Despite being relative newcomers to the international wine scene, Argentine wines actually have a long pedigree. The industry began shortly after the arrival of the Spanish way back in the 1500’s and quality wines have been produced in the country ever since. The 19th and 20th century mass immigration period from Europe saw French, Italian, German and other newcomers expand production and now the country has a respected and established international reputation for good quality products – the Malbec varietal probably being its best known. More detail on the history of winemaking in Argentina can be found here.
Driving through the wine route, Maipu, south of Mendoza
Guided by the extremely helpful staff at the Mendoza tourism office we chose a few different wineries to visit and set out south to explore. Domaine Bousquet, founded by a Frenchman, was highly recommended so we started there. A wonderful Andean backdrop setting, superb wines and staff who could not be more obliging. Would recommend this one to anyone heading to Mendoza.
Wine tasting, Domaine Bousquet Winery, Tupungato, south of Mendoza.Enjoying the view of the snow-capped Andes, Domaine Bousquet Winery, Tupungato.
The staff there recommended a smaller, more rustic, local, “boutique” winery as our next stop to contrast the Domaine Bousquet experience. Atamisque Winery fit the bill perfectly – in fact their Pinot Noir was Lois’s favorite wine. Got to spend some time with their adorable, but aging, German Shepherd dog, Adolpho. He’s been trained ( it seems ) to approach every seated guest and nuzzle his head on their lap.
Lois, enjoying a Sauvignon Blanc at Atamisque Winery. A small, boutique winery.Lois at Atamisque with “Adolpho”.
Our next day was spent relaxing at and enjoying the delights of Posada Cavieres, a similarly small, winery/lodge run by Hans Devloo from Belgium. Hans has been in the wine business for 15 years and compliments his wine production with a Tuscan style accommodation lodge and restaurant. He has a soft spot for overlanders and invites self contained folks like us to stay on the property while exploring the area. Spent a most enjoyable, relaxing and educational couple of days with him.
Posada Cavieres Winery, Maipu.Malbec grapes at Posada Cavieres winery.Lois, relaxing in the pool, Posada Cavieres Winery.Posada Cavieres WineryHans had the cutest little dog………with the most unlikely name, ”Rambo” !Grapes at Posada Cavieres Winery.A winery near San Carlos, south of Mendoza. Saw lots of horses – horse riding is a popular activity in the wine regions.
One could, literally, spend weeks ( even months ! ) touring the many wineries around Mendoza – there are so many. But we had other sights of interest further north and Route 40 would take us to most of them. First up was the desert sand dunes near Lavalle, supposedly the only true “dunes” in South America. Not quite the Sahara of course but definitely worthy of a stop given we literally passed right by. For the next couple of days it was simply a series of long hauls and getting miles ( or kms ) under our belt as we headed towards Salta, our next major destination. Fortunately the long journey was broken up with a couple of reasonably notable sights, changing scenery and an interesting rest stop.
North of Lavalle on Route 40 we stopped at this rest stop and admired some Argentine motorbikes.On closer inspection we noticed the flags on the motorcycles made reference to the Falkland Islands War ( Islas Malvinas in Argentina – NEVER call them the Falklands here ! ). It says “Never Forgotten”. Conscious of the word “British” on our plates and the bikers checking us out, we discreetly (but quickly) drove away !Like so many remote rest stops there were stickers everywhere – seems Argentine travellers like to leave their mark.Scenery as we were heading north of Mendoza on Route 40.Entrance to the Reserva, near Lavalle.Sand dunes at Reserva Natural Bosque Telteca, near Lavalle.Head north, in the southern summer, in desert conditions….and it gets hot !
Ishigualasto Provincial Park is renowned for its panoramic views, colored rock formations and dinosaur fossils ( the on site camping facilities were impressive too ). Sadly, due to rain the day before we could not do the self driving tour. What we could see from the viewpoint and in the museum was impressive but definitely missed the full experience.
Selfie, at Ischigualasto Provincial Park.Dinosaur display at Ischigualasto.Deluxe camping at Ischigualasto Provincial Park – panoramic views, shade cover, power, wifi, and super clean bathrooms and showers ( not something we usually get on the road in more remote places ). This was quite a treat.
Beyond Ischigualasto we took route 76 through Talampaya Provincial Park ( much the same offerings as Ischigualasto), then on through La Union, east to Chilecito via the scenic Cuesta de Miranda before turning north again through to San Blas, Belen and on towards Cafayete, an historic town famous for its colonial architecture and nearby wineries.
So similar to our Australian emu. The flightless bird shown is the Rhea that we have seen all over southern South America The landscape has started to become more “rocky” than “sandy” desert like. A nice change !The beginning of the landscape transition, here as we approached Jachal on Route 40.Red rock outcrops on the Cuesta de Miranda, a famously windy and scenic section of Route 40 up north.One is regularly reminded that “The Malvinas Will Always Be Argentine”. Such signs are on every highway.Now well into the north, here on the way to Belen, on Route 40…….and still the roads are long and seemingly “endless”. Measured this one and determined that we could see straight road for 16 kms.Not far north of Pituil we crossed the 4,000km marker on Route 40. No surprise, many others marked this milestone with a sticker.In many places near San Blas on Route 40 the road was covered in red mud – comes down from the hills after heavy rain and needs to be graded away. Keeping it clear is a constant work in process There was a beautiful red hue to the rock formations, seen here near Hualfin on Route 40.More of the same. It made the desert driving much more interesting.
Only realized as we were pulling into Cafayete that there is an extensive wine industry in this area as well. Nothing on the scale of Mendoza but some impressive operations nonetheless. Will definitely need to explore this further – but will save that for next week’s blog.
Last week’s wanderings. We actually hit two milestones – 4,000kms on Route 40 and just passed 50,000 kms since we originally left home in Kelowna back in May, 2019. Seems soooooooo long ago !
Leaving a very beautiful part of the country ( the Lakes District ) for some, well, “less beautiful” parts was not something we looked forward to but such is the geography of Argentina. Given we were very broadly following Route 40 up the western spine of the country, the next area of significant appeal would be the wine country around Mendoza but that meant 3 long days of driving on either of two possible routes. Mendoza and the wine region we were really looking forward to, the bits in the middle – not so much !
Our last days in the Lakes District were spent relaxing in San Martin De Los Andes, a delightful little town, but like Bariloche just packed with Argentine holiday-makers. January and February are the high season months in Argentina.Lots of street cafes and nice outdoor pubs in San Martin.The lake was pretty but still a bit cold to swim in – we saw no one in the water.Leafy street in San Martin De Los Andes.
Having more or less been on Route 40 all the way north so far we were open to a diversion – that, plus the fact that we’d been advised by a couple of Argentines that a good portion of its next 1200 or so kms were in very rough shape, unsealed, and with bad corrugations. Decision made – we’d divert to the more easterly route, through Zapala, Neuquen and on up Route 151 and then 143 entering Mendoza from the east, rather than the south on Route 40. Sacrificing slightly better scenery ( RN 40 ) for much better roads ( RN 151 ) was probably the right move – the very same Argentines assured us the best of Route 40 was in any case much further north. A bit overwhelming to think of all the travel we had done so far in Argentina ( and all in one direction ) yet we were still nowhere close to what they consider the “north” !
Our route north, diverging east from Route 40 – one can’t get too much desert !Route 40 hugs the east side of the Andes – very rough in parts so many folks divert east around this segment.Lois loves these plants, great for our dry climate back in Kelowna – everywhere by the roadside this past week.Not far out of the Lakes District we climbed and passed through what seemed like a giant crater. Possibly it was, note the volcano in the distance.
Two things became immediately apparent as we plowed through the next few days on the road – firstly, formal campgrounds are scarce in the area and secondly, it seemed like half of Argentina was on the roads heading south for their holidays. A lot of traffic but generally going the opposite direction to us ( one benefit of entering the country at the bottom I suppose ). For the most part the roads were pretty flat and the landscape pretty uninspiring and unchanging.
In the abscence of campgrounds YPF gas stations fill the void. They often have enclosed ( segregated ) overnight parking areas, 24 hour service, a minimart, often a restaurant and sometimes even hot showers – who needs a campground ! We stayed in this one just outside Zapala as the only official campground in town had closed.Look familiar ? Lots of this coming north.Another gas station “campground” at the end of a particularly long stretch of road, this one near Santa Isabel on RN 143. We were first at this one, the Argentines in the van ( on the left ) followed us…………by morning it looked like this. We were never short of company at these “unofficial” campsites !We try to break up the long dreary drives with a supermarket visit to fully restock the camper – can’t just sit in the truck all day ! This one, La Anonima, near Neuquen. Every food imaginable and a good selection of wines and beers.Have mentioned before that Argentina is exceptionally good value overall but the wines are ridiculously cheap. Here a Malbec red can be had for just $1.16 US. That’s low end obviously, but spend $3-4 and you are getting decent quality stuff.
Entering Mendoza from the east generally offers the advantage of seeing it against the backdrop of snow-capped Andes mountains but some low cloud and the fact that most of the snow had melted made it a bit less dramatic as we arrived. This self-proclaimed “wine capital of Argentina” is a low-rise, very cosmopolitan and attractively tree-lined city of almost 2 million people. Apart from some beautiful parks, and an excellent historical museum there’s actually not so much to see in the city – it’s major attractions lie nearby; the numerous vineyards, mountains, a great ski hill and ( apparently ) the only “Sahara-like” desert in South America. The wineries were a key draw for us, too, but we decided we’d save that for next week. Meanwhile, we spent a few of days in the city, exploring its sights, walking it’s leafy streets ( seems every street is tree lined – right to the heart of the city ) and enjoying its numerous restaurants and cafes. One of those places people just like to hang out it seems and we have to admit getting pulled right into that ! Like many of the bigger cities in Argentina it has a classy “old European” ambience- no surprise given where many of the Argentines in this area originally came from.
Mendoza does have its dangerous parts so no “unofficial” or wild camping for us here. Fortunately busy El Mangrullo campground managed to find a spot for us . A very nice campground close to the city and an easy Uber ride to the downtown area. Love Uber !Not too crowded when we arrived, thankfully, as we had to drive through the middle of the city. Something we try to avoid when we can. Realized it had been quite a while since I’d tackled downtown traffic in a Latin American site this size – coming from the south the cities are all much smaller.Avenida San Martin, the heart of downtown.Paseo Sarmiento downtown – a pedestrian street full of outdoor cafes and restaurants.Mendoza is old ! Founded way back in 1561. Plaques outside the Museo Del Area Fundacional.The Museo Del Area Fundacional ( MAF ) has a great section over some uncovered ruins of the original city. The excavation work is not extensive but what there is is well done. Sadly an earthquake in 1861 destroyed much of the city ( and killed more than a third of its population at the time ).Cafes are everywhere and it’s hard to resist their temptations – the trade off ( for the sake of our health ) is that we do a lot of walking !Many restaurants have sidewalk dining. Great to enjoy the fresh air and people-watching is almost a sport here. Can’t beat a good Argentine steak !One does not actually even need to visit the nearby wineries to sample wine – specialty wine stores are all over Mendoza, some of which allow sampling. Here, Lois is checking out one section – and that’s just the Malbecs !The gates to enormous Parque San Martin in the centre of Mendoza.Tree-lined Avenida Libertador runs along San Martin Park: very “Champs Elysees” – like ( well, minus the Arc de Triomphe ! ).Selfie, in Parque San Martin, Mendoza, in front of the lake.
”Artsy and hippie-ish El Bolson”, says Lonely Planet, “is about as close to Berkeley, California as you can get in Argentina”. There is indeed an unmistakably organic or “granola” vibe to the place and it attracts alternate life-stylers not just from Argentina but from around the world. You get the feeling that if ever there was a South American “Woodstock” this would be the venue. We didn’t stay long enough to do a deep dive into the place but did enjoy its local artists markets and laid back feel in the few days we spent there.
“Artesenal” fair at El BolsonWalking across a park in El Bolson, I heard what I thought was the unmistakable sound of a didgeridoo. Turns out it WAS a didgeridoo! He attracted quite an audienceAll over Patagonia, in Chile and Argentina, we have noticed these beautiful birds ( they make a laughing sound a bit similar to a Kookaburra ). Found out they are called Andean Ibis. Saw many in El Bolson
We’d also been looking forward to a pit stop just north of El Bolson at the home of an expat German couple who have a long history of overlanding themselves and now provide an invaluable service arranging South American vehicle insurance for people like ourselves with foreign vehicles. We had some documents to collect, wanted to meet them in person, and were glad to be able to spend a night chatting and camping on their farm. They live by a river in a beautiful secluded valley – first time we can recall in South American not being woken by barking dogs and roosters crowing that seems to be the norm around most South American campsites.
The farm of our European friends near El Bolson. Very tranquilWe camped by this river at their property. Better lulled to sleep by a babbling brook than a barking dog !
Just two hours north of El Bolson lies San Carlos de Bariloche ( “Bariloche” as it’s more widely known ) – despite the proximity the two cities share almost nothing else in common ( well, they do both have ski hills nearby ). Bariloche is an upscale, architecturally heavily German/Swiss influenced resort city that draws wealthy Argentines ( and others ) to its picturesque setting on Lake Nahuel Huapi. Summer and winter the place is packed, the day we arrived being no exception. Very lucky to get a spot in one of the few campgrounds with space available and never have we seen so many people, cars, bikes, motorbikes and camping vehicles compressed into such a small space. May have to start making reservations ( ughh ! ).
Clock tower, Bariloche. The wood and rock elements give the city a very alpine lookBariloche, “Centro” ( downtown )Bariloche downtownStreet scene, BarilocheWe had never seen camping as crowded as it was at Colonia Suiza, near Bariloche – jam packed ! Our rig just visible in the rear
Had a few administrative and routine vehicle things to attend to while there but after dealing with that it was nice to simply enjoy wandering the city and exploring the surrounding lakes. The views were beautiful no matter where you looked.
Oil change at 96,000 kms. The Goodyear guy said no need for a tire rotation – couldn’t believe how the tread has lasted and how even the wear was considering the roads driven and distance covered. Go Toyo A/T !Generally we can just drive in and get fuel anywhere. Five to six car waits in Bariloche in summer. They say it’s like this for two months solid Lake scene near Colonia Suiza, a small, originally Swiss, settlement near BarilocheSelfie time – Bariloche in the background seen across Lago Nahuel HuapiOur itinerary up Route 40 through the Lakes District around Bariloche
Given the history of German immigration to the area it’s probably no surprise that at least one ( and likely more ) famous Nazi fugitive settled here after the war. Especially well known in Bariloche is the story of Erich Priebke, an SS officer, who lived freely in the city for almost 50 years until his identity and whereabouts were uncovered by an American ABC journalist in the 90’s. He went on to live to 100, dying only in 2013. The first impromptu interaction between the journalist, Sam Donaldson, and Priebke was recorded and makes for astonishing viewing. It’s short, but powerful- check it out here.
While Bariloche is the southern end of the 7 Lakes circuit, the lakes extend all the way up to San Martin de Los Andes further north on Route 40. On the way is beautiful Villa La Angostura where we stopped for a couple of nights. Much smaller and thus more walkable than Bariloche it is no less popular and the streets there were also filled with holidaying Argentines. This area must surely be one of the most popular destinations in the country. While camping there we met a couple of Brazilian families ( seems to be a lot of them in Argentina ) and had a great chance to chat with two young ( 18 year old ) Argentine lads who jumped at the chance to practice their ( already excellent ) English – they gave us an interesting perspective on the country, it’s opportunities, it’s struggles and it’s political and economic challenges. These were two very worldly and well educated young guys and it was educational for us just to make their acquaintance.
Relaxing, camped at Lago Correntoso, near Villa la AngosturaThe lakes are crystal clear here, but not always warm ! Here near Villa La AngosturaLike chocolate ? Fill your boots in Bariloche and/or Villa la Angostura ! Here in Villa La Angostura
Sometimes travel is about the places you go and sometimes it’s the interesting folks you meet. This past week we were fortunate to have a generous amount of both !
Stay on the road long enough, and one is bound to have a disappointing experience, particularly after arriving at a place with rather lofty expectations. Such, sadly, was our experience in El Chalten, home to the majestic Mount Fitz Roy. Fitz Roy is to Argentina what Torres Del Paine is to Chile – an unbelievably magnificent and truly iconic peak ( or set of peaks ); in fact the two are geographically not far apart, both set in beautiful national parks and both attract hikers and mountaineers from all over the world. Both can be a little shy, often hiding behind the ever present Patagonian clouds, but while the towers of TDP ultimately revealed themselves to us in their full glory, we were not so fortunate with Fitz Roy. The lesser peaks we did see and almost had the largest peak show itself, but just not quite. Bummer ! While still a mystical image even while partially shrouded this is one that people come from far and wide to see. Two and half days in El Chalten where we did manage a few nice hikes, and saw some amazing condors ……. but never saw the “full Fitz Roy”. Lying at the bottom of Patagonia and not far off Route 40 El Chalten was fun nonetheless – much smaller and its pleasures more “outdoorsy” than nearby El Calafate.
The peaks near Fitz Roy in El Chalten – this was as clear as it got for us ( could not see all of Fitz Roy sadly )Route 40 sign – the road is legendary in ArgentinaOur drive north, mostly following Route 40. Seemed soooo long until we looked at it in the context of Argentina overallWaterfall near El Chalten At the “Eagles Lookout” where we saw no eagles but several condors Saw this condor on a hike to the Mirador ( Lookout ) of the Eagles – but saw no eagles
The attractions in El Calafate and El Chalten are well known and attract travellers in their thousands but the next areas of interest along Route 40 lie further north; in fact, much further north. If miles and miles of desert highway interspersed only with wandering guanaco are your bag, then you have about 3 days of unadulterated joy as this national highway winds it’s way north. While the remoteness was interesting at first, that soon wore off – the town of Esquel could not come soon enough ! There were, though, a few highlights and surprises along the way.
La Leona Hotel. A historic stopover in southern Patagonia made a little more famous by some “infamous” visitors in 1905 – none other than Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. They would die a few years later in a shootout in BoliviaThe story of the connection between Butch, Sundance, and the La Leona Hotel. We knew about the shootout in Bolivia but never knew they came this far south.Gas station at Bajo Caracoles, Route 40, plastered with stickers – and stickers on stickers ! Seems it’s the done “thing” down here to carry stickers describing your trip ( we must be the only ones with no stickers )
If there is a long and boring part of Route 40 then for the past 3 days we surely just drove it. There really is not much between El Chalten and Esquel although the monotony was broken by a short detour through Route 41 and, fortunately, by some impressive wildlife sightings along the way – foxes, condors, armadillos and several rheas no less ! We didn’t even count the ever-present guanacos that practically line the highways no matter where you are in Patagonia.
There were occasional breaks, but much of it looked like this. For hours and hours on end !This little armadillo ran across the road in front of us. I stopped, managed to catch up with it and managed a close up. Had always imagined they were much bigger but this one was only the size of a tortoise.Saw a couple of foxes on the highway …this one having a yawn ! Seemed unperturbed by us.A Rhea, South American flightless bird similar to ( but smaller than ) ostriches and emus. Have seen many in both Chilean and Argentine Patagonia At times the monotony of the tumbleweed and dry brown desert scenery was broken by a splash of color – here, near Los Antiguos just off Route 40 near the Chilean borderRoute 41, hugging the east side of the Andean foothills – the scenery was a bit better than the monotony of Route 40
In 1979 American author Paul Theroux set out from his home in Massachusetts on a quest to travel as far south in the Americas as he could by train. His written account of the journey, ending in the quaint Argentinian town of Esquel on board a short narrow gauge railway that bore the name “Viejo Expreso Patagonico”, later became a travel epic, “The Old Patagonian Express”. The train still runs, though on a shortened length of the original track, but still gives riders a sense of what travel was like in those earlier days. Hugely popular with Argentines and foreigners alike (there are fewer and fewer of these narrow gauge lines left in the world ) we throughly enjoyed the journey on this railway icon – fun it is, “express” it is not though this one is all about the journey, not the destination.
“La Trochita” as the train is affectionately known locallyThe train, rounding a bend en route to Nahual PanDistant view of same
Esquel, nestled in the foothills of the Andes, is surrounded by a beautiful national park (Los Alerces), a popular ski hill ( La Hoya )and a host of other attractions that kept us occupied for a few days as we enjoyed the city’s sights and the surrounding area. For now it was simply nice to be back in a small city that had all the trappings of civilization. A few things hit home as we were nearing Esquel – it was getting considerably hotter, it was getting considerably busier and we would be touched soon, and for the first time, by the petty crime that can be an issue in Latin America.
Los Alerces National Park – as pretty a park as we had seen, but the first place in South America where we could not just walk in and get a campsite. What ? We have been spoiled………Esquel has a small ski hill, La Hoya, so we drove up to take a peek. Nice, but very small. Suspect Bariloche provides much better skiing just an hour or so north
Happy to be away from the constant winds of southern Patagonia, seems we traded wind for heat. While 31 degrees is not hot on anyone’s scale it was a sudden shock after wearing long pants, long sleeves and usually a coat pretty much since we arrived. No complaints though, we’ll take the heat any day, and we knew it was coming. What we were unprepared for, though we should have been, was the full force of Argentine summer holidays – suddenly the roads were very busy, and the campgrounds ( at least those in Los Alerces National Park ) were all full. Until now we had been very spoilt ( and had been loving it ! ) having things pretty much our own way. Nice while it lasted.
Could not camp inside Los Alerces NP but found a very nice “farm” campground just outside the park. Enjoyed the solitude and rural ambience at first but by 9pm it too was packed with Argentine holiday-makers. We had super nice neighbors but did I mention that they stay up late ? And like their music………….loud…!
Just got into El Bolson and I was finishing this blog. We then walked out to the truck only to find that a second hubcap trim piece was missing from the passenger side rear wheel ( the cap on other side had similarly “disappeared” at Torres Del Paine in Chile and we suspected young kids we saw loitering near the vehicle then ). Now we knew it was theft – they simply don’t fall off. Hugely valuable ? No, but they keep road grime from the bolts/nuts and do enhance the look of the wheel. What on earth anyone would want with them here ( they are not even sold in South America as far as we can tell ) is beyond me. And they are irreplaceable here. Alas, they won’t get the front two; decided to just remove them ourselves – now at least the wheels all look the same again.
Missing inner hub cap from passenger rear wheel – stolen just as we arrived in El BolsonEl Bolson downtown, by the park. A beautiful setting, the city is known for its “hippy” influence and general bohemian ambience. Saw plenty of dreadlocks here !We often find people staring at our vehicle plates – unlike South American plates ( which all state the country of registration ) ours just say “British Columbia” – it clearly confuses the heck out the locals ! We’ve even been told “Colombia” is spelt wrong on our plates ( seriously ). This lady could not resist and took a picture.
After a lengthy delay at the Argentine border we finally bid Chile adieu on Christmas Eve and crossed over, making a beeline for El Calafate, 4 hours drive away. Chile had been amazing, we loved every minute of it – the sights, the scenery and certainly the people who had been overwhelmingly kind and generous to us everywhere we went. But Argentina had much in store as well and from our experience here in 2003 we knew what to expect, albeit this time at a much less frantic pace. Our loose plans ( such as one can plan at all these days ) would have us in Argentina for most of the rest of this trip – so big and quite simply so much to see.
Our first border crossing since returning. Chile to Argentina. Initially it looked a lot like Chile…..
Things looked very similar to Chile but with one big difference – travelling in Argentina was a fraction of the cost of travelling in Chile. People had told us that everything was much less – the first gasoline fill up and first supermarket visit certainly bore that out. Time to indulge a bit ( everyone does here ! ) so decided to enjoy a few nights in a nice hotel over Christmas – a welcome change from the confines of a pop up camper !
El Calafate offered more than just nice hotels ( though there were plenty of those ) – a vibrant cafe culture, countless bars, restaurants and pastry shops were all reason to stay a little longer ( and we did ), but the crown jewel among all its sights, and probably it raison d’etre, was the world famous Moreno Glacier.
Gasoline at just 38 cents US/litre. A nice change from Chile, where it is 3 times the priceThey made fine cappuccinos….…and there were cake and pastry shops everywhereTito’s – awesome Italian ice cream !
There is no shortage of glaciers to see in South America but the Moreno glacier has a couple of facets that distinguish it from the rest – it’s huge, it ends as a sheer wall of ice (giving it a more dramatic look) and most significantly, it is one of very few glaciers in the world that is actually advancing ( most are shrinking/receding ). Google “most impressive glaciers” and you’ll see that many sites rank it number 1 in the world. We have not seen enough to confirm that but it’s definitely top of our list, so no arguments here.
Moreno glacier from the nearby viewpoint – over the years the glacier has actually advanced closer to the viewpointOut on the tour boat. Gets to within 300 metres – it used to be 200 metres but 2 years ago a large piece of ice calved off and pieces of ice hit a nearby tour boat Cruising by the sounds are almost eerie – the creaking and splitting of the ice make for a great audio backdropIn one place a “cave” has formedThe sheer face of the ice……a substantial piece calved off in front of us. Loud !
Hard to top the Moreno glacier so for the next few days we simply enjoyed the many pleasures of El Calafate. Reconnected with our Belgian friends ( first met in Pucon, Chile and who had arrived in Argentina just ahead of us ) and enjoyed spending time with a group of Brazilians camped beside us who were also making their way south to the bottom of South America. Lots of tip sharing both ways, always one of the delights of bumping into other travellers along the way.
El Calafate sits on the edge of turquoise Lago Argentina which is fed from the nearby southern Patagonian glaciers. It always stays this color
North of El Calafate, when travelling Argentina’s famous Route 40 ( our plan ) there really isn’t a major centre until Bariloche, over 1,400 kms away so we needed to address a nagging issue we had with the vehicle air bags. Essentially, a clamp that held the drivers side airbag in place had worked its way loose but could not be tightened. It rattled loudly on rough roads ( so, quite often ! ) and with more of that ahead we just decided to replace it. Fortunately an English speaking mechanic was found ( and they are rare ! ) – in a few hours “Nico” had the old clamp cut off and a shiny new one put on in its place- no more rattles !
Nico, and thumbs up to a job all done !
Amost two months back on the overland trail had made our rig disgustingly dirty – I mean, the real baked on stuff ! This would need a high pressure wash bay where we could take our time and just clean it top to bottom. Found just one such in town so the two of us spent two hours getting the shine back on ( which likely won’t long on Route 40 north ) ! What is it that just seems to make a car/truck drive better when it’s been washed thoroughly- not sure but it always seems to !
The truck looked like new afterwards !Street scene El Calafate Street scene El Calafate The Swiss – always have the biggest rigs. This one seen in El Calafate You never travel far in Argentina without seeing a sign, poster or mural referencing the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas conflict with Britain. Very emotional topic down here. The mural recognizes their 649 lost heroes and says “Malvinas – yesterday, today, and always Argentine”
That’s a long blog subject but the last 10 days have indeed been busy, exciting, and ( for us personally ) very momentous !
The signature attraction in ( or rather, near ) Puerto Natales is the trekkers “Mecca”, Torres del Paine National Park ( locally referred to as “TDP” ). Whether you come for the famous “W” or “O” ( lengthy and challenging hiking circuits whose routes resemble those letters ) or simply to drive, ride or take the myriad shorter walks through the park as many do ( the latter not requiring advance booking and reservations ), one is never disappointed. The place is, in a word stupendous – we enjoyed 3 leisurely days there, did several shorter hikes, and never tired of the unique mountain shapes ( especially the famous “towers” and “horns” ), turquoise lakes, glaciers and abundant wildlife (highlights being the sighting of several condors and 2 pumas – well beyond our expectations ! ). Below are some of the shots we took- it really is a place like no other…!
In these parts one sees many guanacos ( a camelid, related to llamas and alpacas ). They often stared at us…..……and sometimes poked their tongues out at us !A quintessentially South American image………literally visible around every corner in TDPThe famous “towers” of TDP. Covered in cloud as we arrived they later showed themselves in all their glory ! As photographed as they are we were more impressed by the “horns” or cuernos ( see below )Bumped into this friendly Chilean family at Lago Azul in the northern part of TDP, a good viewpoint for the towers The ranger at the entrance suggested pumas might be visible near Lago Sarmiento so off we went. Not too long after we saw these two. Amazing to see them in the wild !The picture resolution drops with a long lens but they can be clearly seen walking away in the top of the picture. The view was very impressive with binoculars Typical scene around the parkAnd another, showing the “horns” ( black topped peaks on the left of the picture )One of the many waterfallsA hike to the viewpoint shown below – 80km/h winds are nothing to worry about – onwards !The “horns” of TDP from another angleMountain backdrop to beautifully turquoise Lago NordernskjoldCamping Pehoe at TDP…..probably one of the most beautiful settings of any campground we have ever visited !A picture stop on the way to Lago GreyThe glacier at Lago Grey
As hard as it was to drag ourselves away from TDP, not far south were two other “attractions”. Representing both the purpose and in a way the climax of this long drive, (but, hopefully, by no means the end of it ) the first of the two was the Fin de Camion ( “end of the road“ ) at Fuerte Bulnes, just south of Punta Arenas.
The Chileans ( and Argentines ) make much of the fact that you are at the bottom of the world with road signs everywhere reminding you just how far south you are ( “Fin Del Mundo” )
Our journey on the PanAmericana started at the northernmost road/community in continental North America, ( the Dalton Highway at Deadhorse, Alaska, USA ) back in May 2019, and concluded ( albeit significantly Covid interrupted ! ) this past Sunday, over 43,000kms later at the southernmost road/community on the South American continent, on Route 9 near Fuerte Bulnes, Chile.
Us, at the Fin de Camino ( end of the road ) sign near Fuerte Bulnes, south of Punta Arenas Chile. One can go no further south ( by road ) in continental South America ( some history of Fuerte Bulnes here )Map showing the end of the road with the end of the land itself, Cape Froward, just a bit further south
From here, the truck finally now points ( mostly at least ! ) north ! In case you wondered, no, we do NOT intend to drive it all the way back to Canada ( but it’s amazing how many people ask us that ) !!! Omicron travel restrictions permitting, we will drive up through most of Argentina, Uruguay and possibly southern Brazil before shipping it home from either Santiago, Buenos Aires or Montevideo sometime in the northern Spring.
Our trusty steed in front of the sign ( almost obscured by stickers ! ) and end of the road barrier near Fuerte Bulnes, Chile
Rather fitting that the last 18kms to the “end of the road” sign and road barrier on Route 9 was gravel ( getting used to it down in these parts ! ) since that is exactly what we started on in Alaska’s far north. A great feeling of accomplishment ( and much perseverance! ) to have completed it, but at the same time a little sadness that our biggest milestone was now behind us. The Fuerte Bulnes area is very scenic and peaceful, right on the Straits of Magellan and fittingly perhaps, we wild camped right there, toasting to the completion of this part of our overlanding journey – very serene listening only to the birds and the waves and watching ships pass through the very same strait that Ferdinand Magellan first navigated 500 years ago, way back in 1520 – this part of Chile, known as Magallanes, bears the Spanish spelling of his name on streets, plazas and buildings everywhere.
Wild camping on the Straits of Magellan at the “end of the road”The seaside road to the “end of the road”
A short ( 2 hour ) ferry ride across the above-mentioned straits brought us to the mystical island of Tierra del Fuego ( “Land of Fire” in English, known as TDF locally ) and the second of the two “attractions” south of Puerto Natales. Known for its remoteness, colder temperatures, arid landscapes, lots of sheep and unbelievably strong winds, Tierra del Fuego is split between Chile and Argentina and has attractions of its own, most immediately for us being the King Penguin colony just east of Porvenir (and still on the Chilean side). We’d not seen this during our 2003 visit to TDF (which was mostly spent in Argentinian Ushuaia on the south eastern side of the island ). It’s unknown to many but there are in fact a few places outside Antarctica that offer a place to see penguins in the wild; western Tierra Del Fuego being one we were not going to pass it up. And, King Penguins no less, second only in size to the Emperor penguins
Mesmerizing to watch these flightless birds – so beautiful. Hilarious to watch them walk ( well, waddle anyway )We were told they sleep standing up, nestling their beaks under their wings – tiring I would think !These two were doing a little “fishing”
The whole “end of the road” thing is actually a bit contentious down here – speak to a Chilean and the Pan Americana ends ( as it starts ) on “continental“ South America ( at Fuerte Bulnes ). The Argentines will have none of it and say it ends on Tierra Del Fuego ( even though it’s an island and not connected to the South American “continent” ). Thought we would do the former in full and as much of the latter as border restrictions allow ! A measure of just how ridiculous these “extremity” claims have become – Chile has now reclassified the small town of Puerto Williams ( which lies just south of Argentinian Ushuaia, albeit also on an island ) as a ‘city’ so they can boast the “most southerly city in the world” taking that claim from nearby Ushuaia, Argentina. Imagine, a “city” …….with a population of less than 3,000 people !
While near the King Penguin reserve we saw this scene- reminded me very much of Australia !Typical road in western Tierra Del Fuego – mostly gravel but not nearly as rough as parts of the Carretera AustralThere is but one objective when wild camping on Tierra Del Fuego – protection from the howling winds. Managed to find this little refuge ( ocean to the right ) but it was still a rough night. Slept with the roof down and used the emergency bed – the slats I had cut back in Coyhaique were finally put to use. Invaluable !
While in TIerra Del Fuego some exciting news emerged re border crossings that was particularly relevant to us. Chile and Argentina were, it seemed, bringing forward the opening of one of the southern Patagonian crossings from January 1st to December 22nd….just days away ! We had long hoped to be in El Calafate ( Argentina ) for Christmas where we promised to treat each other to a nice hotel for a few days – if this news were true we might just be able to swing that. The wild camping of late had been great and driving the “long endless roads” of southern Patagonia appealing but the thought of a nice room, hot shower every day and a little space to spread out for Christmas was, well, tempting too ! With a PCR test possible in Puerto Natales and same day results available this just might work – the fact that we could not cross to Ushuaia on Tierra Del Fuego actually saved us a couple of precious days so a plan was hatched to head back to Natales, get our PCR test, and drive on to Argentina.
The roads down south ( when paved ) often looked like this, a nice relief from some of the rough, gravel, washboarded, cliff hangers further north and …………..our trusty navigator even offered to take the wheel !
As we ( hopefully ) close out our Chilean chapter late this week both Lois and I wanted to wish all of our regular readers a very Merry Christmas ( or rather, Felice Navidad !!!!! ) and Happy New Year. Please keep the comments coming, we love hearing from everyone !
We are Lois and Jeff, of Kelowna, BC, Canada. Recently retired with a serious overlanding travel bug, we hit the road in our truck camper in May 2019, initially tackling the Pan American highway. The PanAm completed in April 2022, and truck camper sold, we plan to continue exploring again later in 2022 in our Sprinter 4×4!
