Getting to Patagonia

Patagonia covers a lot of ground. The most popular hikes are in Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile. Los Glaciares National Park is also a must see for most visitors. Like most backpackers, I started in Torres Del Paine. Punta Arenas, a city of 125,000 at the southern tip of mainland South America, serves as the jump off point for most travelers headed there.  



I left Dallas the evening of January 20th on an Aeromexico flight and arrived Mexico City before midnight. After a 1.5 hour layover (just barely enough time to clear customs, claim my backpack, re-check it and make it to the gate), my Aeromexico flight took off for Lima. Arriving at Lima early morning and looking at a 12 hour layover, I took a cab to Huaca Pucllana, a massive adobe pyramid in the Miraflores district of Lima. Took an English language tour included in the inexpensive admission. Great restaurant on the grounds (I have eaten there before). Don't miss it if you visit Lima.

Huaca Pucllana, Miraflores District, Lima

Took off for Santiago on LAN airlines at 7:00pm on the 21st and arrived there just after midnight. I used the short layover to pick up $300 or so in Chilean pesos before taking off on the last leg to Punta Arenas. My flight arriving at daybreak on the 22nd, nearly 36 hours after leaving Dallas.  

Once I landed in Punta Arenas, got through baggage claim and cleared customs, I ran the gauntlet of cabbies to see what my ground transportation options were to get to the bus station in town. A short bus was waiting in front of the terminal - $4.50 fare to town. Much cheaper than a cab unless you share. The bus station opened shortly after I arrived and $9 or so got me on a bus to Puerto Natales, the nearest city to Torres Del Paine. A humorous note - the first stop the bus made was the airport I had left two hours earlier. Could have gotten a ticket there I guess, but you might run the risk of the bus filling up.

Nice to know just where you are...

Three hours, two million sheep and a few hundred guanacos later, we pulled into the bus terminal at Puerto Natales. I purchased my bus ticket for the following day and walked two blocks to Hostal Yemel (1283 Esmeralda, $38 for a private room with shared bath). Owners Eric and Soledad were wonderful and I would stay there again, especially if convenience to the bus station was important. There are more lodging options near the modest downtown area if you don't mind a 10-15 minute walk or a cab. 

Chef at El Asador

Lunch at Restaurant Maritimo was not special, but the price was right, less than $15 for congrio stew, mashed potatoes, seaweed, an Austral Patagonian lager and a pisco sour. Lamb asado dinner later same day at El Asador Patagonia, located across the street from Plaza de Armas, was great, about $30 with wine and unlabeled bottle of local beer.

The only western-style supermarket in Puerto Natales is the Unimarc (easy to find in the center of town). Produce was very good and you have more choices there than in the mom and pop groceries that seem to be located on every block. The service, however, was dismal with the wait in checkout lines never less than 15 minutes. And don't even of getting into a checkout line unless you have had all bags of produce or baked goods weighed first.

Who needs a label?
I know I'm drinking beer.

Hostel Yemel - my first bed in three days!

Cemetery near Hostel Yemel - Chilean
cemeteries are popular tourist attractions

Notes: WiFi sketchy at best in the airports once outside the U.S., so conclude your arrangements before you leave home! 

The LAN Airlines flight to Punta Arenas devoted fully one third of the passenger cabin to cargo - I have not seen this since catching rides on C-130's during my Navy days. 

I could have avoided the milk run to Punta Arenas by flying direct to Santiago from Dallas. I had separate tickets from Dallas to Lima and then Lima to Punta Arenas which saved $700. Definitely not worth it if you are taking vacation days to travel.