A Hiking Mecca for the Masses

After a wonderful time in El Bolson, we endured a 23 hour bus ride south to El Chalten on a semi-cama (reclining seat) A/C bus with several ‘average’ meals provided along the way. I had booked the 2 front seats on the top level of the double-decker bus so our views were great during daylight hours and some pre-purchased wine and snacks made the trip quite comfortable. Upon our mid-day arrival in El Chalten, the trekking capital of Argentina, we checked in to our room, purchased some groceries and called it an early night.

The small town of El Chalten, less than 1,000 inhabitants (almost shuts down in winter), swells to 5,000 in the summer time, full of hikers from around the world. The National Park (Los Glacieres) has no entrance fee at the north end of the very large park (where we are), and camping within the NP is free so it attracts lots of young and fit backpackers. Our days of sleeping on the ground have passed so we settled for a much more expensive bed in a lovely small hotel run by a young couple form Buenos Aires who provided us with some good local knowledge. We hiked for four full days in this trekking mecca, ranging from 10 – 20 km’s each day. Our first day was the longest hike (stretching our legs after the long bus ride), taking us to a lake with icebergs in it and glaciers at the other end, at the bottom of Cerro Torre (3102 metres). I refreshed myself in the lake, for less than 30 seconds, before freezing started to take hold. On successive days we ventured to Mirador (viewpoint) de los Condores (multiple condor sightings), Mirador de las Aguilas (Viedma Lake view), Chorillo de Salto (20 metre waterfall), Laguna Capri (small lake) and a nearby mirador with a stunning view of the range containing Cerro Fitz Roy, the tallest mountain in the area at 3405 metres. In between hikes we found time to have dinner at Ahonikenk (excellent, recommended by our hostess) where we realized we did not have enough cash to pay the bill (no credit cards accepted). I offered up Pocahontas to do dishes, or wait on tables, but they declined and rather than accept a partial payment they just said come back the next day to pay the bill. Very trusting, and since we had already decided to come back anyway, it was not a problem for us in this very walkable town. They served a litre of house wine in a penguin pitcher for only $13. We have since purchased the pitcher and will use it to serve drinks to our guests when we return home. Come on by. Another evening, Rhonda ordered "locro", a traditional Argentine meal. It is served in a bowl topped with creamed corn but underlying that are beans, butternut squash, chorizo, bacon, beef and spring onions - very tasty and we will order it again.

We have now arrived in El Calafate, a 3 hour bus ride south from El Chalten. There are more glaciers in the surrounding area, the most famous being Perito Marino which is in our sights. We will spend 4 days here before moving on to the southern end of Argentina.

El Chalten welcome sign - a small town that has lots to do.

Laguna Torre with the spiked Cerro Torre (3102 metres) in the background. There were several icebergs floating in the lake, the result of the Glacier Grande calving. It was well worth the 20 km return hike to sit on the shore and gaze at the surroundings.

View from the summit of the hill we climbed to watch condors. The entire town of El Chalten lies below.

Two condors with a 5 foot wingspan that we saw fly back to their nest half way up a cliff.

My humble return to the restaurant to pay our bill from the previous night.

Rhonda's traditional Locro meal, a new discovery for us.

The reward at the end of our hike to the Chorrillo del Salto waterfall (20 metre drop in dry season).

Cerro Fitz Roy, the tallest peak (3405 metres) in the region with glaciers below. The summit can be reached but it has claimed many lives (including another one last week) and is rated in the top 10 in the world for most dangerous mountains.

Two Great Stops Along the Way

We enjoyed our time in Bariloche. The Alaska Hostel was a happening place, lots of people coming and going, and for an Australian (Melbourne) couple we met, their stay lasted longer than planned awaiting a package from home that had been delayed in transit, but couldn’t be left behind. They left home in our summer and started their journey in Canada on bicycles (and camping) in the Yukon and working their way south to Argentina with a few bus rides added in along the way. They really enjoyed Canada but found it the most expensive country on their journey. We shared lots of travel stories while in the common area of the hostel.

One of our excursions included a bus trip to Cerro Catedral, 10 km away, the largest ski area in South America but still small in comparison to our larger areas (only 50 runs with surprisingly 40 lifts but many of them older, 2 seater chairs). The town overflows in July and August with powder hounds but the village resembled more of a ghost town when we were there. Another day we hiked 15 km’s of the Circuito Chico. Through lovely forests, up and down many hills for great views of surrounding lakes and the Andes Range. For good measure I added on another 5 km’s searching for a store that could ‘top up’ our electronic bus card for future use (Rhonda was clever enough to head directly back to the hostel). Our final activity was to head out on to the water for a boat trip in the Lake Region to Bosque de Arrayanes (forest filled with reddish-brown coloured trees) and Isla Victoria (a large island where we did a short hike).

We then took a 2.5 hour bus ride to El Bolson where we are currently residing. It is a smaller, hippie-like town and our accommodation for 4 nights was in a Yurt (a nomadic Mongolian style tiny home) in an eco-friendly place aptly named Earthship Patgonia. It turned into a lesson in sustainable living. Less than a year old, the property consists of one housing unit (3 bedrooms, 2 washrooms and a sitting area), 3 yurts, an outdoor shower, extra toilet and kitchen area. The staff slept in tents (not sure how that will work for them in the winter). We had two on-site dinners where all of the food came from the gardens on the property. Water is collected from the rooftop and recycled via their own septic system to support the gardens. The building walls were mostly made from mud with recycled bottles, cans and tires inside the walls to help with temperature control (cooling and heating). It was quite an eye opener and led to a pleasant stay. Later we found out that that Alberta has its own Earthship in Lethbridge.

El Bolson was also a great town to spend time in. Their Artisan Market is held 3 times a week and takes over the main park in the town centre. Vendors can only sell crafts that they make themselves so all items seem unique. There are food stalls as well with great food and craft beer, along with musicians and buskers. We made a repeat visit to sit in the shade (30C daytime highs) and enjoy the happiness around us. We did several 10-15 km hikes from the warm valley part way up the mountains where it was cooler and offered great views. Another day we went to Lago Puelo and refreshed ourselves in the lake.

Today we took the local bus to a small community north of the town where we will spend the next two days. There is a waterfall hike (with a swimming hole at the base) near here which we will do tomorrow. The hostal ended up being overbooked so they have put us into a lovely cabin at the back of the property that is owned by a neighbour. Not sure if they gave it to us (vs. others) because we look more responsible than the younger generation staying here, or if they are trying to hide the old people. Either way it worked out very well for us J

While hiking the Circuito Chico loop just outside Bariloche, we were afforded this view from the summit of Cerro LLao Llao.

This caution sign was posted near the site of the picture above. It was either a warning about the drop-off from the cliff, or advising one to be careful about the people you hike with........it certainly looks to me like a "push" was involved.

The Arrayane trees in the forest we walked through (Bosque de Arrayanes) had more reddish color in them than this picture portrays.

The sole building (so far) at Earthship Patagonia in El Bolson. The coloured wine bottles in the mud walls allowed light to penetrate into the enclosed space, and together with old tires and cans kept the space cool in the hot weather (and was supposed to have the opposite effect in winter).

Inside our Yurt which was quite spacious for a tent-like structure.

A view of Earthship Patagonia from a nearby hill that I climbed. The outdoor kitchen (partially shown) is on the far right. Just about every other spot on the property was consumed by their garden. Once a week they provided free tours for the locals to show them how to do something similar. Their hydro bill was a paltry amount so there was a lot of interest.

A small section of the Artisan Market in El Bolson. Too soon for us to start adding weight to our backpacks but it was a very laid back selling environment so it was easy to do some browsing.

Our visit to Lago Puelo the primary beach destination for the locals. In spite of the small, round rocks on shore and in the water (common theme for the Patagonian area so far) people flocked to the area. We chose to retreat to the softer grass area following our dip.

The view (Lago Puelo and the Andes Range) from the summit of a mountain I climbed to check out a cliff side rock formation that resembled a face (Cabeza del Indio), and to find a geocache which according to my GPS was 15 metres beyond the cliff edge and likely hidden at the bottom.

We booked a small room with a shared bathroom at the El Pueblito Hostal for two nights and due to overbooking we were given the option to have sole use of a neighbour owned cabin for the same price. Not a difficult choice to make.

Power to the People

That was the story for the rest of our week in Buenos Aires. The power in our rental unit kept going out, usually for extended periods of time. I suspect it was a problem with the main breaker but the owner could not get an electrician there in time to save our week. Several dinners turned into candlelight meals………if we had candles……..so they were headlamp dinners instead. The owner apologized and gave us a partial refund for our troubles.

Still lots to do outside however. We went on another City Walk, this time on the Aristocrat tour where we wandered through the Retiro and Recoleta neighbourhoods listening to stories about all the palaces and antics of the wealthy. Another day we took a full tour of the magnificent Teatro Colon (built in 1906), one of the top opera houses in the world. We sat in the Presidents box…….near the stage and not a very good view for them but a place where the audience could view them. The opera season doesn’t begin for another month so the tour had to suffice. We also walked through many of the city parks and enjoyed the sights and serenity, and made return visits (from 2010) to Puerto Madero and the always entertaining San Telmo Sunday market.

We have now moved on to Bariloche, in the very scenic Lake District, where our Patagonia adventures will begin. We are surrounded by lakes and mountains, so there are great views wherever you venture. It reminds us of the Banff area with lots of chalets and the fact that people flock here in the summer for wonderful hiking opportunities and in the winter for some of the best skiing in South America. Yesterday we spent some time in the Civic Centre and then climbed Cerro Campanario (bypassing the 7 minute chairlift) where the summit offers 360 degree views of the Andes Range and the multitude of lakes. We were able to spot many of the places we will go to over the next few days. The weather has cooled down a bit, to the 20-25C range (night time lows of 10-15C), which is more suitable for the hiking that we will be doing. The power works great here but due to the very busy high season we spent the first two nights in a small room with a bunk bed. Today they are moving us to a bigger room with a flat bed. Good vibe here though and well situated for our daily hikes so it was a minor inconvenience. 

Off shortly to hike part of the Circuito Chico which will offer some great lake views and forest walks.

While walking along the promenade in Puerto Madero we came across this ship which made an expedition to Antarctica in 1902, so we had to check it out. Hopefully the MS Expedition will have a few more amenities :-)

The Las Heras Park in Palermo created a resort like atmosphere for those in the neighbourhood to enjoy the beautiful weather and break from the busy city streets.

The Lady McGuire mansion in Recoleta, the lone remaining mansion-palace with an actual person living in it like it was originally designed. She is in her 80's and if you are lucky when passing by, you may see her poke her head through the curtains.

The San Telmo Sunday market which is always worth a return visit. Part way into the two kilometre street walk it started to drizzle so the tango dancers and street entertainers were not as prominent this time around.

The beautiful Teatro Colon. The President's box was the lower one on the right side of the stage. The box on the opposite side of the stage was reserved for the Mayor. While seats at the front of the theatre sell for $500, standing room only at the top are made available to the public for less than $5.

Moving on Bariloche we walked along the beach (Playa Bonita) near our hostel. The beach contained small round rocks (vs. sand) but that didn't seem to deter the pleasure seekers.

While walking down by the lake in the Civic Centre we noticed this monument with the "Mothers" emblem painted on it. The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires conducted silent protests in the plaza during the military dictatorship of 1976-1983 when their children 'disappeared' during the Deadly War. Some still walk today with their symbol scarfs, and recent DNA searches have managed to re-connect some families. 

A view from the summit of Cerro Campanario. The Andes Range is in the background. We will do some hiking on trails hidden below connecting many of the lakes.

I Have Seen the Light

Beyond the new and unexpected treats that travel provides for us, another reason we love to be in the southern hemisphere during our Canadian winters, is that it is light outside when you wake up and the sun continues to shine well into the evening. It is a great opportunity to spend long warm days outdoors exploring new paths.

We arrived safely in Buenos Aires yesterday and had an afternoon nap as soon as we got into our one room suite. The long overnight flight had taken a toll on our bodies and the rest served us well. Today we were out walking amongst the Portenos (port city inhabitants), from our base in Palermo to the Congreso neighbourhood. There we joined a daily, guided historic walk organized by the city with another 9 gringos from around the world. Victoria, our guide, was very knowledgeable and though we had seen many of the sights on our 2010 visit to B.A., she was able to provide the historical background for us, often in a humourous fashion. Some of the highlights of our walk included Congreso Nacional (built after Argentina gained independence in 1816), the Palacio Borolo (built by an Italian immigrant with a Dante theme). We then crossed Ave. 9 de Julio (the widest street in the world with 11 lanes in each direction…….until Brazilia built an even wider one spanning 250 metres), then on to the Pink Palace (offices of the President), the Catedral Metropolitano (former hangout of Pope Francis) and finally to the Obelisco monument (B.A.’s version of Times Square). It was a wonderful way to spend several hours. When the tour finished we enjoyed a lovely lunch and then walked back home through Recoleta, bypassing Eva who probably hasn’t changed since we last saw her 6 years ago.

The rest of the week will be spent visiting sights we missed on our first encounter along with returns to a few of our 2010 favourites.                         Adios for now.

Safe arrival celebration in Palermo....and our re-introduction to one litre beers.

Browsing at El Ateneo, perhaps the most amazing bookstore in the world. Located in  a former theatre, it utilizes the entire space including the basement.

La Nacion Argentina monument with the National Congress building in the background. It was the start of our walking tour.

Casa Rosada, also known as the Pink Palace. It is the home of the President's offices and the sight of several daily protests regardless of who is in power. And Madonna's 'Don't cry for me Argentina'

The Catedral Metropolitano with it's 12 pillars, one for each apostle. Pope Francis used to hang out here when he was the Bishop in his home town. Apparently he was also a nightclub bouncer before beginning his seminary studies. There is still hope for all of us.

The hidden house in Buenos Aires. The 10 story building was built in 1927 by Rafael Diaz to house the furniture business that he had developed and he crowned it with his own home.

Dumpster Diver. I have said that I would like to try everything at least once in my life but I must admit that this one is very low on my list. It will be born out of necessity rather than curiousity, although it does seem a lot safer than base jumping or leaping out of a plane with a parachute that might or might not open......perhaps I will bump it up a few spots.