To the edge of the world and back: Chile
From deserts, to rain forests, to icy peaks of Patagonia.
Chile has always occupied a prime spot on Virginija’s list, but the journey down south presents a few logistical complexities. Fourteen hours is the shortest flight you can score from Chicago (which includes a US-based transfer), but that only gets you to Santiago. Chile is shaped like a big great noodle, stretching for 2,700 miles across South America. To keep the number of internal transfers reasonable we settled on three points of interest: Santiago and surrounding area, Patagonia, and Chiloé Island.
Here are a few images from the adventure in Patagonia and Chiloé. Santiago and our urban escapades require a separate post.
Hotel Tierra Patagonia is located inside the National Park, situated next to a dead mountain lake. Each room faces Torres del Paine. Not that Ashton cared after a 12 mile hike...
Each day is organized into a morning and afternoon adventure, configured based on level of skill and desire for punishment by 70km/h winds. Ashton did surprisingly well, including a close encounter with a hunting puma...
The weather and environment changes rapidly. Gale force winds are constant, sunshine is replaced with rain, then snow, then ice, rinse and repeat.
Tierra Patagonia is masterfully integrated into the surrounding landscape. We woke up one of the mornings only to discover snow covering the peaks of hills around us.
We arrived in Patagonia in Spring, left as snow transformed the area to a crystal, desolate landscape. On the left - pink flamingos are visible in the lagoon. Always thought of them as tropical birds.
All photos taken with a Leica Q2.