 

• Flora
• Antarctic deciduous beech Nothofagus antarctica
• Evergreen beech Nothofagus betuloides
• Tall deciduous beech Nothofagus pumillo
• Fire-bush Embothrium coccineum
• Patagonian Christmas bush Baccharis patagonica
• Calafate Berberis buxifolia
• Diddle-dee Empetrum rubrum
• Escallonia Escallonia rubra
• Escallonia Escallonia virgata
• Native fuschia Fuschia megellanica
• Mata Negra Junella tridens
• Neneo Mulinum spinosum
• Prickly heath Pernettya mucronata
• Wild currant Ribes magellanicum
• Pirri-pirri Acaenia ovalifolia
• Native anemone Anemone multifida
• Sea Pink Armeria maritima
• Lady's slipper Calceolaria biflora
• Lady's slipper Calceolaria uniflora
• Magellan orchid Chloraea megallanica
• Yellow orchid Gravilia lutea
• Native gentian Gentianella magellanica
• Wild geranium Geranium megellanicum
• Megellanic avens Geum megellanicum
• Devil's strawberry Gunnera megellanica
• Patagonian pea Lathyrus nervosus
• Loasa Loasa argentina
• Fuegian edelweiss Perizia magellanica
• Phacelia Phacelia secunda
• Streaked maiden Phaiophies biflora
• Quinchimali Quinchimallum chilense
• Pedunculate buttercup Renunculus peduncularis
• Magellan daisy Senecio magellanico
• Sand satin flower Sisyrinchium arenarium
• Yellow violet Viola reichei
• Magellan club moss Licopodium magellanicum
• False mistletoe Mizodendrum sp.
• Winter's bark Drymis winteri