Wednesday and Thursday, October 25 & 26, 2023

We left El Calafate, Argentina, on Wednesday, October 25, on a five hour journey to Puerto Natales, Chile. As our bus traversed the Andean steppes (high plains) we made a halfway stop at a 73,000 acre (not a misprint) Estancia (ranch). The owner and his wife greeted us and the “gaucho” gave us a history of the ranch. His young great grandfather from Scotland, in the 1860’s, accidentally got on the wrong ship. He thought he was going to the Caribbean, but instead ended up in Argentina. He was industrious and was able to procure this huge acreage. Today, the Estancia has 3,000 sheep. The owner demonstrated his border collies bringing in a flock of sheep from far afield–really interesting as he only used whistles from his mouth to direct the border collies. This puts a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Whistle while you work!”

Then he sheered a ewe in the sheering barn with the wool being all in one piece. Spreading out the wool on a rack he began to separate the wool into various portions based on the quality of the wool. It was all so very interesting and we were happy to eat the grilled lamb we were served in the beautiful home in which the owner lived.

From the Estancia we headed to the Chilean border. After the cold dry scrub brush steppes of Argentina’s Patagonia, Chile’s steppes were on lower elevations and nearer the Pacific and thus much greener because of the higher amounts of rain. We arrived in Puerto Natales in late afternoon and had a casual evening. Our beautiful eco-hotel has an unusual design with grass roofs. Our rooms are uber comfortable.

Puerto Natales is situated between between the Andes and the Pacific and is the gateway to the National Park Torres Del Paine. Our two hour drive to the park was stunningly beautiful and once in the park we were overwhelmed with the white peaks on every side and around every turn. Waterfalls, streams, rivers, blue lakes, mountain flowers and forested trees were everywhere! It is spring here and spring snows left a fresh covering. It reached 42F today and at times was windy; however, the bright sunshine kept us comfortable. Andean condors, the largest flying bird (wing span 10 feet), often flew over head. Andean geese, ducks with white heads and flamingos loved the lakes. Guanacos, similar to a llama, run wild by the millions in Patagonia. We saw many. We had an outdoor picnic beside an immensely blue lake under towering jagged peaks covered in snow. Unforgettable! We drove back to Puerto Natales on a different route that was as beautiful as the drive to the park!

Our evening meal was at the hotel and the menu was amazing. Choices between octopus to eel and many other exotic foods in between for appetizers and mains served with choices of Chilean wines made for a delightful evening, and the dessert options were wonderful as well. Tomorrow, we leave to travel deeper into Patagonia and to board our small cruise ship which will get us to more amazing sights ending at the very tip of South America known as “the end of the earth.” We will be in “no man’s land,” no phones or internet, so I won’t post for awhile. Blessings to all!