When it’s winter in the northern hemisphere, it’s sunny and hot in the southern hemisphere. A great way to have a winter vacation is to travel to Chile and Patagonia (which, by the way, also extends into Argentina) and explore nature at its best.
One can join a W Patagonia Hike tour and explore the most popular circuit in this region with guides who will help you and organize accommodation and food. Another option is the “O” tour offered by so many local Chilean tour operators. However, the best way is to go out on your own and explore some amazing places that tour operators do not include in the itinerary.
General Lake Carrera Marble Caves
Near the Argentine border is Lake General Carrera and here you can find the beautiful marble caves. The experience of boarding a boat and navigating through the echoing marble caverns is ethereal and inspiring.
glacier explorers
The marble cave tour on one can leave for the Exploradores glacier, possibly joining a tour from Puerto Río Tranquilo and walk to the glacier and try to discover new caves. This glacier is the coolest for tourists looking to venture out and explore in really harsh conditions.
Puyuhuapi Bay
This is one of the quiet places that most tour operators will not include in the program, but it is a haven of peace and tranquility. Located in the Chilean fjords, Puyuhuapi is a small village with campsites where one can stay and marvel at the placid waters, go fishing or take a boat ride.
Queulat National Park and Hanging Glacier
The W Hike takes you to Torres del Paine, an amazing natural park, but Queulat National Park, about 22 km from Puyuhuapi, can be just as interesting, if not more. It has the wonderful Queulat hanging glacier with a waterfall that falls between the cracks, a sight to treasure. Getting there is not easy, as one has to walk through the sleet, but in the end, the blue waters and the glacier can be very rewarding.
castle hill
The colors black, blue and white are perfectly combined in Cerro Castillo, a very special white glacier that rests on a black rock and flows into a lake with blue waters. Simply walking to the site is an experience in itself and when one arrives here the view is simply beautiful.
One can do the most traveled W Hike Patagonia excursion in Chile or do more. Of course, visiting Torres del Paine is a must, but there are other equally interesting destinations in Patagonia that offer much more. More adventurous hikers also get a visa for Argentina and that makes it much easier to explore that side of Patagonia as well. However, a week in Patagonia on the Chilean side is more than enough to visit some interesting must-see places. Spend more time and you can find even more hidden gems.
