Crossing Patagonia: From Puerto Natales to the Torres del Paine

Tired but excited as usual, we rent a car in Puerto Natales to head towards the very popular and truly sculptural Torres del Paine.
Unfortunately, we see them only for a moment. The weather, as often happens in this remote part of the world, is unforgiving, and it forces even the boldest to wait for better conditions or, as in our case, to change plans.

Giulia and I do not despair, maybe because this is the final stage of our journey and we feel sufficiently satiated with breathtaking places, or maybe because, with a bit of pride, we tell ourselves that, in the end, these gigantic vertical rocks that look like they were carefully positioned by a giant millions and millions of years ago are no more fascinating than our beloved and familiar Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It’s okay, we’ll come back another time. With this little presumption and the promise that this isn’t a “goodbye” but a “see you later”, we change course and head towards Los Cuernos.

It goes without saying that the route gives us, as usual, continuous and different emotions despite the poor visibility. Between a guanaco that grazes undisturbed and a flock of flamingos intent on looking for food among the ice that begins to slowly retreat from the dark and placid water of the lakes, we cross boundless and irregular prairies made of hills that embrace ponds scattered here and there.
And here we are, getting on the umpteenth boat to cross the umpteenth “puddle”, stirred and lashed by our now friend and brother, the wind. The landscape that appears leaves us speechless. 

Authors: @wanderlost_2022