Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales

Monday, February 6, 2023 

 Well, the long awaited trip has begun. Irene O’Toole, our travelling companion, arrived at our home just after 8 am and the taxi to the airport arrived at 8:30. Bags packed, luggage loaded, we were off to the airport. We arrived in Toronto in plenty of time for our flight and got checked in with little fuss. The wheelchair agents were quite litigious in their approach and it took some time and some additional paperwork to arrange for two wheelchairs for Irene and I. With the support of our ‘pushers’ we made our way to the Air Canada lounge and enjoyed lunch before we boarded our plane.  

The first leg of our journey was quite pleasant, a short flight to Miami. We had a 4 hour layover in Miami. Sadly, the lounge was closed so we found a restaurant area near our gate and enjoyed margaritas and some Mexican food while we waited. Our wheelchairs were readily available and the service provided was wonderful. The second flight was a longer one, 7 hours from Miami to Santiago. The selection of movies was reasonable, the food service was excellent but sleep was elusive and we were all quite tired when we arrived at our first stop in South America. We had crossed the equator en route and were already in the southern hemisphere. 

Giovanni, our porter, was an amazing support as we navigated the large, crowded airport. He collected our luggage, pushed luggage carts and wheelchairs simultaneously, sorted out the necessary paperwork and assisted our transition from the international terminal to the domestic terminal, a formidable distance, especially when navigating luggage and wheelchairs. He spoke some English and used Google Translate to help when communication broke down. He literally transported all of us and all of our luggage from our point of arrival to the point of departure, walking extremely long distances between the two. Giovanni was with us for over two hours and remained cheery and supportive throughout that time. Irene needs to navigate this airport alone when she heads back to Canada. She has Giovanni’s phone number and will meet up with him again. 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 

We boarded our final flight early Tuesday morning and arrived at our destination, Punta Arenas, about noon. All our luggage had also survived the journey and arrived with us. We were very happy about that. A pre-arranged taxi picked us up and transported us to our accommodation in Punta Arenas. The views of the Andes along the way were spectacular!! In spite of cloud cover and dense smoke caused by wildfires along the way, lofty snow covered mountain peaks were abundant. Rugged rockfaces created the landscape; striking steep slopes were void of vegetation. Occasionally river valleys and small communities were visible and there was a myriad of lakes at high and lower altitudes. What amazing terrain! We settled into the small cabin that Jim had arranged and took on the task of life’s essentials – some grocery shopping, some much needed sleep, access to the internet (that is a story unto itself) and arranging to pick up our rental vehicle. Everything is more difficult when you do not speak the language. 

One of the challenges that remains as I write this is reliable access to electricity. The outlets in Chile are different from home and, although we brought a range of adaptors and a converter with us, none of the combinations has worked so far. We do have new SIM cards in our phone so, thankfully, we can communicate with the world. Then came to dreaded message. The Navimag, the freighter journey around which we have planned this journey, has been delayed by three days due to mechanical difficulties. Turning on a dime, we are now reorganizing our plans so that we can still see all the things we had planned as well as boarding the Navimag on the new departure date. Jim is amazingly patient and adaptable in this kind of circumstance. Irene and I have offered some ideas but the essence of the new plan will still be developed because of Jim’s prowess at trip planning. In the meantime, we have purchased some groceries and will have a great dinner, bacon and eggs, and then head off to bed for some much needed rest. Tomorrow will be a new day. Today, we have reached our first destination. That, in and of itself, has been an adventure and a major accomplishment. 

 Wednesday, February 8, 2023 

Wednesday arrived. The sky was a bright blue and the sun shone brightly. We waited to hear about a rental car and Jim made several phone calls to make arrangements for the changes in our itinerary. The morning was quite relaxing and just what we needed. It finally became clear that the rental car we thought had been arranged was not going to be available. So we made a list of the places in Punta Arenas that we would like to see and called an Uber to take us to those places. Enter Hector, the driver. He spoke some English and used google-translate expertly. He was very pleasant and accommodating as we told him where we would like to go and when, on a whim, we would like to take a photo. We spent about 3 hours with Hector exploring the centre of the city, noting the many styles and ages of architecture. He took us to the oceanfront and waited patiently as we took pictures of ships and birds and flowers along the way. We saw our first seabirds, very large black and white birds … but not penguins because these birds could fly. With the help of google-translate, we learned they were a type of cormorrant. They certainly are large in this neck of the woods. Jim was suffering from a sore tooth so we asked Hector to stop at a dental office. Jim walked in off the street and was seen immediately. The dentist checked his teeth and a technician took an xray using new technology that we have never seen in Canada. A simple treatment plan was devised and, within 30 minutes, Jim was back in the car. Total bill for the appointment …. $14.00 Canadian dollars. No wonder people go to other countries for dental treatments. 

We passed by many small ‘mercados’, corner stores, in many neighbourhoods. Hector took us to a large mall that had a large supermarket. Jim and Irene went in to do a bit of grocery shopping while Hector and I continued our tour of Punta Arenas. This time Hector took me to see a variety of housing, mostly homes that only wealthy people would afford. It was fascinating to see so many styles of homes but almost none that resembled architecture at home. The most evident difference was the use of colour in the construction. Reds, blues, greens, yellows, even purple homes filled the landscape. Most were brick or frame buildings but concrete blocks were used in the taller, narrower homes. It was fascinating. We passed by two schools, both large and well appointed. And we saw many tiny shops woven into the tapestry of neighbourhoods, not set apart from the homes but integrated into the community. Many of the shops were no larger than a single garage and featured many different offerings … variety stores, hair salons, bicycle repair, fish shops, car repair, hand carwashes etc. In one especially high end neighbourhood, I asked Hector to stop because I saw something I have never seen before. Three beautifully groomed horses were standing on the sidewalk, totally untethered.

We stopped so I could take a photo. They were totally unphased, clearly comfortable being a community street, just as a dog or cat might be at home. Apparently they were owned by some nearby neighbours and regularly explore the neighbourhood independently. Our final destination on this part of the city tour was to visit little Canada. This area of town was filled with well kept but modest households. Every street was named after a Canadian city ranging from Halifax to Vancouver. I made a special note of Ottawa and Toronto streets. Fascinating! We will do a little research about how this area evolved. Back to pick up Irene and Jim and then off to our little cabin for a tasty meal of salmon lasagne (delicious), carrots and some cookies. A nice cup of tea topped off the day. Time for bed. 

Thursday, February 10, 2023 

Our plan for today which was to take a boat tour to two islands to see penguins was foiled by another rental car mix-up. We thought the rental car was being delivered to us at 9 am but, in fact, it did not arrive until 10 am which made it too late to catch the boat to go the penguin islands. We were disappointed but quickly made new plans for the day. The good news was that the car was a very familiar but brand new SUV. We started by locating a tech store where we could get electrical adaptors. Although we each brought one with us, between phones, computers and camera batteries, we found that we needed more. Whatever happened to a simple lifestyle? 

 On our way out of town we visited the Sara Braun Cemetery of Punta Arenas, filled to the mas with large crypts, notable and unique graves and a perpetual flower stand outside. It was amazing to see how many visitors came to the cemetery. As much as we could we drove along the seashore. The water was very calm in spite of the high winds. The sunshine made the water sparkle. What a treat to be so close. Along the way we dropped into the Universidad de Magallanes, one of three universities in Punta Arenas. We passed by the humanities, education and arts buildings. The campus was very quiet. Clearly, classes are not currently in session. 

Next we stopped to see Magellan’s ship from his exploration and discovery of Chile. It was a spectacular replica of the only ship that made it all the way around the world in the Magellan expedition.

The other five ships sank along the way. In addition to the ship, we were amazed at the adjacent neighbourhood of high end houses along the seashore, mostly because the only access was a poor quality dirt road through a junk yard. 

 Finally we were on the open road heading for Puerto Natales, about 200 kilometres north.The road was excellent; there was little traffic; we passed by thousands of sheep including a horse and dog sheep round up. We were also fortunate to encounter abundant wildlife – a small herd of guanaco

(members of the llama family), pichi (a dwarf armadillo) grazing grass along the highway, several Darwin’s rhea

(large birds related to ostriches and emus), Inca tern, southern crested caracara (second largest falcon in the word), flamingoes, black necked swans

, a white swan, and a dead skunk, of course easily identified by the odour. We did not know that skunks lived in Chile. 

Finally we arrived in Puerto Natales but struggled to find our accommodation. We had an address but could not find it. After several false attempts, Jim finally called the proprietor who gave us the correct address. Still, with no business sign to guide us, it was difficult to find. But the frustration faded away when we entered the cabin we had rented. It sat high on a hill overlooking a verdant green lake with snowy Andes mountains in the distance, past the border of Argentina. Pinch me … am I really here? A quick settling in preceded a brisk run for some groceries followed by a delicious dinner at El Brisket, a smokehouse restaurant in the main area of Puerto Natales. A shared plate of smoked meats and a variety of vegetables and sauces was just what we needed. Jim and I each had a beverage - for Jim, a pisco sour, and for me a calafate sour (made from Chilean fruit). They were both very good but we preferred the original pisco sour. 

Back to our cabin after dinner, we watched dark descend upon the lake and mountains. The city before us transformed from a bustling tourist town into a community of twinkling lights against a dark sky. A quiet evening of writing and planning brought this day to an end. Friday, February 11, 2023 What a great day we have had!! It did start a bit early as we needed to be in city centre by 7 am to board a bus for a day long trip. Our destination was Torres del Paine National Park, described as the most beautiful park in all of Chile. The park is about a 2 ½ hour ride north from Puerto Natales. But we did not have to wait for 2 ½ hours for the excitement to begin. We began to see wildlife almost immediately. Guanacos by the dozen … small herds with males, females and babies. We even saw one little fellow having his breakfast. Rheas were plentiful as well. As time passed we saw condors flying high overhead and flamingoes feasting in a pond. Black-necked swans and black-necked geese were in several locations. Jim is pretty sure he saw a parakeet and we did see some ibis.  

As we approached the park, the landscape became more and more rugged. When we turned off the highway, the roads changed to gravel. Our driver was clearly familiar with the roads as we moved along at higher speeds than we might have chosen. His confidence showed at every curve and turn. The landscape became quite rolling as we got closer to the mountains. The vegetation covering the ground changed often, ranging from broad swaths of moss, many kinds of grasses to small trees attempting to be a forest. An interesting fact … some trees in Chile lose their leaves in the summer due to a lack of moisture in the soil. The regain their leaves as summer turns to autumn. More animals were sighted along the way, primarily guanacos and rhea. Occasional rivers flowed through the park, although some of the riverbeds were dry. There were also several marshy areas, many of which were also dry. Wildflowers such as daisies, buttercups and lupins grew along the roadsides. The landscape transformed from rolling to rugged as we neared the true mountains in the park. A part of the magnificent Andes range, a ring of mountains towered around us. Many had snow near the peaks but several also had huge glaciers that extended far down the mountainsides. Cloud cover cloaked the peaks at times but we managed to see the amazing shapes, snow, ice and shadows that these giants brought to the landscape.

Our driver and our guide were generous in the number of stops we made and the length of time we were given to take photos. Needless to say, the cameras were busy. Finally we took a break for a modest lunch at a park lodge (this is definitely not Banff or Jasper) before we headed further up to some wonderous lookouts. Glaciers, lakes and waterfalls were abundant. And the sun was our friend most of the afternoon. 

On our way back to Puerto Natales, we came across a car that had rolled over on the roadway just moments before we arrived. The car was laying on its side at the edge of a curve on the gravel road. Of course, we stopped to help. Most of the men on the bus disembarked and became part of a team that rescued three young occupants from the car. They all climbed up and out of the side door of the vehicle with the assistance of the men. Fortunately, none of them seemed to be injured. Then, the men again worked together and actually rolled the car back to an upright position. It appeared that one back wheel was quite badly damaged and the car was not driveable. Calls were made so that help was on the way. Our men reboarded the bus and we headed on our way. We did notice that our own driver slowed down on the gravel curves, at least for a short time. 

Our final stop on this day trip was to Mylodon Cave National Monument. This cave is the place that a mylodon skeleton was first discovered as well as evidence of human habitation 14,000 years ago. The cave was naturally created by erosion caused by waves from the lake that formed from melting glaciers tens of thousands of years ago. An interesting stop, indeed. 

And then we were back in Puerto Natales. A short drive along the lakeshore led us home for the day. It was enjoyable simply sitting in our cabin enjoying the warmth and shine of the day. No need to go out for dinner as we had enough food in the fridge to make delicious sandwiches accompanied by fresh vegetables with fruit for dessert. 

Puerto Natales is a lovely, if small, community, a hub for tourist activity with many unique shops and restaurants. It bears greater exploration before we leave this area. 

Saturday, February 11, 2023 

We started our day with several errands in Puerto Natales. First, the computer shop, next a photocopy shop, third a hardware store and, finally, a short drive around town to take some photos. It was almost noon by the time we pulled into the local Shell station for fuel. 

In spite of our efforts for an early start, we headed out on the road much later than expected. Today our destination was El Califate in Argentina, about a 4 hour drive from Puerto Natales. Full of confidence and excitement, we were on the road. A short distance from Puerto Natales, we came to the village of Dorotea. That is where the border control for Chile and Argentina is located. We were rather overwhelmed by the number of people travelling in both directions but, I suppose, it was a Saturday. We parked the car and waited patiently in the long line of people who were leaving Chile and entering Argentina. It is a multi-pronged process. First, we had to present our passports and the exit document that we received as we entered Chile. That is how they know we are leaving the country. Next we had to show a document giving us permission to drive a rental vehicle across the border. Then we were officially out of Chile. Next we drove a few kilometers (beautiful mountain scenery along the way) to the border control station for Argentina. Once again we parked and joined a somewhat shorter line of people who wanted to enter Argentina. Again, passports and car document needed to be presented and stamped. We could now officially drive into Argentina. We will have to reverse this process when we return to Puerto Natales on Monday. 

El Calafate is about a 3 hour drive from the border. The road climbed and descended several mountains along the way. Green forests covered most of the landscape, quite a change from the barren mountains in Chile. However, as we climbed the last mountain, the terrain and the vegetation shifted dramatically. We were now driving on a high plain with some rolling countryside but generally quite flat. Fences lined the highway on both sides as the land was primarily inhabited by sheep. There were several ranch entrances along the way. But the land itself was quite barren and it was not clear what the sheep would be able to eat. Clumps of very spiky grass peppered the fields, not a very appetizing diet for the sheep. 

There are two routes to El Calafate. The shorter route involves a several kilometre gravel road. Not being afraid of travelling on gravel, we set out along this road. It was a significantly shorter route than the paved alternative. Sadly, the road had not been graded for a long time and the gravel had moved into piles that flanked the tracks where wheels could move. It was quite difficult to drive but we were excited about the many sightings of wildlife. More guanacos and rhea grazed on the barren land. Several species of ducks crowded around the sparse waterholes. A large hare crossed the road in front of us. Wow, were his ears long!! Also travelling along this road was a small white car. We passed him early on and later he passed us as we stopped to take photos. The road continued to be rugged but passable. However, the small white car changed its mind about continuing along the road. In broken Spanish and English, we learned that not far ahead the quality of the road deteriorated significantly and they had decided to head back to the main highway instead. We had a decision to make … at which point we encountered two bicyclists from Brazil who had just traversed the next section of the road. They were emphatic in their advice to turn around as the road was virtually impassable. We took their advice and also headed back to the main highway. We had spent over an hour on the gravel but we were amply rewarded by the presence of so much wildlife. There was no doubt that the quality of the main road significantly surpasses the previous gravel road. Although the route was quite a bit longer, it was safer and more enjoyable. The landscape was similar but we did see an occasional flock of sheep munching on the scarce vegetation. 

We stopped about mid afternoon for some lunch and were told, “no menu now”. It clearly was not a mealtime at the only restaurant along the route. We shared two pieces of cake and carried on our way. Fresh fruit in the car supplemented our meagre lunch and was delicious. We especially enjoyed the donut nectarines. They have the same colouration and flavour of nectarines but they are truly shaped like donuts with the stem being a knot in a depression in the middle of the fruit. 

As we drew closer to El Calafate, the landscape changed once again. We had been travelling on a high plain which transformed into rolling hills and steep plunges into valleys far below. It was exquisite countryside and we thoroughly enjoyed this part of the journey, including two look-outs that offered enormous panoramas. We finally came to the edge of El Calafate where we encountered a highly unexpected delay. There was a police barricade and each vehicle was stopped and questioned. Passports were required, the international car permit was required and I, the driver, had to produce my driver’s licence. We seemed to pass muster and were allowed to continue into town. Several other vehicles were detained and searched by officers and dogs. Wow!! All of that just to enter the city. We found our accommodation, a cute little cottage tucked into a lovely neighbourhood. There was a pizza place next door where we enjoyed a dinner (the servings were enormous – enough for tomorrow night as well). A trip to a bakery for some breakfast food completed our day. We are all settled in for the evening and preparing our gear for a boat tour tomorrow. More on that tomorrow. 

Sunday, February 12, 2023 

It was an early start today as we headed for the Glacier Morito Moreno, about 2 ½ hours south of El Calafate. The landscape was barren of vegetation and quite flat for the first part of the drive. We travelled alongside a beautiful lake and enjoyed the solitude of the early morning. What made it even more beautiful was the magnificent sunrise that coloured the clouds pink and reflected on the distant mountain peaks.

Early morning wildlife was abundant. The now familiar guanaco and rhea foraged for food on the wide open plains. Long eared hares hopped along the shoulders of the road searching for food. And two long-nosed skunks wandered across the road, totally unaware of the near disaster with the vehicle. As we travelled, we moved closer and closer to the once distant mountains. Peaks reached for the sky in every direction. The last section of flat road was a multi-mile straight stretch, unusually flanked by lush green trees. It felt like we were in a royal parade, making our way down the mall.

Finally, we turned to the east and began the long climb up the winding mountain road. We climbed for a long time and finally reached the entrance to the Glaciers National Park. We were surprised to find the park gates closed. We were the only car and the only people there. Eventually, Jim found a sign that said the park opened at 8 am. We had almost an hour to wait. Gradually other vehicles arrived and joined the line. As advertised, at 8 am park rangers began the process of selling park entry tickets and sending us on our way. As with many things, operating in a different language can be challenging and we did not fully understand the various steps of ticketing and park entry (everything seems a bit more complicated than necessary). Nonetheless, about 8:15 am, we were given the ‘go’ signal and proceeded into the park. 

The road was winding and steep as it continued to climb higher into the mountains. A forest flanked us on both sides and wildflowers often brightened the shoulders. It took about an hour to travel the short distance to the boat launch area where we would board a boat and travel to the face of the Moreno Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in the world. We stopped at lookouts along the way to feast our eyes on this magnificent natural phenomenon. The word awesome cannot describe what was before us. 

At 10 am, we left the dock and travelled a short distance to the face of the glacier. Actually, at this location, three enormous glaciers all come together and have become a major watershed for Lake Argentino, 165 km long. The milky green/blue runoff from the glaciers gives a beautiful hue to the lake. We spent an hour admiring and photographing the face of the glacier. The face of the glacier rises 60 metres above the lake and I can report that from one side of the lake to the other it extends for 2 kilometres. (For those of you in Waterloo, that is approximately the distance along Fisher-Hallman from Erb St. to Columbia). The glacier begins high in the mountains and extends for 30 kilometres. Its source is at 2100 meters elevation (6825 feet) in the Andes Mountains and it descends down into the water and warmer altitudes of Lago Argentino at 180 meters above sea level. 

Deep blue fissures added a beautiful colouration to the glacier and caves at the bottom of the structure ran deep into the ice. Small calves float in the lake, their iridescent blue beside the milky lake water. The experience of being so close to this glacier was both magnificent and awe-inspiring. Nature at work, unfettered by human touch. It was well worth the lengthy drive to see it! On our return trip to El Calafate, we stopped at a ranch to inquire about an event they offer. A sheep round-up, sheep sheering, a barbeque featuring Argentinian beef and lamb, and a display of dances later in the evening. As impressive and inviting as it sounded, we decided that it was too expensive to attend ($140 per person). We have a long drive again tomorrow and an early start. So, we returned to our tiny apartment, relaxed a bit and will soon head out for a lamb dinner at a highly recommended restaurant in town.

Dinner was delicious - lamb dinner for Jim and Irene. I had roast guanaco ... yes, the meat of the wild guanacos that we have seen along the road. I will apologize them tomorrow as we travel. It was delicious, tender, very much the texture of beef but sweeter in flavour. A bottle of Argentinian Malbec accompanied our meal. 

And now we are back at our little apartment, getting ready to hit the road again tomorrow as we make our way back to Puerto Natales. It is hard to believe that one week of this adventure is already over. We are looking forward to the weeks that lie ahead.