“The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world’s great long distance walk trails, stretching 1,000km from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills, to Albany on the south coast, winding through the heart of the scenic South West of Western Australia.” https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au

In the company of our two new Australian friends, Brett and Clive, we set out to explore roughly 70km of the Bibbulmun Track over four days in the first week of June 2015, walking north from the Brookton Highway access point, to the northern terminus in the shire of Kalamunda. The entire track is marked with triangular yellow metal “woggles” with the Bibbulmun signature emblem – a patterned snake (obviously, what else would be appropriate? :)). The woggles are attached to trees, posts, and metal struts and except for those instances where the marker has melted due to bush fires, grown into a tree over time, or simply fallen off, they are very easy to spot and follow! As one hiker commented, where there’s a woggle, there’s a way!

We had a grand adventure along a reasonably easy and well maintained section of the track, and lived to tell the tale, despite our fears of certain death by the fangs, claws, pincers, and teeth of the almost exclusively venomous, and deadly, creatures that call Australia home! An account of our excursion is detailed below with a packing list included at the end.

Packing the last few essential items on the night before departure – traveling light in true Eat.Run.See style!

Day 1: Brookton Highway to Beraking (26 kms)

Our trek started with an early morning pick up by Brett, Clive, and Brett’s kind father-in-law, Ken, who would drop us off and drive back into Perth at a fairly unreasonable hour! With the sun just rising and our packs snuggly on our backs, we started our first day’s walk. There was a track diversion due to controlled bush burning, so we headed along an alternate route along the power line track for the first two hours, eventually cutting back onto the main Bibbulmun Track and stopping at the Mt Dale campsite for a cup of tea and cookies. Along the way we saw evidence of the bush fire that had swept through the region a few years ago. Stark and beautiful at the same time.

At the start of the hike at Brookton Highway

Tea break near Mt Dale campsite

Remnants of a bush fire

The remainder of our first day was mostly along non-technical graded forest service roads, with a few nice climbs and beautiful views. We spent the first night at the Beraking campsite, nestled in the bush overlooking the hills. The campsites are very well structured with a three-sided shelter with built-in sleeping platforms, picnic tables, an outhouse, and fire pit. There is also fresh water at each campsite. It is recommended to either chemically treat or boil the water, which we dutifully did. We reached Beraking around 3pm and set about making lunch, a delicious lentil dahl courtesy of Brett, cooked on his very efficient methylated spirits camp stove. After our late lunch we had time to get our sleeping arrangements organized and watch the very beautiful sunset. The quiet night and crisp air were so lovely to enjoy around the warm campfire that evening!

Our first big climb of the hike – hard work with full packs!

Relaxing at Beraking campsite after a hard first day

Sleeping platforms in the shelter

The bush surrounding the campsite

Richard, Clive, and Brett debriefing the day’s events!

Gorgeous bush sunset

Day 2: Beraking to Helena (19 kms)

After a night that didn’t quite provide the quality, or quantity, of sleep we would’ve liked, we began day two at a very leisurely pace, only getting ourselves back on the trail by about 9:45am. The day saw us taking the trail from Beraking through to Helena campsite after a lunch stop at the Waalegh campsite, at roughly the halfway point. The weather, which had looked suspicious on the forecasts the week prior, turned less than ideal overnight and we spent a bit of time walking in light rain before reaching Waalegh at about noon.

Waalegh – lunch

When our hiking party was all accounted for, Brett once again provided us with a simply delicious dahl and rice meal, nicely customized with the addition of some extra curry spices. While we were enjoying lunch the weather went through several drastic changes, at times offering blue skies and brilliant sunshine, then changing into sudden and wild downpours with gusting winds, at a moment’s notice. This left us slightly concerned about the remaining 11km of walking before reaching our camp for the night. We decided not to take any chances and broke out our Machu Picchu ponchos – can’t have our sleeping bags getting wet, even it makes us look a little silly!

Have poncho, will travel

The section of track between Waalegh and Helena turned out to be one of our favorites. Mostly single track, lots of greenery, and no rain! This would have been an excellent stretch to run – our feet were itching to get going! We did encounter a fair bit of climbing with some slippery granite outcroppings and boulders to navigate. There were also a few areas where the trail was damaged due to erosion, so we had to keep our eyes open for the woggle and our feet firmly on the ground!

Beautiful views across the Helena valley

Bev and Brett

Beautiful jarrah tree

The bush is so peaceful and very beautiful

Taking a special little rest to enjoy the view

We arrived at Helena at about 4pm, happy to be dry, and totally satisfied with our day in the bush. Our camp for the night was hard earned with a few big ups and downs on the trail, but well worth the effort. The shelter at Helena is perched overlooking a valley and aside from the slog up the hill to the toilet, it was a perfect spot to spend a few hours to relax before bedtime. We made pasta and beans for dinner, followed by a few delicious squares of dark chocolate for dessert. It was early to bed for everyone, after an exhausting day!

Arriving at the Helena campsite junction

Richard getting settled at Helena campsite for the night

A beautiful fresh morning in the bush

Time to get moving!

Day 3: Helena to Ball Creek (9 kms)

We had a much better night’s rest and woke feeling well rested and ready for another day on the trail. This was to be our shortest distance day, leaving us with lots of time for a leisurely breakfast and easy walk to our next stop for the night at Ball Creek campsite. We climbed the hill from Helena and made our way back onto the track. From Helena the trail continued to wind its way through jarrah forrest against the backdrop of the Darling Range. In addition to the beautiful shapes and colours of the jarrah trees, we also loved the strange and crooked grass trees, brightly coloured wildflowers, and harsh but pretty banksia varietals. It almost seems that everything in Australia has developed the ability to defend itself in the most aggressive way imaginable!

On the road again!

More beautiful bush terrain to explore

Exquisite bark formations and colours

Almost at camp!

But not before we encountered three enormous mouse spiders – venomous of course!

We arrived at Ball Creek campsite just before noon and before settling into our bunk, conducted a full search for more mouse spiders and other creepy crawlies. Fortunately we did not encounter anything to be concerned about, and prepped our sleeping quarters for the night. We had a very lazy afternoon, forced inside the shelter at times by rain showers. It was another very enjoyable day with great conversation, many laughs, and excellent camp food, including freshly brewed espresso thanks to Brett and Clive.

Our final night’s shelter at Ball Creek

The work never ends but it’s so much fun!

Another awesome fire thanks to Brett (and Clive and Richard for gathering the wood!)

Pretty eucalyptus leaves

Time to eat again!

Day 4: Ball Creek to Kalamunda (21 kms)

Our final day on the track would take us from Ball Creek to the track’s northern terminus in Kalamunda. This would be another long day taking us away from the bush and into civilization once again. We got an early start from Ball Creek and quickly covered the first few kilometres before entering an interpretive trail close to the Perth Hills Discovery Centre. We wound our way through more lush forrest with views of the Mundaring Weir and reservoir. We also encountered a few furry friends along the way, including a fairly distressed joey who had become separated from its mother. Who knew kangaroos hissed and barked? Fortunately there was a happy ending with the baby reunited with its mother, and we did not have to endure a punch in the neck from a protective maternal marsupial.

Where there’s a woggle, there’s a way!

Starting up the hill away from Ball Creek

Furry friends along the track

Amazing spiderwebs heavy with morning dew

After a very pleasant and refreshing coffee break at the Mundaring Weir Hotel (and used their very clean bathrooms to wash our hands and faces for the first time in three days!), we crossed the weir and continued with the track onto the south bank section. This part of the track had a fair bit of climbing with stone steps to boot – plus there were multiple other tracks criss-crossing over the Bibbulmun, requiring us to keep our eye on the woggle at all times! It was obvious that we had entered a more heavily trafficked part of the track! At the 10km mark we arrived at our lunch stop at Hewett’s Hill campsite. We had a very pleasant rest in the sunshine and enjoyed some of our last bits of provisions along with a cup of tea. We were well rested and ready for the final 11km push home – and the cold beer that would be waiting for us!

At the Mundaring Weir

Lunch stop at Hewett’s Hill campsite

Gumtree nuts

The final part of our day’s hike was incredibly beautiful and varied. After following a fairly flat, wide and firm section of the track for a few kilometres alongside smallholdings and a camel farm, we walked down into a river valley at Piesse Brook and back up again, surrounded by boulders and bush, with lovely views along the way. Our packs had become gradually lighter as each day passed and our food rations were consumed. We enjoyed having a little less weight for the final stretch as our legs started to feel a little tired after the previous days’ effort.

Clive and Richard getting going after lunch

A sunny break next to another beautiful tree on the trail

We’re on the right track!

Bev having a special little rest

Gorgeous fresh fruit for sale along the way!

Brilliant colours courtesy of the setting sun on our final day

Once we reached the entrance to Kalamunda National Park we knew that we were close to the northern terminus of the Bibbulmun Track. A few kilometres on, through parkland and along paved roadways, we arrived at the end of the track around 4pm. Feeling elated by such a good time in the beautiful bush but sad that our adventure was over, we set down our packs and enjoyed a well earned cold beer and potato chips! A short while later we welcome Brett and Clive as they arrived from the track, and all set off to enjoy a celebratory dinner before hailing a cab to take us back into Perth, where our warm showers and comfy beds waited for us!

We made it!

Thanks Richard for running into town for cold beer and potato chips!

Packing list for three-night/four-day hike

Backpack (Richard – 38L / Bev – 34L)

Sleeping bag and liner

Large garbage back for waterproofing sleeping bag and clothing

Compact thermarest sleeping mat

Headlamp

First aid kit

Water purification tablets and water bottles

Toilet paper

Baby wipes

Hand sanitizer

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Hand towel

Playing cards

Phone

Bibbulmun Track Northern Section Guidebook

Plastic bag for garbage collection (hikers must carry all garbage off the track)

Clothing: two technical fabric shirts, one pair shorts, warm layer for evenings and sleeping (track pants, base layer and fleece), toque, buffs, gloves, socks, underwear, and warm outer jacket

Rain poncho and rain jacket

Hiking shoes

Hat

Sunglasses

Collapsible bowl

Spork (spoon and fork combo)

Plastic cup

Meals – breakfast: granola, bananas, soy milk (250ml tetra pack containers)

Meals – lunch: dahl and rice (provided and carried by Brett and Clive – thank you!), pita bread, peanut butter, and jam

Meals – dinner: cous cous, packaged beans (3 kinds), pasta, nutritional yeast sprinkles

Snacks: Clif Bars, trail mix, cookies, rice crackers, fruit (apples, plums, grapes), and dark chocolate

Drinks: water, tea, and coffee (provided and carried by Brett and Clive – thank you again!)

Note: we would typically also carry a portable stove, fuel and pot, but our friend Brett provided these items for our group for this hike

Click me to read our article as it appears in the magazine

The latest TRAIL magazine featuring another Eat.Run.See adventure has just been published! In this issue we share our amazing experience in Chilean Patagonia; running and hiking through pristine wilderness in Torres del Paine National Park in the far south of Chile. If you’d like to read more about our adventures in Patagonia, we cover Chile and Argentina in greater detail (and with many more beautiful images!) on our blog.

Click on the link below for our article as it appears in the magazine:

TRAIL 15 – Eat.Run.See Loves Life in Breathtaking Patagonia

If you’d like to enjoy the full magazine packed with awesome trail goodness, pick up a copy at supermarkets or bookstores in South Africa, or buy a digital copy online via one of these links:

Zinio: http://ca.zinio.com/www/browse/product.jsp?rf=sch&productId=500650714

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trail-magazine-sa/id979830150?mt=8

We’re once again incredibly proud and excited that we’re featured in TRAIL, South Africa’s leading trail running publication. The latest issue continues our involvement as regular contributors, as we share tales from the trails that we explore and experience on our global adventure.

On our visit to the region in March 2014, we explored the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and also spent time near the town of El Chalten, within the Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. In this article we’ll focus on the Argentinian region of Patagonia, with the equally stunning Chilean region covered here.

After our outstanding experience in Chilean Patagonia, we were sure that nothing could compare to the vast uninhabited wilderness, lakes, glaciers, and mountains of Torres del Paine. Boy, were we wrong! The magnificent Los Glaciares National Park in Argentinian Patagonia quietly inhabits the landscape with slowly shifting ice fields, towering peaks, and wind swept trees and vegetation.

After a few days in El Calafate, gateway to Argentina’s Patagonia region, we headed to the small town of El Chalten, the trekking capital of Argentina. Easily accessed by 3-hour bus from El Calafate on Route 23, El Chalten is nestled within the Los Glaciares National Park and provides near doorstep access to a wide variety of mountain trails in the region leading to and through some of the most amazing scenery on the planet. Although the town is tiny, El Chalten has well stocked supermarkets, trekking gear shops, and many restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. It also has an internet cafe and travel booking service centre. Don’t be alarmed by siesta time though – most stores and restaurants close from roughly 1-5pm.

The town of El Chalten seen from the Laguna Torre trailhead

We loved the simple and understated commitment to mountain exploration in El Chalten. The singular purpose of the town is to support the trekking community, making this a very easy place to find information and exchange grand stories of mountain adventures! Not to be outdone by those who prefer both feet on the ground, this region is also popular with rock and ice climbers.

So many trails, so little time! (oh, and a little Malbec to keep spirits up and hands warm on chilly Patagonian days!)

A few days of weather imposed downtime with extreme wind and rain (common in these parts!), gave us a chance to relax in our cozy hostel, Albergue Patagonia, and research the trail options in the area. Once the weather cleared we departed on our first mountain exploration run – to discover the majestic Mount Fitz Roy standing tall at 3,359m. The spectacular view of this massif is the reward at the turnaround of the 23km out and back Laguna de Los Tres trail with 1,000m of elevation gain. Starting at the edge of the town, the clearly marked trail winds up steadily along single track with varied terrain underfoot. At times hard packed dirt, other times rooty with thick bush, but always beautiful with the freshest mountain air imaginable.

Trailhead leading up to the best view of Mount Fitz Roy via Laguna de Los Tres trail

The view of Mount Fitz Roy in the distance – time to get a little closer!

The trail opens up and flattens somewhat when it traverses the Del Salto stream valley and follows the natural course of the stream passing through two campgrounds along the way. Natural viewpoints offer glimpses of the Fitz Roy peak, but it’s only by pressing on and up the final and very steep grind of almost a kilometer that you reach the trail terminus point at the edge of an old moraine ridge. From this vantage point you can attempt to make sense of the full frontal assault on your eyes: a crystal blue lagoon and eons of glacier pack pushing up against the towering Mount Fitz Roy alongside its less well known but no less striking siblings.

We made it! And what a reward for our efforts!

Team ERS takes a well earned rest before the descent

With the sun out, we basked in its warmth and the privilege of finding ourselves at this amazing juncture while eating our customary trail run snack of peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Fueled up for our return journey we reluctantly turned away from the breathtaking view and completed the trail in reverse. Our legs enjoyed the downhill as much as our minds celebrated the gift of wanderlust!

Resting at the end of the trail before heading back into El Chalten

There are numerous other trails to explore from the village of El Chalten. We ran a few shorter trails to a few easily accessible viewpoints, as well as one additional longer run. This 21km out and back trot with 600m of elevation gain took us along the undulating and relatively easy (albeit rocky) Laguna Torre trail to the lake of the same name fed by the Torre and Grande glaciers.

The Laguna Torre trailhead just above the town

Another gorgeous trail into the mountains

Richard wishing that Bev would stop taking so many photographs – and just run!

Here the mountain vistas are just as grand as Mount Fitz Roy with the jagged spire of Cerro Torre reaching above the rest of the Adela range at a height of 3,128m. If you’re lucky enough to arrive at this point on a clear day (we weren’t), the mythical Cerro Torre may be revealed to you. We had to settle for a brief glimpse of the spiky ridges before a wind storm swept in and literally blew us off our feet while a heavy blanket of cloud descended over the mountains and into the lake basin. We scrambled for cover under a rock shelf until the worst of the storm passed and then hightailed it back to the warmth and safety of our hostel. Another day well lived!

Approaching the jagged spires looming over Laguna Torre with Cerro Torre under cloud

Reaching Laguna Torre with hopes of clear skies

And then the wind picked up and we had to find shelter fast!

Notwithstanding the rough weather, it was an amazing day of trails, glaciers, and mountain bliss!

Overview

El Calafate is the gateway town to Los Glaciares National Park.

Regular buses run between El Calafate and El Chalten, a small town located in the park providing access to some of Argentina’s finest mountain trails.

This region is less structured than the Torres del Paine circuits in Chilean Patagonia, but multi-day adventures with overnight camping are possible if you are self-supported.

El Chalten is a perfect base for single day trail runs with options for accommodation and meals to suit all budgets.

After your trail adventures, don’t miss a visit to the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate.

Expect unpredictable and extreme weather conditions especially strong winds and quickly changing temperatures.

Bring layers and a good wind/rain jacket along with gloves, hat and neck covering.

Bring sunscreen and lip balm.

Best time to visit is October through March.

Links

www.losglaciares.com/en/calafate (general info)

www.elchalten.com (general info and maps)

www.losglaciares.com/en/parque/#1 (official park website)

www.americahostel.com.ar (hostel in El Calafate)

www.patagoniahostel.com.ar (hostel in El Chalten)

Patagonia, a vast and sparsely populated area (almost the same size as British Columbia), is located on the southern tip of South America, and is home to a dizzying array of breathtaking mountains, lakes, and glaciers. It extends into both Chile and Argentina, and owing to its remoteness and staggering beauty it is a remarkable place to experience true wilderness.

On our visit to the region in March 2014, we explored the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and also spent time near the town of El Chalten, within the Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. In this article we’ll focus on Chilean Patagonia, with the equally stunning Argentinian region covered here.

To reach Torres del Paine we travelled from Santiago to Punta Arenas by air, and then bussed to Puerto Natales, the gateway town to the national park. We based ourselves in Puerto Natales for a few days to gather information, complete our planning, and purchase supplies for our trek. We stayed at Erratic Rock, an extremely welcoming and comfortable hostel with friendly people, oodles of knowledge, gear rentals, and scrumptious breakfasts with homemade bread and peanut butter. The hostel also allows returning guests to store bags and other valuables while in the park. We rented sleeping bags and mats from the hostel, and purchased our cooking and eating equipment from a supply store in the town. We had already purchased a small two-person tent in Santiago after calculating that renting a tent for five days would cost more than purchasing one.

Prepping food rations for our 6-day trek at Erratic Rock

Bev ready to set off on the early bus into the park from Puerto Natales

We planned a six day adventure in Torres del Paine, which would see us hike and run along the famous ‘W’ trek which remains just south of the Cordilerra del Paine massif. We initially planned to run the complete 110km ‘O’ circuit, which essentially circumnavigates the massif. Unfortunately we had to opt for a more conservative route, due to logistical difficulties exacerbated by cold weather challenges. So, out of necessity, we set out to complete the ‘W’, with plans to get in plenty of running on the gorgeous trails of this spectacular part of our planet. Over six days we completed the ‘W’ circuit – running more than half of it (a total of 40km or so) along with around 70km of “full pack” trekking with gear, food and camping equipment.

The ‘W’ circuit in Torres del Paine (credit: Lonely Planet)

About to get started with some serious weather ahead of us!

Excellent signposting and wayfinding along the track

We started our adventure at Laguna Amarga, the main entrance to the park. Using the pay-for-use shuttle bus service, we drove the first 10km into the park and then hiked 9km uphill to Campamento Torres for our first night in the park, encountering heavy winds and snow along the way. Campamento Torres is one of two free campsites along the ‘W’ in the park. We set up camp, and set off for our first short run up to the Base de las Torres, where we were treated to a private audience with the splendid granite spires that give the park its name (torres is Spanish for towers). This area is usually congested, and most trekkers arrive for sunrise or later in the evening owing to the logistics of how people move along the hiking routes. We arrived early and had a good 20 minutes in absolute silence to enjoy the company of this spectacular sight with a glorious sunset. An absolute highlight.

The clouds cleared and gave us a beautiful sunny view on the way to Campamento Torres

Our first night on the trail at the free campsite at Campamento Torres

Our little orange tent bracing for a windy night at Campamento Torres

Food mouse-proofing measures recommended at all campsites along the trail

The cooking shelter at Campamento Torres

Quiet time in the presence of the majestic Torres del Paine

The following morning we did the 9km hike back down to the campground Camping Las Torres near Refugio Torres from where we had planned a longer run north east towards Campamento Seron on what is known as the “back” of the ‘O’ circuit. The weather, however, was steadily deteriorating and before long we cut our planned two-hour run short, returning back to our tent after an hour in the now howling wind. It was beginning to dawn on us that wind was going to be a big part of our Torres del Paine experience. Notwithstanding the shortened run, it was still a gorgeous, non- technical single-track trail, which offered wide, sweeping views of open landscape in this part of the park.

Hiking back down from Campamento Torres

Time to hit the trails for a run!

Sweet single-track

That night the wind continued to gain strength, really whipping our tent around, and the following day turned out to be a write-off. It started raining, the wind was howling, and we had little choice but to stay bundled up in our tent for most of the day. We were thus forced to spend another night at Camping Las Torres. We learned later that the winds were at a sustained 70 to 80km/h, a strong gale, according to the Beaufort Scale.

Waiting out the bad weather inside our cozy tent

The food prep facilities at Camping Las Torres

The next day dawned clear, but with no break in the wind. After breaking down camp we hiked the 11km to the next overnight camp, Los Cuernos. It was a beautiful hike, along the northern shore of the magnificent Lago (lake) Nordenskjold. We couldn’t wait to get into our running gear to take in a run along the lakeshore. It was stunning. Unfortunately it was also cold and windy, and with sunset fairly early, we only covered about 5km out before being forced to make our way back to camp where we had to find a way to get warm and make dinner. Dinner was easy in the shelter of the refugio, but it turned out that we wouldn’t be warm again until some time the next day. That night was well below zero, and with our lightweight gear we felt it!

A beautiful morning and time to press on from Camping Las Torres

Setting up camp at Los Cuernos

A chilly but beautiful evening run from Los Cuernos campsite

Stunning sunset at Los Cuernos

Making dinner while trying to stay warm in the Los Cuernos shelter

The next morning we shook the ice off our tent, and set off to Refugio Paine Grande, a good 13km away. Along the way, we left our backpacks at Campamento Italiano and ran the 8km stretch up the “middle of the ‘W’” with the French Valley to our right and the magnificent Glacier del Frances to our left. This was a steep and technical run, offering gorgeous scenery, another major highlight. An out-and-back is required, though, due to the layout of the trail, giving a total of 16km before continuing on to Refugio Paine Grande, making this a rather long day with a total of 29km and a fair amount of climbing too with a total elevation gain of around 1,200m.

An icy layer on our tent in the morning after a freezing night

View from the French Valley

A special little rest on our 16-km out and back run up the French Valley with the breathtaking Glacier del Frances as our backdrop

Glacier del Frances just before the clouds spilled over into the valley

We decided to spend the night in a dorm at Refugio Paine Grande instead of camping as we were very cold the previous night and the overnight weather forecast did not look good. Our sparse and expensive digs for the night was at least a little more luxurious and warmer than being in a tent!

Warm and comfy in our dorm room at Refugio Paine Grande on our last night in the park

Our fantastic gas stove and versatile pot/kettle/serving dish in the communal kitchen at Refugio Paine Grande

The following day was our last day in the park and it was nothing short of spectacular. We put in a 24km out-and-back (just over 1,100m of elevation gain) as we ran up the left leg of the ‘W’ to just beyond Refugio Grey to take in the awesome Glacier Grey. Along the trail there were awesome views of Lago Grey with plenty of side options to reach higher ground for even more spectacular views. The trail was highly varied, all single-track, but ranging from easy, smooth running to highly technical, steep and rocky business. It was the perfect way to end our time in this most memorable place.

A glorious day for a long run in the mountains!

Glacier Grey in the distance

Pieces of ice floating on Lago Grey

Glacier Grey

The glacier stretches far beyond

The changing terrain along the way

Breathtaking!

What a day!

Upon returning to Refugio Paine Grande we caught the ferry across Lago Pehoe back to the park entrance. From here we bussed back to Puerto Natales, very happy to find a hot shower and cosy bed at Erratic Rock, the friendliest hostel we’d encountered on our travels thus far. And so we concluded one of our most memorable adventures with firm promises to return to explore more of this special place.

Waiting for the ferry to take us across Lago Pehoe to return to the park entrance

Our last views of the majestic mountains of Torres del Paine from the ferry – until next time!

Overview

Expect unpredictable and extreme weather conditions especially strong winds and quickly changing temperatures.

Bring layers and a good wind/rain jacket along with gloves, hat, and neck covering.

Bring sunscreen and lip balm.

Best time to visit is October through March.

Puerto Natales is the gateway town for Torres del Paine National Park.

Access Puerto Natales by bus from Punta Arenas (easy and cheap) or ferry from Puerto Montt (difficult and expensive but worth the effort).

Regular buses run between Puerto Natales and the park; buy tickets at any travel agent in town or at the bus station (slightly cheaper).

Entrance fee for the park for foreigners is $18,000 chilean pesos (USD $38) in high season and $5,000 chilean pesos (USD $10.50) in low season; this is a one-time fee per visit regardless of how long you stay in the park.

The W circuit can be completed by starting from either the east or west end, and there are logistical facilities to support either starting/ending point. There are many online resources that offer suggestions for each route, but ultimately your plans will be dictated by weather (as we discovered!). Be flexible and arrive with a good understanding of the route and terrain and carry a map at all times!

Stock up on food and camping gear (purchase and rental) in Puerto Natales as supplies are very limited in the park.

Erratic Rock Backpackers/Basecamp Rentals in Puerto Natales is your best bet for warm hospitality, clean and cosy dorm beds and good rental gear (tell Bill we sent you and make sure you attend their free daily orientation for all the best info and tips).

Camping is the cheapest accommodation in the park with tent and gear rentals available at each refugio (hostel/lodge).

If camping with your own gear, bring a quality lightweight sleeping mat (the ground is hard and cold!) and sleeping bag rated below zero degrees.

Bring a thin rope and zippered canvas bag to store and winch up food when in camp – those Patagonian mice will wreak havoc on your food supply if it’s on the ground or in your pack in your tent!

There are non-camping accommodation options at the refugios that offer a bed as well as food. However, it’s not cheap at an average of US$55 p/person p/night in a 4 or 6 person dormitory, plus another US$20 to US$30 p/meal. The refugios are managed by two companies: Vertice and Fantastico Sur.

Communal kitchen, shower and toilet facilities are available at every refugio.
 

Links

www.torresdelpaine.com (general info and maps)

www.parquetorresdelpaine.cl/en/ (official park website)

www.verticepatagonia.com (camping and lodging in park)

www.fantasticosur.com (camping and lodging in park)

www.erraticrock.com (hostel and gear rental)

Organized races

www.ultratrailtorresdelpaine.com

www.patagonianinternationalmarathon.com

A visit to Machu Picchu tops the list for most travellers to Peru, and for us it was no different. Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca site located roughly 7,900 feet above sea level (asl) in the mountains of Peru. The site lies in what is known as the Sacred Valley (roughly 80km northwest of the city of Cusco), through which the Urubamba River flows.

There are many ways to reach Machu Picchu, which sits hidden in the mountains above the town of Aguas Calientes located on the valley floor on the banks of the Urubamba. Looking for something more adventurous than the popular one day train and bus ride to Machu Picchu, and something less travelled and populated than the well-known Inca Trail hike, we decided to join a 5 day/4 night trek over the Salkantay Pass. The pass tops out at over 15,000 feet asl and the trek covers approximately 60km of varied terrain. We chose to trek with Salkantay Trekking, a locally owned operation with responsible trekking practices.

Cusco rooftops

We arrived in Cusco (basecamp for treks to Machu Picchu) a week before our trek departure. Going from sea level in Cartegena, Colombia to over 12,000 feet asl in Cusco was likely to be a challenge, and we wanted to ensure that we avoided our previous experiences with altitude sickness when travelling from Vancouver to the mountains of Colorado. With lots of rest, coca tea and light meals, we managed to ease into the higher elevation with minimal concern – even going running twice during our stay in Cusco!

Streets of Cusco with resident llama!

We stayed at Piuray Hostal for the week before the trek. Run by two friends, it was a great base for our preparation and rest after the trek. It’s situated just outside of the centre of town and provided us with ample room and facilities like a well equipped kitchen, and a lovely patio area overlooking Cusco. It was extremely cold in Cusco and we found ourselves bundled up and in bed early most nights to stay warm!

View over Cusco from patio of our hostel

Our much needed cozy pants in freezing Cusco (a selfie taken on the patio at our hostel)!

Warming up with coca tea in our hostel kitchen

We knew that we might be in for a cold and damp adventure since we were verging on the rainy season in these parts – in fact, our trek would be the last of the season for our operator since the trails close for the month of February due to the inclement weather and the need for trail preservation.

In the Cusco town square after a run

The night before our departure we met at the office of Salkantay Trekking for a briefing with our group. Here we would meet the folks who would share our adventure for the next 5 days. We hoped they would be fun and interesting and, if they were fresh from Canada or America, armed with Clif Bars (and not be opposed to selling a few to us).

We lucked out on the first two requirements, but alas, no Clif Bars! We were introduced to half our group at the briefing – 2 Aussie boys, Jarred and Dan, and 2 American girls, Andrea and Laura. The remainder of the group, 4 deaf travellers from Sweden and Switzerland (Tanja, Maja, Joanna and David) was briefed separately. We’d meet them on the bus the next morning.

The briefing covered the basics of the route, sleeping, eating, transport and safety.  We opted for a fully supported trek, where luggage is carried, meals are prepared and accommodation is arranged by the tour company. To this end, we were given a tote bag for clothes and personal items, which would be carried by the pack animals. Accommodation would be in tents for 3 nights, with a hostel stay for 1 night. Eating would include 3 meals and snacks most days. Transport would include foot, train and shuttle bus. Sufficiently briefed and confident that we’d selected a well organized trek operator, we were ready to begin our next adventure through the beautiful Peruvian landscape!

Day 1 – 10km

We were collected by shuttle bus at 6:30am the next morning with the rest of our group and crew already on board. Our first morning entailed a 3-hour bus ride west of Cusco to the starting point of our trek at Marcocasa, where we met our support team of kitchen staff and horseman. Once everything was loaded onto the horses and our first team photo was taken, we began our 10km hike toward Soraypampa (12,800 feet asl), the location of our first night’s campsite.

Our trekking group and crew ready for an adventurous 5 days!

Getting ready for our first day’s hike

The first 10km of the trek took us along a very walkable gravel road with gorgeous views of mountains, meadows, waterfalls and glaciers. It was a perfect sunny day and we enjoyed getting to know our group mates as we put the first day of the hike under our belts. We definitely felt the increasing elevation and the thinning of the air as we gradually climbed to the campground.

On the road into the mountains

Richard wishing he was running instead of walking this beautiful trail!

We were quickly initiated into the Aussie lingo of Jarred and Dan who are both avid kayakers and were fresh off a month long kayaking trip in Chile. At the sight of anything resembling water, we understood that an assessment of how “runnable” it is must be made before it was possible to continue. The phrase “white water” was soon a favourite across the group! The Aussies also introduced us to their game of “MINE” where any person who says the word “MINE” has to do 10 push-ups. Needless to say, many laughs ensued as we all paid our dues.

A river crossing shortly before our campground – this white water was voted “not runnable” by the Aussies, Jarred and Dan!

After roughly 4 hours we arrived to find our tents set up and our kitchen crew well into lunch preparation – amazing! Lunch was impressive – 3 courses and lots of coca tea! The campsite is a permanent installation run by a local community. They offer sheltered sleeping areas with concrete floors, flush toilets and eating enclosures for each group. There is also a little snack hut that sells water, soft drinks, beer and snacks (with a very generous mark-up!). Here we had a chance to interact with our new friends from Sweden and Switzerland – making use of a small whiteboard to write messages to each other.

The beautiful meadow where the campground was situated

Resting at camp and getting to know our new friends while waiting for lunch

Although we were really tempted to go for a nap after lunch, we couldn’t miss the short but steep 3km hike from the campsite up to Lake Umantay at 13,800 feet asl. For our 3 hours of hard work, our oxygen deprived band of trekkers were treated to a glorious sunny late afternoon and the most stunning views of the lake and glacial backdrop. An afternoon snack spread was waiting for us upon our return – freshly popped popcorn, cookies and hot chocolate! All vegan and absolutely delicious after an energetic day!

Richard and one of our guides, Henry, on the way up to Lake Umantay

Gorgeous vista over Lake Umantay – worth the effort and shortness of breath!

Snack time in the mess tent

Freshly popped, hot popcorn – amazing!

Dinner, with more great food, followed shortly after and our tour leaders briefed us on what to expect the following day, the longest and hardest of the trek. After admiring the bright starry sky, we headed for bed and what we hoped would be a restful and warm night.

Day 2 – 24km

After a cold, windy and noisy night with donkeys braying and cows mooing, we crawled out of our tent and packed up before breakfast. We were very unhappy to discover that a weather front had arrived overnight, cloaking the mountains in thick cloud. Our unhappiness shifted to near misery as the rain began to fall as we set out on our hike for the day!

Early morning mist with no sign of the sunny skies from the day before

Rain and ponchos are quite common in the mountains of Peru!

Where’s Richard?

This was the longest day of our trek, covering roughly 24km and reaching the summit of the Salkantay Pass at 15,250 feet asl within the first 6km. This was a tough 5 hours of single track and switchbacks, taking us into what looked like Middle Earth! The scenery was worth the effort though, and despite the rain and wind, we felt very accomplished when we arrived at the summit of the pass. Here we took a few minutes to rest and have a snack, imagining what majestic mountains were surrounding us, since everything was still cloaked in heavy cloud.

Switchbacks like no other we’ve encountered in our mountain adventures!

At the top of the hardest climb and ready to tuck into our last Clif Bar!

At the Salkantay Pass – the highest point of our journey

Creating an imposing presence along with many other peaks in the range, Salkantay Mountain reaches into the sky to an impressive 20,500 feet asl and is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region. We performed a ceremony to honour “Pachamama” (Mother Earth) and the mountain, according to local custom. This involved laying stones collected from Lake Umuntay alongside the stones placed by local people who make the daily trek up the mountain to honour Pachamama.

Stone cairns laid to honour “Pachamama” or Mother Earth

After a freezing half hour atop the pass, we began our descent. It was still raining when we arrived at our lunch stop an hour later. It was a welcome sight to see the meadow with shelter and the promise of hot drinks and food after our cold and wet morning. Again, it was amazing to see what our crew put together for lunch with very basic facilities, and of course, no electricity. We had soup, quinoa salad, steamed veggies, and pasta – our lunch was all vegan and very yummy!

The remaining part of the day’s rainy hike took us through meadows, hillside villages and muddy marshes, and alongside cliffs and streams. We arrived at our campsite around 5pm and quickly settled into our tent to warm up and change into dry clothes. Amazingly, our gear bags were dry and unscathed after the wet and muddy journey. The campsite was part of a cluster of permanent trekking shelters run by another local family. Facilities included flushing toilets, showers, kitchen and dining area, along with a raised wooden platform for tents. It was still very windy and had gotten quite cold by nightfall and we were very happy to huddle together with the rest of our group for another great dinner and conversation. Jarred and Dan introduced us to a few drinking games (obviously!) which spurred on laughter and general silliness after our long day.

Our digs for night 2

Our tent with very wishful clothing drying in the background

The happy trekkers after a tough day

Day 3 – 14km

We had a better night’s sleep and woke well rested to find the rain had stopped and the sun was making an appearance. Our 14km hike this day would take us along the edge of the Amazon basin, with dramatically different landscape and climate. Bev started the day with a spectacular slip and slide in the mud, landing in a marshy mess next to the horse stables on our way out of the campsite!

Preparing for the day’s journey and saying goodbye to our horsemen and pack animals as our gear was transported by car from this point

Our pack animals ready to make their journey back home

Bev back on her feet after a slip-n-slide in the mud

White water!

Tropical jungle of the Amazon basin

Richard ready for the day’s hike through the muddy remnants of the recent rainfall

We walked on a dirt road alongside a river in the Santa Teresa Valley for most of the day’s distance. We stopped to enjoy passion fruit and bananas from a local plantation, and enjoyed seeing wild coffee and avocado trees. At one point we had to cross the river – luckily a local family had erected a cable way system with car to cross the water and we gleefully took advantage of it!

Beautiful, lush river valley

Blue skies and no rain = happy trekkers

Richard and Laura enjoying a refreshing treat of local passionfruit

The local cableway

“The Beard” on the cable car

Our route allowed us to get a glimpse of rural life as we passed through villages and agricultural plantations. Here the foliage was much denser and overgrown than the mountains we had scaled over the previous two days. It was also warm and dry – a nice change from cold, windy and wet. We were very happy to be hiking in our running gear instead of layers of fleece and waterproof jackets!

We arrived at our lunch spot around 1pm where we enjoyed cold beer and another wonderful meal and much joviality! We spent a couple of hours relaxing and then piled into a minibus for transport to our campground in the village of Santa Teresa. After a quick change into our bathing suits, we piled back into the minibus and headed for the Santa Teresa hot springs.

Our lunch stop and minibus shuttle pick up location

Another wonderful meal and many laughs (with a well earned cerveza of course!)

It felt so good to jump into the warm springs and relax after our days of trekking. The pools are set against a rockface with natural rock “recliners” – perfect for lounging and soaking our weary bodies. It was also quite a treat to have a shower in the natural hot spring showers – after 3 days of no bathing we were ready for a rinse!

What a setting and what a great feeling to relax in the warm water!

A post-soak libation or two – well, why not?

Back at the campground we warmed up with hot chocolate and treats and settled into our tents. Aside from the tents, this campground was also a permanent installation with ablutions (very sketchy at best), dining area and bonfire pit. This night is typically when the wrap up party for the trek takes place, and we could tell that it was going to be an interesting night when the reggaeton started pumping through the sound system! Many litres of Pilsen beer later and the party was firmly underway. Although our group was self-contained, we trekked alongside a group of Australians through Salkantay Trekking. Once the party started, it was mostly a mess of Aussies and Peruvians shaking it into the wee hours!

Our campground for night 3

Richard chilling in the mess area

Day 4 – 10km

Our final day of the trek involved an early minibus ride to the starting point of our 10km walk at the Hydroelectric dam project. From here we followed train tracks and the Urubamba River into the town of Aguas Calientes. It was an easy walk with beautiful scenery which included rugged cliff sides and dense, green foliage. We were also excited to see glimpses of the outer fortifications of Machu Picchu perched high on the mountains along our route.

Our first glimpse of Machu Picchu!

Following the train tracks to Aguas Calientes – our final stop before Machu Picchu

A river crossing with rail bridge

Walking on the right track!

Wildlife along the way

About a half hour before we arrived in Aguas Calientes, the rain started again. We quickly whipped out our trusty ponchos and fended off the wet. Even with the ponchos, we were absolutely and thoroughly drenched when we arrived at our hostel – our only night of indoor lodging instead of under stars and canvas. It was great to be able to take a hot shower and change into dry clothes, instead of trying to warm up in a campsite!

Finally we made it to Aguas Calientes in the pouring rain

On the banks of the Urubamba River, Aguas Calientes is the hub for visitors to Machu Picchu. It hosts the terminus and departure point for bus and train transportation from Cusco. It’s one of the most touristy places we’ve visited and also one of the most disappointing. Some parts of the town are in a state of disrepair and the town seems to have developed too quickly. That being said, unfinished and mismatched buildings are a common part of the landscape in Peru, but it seemed far more pronounced in Aguas. This is especially disappointing since it sits at the foot of one of the most special and mystical places on earth.

The raging Urubamba River – now that’s white water!

Taking advantage of the break in rain to explore the town

The hodge-podge of Aguas Calientes

We spent our last evening with our crew at a farewell dinner, obtained our Machu Piccu entrance tickets, and then made our way back to the hostel in the dark as the town had a power outage caused by the storm. We were again happy to be back in our warm and dry hostel, and ready for a good night’s sleep before our early morning departure for the ruins.

Day 5

Finally Machu Picchu day had arrived! All of our hard work over the past 4 days across roughly 60km was about to be rewarded with our final prize. We assembled at the bus station to catch the shuttle bus up the hill to the base of Machu Picchu. These shuttle buses run constantly throughout the day, ferrying visitors to and from the ruins. There is also a hike up to the ruins, which we opted to do on the way down.

The morning was very cloudy and misty, but fortunately no rain was falling. During our first hour on the ruins site, the structures remained hidden from us in the mist. As we toured the site with our guide, the skies started to clear and we were given our first breathtaking views of the city. We both found ourselves at a loss for words as we watched the magnificent scene unfold. Machu Picchu has to be seen to be fully appreciated. It has an intangible quality that permeates the air while enveloping you in a very visual and almost tactile experience.

Our first misty view of the ruin site

The mist starting to clear to reveal the treasure beneath

Hoping for the mist to clear completely!

Starting to see blue skies and the ruins below

And finally we saw the full site as the mist lifted – amazing, beautiful and breathtaking!

The ruin site is very large, with distinct areas for the various requirements of the civilization that lived here. We spent 2 hours walking through the key ceremonial, residential and burial areas. The site also has tiered agricultural platforms that were used for planting various crops to sustain the population. Most of the core building structures have been preserved and/or restored, but the roofs of the homes are no longer in place.

Agricultural terraces

One of the main entrances to the city with masonry reinforcements hewn by hand over generations

Masonry security device at main entrance to the city

Residential structures and terraces

Ceremonial terrace

Burial chamber

Tower with windows aligned to passage of the sun

Trapezoidal windows feature prominently

An optional experience is a hike up Wayanu Picchu – one of the towering mountains overlooking the ruin site. There is an additional cost to access this part of the site, and only 400 visitors are allowed to ascend the mountain each day, in two timed waves of 200 people. We pre-booked our tickets with our tour operator, but early arrivals at the main ticket booth can also purchase a ticket on site until the quota is reached.

Wayanu Picchu towering over the city in the background

Close up of the peak of Wayanu Picchu

While steep and slippery at times, this hike was a highlight in a day that was already exceptional! The hike took us roughly 20 minutes up stone stairs featuring a few chain link handrails. Once at the top, the views over the valley and the ruins is spectacular. This vantage point gives one a different perspective and allows you to see the ruins in their entirety. There are also ruin structures on this peak, suggesting that this location was used by the spiritual leaders and the king for ceremonial and reflective purposes. We enjoyed our lunch while perched on a big boulder overlooking Machu Picchu – a most unique lunch spot indeed!

View over Machu Picchu from Wayanu Picchu

Oh no – somebody said “MINE”!

A steep but rewarding hike!

Another set of push-ups – but surely you can’t beat this view?

There are also short walks along the Inca trail leading away from the main city in various directions. One path leads to the Inca Bridge, a cleverly designed temporary  bridge built into the cliff face that could be raised if a threat was presented. We also walked out to the Sun Gate, a control point for access to the city when it was inhabited. It also holds significance due to its alignment with the path and passage of the sun throughout the year.

The Inca Bridge protecting one of the entrances to Machu Picchu

The Inca Trail leading to the Sun Gate

The Sun Gate

There’s so much more to be said and shared about Machu Picchu. Even with all the tourists, it’s still possible to enjoy the sacred quality of the site and imagine how life must have been there. There are many marvels of engineering to be experienced and appreciated – from the agricultural innovations and security systems to the aqueducts and interlocking rocks that were hand hewn over generations.

We were sad to leave but the rain decided to return so we pulled on our ponchos and started our trek down the hill back to Aguas Calientes. An hour, and buckets of water later, we huddled into a cozy restaurant for a bite to eat before heading to the train station to board the train back towards Cusco with Perurail. Our very comfortable 2-hour journey terminated at Ollantaytambo, from where we caught a shuttle bus back to our hostel in Cusco late in the evening.

And so ended a truly rewarding, entertaining, challenging and awe-inspiring 5 days, culminating with the sights of Machu Picchu that won’t easily be forgotten or equalled. We were really pleased with the quality and organization of the trek and the friendly crew members. We also had a lot of fun with our group and its cast of funny and interesting characters! We hope to cross paths again somewhere along this marvellous adventure we’re on!

Bev thumbs up: Seeing Machu Picchu after an awesome trek and the new friends we made
Bev thumbs down: Not seeing the view from Salkantay Pass due to poor weather
Richard thumbs up: Clear view over Machu Picchu from Wayanu Picchu
Richard thumbs down: Aguas Calientes