From Puerto Natales to Worlds End (Ushuaia)
Trip Start
May 10, 2007
1
81
91
Trip End
May 30, 2008
Ushuaia,
Argentina
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
From Moreno Glacier (El Calafate) i drove across the border into Chile . My destination was the
National Park of Torres del Paine.
Torres del Paine was in short a disappointment. (not only my opinion!)
Its a well marketed park to get tourists (hikers) in and money out.
It is not RV country there.
To access the park there leads a 100km gravelroad to the entrance, where a $30 !!
01the narrow bridge T.d.Paine
! entrance fee is collected .All roads are really bad gravel roads. a very narrow bridge will likely scratch your car.
The park is for hiking. Those who like to hike its a nice spot, but not spectacular.
Anyway, i got there and hiked 3 hours trying to get to Torres lookout. Halfway strong winds of 100kmh or more
almost blew me of the path. Thats when i decided to go back. spend the night at nearby laguna armagan, when it started to rain in the morning. in the park it was snowing and i did not regret my decision to turn around.
After 11/2 days i drove back to cerro castillo, where i picked my left gasoline canister from argentine aduana, and made it to Puerto Natales.
Puerto Natales is a nice quite southern end atmosphere little town on the wonderfull fjord.
Its got those weather-rotten houses that have a charme. most places (bars,coffeeshops) have a wood-ofen burning spending a homely atmosphere
02view from trail
.Punta Arenas:
200km down the road i came to Punta arenas. its a big town with all the shops and things you expect.
I didnt find it very interesting .
There is a ferry going to Terra de fuego. Car costs 29000 pesos (60$). This would save you the trip along the northern turn.
Well it was full and so i took the northern turn to arrive at the short distance ferry. you will see a "gost-town" with
a ship wreckage on the way (all asphalt!).
The short trip (20minutes) ferry costs car=12000pesos (28$).
Terra del Fuego:
Then you are there. Terra del Fuego seems flat grasland, strong winds, some wildlife. It is somehow a feeling
of lonelyness mixed with some homely feeling as well
03the torres del paine peaks
. It is not boring! it inspired my phantasy thinking of living here.When you drive out there for hours and finely see a town or estancia coming up its like coming home.
So its the contrast of complete wilderness and homely towns nearby that make it charming.
Its got a chilenean and argentinien part, of which i liked the argentinien better.
Crossing border into argentina again, i got to the town of Rio Grande.
This windy but nice town has everything you will be looking for. The lowtyde of the sea is extreme.
Probably 4 km out.
Continueing south from Rio Grande the countryside gets more and more mountaines and eventually you cross a pass over the southern most anden mountainrange to arrive down in Ushuaia.
04the hotel at the torres trail
So there you are , Ushuaia, the long awaited southern destination of my trip.
Ushuaia is quite big and lys on the ocean bay to the left and mountain range on the right.
Many tourists come here either by bus or by ship. Big cruiseliners drop in frequently and "flood" the city.
The main street offers many restaurants and souvenir shops.
12km west there is the Tierra del fuego National Park, admission 30pesos.
It has some nice hikes and good views of the bay.
