0:00 Puerto Natales 0:50 Mirador Base Las Torres (1st time) 3:40 Day 1 – Glacier and Camp Dickson 10:06 Day 2 – Glacier and Camp Los Perros 13:46 Exploring the Puma Glacier 15:45 Day 3 – Glacier Grey and Paso John Garner 21:08 Day 4 – Storm to Mirador Británico 24:35 Day 5 – Sunrise at Mirador Base Las Torres 26:38 Outro with photos
Mid-June 2023 I returned, wanting — this time — to do some of the famed via ferrata routes there.
Sadly, the cablecars going up high had not started yet. In fact, Madonna di Campiglio doesn’t really get going 100% for summer hiking until the end of June.
Instead, I did the most popular lower level day hike as it was the best available the one day I ended up staying.
November in frozen Canada makes me start dreaming of another hiking trip to Patagonia.
Best hike?
One of the best for sure is the Paine Circuit in Chile.
Some call it the “O” trek as contrasted with the shorter “W” trail.
When to Go
The best — and only — time to complete the O Circuit is in the Chilean summer, from late November to mid-March. …
The O Trek is a 7-night route that covers roughly 80 miles with roughly 13,000 feet of elevation gain. …
Accommodations and Food
At every stop along the O Trek there are “refugios” — think mountain huts and small ski lodges with bathrooms and small markets attached. Each site has a base price for folks who plan to set up their own tent and cook their own meals. Enclosed cooking huts are provided.
From there, hikers can upgrade and rent pre-erected tents, domes, hostel beds, and more depending on each site. Sleeping bags can also be rented at refugio sites. …
Booking & Cost
Our total booking cost was $507 for two people and 7 nights of camping.
This cost did not include groceries and food, our park pass, or travel to, or accommodations in, Puerto Natales.
Booking in advance is highly recommended, especially if you want to camp.
Booking last minute is possible, but there may only be expensive lodging options (like a hostel bed) left. …
Indian Himalaya ➙ BUT if you want to argue The Dolomites, we won’t disagree. 😀
India is vibrant, chaotically mad. But you can easily escape to the tranquil high mountains and have them to yourself.
This is Nepal, but without “teahouses” packed together on every popular trail.
Indulge your spirit of adventure and trek the spectacular Indian Himalaya. First-timers and seasoned trekkers alike can experience the region’s rich blend of cultures, religions and dramatic landscapes … LP
As you know, the weather is fickle. The infrastructure undeveloped. You need be confidently independent at altitude or sign on with a reputable guiding company. People die in the Himalaya every year of altitude sickness.
Personally, sadly, I’ve hiked very little in this region. I’m still kicking myself for not trekking to Kangchenjunga when I had the chance in the 1990s. I stood on a ridge in Darjeeling looking at the third highest peak in the world, and decided to head to the beaches of Goa for Christmas, instead. Doh!
The best future destinations for serious hikers, I think, are the Indian Himalaya and Bolivia. (Bhutan, as well, if it ever opens to independent travel.)
besthike.com 