San Pedro de Atacama and the Atacama Desert: the driest desert in the world

Buenos a todos,

This post is a bit late as I have been camping in the desert and therefore obviously had no connection at all.

So after being in Puerto Madryn, I changed my plans again to travel with my funny English friends I meet in El Calafate. They were in Santiago and planned going north to San Pedro de Atacama so I went all the way back to Santiago to celebrate Halloween with my brother Felipe and then:

Leaving by plane to see one of Southamerica‘s highlights: the Atacama desert. 

We have been renting a camper and discovered it on our own. This has been challenging as the so called camping places are nowhere to see. Also you need to return everyday to San Pedro as there is no other gas station anywhere. Roads are bad, no signs and some aren’t even on the map but taking this relaxed gives you the possibility to have an incomparable experience and getting to see more than others. 

I have never seen a place like the Atacama desert before. Best to describe it would be pictures:

Valley of Moon

Part 2

Moon rising (purple sky) after the sunset (Valley of Moon) 

Lagune Cejar (so salty that you float)

Lagune Tebinquinche (my personal highlight)

Salt everywhere

Flamencos at the national park

Alpacas

Sunset 

Geysire El Tatio

There is much more to see which is the reason I might return. But for now I will be leaving to Bolivia doing the salt flats. 

So next post will hopefully be on time again. 

Still alive

Hannes

Torres Del Paine (Puerto Natales) &a Punta Arenas

Hi everyone,

The last week has been quiet a challenge because I did the first multiple day hike in my life. But let's start with Saturday which I have been spending at Tierra Del Fuego. I got to learn a bit of the Selk'nam culture but most importantly I have seen king penguins 🐧 ❤️

Porvenir Museum

King penguins and their babies 👶 🐧

I personally enjoyed mostly seeing the penguins and could have skipped the Porvenir Museum as well as the Selk'nam parc but nevertheless the trip has been great. 

I have been surprised by Punta Arenas, the starting point of the excursion, though as it is a beautiful city which is already worth a trip. 

Was lucky and got to see a military parade

All those buildings are to be found at the central plaza. Whoever might want to come here should be warned that it is quiet windy. Sometimes they have a leash at the plaza for the people to hold on to as they could be flying away. 😳

So after Punta Arenas I went to Puerto Natales to plan my hike at Torres Del Paine. As the Q-Track is still closed I had to do the W-Track. To safe money I decided to rent a tent and all the equipment and camp (Torres Del Paine still is expensive. Paid in total around 140.000 Chilean pesos). This has been a bit cold as we got down to -2 C and exhausting as I had to carry the tent, the sleeping bag, the mattress, the cooking equipment, the food and everything else. But doing it feels like a challenge where your treats in between are the magnificent landscapes. So it has been worth it. 

Lago Grey

Grey Glacier (which is actually blue)

Francés Valley

Francés Valley 2

Francés Glacier 

Hiking Crew for that day 

Nordernskjöld Lake

Beach of Nordernskjöld Lake

Glacier Torres 

Still Nordernskjöld Lake

Me and my Backpack

Las Torres lookout at Glacier Torres (been lucky to get all three of the towers on there - apparently you call that the money shot)

So next stop El Calafate. 

Best wishes to everyone 

Hannes

Roadtrip to Pucon, Puerto Varas and Chiloe

Hi everyone 

My last week I spend more time on the road than anywhere else. We drove from Bariloche to Pucon and could enjoy a terrific landscape and interesting roads where a SUV might have been the better choice but we made it💪🏻

Landscape on our way to Pucon

Enjoying the landscape a little differently 

View from our Hostel in Pucon

The road crew

Pucon is a small town offering lots of incredible things to do. You can hike up a volcano... but sadly the weather forecast has been bad which is the reasonnI stayed only for one day. That day we went hiking (the snow did not allow us to do the full trail) and to hot springs

Waterfall Hido de Acuila

Another waterfall

Lago Chico

Laguna Verde 

Lagune Toro

Hot Springs 

Afterwards we stayed the night in Puerto Varas and finally I got dropped off at Chiloe where I stayed with a Chilean and got to see Castro, some churches, the national parc and most important: PENGUINS 🐧 in real life!!!!!!!!!!!! But being honest you can skip Chiloe if it is not for the penguins as Chile and Southamerica offer much more besutiful places than Chiloe.

On my way to the national parc

Beach at the national parc: enjoying the ocean 🌊 

PENGUIN❤️

Someone is happy now even we just got to see 5 Magllanic Penguins (they are coming to Chiloe a bit later)

From Castro (Chiloe) I took abus to Punta Arenas (35 hours) where I just arrived and tomorrow I will hopefully see King penguins at the Tierra Del Fuego (You could see also Magllanic Penguins at Isla Magdalena but each tour costs about 100 USD which is the reason I decided to do only one of those tours) 

Adios amigos

Hannes

Viña Cousiño Macul

Buenas 

Yesterday has been my last day in Santiago. Next stop will be Mendoza and then I will be traveling south. In other words from now on I will be traveling alone. 

I went to the Cousiño Macul winery, which is very close to the city, on Friday and enjoyed an individual tour as well as a great wine tasting. My tour guide Sarah has been able to tell me lots about wine and the history of this specific winery. Definitely recommendable!

Old engine used to fill up wine

Wine "libery" used to study wines of every crop year from all around the world

My tour guide Sarah 

Now it is time to say goodbye to Santiago. 

Many thanks to my Chilean family for welcoming me and giving me an insight in the Chilean life. I enjoyed my time in Santiago and I will be coming back!

Adíos!