Name: Matty
Age: 37
Occupation: Academic Researcher
What operator did you go with or did you organise it yourself?
I organised the complete trip to Chile myself. However, I had a guide in Torres del Paine and he took care of all the arrangements in the park, such as places to sleep, food, etc.
What was your guide like?
I think I had a great guide. He was very knowledgeable about the park and aware of the its beauty but also its vulnerability.
Did the logistics of getting to Patagonia run smoothly?
Yes an No. I took the Navimag ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales which took off 2 days late due to weather conditions in the Golfo de Penas. Because of that, I had to reschedule my hiking trip in Torres del Paine (which was fortunately no problem for my guide, probably due to the fact that I was there during (extremely) low season) and I had to reschedule my flight from Punta Arenas back to Santiago (with Sky Airline, they charged 35 $CAD for this which was bearable).
The ferry trip was fabulous, by the way. Personal highlights were the visit to Puerto Eden and the high waves on Golfo de Penas. The scenery was at times baffling, and very beautiful at worst.
At what time of year did you travel to Patagonia?
I was there in early September.
I was there for 9 days: the ferry trip from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales for 3 days, 1 day in Puerto Natales, 5 days in Torres del Paine.
How many people did you travel with?
I travelled to Chile alone, but hooked up with the other tourists on the ferry (there was only 12 of us!). In Torres del Paine, I was with my guide and a friend of his, and during the second day in the park we were joined by 2 fellow hikers.
What was your favourite place?
Torres del Paine was my favourite place.
What was the highlight of your trip?
Doing the W trek in Torres del Paine, I would go back to do it again.
What was the weather like?
As expected, it was bad at times, but maybe surprisingly, most of the time it was pleasant enough. It was not too cold (although I might say that because I live in Montreal…). During the ferry trip, we had the worst weather in the Golfo de Penas (rain, sleet and a lot of wind) and in Torres del Paine, there was one day that started off with rain and turned into a snow storm once we got higher up. It was all good though.
Did the weather impact negatively on your trip?
The 2-day delay I had with the ferry trip was due to weather conditions, but in the end did not severely impact the rest of my trip.
What activities did you do whilst you were there?
I did the W trek in Torres del Paine.
If you were to go back, what would you recommend packing that you couldn’t live without whilst travelling around Patagonia?
A windstopper jacket, camera and anti-motion sickness medicine (for the ferry!)
What was the most challenging part of your trip?
I think it was the last part of the hike up to the viewing point at Las Torres.
Is there anything that could have made your trip better?
Not having the delay with the ferry would have been great. Besides that, I have a hard time thinking of something.
Sum up Patagonia in three words:
Stunning, Rewarding, Beauty.
Would you recommend Patagonia as an adventure travel destination to your friends?
Yes.
To see a collection of Matty’s photos of his trip, have a look at his album on our Facebook page. They are truly inspiring photographs, with some beautiful panoramic shots.