2006 November - Chile

This article has been edited by our very customers of the trip, Mr. Christof Niehues and Mrs. Lore Berger, we have just translated it.
/>

Excellently prepared and with precise tipps for equipment we were ready for almost anything and the cold november nights when we started our tour: 16 days off the beaten tracks in Patagonia, together with Olaf, experienced in exppeditions in the tropics and the arctic ice, who knew every side trail and every second local during our tour. And together with "Tia Pia", a Toyota Hilux - an older, trustworthy car model.
	Our main interests were landscape, local people and botanics. Following the following route we fully achieved what we came for: Balmaceda –argentinian Pampa, Perito Moreno – Cochrane, Lago Cochrane – Los Ñadis, Rio Baker – Lago General Carrera – Tortel – Exploradorestal – Cerro Castillo – Puyuhuapi – Parque Queulat – Balmaceda. The route was prepared to the optimum and in detail, the main points (places to sleep, food, daily trip lengths, breaks and others) were ok, always there was time for a spontaneous sidetrip and a little excursion for example plant findings. All in all it was a very diversivied experience through hikes, boat trips, horseriding over several hours with Gauchos, which we realy enjoyed because they were planned well.
In this time of the year we have not slept outside. We got to know every level of comfort, from the night in a sleeping bag in a cabin to a luxury hotel. Our favorite place to stay: the simple chilean wooden hostel with their overwhelming hospitality and the food menus which are delicious (like alpaca meat). Interesting and as well intriguing are the stories of some expatriates in German led hostels " at the end of the World".
	Our guía tourística, Olaf, is especially qualified for this work due to his patience and tranquilidad thus adapting to the ways of the Patagonians, which makes a being together with him enjoyable and opens many doors in Patagonia. At the other hand safety is his highest priority, what shows in the high quality of the expedition equipment but also in his special way to prevent critical situations like an overloaden boat or rapelling down close to a glacier.. He was supported from his partner Jammie from basecamp via HF-Radio contact. She had a good work on the tourplanning and organistation, put down food depots for the different tour legs and even made it possible to have a real good Expresso in the patagonian wilderness.

What stays is a multitud of different impressions. There is the steadily changing landscape (mountain ranges, lakes, volcanoes, glaciers, pampa) and the vast forests with partly giant trees, which let us Europeans stay in surprise and experience the almighty powers of a nature undestroyed. In our memory stays but as well the talks and insights into other life styles (sheep herder, Gaucho, Expatriate). And who would ever forget the observation of condors and huemules (chilean deer) and the mating games of a school of about 60 dolphins which took several hours in a shallow bay - just few meters away from ourselves?

Lore & Chris