Worldwide Walkies

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  • Traveller Talks: A Debrief on Touring India

    Traveller Talks: A Debrief on Touring India

    India is a privilege. 

    You’ll read and hear both sides of the spectrum. People love India – it’s culturally rich, the people are genuine, the food is incredible, there’s so much variety. People hate India – it’s hot, loud, overpopulated, dirty, smelly. Some people are unsure about India – it is foreign, huge, overwhelming on the senses and the mind. 

    But above all else, it is a privilege.

    In a hugely diverse country with over a billion people, and some of the richest people in the world and a lot of the poorest, you can only expect there to be an extreme range of individual experiences. As a tourist in a place that can feel so foreign it is almost unbelievable, it is most important to keep our perspective in place. The perspective that we are the foreigner; we are a guest in this place; that it is not simply a playground for us to spend our ‘strong’ currency with no regard for local customs or priorities. 

    We feel privileged to have visited, and to have seen so much of this country over three months. It was some seriously challenging travel – the stark difference in cultural practice absolutely takes a toll; most days something would happen to make us feel disrespected, cheated, or misunderstood. But we also experienced incredibly genuine kindness; we met locals wanting to share with us their land and their culture; and holy mcfreaking moly we got to eat some of the most incredible food on the planet. It was really a time of growth, and after a number of months of introspection and reflection we are finally feeling a little bit ready to write about it.

    Keeping it
    short and sweet

    Geography

    India is massive, so it’s got a bit of everything. High mountains in the Himalayas, lush forests in the foothills, the desert of the west, magnificent beaches on the southern coasts, and the jungle inland. One thing that surprised us was how green India is – cities can be fairly concrete, but there’s big swathes of forest.

    Climate

    India’s got the usual four seasons, but they’re a little different to temperature countries, as the tropical monsoons have a big impact. With such a massive variation in geography comes substantial differences in weather cycles regionally.

    .Summer | Mar – May | avoid especially May – the hottest it gets | Monsoon | Jun – Sep | hot and humid | Post-monsoon | Oct – Nov | still humid, but cooler and much more manageable | Winter | Dec – Feb | a good time to visit.

    cultural quirks

    There is so much that feels different about India from the west, but what stands out is the incessant staring, the lack of women in public, especially in Delhi, and the slightly hilarious, slightly irritating habit of asking ‘where are you from’ with no prompting, and certainly no ‘hi, hello’ first.

    costs

    You can visit on either end of the spectrum – spend the big bucks, or take every local route you can to be a real saver. Even on a shoestring budget, you can eat out every meal, though your stomach will need to be strong, but we’d recommend a the slightly more expensive options for travel – the ‘local’ routes in India are not for the faint-hearted, and a little bit of cash can go a long way.

    safety

    Safety varies a lot across India, but in general we felt safe, if not quite uncomfortable. I’d say that for a solo woman, or even women travelling together, a lot more lines would be crossed for the discomfort would be higher. The concept of personal space doesn’t really exist, and, as above, the tendency to stare can make you feel very defensive.

    transport

    The train system in India is well connected, but books out well in advance. Buses are also a great option, with lie-flat bed options. In the mountains, catch shared taxis or jeeps. Flying is a good option; there are lots of airports, and prices are really reasonable (even with bags).

    food

    The food in India is incredible… In the west, we talk about ‘curry’, but the variety is something you can’t access; wet gravy, dry meat, a thick sauce; completely different applications of spices; parantha and thali for breakfast; wazwan in Kashmir, kebab in Lucknow; momos and noodles in the mountains… Pure joy. You won’t find beef or pork; vegetarian, mutton (goat) and chicken are the main options.

    walkies?

    Hell yeah! While Nepal is known for its Himalayas, a good chunk of the lower valleys and mountains are in India, through the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, and Sikkim. These regions can reach high altitudes, so don’t be underestimating it. Our to-do list is below, but we recommend checking out India Hikes for an almost exhaustive list, and they are really helpful if you want to send them an email!

    our stops

    Usually this section is ‘hotspots’, but there are too many to name, so we’ve put in our highlights instead (yes, in order; yes, they don’t make any logistical sense)

    delhi

    We had to, but we would avoid it if we could… Delhi is a hellhole, but it’s got some beautiful monuments and wonderful history.

    ladakh

    An ancient kingdom with customs and vibes that mirror Tibet more than India; a high altitude desert perfect for hiking

    kashmir

    The disputed region of Kashmir has some of the most beautiful and dramatic landscapes in the world – unfortunately, unrest in the region makes it difficult to explore.

    mumbai & aurangabad

    Bollywood and bollywood’s money is evident in the classier side of Mumbai; yet it holds the world’s slum. We headed out of town for a day to visit the Ellora and Ajunta caves – incredibly preserved religious craftsmanship.

    sikkim

    Bordered on three sides by other countries, the beautiful mountains of Sikkim hold of our favourite memories. Gorgeous people, wonderful hospitality, stunning landscapes.

    rajasthan

    If you want a fort, or many forts, go to Rajasthan! Its history of Rajput royalty separates it from the Mughal royalty in the central regions of India. We visited Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

    agra

    Off to see the great Taj! It was really very impressive, and Agra wasn’t as awful as all the reviews describe – though we wouldn’t say ‘visit Agra for Agra’

    varanasi

    The most spiritual place to visit in India. Experiencing night-time pooja on the riverside was spectacular, and taking a walking tour is a great way to understand more of the local perspective.

    lucknow

    Food!! Lucknow is a gastronomical delight with phenomenal specific local dishes, and there are a few beautiful Islamic monuments to visit in the centre.

    where next…?

    We missed all of the hiking in Himachal and Uttrakand, and apart from Mumbai, didn’t even touch the south of India! That’s half the continent left to explore, one day.

    Tell me everything

    We approached India with a languidity born of 7 months of prior travel; while this is a manageable strategy for those with time, it did lead to a fairly rag-tag route. We were heavily impacted by the summer monsoon, so despite an initial determination to spend two solid months hiking in the Himalayas, Mother Nature had other plans. 

    India was a little bit of everything – we went to the limit of our visa, spending 3 months exploring as far as we could. The hiking was meant to begin in Ladakh, then we’d work our way through trails in Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakand (the lower Himalayas) as the monsoon eased. Everything got derailed when the monsoon stretched out longer than previous years and was far more devastating – not just in the Himachal, where the road from Leh to Manali got completely washed out, but also in Ladakh itself, which saw unprecedented rain and caused many buildings – not built to withstand the onslaught – to leak. So instead we bounced around – as above – in the most chaotic way possible.

    Interestingly, while it can be very affordable, India is no longer one of the cheapest places to travel, especially if you want a moderate level of comfort. In fact, with the extreme wealth disparity in India there is a lack of infrastructural support that seems mind-boggling, the preference for locals who can afford it is to take private transport, so public transport can be neglected and become overwhelmingly overcrowded for a traveller.

    important note!

    Check your visa carefully! Even though we got a year long visa, it was explicit that with 12 months we could only be in india for 6 months total, and within that, only 3 months (90 days) at a time. We also miscalculated that (3 months doesn’t mean exactly 90 days), so we had to move our flight forward…

    Geography

    The third largest peak in the world is in India, on the border of Nepal (Kachenjunga). It’s got a huge coastline with multiple ports that enabled the trade from East to West – centres of gold routes for centuries. There are natural parks filled with tigers, elephants and other large and small fauna. The Thar desert of Rajasthan borders Pakistan, filled with golden sandstone. To its east is the Aravalli Range, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, a crumbling relic of tectonic movement which holds many forts. It really has it all, with the variety in the population to match.

    Land border crossings in India are generally a no-no – our visa explicitly said that we could only enter and leave by air. Even over the Nepal border (with whom India have good relations), foreigners cannot pass.

    The higher risk disputed regions have a serious military presence. In Kashmir (where there was a terrorist attack in April 2025), there is military everywhere, but we also had trouble with very strict immigration at the airport in Bagdogra (the entrance point to Sikkim), as it is right at the intersection of a number of countries. We had to get permits to travel to places in Ladakh and Sikkim, and certain tourist attractions are too close to the border, so are inaccessible for foreigners.

    From the Thar desert…
    … to lush greenery in Kashmir

    climate

    As the geography varies so much, as does the climate. Every season is different in every region – you could freeze to death in the middle of the day in Ladakh or Sikkim, but in Rajasthan you’d still get a burning sun – though nights are always cold in the desert.

    For the part of the monsoon season we were in India, it really was wet. In South East Asia, monsoon means rain every day, but usually not for the whole day. In India, it was constant – and even in the rain shadow of the Himalayas in Ladakh, the conditions were bad in 2025.

    Even though India is hot as balls most of the year, having skin showing is pretty uncommon for the locals, both men and women. Awal wore a singlet a couple of times and got a lot of attention! You only really see modern western clothing in centres like Mumbai (not even in Delhi). Take light, loose clothing that covers your whole body, and if you’re a woman, try to get it as shapeless as possible – it helps to stave off the staring.

    Costs in 2025

    India is pretty damn affordable. As we said, it’s a spectrum – there are heaps of holiday packages that people take which are all inclusive – 5 star hotel, private transport, no thinking, the guide takes you from the monument to the bar. It’s visit, eat, party (idk who’s doing eat, pray, love). However, if you want to backpack, you can totally do it on a tight budget and a bit of patience.

    Accommodation was usually alright, but really frustrating in Delhi. Most of the hotels and hostels have fake reviews even on booking.com, so they can actually be super terrible – we ended up spending around 2500INR (~50NZD) per night in Delhi to make sure we got a hotel that actually exists. Mumbai was also really expensive – even a dorm room was 1000INR each (~20NZD). It’s really variable per town – but on average, we spent about 1600INR per night (32NZD).

    We cooked one time during our 3 months in India. We ate out every meal we could. Food prices have a massive range – a thali is a great basic meal; dahl, rice, roti, papad, and a curry or two. Sometimes, they’re refillable! It ranges from really cheap, around 150INR for a basic one, to 400INR for a ‘special thali’ with the fancier curries. There’s lots of snacky street food to try that’s around 50INR a pop; sit down meals at local cuisine AC restaurants will be more expensive, maybe 500-1000INR per person. There is literally a menu in the AC room that has different prices to the menu in the non-AC room – but some days, you gotta. 

    Because we caught flights for really long distances, our land transport budget was pretty low on average. However, we found it pretty variable, but here are some benchmarks: 

    • Agra to Varanasi |  10 hrs | 2000INR pp | the nicest lie-flat bus we caught by a LONG way
    • Lucknow to Delhi | 8 hours | 1200INR pp | a fine lie-flat bus.
    • Jaisalmer to Agra | 15 hours | 1500INR pp | a fine lie-flat bus
    From modern monuments…
    … to ancient monolithic temples, representing Hinduism, Buddism, and Jain religions

    Cultural Quirks

    There’s a lot going on in India, but we thought to list some of the things that jumped out… and it turns out there are quite a few.

    • Rubbish – okay, we thought the rubbish culture in Bolivia was bad. Nope. You will see people from all walks of life, from wealthy to poor, throw rubbish on the streets.  This is embedded a bit in the caste system, where cleaning is seen as a ‘low caste’ activity, and comes also a bit from the general living conditions – for many people, rubbish is the least of their problems.
    • Personal space doesn’t exist! Of course, in a place with overpopulation, you know that this is bound to happen, but it’s one thing to know it in theory, and another to experience it.
    • Staring is prominent – wherever you are, wherever you walk – especially for women. Staring is not seen as impolite as it is in the west, and even if you glare back, people often won’t care to look away. A smile and wave, will get you one back or they’ll finally look away in some embarrassment, so try that!
    • Dressing appropriately goes a long way to being more comfortable. Long pants, and at least t-shirts will mean you stick out less. Or get some ethnic wear! They’re usually really comfortable and floaty.
    • Something that was pretty uncomfortable was seeing predominantly men in public, especially in Delhi. In places like Ladakh and Sikkim, this was much, much less prevalent.
    • Despite being colonised by the British, the English language is not as common as you’d think in India. Thankfully, Awal speaks Hindi, so we (he) could navigate any sticky situations
    • Don’t expect kindness, but give it out – this sounds really awful, but hierarchy in India is deeply ingrained; service people might be hesitant to engage because they’re used to being completely shat on by locals, so be patient and ask clearly. Also, there’s just a lot of scams, so it’s worth being on your guard.
    • Haggle for everything except cooked meals – I know there is a lot out there that says ‘when your currency is so strong, there’s no point haggling for a couple of dollars’, but this is seriously just the way in India. Everyone will try to charge you at least double once they realise you’re a tourist, Awal could literally hear tour agencies talking in Hindi, asking what they should charge for the ‘white people’ price. If they start at 1000INR, you should start at 200INR, especially with clothing and jewellery (literal advice we received from a local)

    Safety

    As a foreigner in India, you attract a stupid amount of attention. Although we are not white-passing, we still got lots of looks, probably because of our clothing. As with some of the ‘quirks’ above, there are a lot of things which can make you feel really uncomfortable and obvious in India, however in general, we’d say that India feels safe. There’s unwanted attention but it’s generally not malicious, and if it is, there are usually so many people around that you could yell and someone would help you out.

    The biggest thing in India is the ridiculous number of scams that people try to pull. While travelling, it’s often the most fun to go with the flow, but if someone is offering you something insistently, it’s probably good to do a quick check of all the facts that are involved. If it’s too good to be true? Probably is. We came across so many scams that we could make an entire blog post on it.

    transport

    Whereas countries in South America have extraordinary alignment between the needs of the locals and the desires of backpackers, in India it doesn’t feel the same way. The train system is well connected, but popular routes will book out weeks in advance, so it is useless for last minute planning. Additionally, the locals often jump aboard without a ticket, even in some of the higher classes, so you aren’t guaranteed a stress-free ride.

    Buses prices are generally comparable to the trains, and the quality is fairly variable. They do have lie-flat sleeper buses, which are great, but on the daytime or cheaper lines, sometimes the driver will pick up people at any random location and the bus will end up super crowded. Our advice is to pick a top bunk so nobody can sit on your bed.

    In the border regions, bus options don’t exist, but you can catch a shared jeep or taxi. You might be able to find some information online, but often you’ll have to check in with a hostel to get confirmation.

    Flying is really common and really easy in India. There are plenty of well serviced airports. If you don’t have luggage, it can end up cheaper than catching the bus, predominantly because the country is huge, and so some of the distances are ridiculous.

    Tuktuks or auto-rickshaws are the normal way to get around in cities in India; in 2025, the normal going rate was around 100Rs per 10 minutes, but you’ll need to bargain them down. Check Uber prices to get a comparative negotiating point, but don’t order an auto through Uber – you’ll still have to negotiate with the driver!

    yeeewwww we miss the food
    We miss the food so muchhhhh

    Food

    The food… there will have to be a whole post on this, but we’ll go through the basics. Most meals can be eaten at any time – there’s not a ‘set’ breakfast-lunch-dinner spread, rice and roti are for every meal.

    • Paratha – stuffed roti (basically), pick aloo (potato) or pyaz (onion), or both
    • Thali – a complete meal at any time of day, dahl, rice, roti, papad, and a curry or two
    • Curry, roti, rice – if the flavours and gravies you want aren’t in the thali, pick your own.
    • Chai – get your local tea in a tiny cup to start your day
    • Gulab Jamun is incredible, but other hand sweets like barfi had too much ghee for us.
    • Kheer and halwa… my gosh.

    There’s also big variations by region. Lucknow has rich, spicy curries and kebabs. In Rajasthan, there’s a lot more ghee, and a few different desert-specific ingredients in their curry. Kashmir’s wazwan has big, bold, mutton flavours. And up in the mountains, Nepali and Ladakhi cuisine involves momo (dumpling) and noodle soups.

    If you want a break from curry on a budget, the takeaway chinese food is pretty great – noodles are Emma’s favourite food group, so we’re always hunting them down

    A Himalayan valley… grand on a whole different scale.

    Walkies!

    Up and down the Himalayas you could spend several seasons walking. While the Andes were incredible, the Himalayas have a scale that we’d not seen there. It’s actually really difficult to perceive how tall an 8000m+ mountain is from its base, but you can get an idea from the grandeur of the places you walk through just to get that peek of the peak.

    Ladakh | high altitude hiking | dry alpine desert

    • Markha Valley Trek | 4-8 days | Starting from Spiti is an 8 day route, starting from Chilling will be 5 days, all in homestays + one night in preset tents | done
    • Phyang to Hunder Dok | 3 nights | Over a massive 5400m pass, an isolated, incredibly thrilling walk in the mountains | done
    • Rumtse to Tso Moriri | 5 or 8 nights | Take a shorter route by starting near Debring. A wild, windy track over barren highlands | missed because of bad weather, so high up on our to-do!

    Himachal Pradesh | moderate altitudes

    • Hampta Pass | 2 – 3 days | 4200m | A good introductory trek for the region | End point can link up to Pin Bhaba or Pin Parvati
    • Pin Bhaba Pass | 5 – 6 days | 4800m | Longer and beautifully varied, but less technical
    • Pin Parvati Pass |  8-12 days | 5300m | Quite technical with glacier crossings | A guide needed without experience | a real challenge!

    Uttarakhand | moderate altitudes

    • Valley of Flowers | Overnight | Pick your season correctly to get the blooms
    • Bali Pass | 4 – 8 days | 4800m max | A tougher hike in the region

    Sikkim | moderate altitudes

    • Goecha-La | 8 days | Must be done with a guide | No longer going all the way to the Goecha Pass, but still providing views of Kachenjunga – as close as you can get in India | Done with India Hikes
    • Sandakphu | 5 days | Must be done with a guide | Homestays available | Runs along the border with Nepal.

    And a final word of warning for hiking in India: leeches.

  • Walkie Guide: Trekking the Colca Canyon unguided

    Walkie Guide: Trekking the Colca Canyon unguided

    Time to visit South America’s deepest canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world. A trip to the top of the Colca Canyon will lead you to condor viewing, scenes of traditional terraced fields, and gorgeous views down the canyon. If you choose to venture into the canyon, at its base lay small villages which feel like the tropics, and a descent and an ascent which may make you question your life decisions.

    The classic Colca Canyon track is a well worn two- or three- day trek – 1000m down on day one to the first village, to get your knees fired up. A stroll on day 2 along the base of the canyon to the main oasis village, with the afternoon spent by the pool. An early start on day 3 to beat the heat, climbing straight up the valley then snagging an early bus back to Arequipa. Combine 1 and 2 to squish the route into two days: while it’s not difficult, you’ll miss an arvo by the pool if you do so.

    If you’re looking for more of a challenge, or a route less trodden, extend your route through the valley. There are alternative tracks to other villages which may appeal to someone looking for fewer companions on the walking route.

    Many companies in Arequipa offer tours of the Colca Canyon, but if you are taking the classic route there is certainly no need for a guide. Homestays in the villages can be booked online, and they’re all happy to sell lunch, dinner and breakfast if you don’t want to carry your own food. However, with short days and quite touristy prices, we’d recommend bringing your own cooker and kai to save a few bucks.

    Keeping it short and sweet

    Description

    Take a walk through the Colca Canyon over 3 days, enjoying the novelty of walking through a deep canyon and the relaxing air of an oasis. Poles are helpful for the ascent and descent, and it can be done in 2 days if desired. We took the classic route, and would say that while the views are nice, they don’t change a lot and the ‘hike’ is more of a walk. We’d advise taking a more strenuous route if you’re looking for something that resembles hiking, but the classic is worth it if you’re not expecting much and are keen to walk some chilled out days.

    Climate

    At the valley top it’s cool and breezy, even cold in the mornings as you’re sitting at over 3000m. Once you begin descending, there is very little shade, it tends to be brutally sunny, and it gets uncomfortably humid. Walk early to avoid heatstroke, and take plenty of water.

    distance

    20km (classic route)

    elevation

    ~1200m from the rim at 3400m to the villages at 2200m on the canyon floor.

    costs

    Pay to enter the canyon at the rim: it’s 70sol per person, and there are checkpoints throughout the route, so keep your ticket the whole time.

    track

    GPS is helpful for certainty, but there are plenty of people and signs on the main route through the villages.

    facilities

    Homestays with complete facilities. No need to bring anything except any extra clothes and toiletries.

    notes

    It’s easy walking, especially if you’re not carrying a pack, but poles help a lot on the descent.

    getting started

    Start point is at or a few kilometers away from Cabanaconde. There are public buses to Chivay, where you must switch to a bus to Cabanaconde (they aren’t direct first thing in the morning). Otherwise, it is easy to get a lift with a tour group, who will stop for a little bit of sightseeing before you begin. The tour groups leave at around 4am, and we paid 40sol per person (though some other people only paid 30sol)

    Day 1

    Get dropped off at el Mirador de San Miguel, where you can take a bathroom break and fill up on (unfiltered) water. Then wander through some property to the trail beginning; there’s a viewpoint and checkpoint where you’ll buy your ticket before beginning the descent. Don’t lose the ticket! The descent begins gently but becomes rough on the knees eventually – it will also get hotter as you descend, due to lowering altitude and the ascent of the sun. At the base of the canyon wall, cross a bridge and walk another flat 30 minutes to the first village of San Juan de Cuccho. Overall, it should be a 3-5 hour day.

    Day 2

    From San Juan, walk along a mix of pathways and the road. The initial section is quite steep uphill, as the trail works its way across the span of the canyon. We took a path through the small village of Cosñirhua, which wound down eventually into the oasis town of Sangalle. Even going slowly and chatting, this should take 3 hours maximum.

    Day 3

    Wake up early to avoid the heat! We made it up the canyon wall in just over two hours, and there is a bus back to Arequipa at around 10am – and then not another one until 12pm, so it’s worth trying to back-calculate your pace.

    getting out

    The buses back to Arequipa are direct, although the bus station is about an hour’s walk away from the town centre, so if you’re cheap (like us) prepare for a bit more ‘hiking’ back to your accommodation.

    Tell me everything

    The Colca Canyon didn’t blow our socks off, but we suppose if you spend three years waiting to do a hike (having been right there but unable to), your expectations will be high. Don’t get us wrong – it’s a great activity, it’s pretty rewarding walking, and visiting an oasis at the canyon floor is pretty neat. Yet, that’s exactly what it is – walking. Hiking/trekking/tramping, this is not. The path up and down the canyon wall is steep, but it’s well formed, and the days are short, especially the one in the middle. If you’re looking for something a bit more off-trail, we’ll talk a bit more about the alternate route at the end.

    Day 1 is equal parts driving and walking. If you’re planning to take the public bus, you’ll need to take the first bus from Arequipa to Chivay, then switch at Chivay to a bus heading to Cabanaconde. We opted to jump in on the transport for one of the guided tours; which was neat, as we got blankets in the van and just passed out the first couple of hours, until the group stopped for breakfast at Chivay. We then took another two stops – one at a viewpoint of the terraces, and another at the mirador de los condors – where we saw plenty of condors from above and below, enjoying their morning flights. While it cost a bit more than catching the bus, we ended up pretty happy with the two stops and the chance to do some sightseeing, and were glad to have our brains completely off for the morning.

    We didn’t arrive at el Mirador de San Miguel until about 10am; by which time the sun was making itself known. At the rim of the canyon, this isn’t a problem as the altitude is still considerable – but once you’re descending, the heat becomes apparent. At the mirador there’s a bathroom and a resting place to apply your sunblock. Then get started! 

    The trail isn’t apparent at first; it winds a bit randomly around the few buildings, then the (actual) Mirador becomes apparent, and someone will sell you a ticket to enter the Colca Canyon. Keep the ticket the whole time you’re in the canyon, and at least until you’re on the bus to Arequipa, as they’ll check it multiple times. Then the descent begins; initially it’s gentle, a dirt path that doesn’t actually take you down much of the supposed 1200m. At some point, however, it changes – it’s never a scramble, the steps are always a reasonable height and the switchbacks are well placed, but you’ll be going down for a couple of hours. There are a few stopping points with a small amount of shade (and a weirdly large number of wasps), so take the breaks when you need them. Eventually, you’ll spy a bridge, and then another ‘eventually’ after that, you’ll arrive at it. Things always look so much closer than they are. However, once at the bridge, there’s a nice spot to cool off, someone selling icy drinks, and another someone will check your ticket.

    Once you’ve recovered, head upwards a little, then along a flat track for 10-30 minutes to the village of San Juande Cuccho. We booked in advance, which we would advise. We picked Posada Gloria, which was a little cheaper, and had a lovely garden in the sun which we enjoyed all afternoon and evening.

    We had brought our own lunch and dinner, but the homestays sell meals if you don’t have a camp cooking system (or don’t feel like using it). However, our booking at Posada Gloria included breakfast, so that was one less thing to take along.

    Day two began by exiting San Juan to the west along a well formed track, then eventually splitting off to the north. The track makes a big U-turn, redirecting up the opposite canyon wall until reaching a road. The trail gets a bit messy here, so we got on the road pretty fast. As you’ll be high up again, you get reasonable views of the valley wall, and it’s all easy walking again now. Enjoy the stroll through the villages of Cosñirhua and Malata, after which you’ll split off back onto a trail, which will descent again into the town of Sangalle and the awaiting oasis. The homestays here are a bit more fancy – most of them are like mini resorts, so we spent the afternoon in and out of the pool. There was a bar too, if you really want to feel on holiday.

    Day 3 is an early wake up – as early as you can to avoid the heat. We were walking by about 8, under the assumption that it would take us about 3 hours and we could then catch the 12pm bus. It turned out to be an unlucky choice. It took us just over two hours to get out of the canyon, and a bus left at 10am… so we only just missed it, and were stuck, stinky and waiting for a couple of hours to get back to Arequipa. 

    Despite the annoying wait time, the buses from Cabanaconde do go directly to Arequipa, with no changeover at Chivay (unsure why it’s different in both directions!), so it was a smooth journey back to town.

    Alternative Routes

    The ‘classic’ route described above can be done as a two day route if you compress days 1 and 2 together, heading all the way to Sangalle in one day. It’s not hard walking by any means, but if you’re interested in spending time at the oasis, and enjoying the pool, it’s not worth getting there late and rushing away the next morning.

    From Sangalle, there is the option to continue on in the canyon. The route from Sangalle continues to Llahuar – back up the hill to the north-east towards Malata, then turn west and follow the road toward the road to Paclla. It seems as though Llahuar is much smaller than the other accommodation options, so most people stay at the lodge. Llahuar is notable for its riverside hot pools – sounds like the perfect way to relax after a day of trekking. From Llahuar, day 3 or 4 out of the canyon will begin by returning to the road, then heading to the south to head back to the canyon wall, then head up to the south east to join back to Cabanaconde.

    To add a bit more interest, and to have the novelty of being in a hot pool by a running river, if we were to do it again, we would definitely tack on Llahuar. Because Sangalle was so relaxing, we would still go for the 4 day option to get a good afternoon of relaxing by the pool. If you end up trying it out, let us know how it goes!

  • Traveller Talks: A Debrief on touring peru

    Traveller Talks: A Debrief on touring peru

    The famous lands of the Incas have captivated travellers of all backgrounds, but it’s a country that’s greater than its history of empire, and that has so much to offer other than Machu Picchu. 

    Visiting in June 2025 marked our second time in Peru – with Machu Picchu done and dusted in 2022, this time we decided to excuse ourselves from revisiting the ancient ruins (and the massive detour that Cusco presents), instead focusing a neat line up the coast, inland to Huaraz’s mountains, then back to Lima. There were some key things that drew us back to Peru – aside from it being the next obvious step in our journey through South America. The most prominent of those was the Huayhuash, an 8-day trek around a sub-range of the Cordillera Blanca near Huaraz. We’d heard wonderful things about the trek in the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. And last time, we’d only spent a couple of hours in Lima while transiting buses, so we wanted to experience some of the cuisine that Peru’s capital boasts.

    Our first piece of advice to someone visiting Peru is: do not underestimate how long and how mountainous this country is. The first time we visited in 2022, we learned this the hard way. Having entered Peru at its northernmost point from Ecuador by road (the worst border crossing we’ve ever done, to date) and with a mere 2.5 weeks to explore, we picked a few key locations to hit – Huaraz for the mountains, Cusco for Incan history and Arequipa for the canyon and colonial beauty. While that doesn’t feel like an unreasonable amount of time for only three places, starting at the northernmost part of Peru added in two days of bus travel – and choosing to bus from Huaraz to Cusco (via Lima) is also nearly a two day journey. Don’t underestimate Peru!

    Even without the allure of trekking to ancient ruins, Peru has some of the most incredible walking in the world. There are uncountable unreal vistas around Huaraz and through the Cordillera Blanca, with an offering of both day walks and multidayers. Although Machu Picchu is the main attraction in Cusco, the walking in the Andes of that region makes a definite mark, too.

    Keeping it
    short and sweet

    Geography

    The geography is crazy; don’t underestimate how long this country is and don’t rush. Across the country, Peru has coastal surfing, massive dunes, incredibly high mountains and also dips into the Amazon basin – really a bit of everything, and the activity variety to match.

    Climate

    Peru only has two seasons: a wet summer (nov – mar) & a dry winter (may – aug)

    cultural quirks

    You’ll see plenty of trash on the roadside, people throwing it out of bus windows, though it’s not as pervasive. Basic Spanish goes a long way, even though there’s a bit of English spoken.

    costs

    It’s economical, but not incredibly so – tourism booms in Cusco, but the effect is felt throughout the country and gringo and immigrant prices will catch you all around the country. On a backpacker budget, you won’t be eating out every meal, and you may have to skip some activities. Guided hikes are pricey.

    safety

    We felt Peru was quite safe where we visited and stayed. However, Lima has a reputation for violence in many suburbs. Keep your street smarts on and always check in with your hostel for their recommendations.

    transport

    Peru’s bus system is very good, reliable and safe – though the quality of the buses does vary (the 2-1 seat layout is far more comfortable than the 2-2 for overnight rides). Flights between Lima and Cusco are regular, but not cheap.

    food

    Food in Peru is varied over the regions, and it probably has the most interesting cuisine across all of South America due to more international influence. Fruits are also plentiful and delicious.

    walkies?

    Hell yes, both around Huaraz and around Cusco. Going without a guide can be tough work with the altitudes involved; get fit, get acclimatised, and be prepared for some serious cold.

    hotspots

    Machu picchu

    While it was easily sorted only a few days in advance in 2022, in 2025 Machu Picchu sounded like a shitshow – be prepared to drop some serious cash and book well in advance.

    the amazon

    Take a multi-day river adventure to arrive in Iquitos, then explore the Amazon. Or head to Puerto Maldonaldo for a good chance to see Giant Otters.

    The capital

    Get gastronomical and learn of Peru’s complex history in Lima. Take your pick of museums, ancient sites, or modern parks.

    Arequipa

    Explore Arequipa to see more of how colonial architecture is preserved in Peru, visit the Colca Canyon, and summit a mountain while you’re at it!

    Northern Beaches

    Try your hand at surfing or get partying in the northern coast, like Mancora, if you’re visiting in summer.

    Huaraz

    For some world-class hiking and mountaineering, or just to get some clear air, head to Huaraz

    Nazca

    If your budget allows, take a plane tour over the Nazca Lines and admire the work of the ancients (aliens?!?!)

    Huacachina

    Check out Huacachina, near Ica, for an oasis town and some massive sand dunes – a place for a little bit of adventure by sandboarding or hire an ATV.

    paracas

    While the town-side beaches won’t amaze you, visiting the ‘Poor Man’s Galapagos’, the Ballestas Islands, is a great way to spot some marine wildlife.

    Tell me everything

    Geography

    You could pass months in Peru feeling like you’re moving into different worlds. Hit the beach one day, climb a 6000m peak the next, hop on a slow boat to cruise along to the Amazon basin as the recovery. Hence, prepare for crazy bus rides, both in length and road quality. Pack clothes for all temperatures; it’s cold at altitude but you’ll melt in the rainforest no matter the time of year.

    The border from Bolivia was a breeze to cross – Bolivia and Peru have good relations.

    We crossed over from Ecuador in 2022, it was unbelievably awful. We can’t offer updated information, but we’re a little traumatised.

    We also crossed into Chile in 2022, which was pretty smooth – we got in a collectivo to head there from Tacna, arrived before the gate opened – and there was already a line. So it seemed like it’s best to try to get over there first thing in the morning. Best to check a more recent experience.

    It’s also possible to cross into Colombia via boat from Iquitos, at the port of Leticia. It’s a real adventure, and we were considering doing this, but ended up prioritising time elsewhere.

    climate

    Being coastal and inland, there is definite variety in the ways the ‘dry’ winters (May-Oct) and the ‘wet’ summers (Nov – Apr) present themselves. On the coast, there’s a definite temperature difference across the two seasons, and the dry winters tend to be foggier (hence, ‘Lima the grey’). The temperature is more stable in the mountains, only varying by a few degrees between the two, and in the rainforest, the humidity will knock your socks off.

    In addition to all temperatures with the different geographical regions, prepare for all levels of precipitation. Even if you’re travelling in the dry season, there’s always a chance of rain; it’s not a drought season.

    Costs in 2025

    The Peruvian Sol is one of the most stable currencies in Latin America, despite political instabilities. It is also one of the strongest, making Peru a more expensive country to travel. When we were there, 2 sol = $1 nzd approx

    In 2025, a menu del dia cost 8 – 15 sol depending on your region (4NZD – 8NZD); we tended to eat out once or twice a day, and cooked for the other meals. It was economical, but not incredibly so; you might need to shop around for the best price.

    Transport is generally good quality and so a little pricey. An 8 hour bus cost about 100 sol per person (50NZD),

    Private rooms in basic homestays and hostels cost us between 50 – 100 sol depending on location (e.g. Huaraz vs. Lima)

    A Picanteria meal.
    Chicharron!

    Cultural Quirks

    Rubbish is in a lot of places, and the locals aren’t concerned about it – while it’s not the worst place in the world, you’ll likely see your share of people dumping rubbish in the gutters, out of bus windows, and along highways, especially in the desert, it just blows all about the place. If you’ve been to Bolivia first it won’t be a surprise, but it’s certainly a difference if you’ve come from the West!

    Despite being very popular with tourists, there is not a lot of English spoken throughout Peru. It is well worth brushing up on your basic Spanish to get the best experience.

    Safety

    We felt safe in all of the places we visited in Peru. While there is some instability in the region, tourists are generally not the targets in most cases. 

    Lima has neighbourhoods that are very unsafe, as do all cities so large, although if you are a tourist there is no reason for you to go out in those directions. The centro historico is more unsafe & scammer heavy than immigrant-dense suburbs like Miraflores and San Isidro.

    Cusco has a growing reputation for unsafety, partially due to gang violence and partially due to overtourism creating local dissatisfaction. When we visited in 2022, we felt no insecurity, but check recent updates – protests are regular, and there is increasing discontent which commonly affects holidayers.

    transport

    The bus network is excellent in Peru. Some people swear by PeruHop as a method to get around, but using an app like busbud or redbus is cheaper and is still easy to use. Booking directly via WhatsApp or in person should be a little cheaper because they avoid commission.

    Note that the journey from Lima to Cusco takes around 20 hours by bus; it’s a big journey inland, which is why many people will fly. For the remainder of the main tourist route, there are plenty of stops up and down the coast which should max out your journey at 12 hours.

    Views from the National Park near Paracas.
    The coastline in Lima.

    Food

    Food in the south moves more around picanteria culture, which is an experience we love. On the coast, ceviche thrives, and the fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine is super popular. In the mountains, potato, quinoa and maize rule – a carb-heavy diet is what sustains you at altitude. Lima is a place for gastronomical tourism, with two restaurants in the top 10 of the world (mad), but also incredible food in markets and from street vendors.

    • Like much of Latin America, the menu del dia is a lunch staple and the easiest way to get an economical meal. Expect a soup and a main, and maybe a dessert or drink. 
    • Also head to local markets at breakfast and lunch for economical, fresh and local meals. Just be prepared for all the aunties to yell you over to their stores! To be honest, it’s a hilarious and really fun experience.
    • Chifa is the Peruvian interpretation of Chinese food – a bit of fusion, and a great way to get a cheap meal or a big fancy one – family style.
    • Japanese influence is also seen in Nikkei restaurants, which are particularly popular in Lima. Be prepared to part with a pretty penny, though!
    • In the highlands and parts of the south, you will also find picanterias, which we highly recommend; traditional Peruvian food in relaxed, family-friendly locations.
    • A few other dishes to try include: chicharron in a sandwich (breakfast), ceviche (as long as you’re by the sea! Don’t eat it if it’s not fresh) and llama or guinea pig (cuy) as part of a meal.
    Laughs on the Huayhuash!

    Walkies!

    There are two key hiking hotspots in Peru: Huaraz and Lima. Both offer tough, high altitude Walkies bound to leave you awestruck. The following list isn’t exhaustive, but should give you an idea!

    Huaraz (full post coming):

    • Huayhuash | 5 or 7 nights
    • Santa Cruz | 3 nights
    • Paso del Zorro | 1 night
    • Day hikes | Laguna Churup | Laguna 69 | Laguna Paron |

    Cusco:

    • Inca Trail | 3 nights | guide compulsory | ending at Machu Picchu
    • Salkantay Trek | 4 nights | ending at Machu Picchu
    • Lares Trek | 1 night
    • Day hikes | Rainbow Mountain

    Near Arequipa, try something more relaxing with the Colca Canyon (1-3 nights), or for something less relaxing, summit the nearby Misti mountain (guide required, 1-2 nights)

  • Visiting Sorata and Hiking the Illampu Circuit: Everything You Need To Know

    Visiting Sorata and Hiking the Illampu Circuit: Everything You Need To Know

    We mentioned it in a previous post, but hiking in Bolivia is a little unusual. Poor trail quality, limited information online and from tour operators, human habitation everywhere. However, our experience with the Condoriri didn’t put us off – there is incredible beauty and a spectacular challenge in hiking at altitude in these less-travelled areas. The Illampu is particularly special because it circuits the Illampu mastiff – snow capped mountains are almost always on your right (going clockwise), with multiple peaks over 6000m sitting in the sub-range. 

    The Illampu Circuit itself is particularly strange because much of the trail is now a basic road – nothing paved, and it’s still very remote and with low populations, but we were passed by a few jeeps and a couple of diesel-spewing trucks on day three. It takes away from the serenity of nature when someone honks at you from behind. We understand that the main reason for the road building has been to facilitate mining in the mountains – an unfortunate example of ‘progress’, as in natural exploitation, changing the feel of a hike. While some of the passes are proper Bolivian track (inconsistent, unsigned, beautiful), there is a reasonable amount of walking along the rocky-gravel road. However, with the elevation changes, the gradual incline that comes with the road is quite welcome, and there are very few vehicles overall. And – the views are still incredible.

    If you want something shorter in the range, you can also hike up to Laguna Chillata, which is an overnight glacial lake at the foot of Illampu. This can be connected into a mini circuit if you start at Lackathiya and walk along the side of the range. 

    Even if you’re not looking to hike, Sorata is a lovely place to visit. The town sits in an incredibly picturesque valley, and boasts a few homestays and basic restaurants. The climate far more mild than the plateau, though be warned that the descent into the valley is terribly windy – grab a front seat if you get carsick easily. And watch out for the tiny sandflies – they leave nasty bites!

    Keeping it
    short and sweet

    Description

    Hike 5 or 7 days around one of the highest points and mythic figures of Bolivia’s section of the Andes, Illampu. The classic hike starts and finishes at the village of Sorata, beginning in the humid jungle of the town and ascending through alpine grass into high passes at and near 5000m. There are many hamlets on the route, including the village of Cooco where there are a couple of stores to restock basics. This does mean that the majority of the hike is now connected by road – in particular, the first and final days on the full loop are completely on the road – so we shortened the hike to 5 days by catching a cab, also avoiding about 1500m of ascent and descent. 

    Climate

    Drier, clearer skies in winter (April – October), wetter and warmer in summer (November – March). Starts in humid jungle, quickly moves to alpine walking (above 3500m), therefore very changeable weather. Cool during the day, fairly cold at elevations at night.

    Distance

    69km (110km)

    Elevation

    3480m to 5050m (5 days) (2680m if starting/finishing at Sorata).

    Costs

    None!

    Track

    Predominantly on the road, with sections/options to walk offroad in some places. Non-technical where it is not on the road. Does disappear at times – GPS required.

    Facilities

    None. Bury your poop, filter your water, leave no trace.

    Notes

    Because the track is so well marked, and most of the trail is near roads, we believe there is no need for a guide on this hike.

    Getting there

    The track starts at Sorata. There are collectivos going from La Paz to Sorata all day, though the majority of people will leave in the morning, so that will be your best bet for getting there without waiting too long. Taxi to near the cemeterio general, and tell your driver that you want to go to Sorata. 

    Day 0

    Sorata – Lackathiya (9.4km, 1500m ascent, 330m descent) – we skipped this day, but the track and the road are the same. If you take this route, there is a lot of ascent with a big pack. If you want to skip as we did, the taxi to Lackathiya was 150bol.

    Day 1

    Lackathiya – near Ancoma (13km, 1230m ascent, 1100m descent) where we started – from the village of Lackathiya begin ascending towards to the Illampu pass, initially through farmland, and eventually up a steep scree pathway. If you get good weather, enjoy views of the mastiff the whole way up. Then descend gently through the neighbouring valley, curving to the right as it opens up into a perpendicular valley and eventually meeting up with a road. Follow the road for a few kilometres before turning off into another adjoining valley, and make camp next to the river.

    Day 2

    near Ancoma – near Cooco (14km, 1060m ascent, 1140m descent) immediately ascend the steep wall of the valley to the southeast. This leads to a different gently climbing valley, so follow that until the next pass. The descent on the other side is very steep but the trail is generally well marked. Once at the base, follow the road until the village of Cooco. You can restock the basics here – we bought a little bread and fresh vege for the night. Then, continue through the village still southward – you can walk on the road or divert off onto a slightly older path for three kilometers before stopping for the night. There are plenty of spots to pick from.

    Day 3

    near Cooco – near Abra de la Calzada (16km, 1500m ascent, 660m descent) This is the biggest day for elevation, though the ascent is broken in two. Begin the day ascending to the pass in the current valley, predominantly along the road. Descend along llama tracks and the road (a combination is fastest) until you hit the bottom of the next valley and several farms. Continue south along the flat road, but eventually it starts switchbacking upwards. The best campsite (flattest) is right next to the road.

    Day 4

    near Abra de la Calzada – Laguna San Francisco (14km, 630m ascent, 880m descent) Finish what you started yesterday – immediately ascend to the highest point on the track, then descend gently next to a beautiful alpine lake. After this lake and before the lower, the track diverges from the road and begins to climb again along the side of another hill. Continue climbing into a saddle, then pick a trail until you hit the next ridge. The track descends through another sandy bowl, angle always to west and slightly north until you can see another lake – Laguna San Francisco. Camping can be a bit of a nightmare – or it was for us – as the base of the valley before the laguna is a massive bog. The marked camp spots here are a bit questionable, so you may have to pick your way up the valley (northeast) to a rocky outcrop that is drier).

    Day 5

    Laguna San Francisco – near Millipaya (17km (12km), 410m ascent, 1500m (940m) descent) Our last day – again start with a steep ascent up the side of the valley wall. Enjoy spectacular views to the north of the mastiff. Once the switchbacks of an old road even out, the trail evens out over a low saddle for your last pass. On a clear day, you’ll see Lake Titicaca, and the mastiff on the other side. The next part of the track winds up and down the foothills, changing from alpine grass to real grass, farmland and trees. The path winds fairly randomly (e.g. it’s non-existent – walk where you please) until you hit the road. From there, it’s about 6km of descent until Milipaya, where you should be able to find a taxi, or someone’s yard to camp in. We got picked up by a random couple about 1km down the road, and they served as our taxi back to Sorata. Locals are always keen to help and make some money at the same time so if someone drives past you, wave them down and have a quick chat to see if they’re interested to take you. We got into the tiniest jeep in the world but it worked out!

    Day 6

    near Millipaya – Sorata (18km, 1500m descent) If you decide to hike the whole loop, it’s another big day with a lot of downhill, again down the road. The change in scenery is incredible.

    getting out

    As above, the collectivos run from Sorata to La Paz all day and into the evening. You can get back to the big centre the same day that you finish, easily.

    Tell me everything

    We ended up staying two nights in Sorata before we left for the circuit. Because we were uncertain about the track, mostly misgivings about the altitude, we hired a guide… or tried to. This was a real palava – the three guides on the Sorata tourism website didn’t respond to my Whatsapp messages; there was nobody at the tourism office on the first day; we managed to find someone on the second day, one Don Julio, and all was well for a time. Then after we’d sent a few messages to confirm the route details, Don Julio called back, to check if we had a tent… for him! It turns out that while Don Julio was a local experienced in wandering the mountains themselves, he didn’t quite have the gear to get himself through as we were hoping. It was all in all a hilariously chaotic situation – his strategy was to walk with us to the campsites, then find someone at each of the hamlets that he could bunk with, before running to find us again in the morning. The first day, he actually told us he was just going to head home for the evening. While we committed to the first day of pay and guiding, we quickly realised that we could probably make do by ourselves, and also that the sleeping situation wasn’t ideal for anyone, and excused ourselves of his services for the remainder of the hike. 

    Don Julio did provide interesting information for the first part of the hike – hiking tourism used to be far more prominent in Sorata, but post COVID (and probably since the roads were built) the allure of hiking and tourism agencies have diminished. He used to be a porter for hikers and climbers in the area, and is a native of the mountains, so was very comfortable with the track we walked.

    Day one started with the three of us taking a very bumpy road for over an hour up to Lackathiya – a small hamlet where there is also an unused tourism office, a relic of previous years. The track ambles over various tracks in farmland to the east for a while before beginning to ascend steeply to the Illampu pass. This used to be the only track to the mines in the mountains – so a highway, essentially. On a good day, there are incredible views of the mastiff, but we only had a few sneaky peaks before the clouds made their bed. Before the road was built, this section was the main connection into the villages in the range – it’s a fairly rocky climb, and if you’ve also taken a taxi, make sure you walk slowly to prevent the altitude from doing anything weird to you. Stopping for lunch at Paso Illampu should give you incredible views, before dipping down the other side through a much more shallow valley. Descend for some time before eventually reaching a perpendicular valley, tracing the valley wall, and meeting up with the road. It’s easy walking along the road for a couple of kilometers until Ancoma, where the ‘track’ dips behind a property and follows the adjoining valley. Walk until you find a suitable place to camp – the trail continues the next morning on the true right of the stream (straight up the valley wall, into a different adjoining valley for the next pass). We camped on the true right in an old stone walled pen, taking off our boots a little early to cross the stream. The weather cleared up a bit, so the view up the valley to the snow peaks was incredible that night and in the morning. This campsite is at 3800m, so it’s reasonably warm overnight, but still high enough to see you hurtling into the tent after sundown to escape the cold.

    Day one’s campsite is at the bottom of the valley, and the track for day two starts by heading up the valley wall – about 100m. This is a rough start to the day, take the time to use switchbacks when you can. Because of the easterly angle of the next valley, you should get sun once you finish this particularly steep bit. It’s then a continuous trail up this new valley for a couple of hours – the path becomes more unclear as the valley lengthens, and is at times boggy, so pick your path. Once we reached the pass top (4400m), we took a break before a muddy descent on the other side. Make sure you descend on the true right of the river for the easiest (and eventually correct) path. A number of switchbacks gave us great views of the valley Coyoco sits in, but it’s rough on the knees. Once you make it to the bottom, follow the road until you reach the town. We picked up some extra bread here, the stores are pretty basic so don’t rely on them too much. After a break and a restock, cross the river at the bridge, following the road to the south. This climbs again with the track remaining as the road, although it splits into the new road and an older one, to the right. The right-hand ‘road’ leads to the campsite marked on the map, and is much more private (the ‘old’ road is eventually blocked for cars). There are a few random houses in this area and plenty of old stone ruins, though we didn’t see anyone around. Despite the proximity to the road, there were some nice grassy areas and a bubbling brook that we pitched up alongside, and we had a really lovely night’s sleep here, at about 3900m. One thing to watch out for is the prickly grassy mounds that exist around this altitude. We initially thought we’d picked a lovely soft spot, but the grass is so sharp it breaks off into anything in touches! Thankfully, we didn’t stick any holes into our groundsheet.

    Day three is rough. Like, insanely so. The day starts with the remainder of a gentle (relative term?) ascent up the current valley. Continue along the old road until it meets up with the new; you’ll have to cross the river at some point, we did so at a vehicle ford. The present pass ends at 4500m, offering some lovely views of the massive valley as you tramp along. The other side descends more steeply – follow a mix of the road and llama trails into the base of the next river valley, about 4000m, then it’s back up again. This whole section is on the road, and is where we were passed by all the ‘traffic’ – a handful of jeeps and trucks. While it’s gentle (with lots of vehicle-friendly switchbacks), it’s a fiendish ascent of 700m until the campsite. We also had pretty average weather coming up here, with the clouds packing it in again and some light drizzle, so it wasn’t a great end to the day for us. The campsite for day 3 is a little strange – it’s a ‘laguna’ on the map but really a bog for the most part. There’s a sandy patch which is nice and flat for pitching right by the road, as you arrive at the laguna. There are a few rocky/uneven spots toward the other end of the laguna, though the running water is closer and it’s a bit more private it would be a much less comfortable sleep. This is the highest campsite – at 4750m – so be prepared for a cold night with frost.

    Wake up the next morning ready to hit the highest point on the track. If you go for an early start, make sure you take care with any frozen poles – they’ll be much more prone to snapping. The highest point is called Abra de la Calzada, after which there’s an opportunity to diverge from the road and wander along the old hiking trail. This whole section has awesome views of the two lagunas below. However, there is a portion which traverses a boulder slope – which had suffered from a slip when we were on the trail, meaning it disappeared and turned into some dodgy path-picking. We had to scramble back up to the sturdiness of the road. And, once we’d got back on the road, it started snowing! Very cute at first, but it quickly became a bit problematic as the wind picked up and turned it into sleet. We hadn’t yet stopped for lunch, and with the sideways cold – now we couldn’t. We then lost trail again as it diverged from the road (cattle, llama tracks are everywhere!), and getting back on it meant sleet straight into our faces. We struggled on for about an hour, but thankfully the weather cleared up for our final climb onto the tops, which meant we could finally have some lunch before the wind picked up and got us moving before freezing. We had some lovely views over the tops, although our reactions were a bit dulled due to exhaustion. As always, the trail appeared and disappeared, but the general direction is clear for the descent into the Laguna San Francisco valley. This particular section on the mountain is very cool – it really feels like remote foothills, as you are finally completely away from the road.

    However, the map had yet to give us the biggest lie! Laguna San Fransisco is a beautiful colour and looks like a lovely place to camp. As we descended, it appeared as a flat grassy old glacial valley, and the map told us the camping spot was right in the middle. Quite exposed – considering our experiences of mountain weather, we weren’t super keen to pitch up in such an open place. Then as we tried to explore the “track” to the campsite, we found the entire valley to be a bog. Fair warning – walking is really tough, and on the far side there are streams which can make your track impassable. We aren’t sure if it’s because we were so close to the rainy season, or if it’s always like that – but in our opinion, there was no way we could pitch up anywhere in the middle. Both sides of the valley were steep and full of thick alpine grasses and a variety of nettles – there’s an old stone hamlet on each side, but there’s no flat ground in either. It was one of those times where we were exhausted, underfed, over-altituded and filled with decision fatigue. Eventually we made our way further up the valley, after crossing, to a rocky outcrop, and were lucky enough to find a grassy spot (without bog!) to pitch up at. 5:30pm pitch and 6pm sunset meant a rushed dinner and a short evening to relax. If you’re doing this trek, learn from our mistakes! Head straight across the bog, don’t muck around with the map campsite, and head up the valley – the rocky outcrop is obvious from the top valley wall. There’s also a tepid stream (termas) on the way.

    The final day begins with another ascent to the final pass. Head right up the valley wall along a mixture of old road and wide trail, and finally a gentle ascent through alpine grass. The pass is marked with a cairn shaped like a fullah with a hat on, and on a clear day you can see the spectacular blue of Lago Titicaca ahead, and the peaks on the right. The rest of the track descends randomly through farmland which gets progressively greener. Llamas turn into sheep into cattle as the pastures become lush. We lost the track a lot, ended up in several bogs, and generally were a bit irritated from exhaustion. However, luck stroke only a couple of kilometers after we reached the road. We were planning to walk to Milipaya, to then catch a taxi to Sorata, to then score a collectivo back to La Paz. However, a couple drove past us and offered us the lift to Sorata (for ‘un rojo’ – a 100 bol bill), saving us the 6km of walking down the road. So this walkie ended, with the kindness – well, opportunism – of strangers, and the chance to gaze at the changing scenery from the comfort of a seat rather than our two feet.

  • Essential Guide to the Condoriri Trek | 5 Day Trek [2025/2026]

    Essential Guide to the Condoriri Trek | 5 Day Trek [2025/2026]

    Hiking in Bolivia is… chaotic. It’s not an activity that’s popular amongst locals, and travel agents aren’t very forthcoming with information on how to navigate tracks unless you pay them for a guide. Trails aren’t marked, the paths that you may find are probably made by cattle, and will probably disappear after five minutes. People and their livestock live everywhere in the mountains, so you’ll likely be walking on someone’s land (even though they may not be nearby to care). It’s certainly not a hiking experience of isolation and peace, but there is still a lot to be enjoyed and incredible beauty to experience.

    Since we’d arrived in Bolivia, we’d chickened out of multi-day hikes in both Sucre and Cochabamba, but La Paz is perched on the edge of the major heights of the Andes, and we were set on our first foray into high altitude hiking. We’ve had a taste of altitude sickness before, in Ecuador in 2022 where we took a tour up to Cotopaxi base camp (4900m). It was only a day, we didn’t even summit, but we’ve experienced the nausea and lack of focus that altitude can cause. We thought we knew what to look out for, but the Condoriri means five days of walking, eating and sleeping up high – the lowest point is right at the start at around 4400m, but you never sleep lower than 4600m, and the high point at Pico Austria is 5300m. It’s only 43km, but we’d read other blogs & AllTrails reviews saying to do it over 5 days – which seems ridiculous! But it is completely reasonable. We’d spent four days in La Paz acclimatizing, but nothing really prepares you for sleeping at 4600m four nights in a row. Every day was a struggle – sleeping was freezing – the trail was fairly non-existent on the first two days – and we both got mild altitude sickness.

    For anyone else who’s trekking for the first time at altitude – or for the people who’ve done it and want to relive their first experiences – we think the key aspect to monitor at altitude is a lack of appetite. It’s easy to identify acute altitude sickness. If you’ve got serious nausea and certainly if you’re vomiting, get out of there. Dizziness, headaches, are normal for mild sickness – but the lack of appetite is the absolute kicker. The effect is twofold: not eating means you won’t have enough energy to tackle the remaining hiking. It also means you aren’t reducing your pack weight like you planned, so you’ll just lug around (already feeling drained) an extra few kgs until the end of the trek. To be fair, stuffing yourself doesn’t really work, because it brings on the nausea (worse). A shitty solution is having foods that are more bland – anything that’s easy to consume without thinking too hard.

    Don’t let the warnings put you off. We seriously think hiking at altitude is some of the best. It’s an incredible challenge that is so satisfying to finish – hitting heights that you haven’t before, pushing through lower oxygen and steeper hills. And of course, being in the mountains – walking under snow-capped peaks, past massive mirrors that are glacial lakes, and amongst rocky outcrops and alpine grasses is all part of the beauty of the landscape.

    Note: AllTrails does have reasonable trail descriptions in Bolivia, so you can use this alongside WikiLoc to gather more up to date information.

    Keep it Short & Sweet:

    Description: A high altitude three or five day hut-to-hut (with prior booking only) trek between glacial lakes and under the peaks of the Andes. The glaciers have mostly melted, so the lakes have been dammed for preservation. Unfortunately, this means there is a lot of debris from construction along the hike, and you’ll see many hamlets and sections which are connected by road. The trek is part of a greater trail that runs along the sub-range between Illampu and Illmani, and can be linked up with a summit of Huayna Potosi, if you have time to acclimatise.

    Climate: Drier, clearer skies in winter (April – October), wetter and warmer in summer (November – March). Alpine walking (above 4000m), therefore very changeable weather. Cool during the day, fairly cold at night.

    Total Distance: 43km

    Elevation: Highest point 5300m at Pico Austria (slight detour), otherwise ~4400m – 5100m

    Costs: On day 3, before ascending Pico Austria, you need to pay if the collector arrives before you leave (this is the starting point for many day hikes). May need to pay fees to camp on other nights if there are shepherds/land owners around (very variable, we didn’t encounter anyone on night 1 or 2). If using refugios, fees vary.

    Track: Non-technical, except for some of the rock scrambling around Pico Austria. Unmarked and inconsistent track. GPS essential. Some places require very steep ascents to make up ground if you lose the track. Many animal tracks make the path confusing. Each ‘campsite’ is at a hamlet of some description, so you’ll always be around some evidence of humanity.

    Facilities: Hand-pour flushing toilets at the refugios (the refugios & toilets may be locked – see below).High altitude makes ascending more difficult than usual.

    Notes: Always carry small change on these types of treks. If anyone wants to charge you they will not (or, they will say they do not) have change. Be mindful of your body with the altitude at all times. While a guide is absolutely unnecessary on this track, get in touch with an agency to help you book the refugios (or at least open the toilets for you if you’re happy to camp).

    Getting there: Taxi to the north side of the Cemeterio General; take the bus going towards Cochabamba (20BOL pp); disembark at Palcoco (~1 hour); take a taxi to the trailhead (150BOL to Condoriri (2N 3D), ~300BOL to Laguna Karakota (4N 5D) (~1 hour for either)

    Day 1: Laguna Karakota – Laguna Ajwani (10km). After arriving (probably around mid-morning), at the end of Laguna Karakota, ascend with the ridgeline. The path is not clear – pick your own way. At some point a path should appear and will turn eastward after about 3km, around the curve of the hill. The path continues into a bowl between the mountains, before reaching a high point and descending into the neighbouring valley. There is a road and a small settlement. Cross the stream at an appropriate place and then ascend steeply up the opposite side until about 4500m, then follow the elevation. The trail should eventually turn to the right, alongside a small stream. You may need to pass across a fence to reach a few deserted buildings and a dam. There was a number on the outside of a dorm room here: 71268235, but it and the bathrooms were locked.

    Day 2: Laguna Ajwani – Laguna Juri Khota (8.3km). This day is more marching through a combination of dry alpine grass, across gravelly tops, and also through boggy wetland. The elevation is similar – ascend to start, drop down into the neighbouring valley, cross the stream, and head up the opposite side to the next laguna and your dam and campsite. This one had an unlocked toilet, a big locked new dorm, and some old concrete dorms which were unlocked. There was no contact number, but someone came the next morning to charge us for the Pico Austria walk.

    Day 3: Laguna Juri Khota – Laguna Chiar Khota (6.1km+1.3km to Pico Austria). While the distance is small, do not underestimate this day. The highpoint of the trail is 5100m, but Pico Austria is at 5300m, and walking gets quite hard at that altitude. The trail is well marked with cairns as you ascend into the rocky saddle of Pico Austria. There are a couple of sketchy bits of moving around rocky ledges, so take your time and possibly rethink it if it’s rainy and certainly if it’s icy. The descent on the other side to the refugio is a very easy trail. Because Pico Austria is a popular trek, this refugio appears to always be open, so you should be able to get a mattress inside if there is space (20bol per person). If doing the 3-day trek, you can start with this day, or start at Laguna Chiar Khota (possibly leaving bags at the refugio) and climb Pico Austria as an out-and-back trail. This one-day ascent of Pico Austria is quite popular.

    View from Pico Austria

    Day 4: Laguna Chiar Khota – Unmarked Refugio (12km) There are a few options on this day for both camping and trail. We ascended via Paso Condoriri, then skirted around the next pass (trekking adjacent to Laguna Pouchinta, rather than upwards). There is a hamlet at Laguna Sura Khota, but no clear refugios which were open and no nice camping spots (a lot of rubbish). We continued up the hill, through a fence and along another road to find another refugio at a very small hamlet (halfway to Maria Lloko), where another group were staying – so we were able to use the facilities. Mario Lloko is at a higher altitude, and the campsite didn’t look amazing.

    Day 5: Unmarked Refugio – Road End (6km). The advantage of continuing further the previous day is reducing the distance on your final day – and therefore how early you need to wake up. The trail follows the road for a few kilometres before starting up the hill and towards the final pass. At the other side of the pass is a road, and the end of your trek if you’ve arranged a ride. Otherwise, you’ll need to continue another 6km down the hill until you reach the main road between Huayna Potosi and La Paz.

    Getting out: Pre-arrange a taxi from the closest road end, get lucky and meet a group trekking alongside you and jump in their car, or walk all the way to the main highway between Huayna Potosi basecamp and La Paz. For the last option: you must arrive before 11:30 to have a good chance of getting in a returning vehicle with one of the tour groups. After midday most of them will have departed.

    Tell me everything:

    As noted above, getting information about hiking in Bolivia is a bit of a nightmare. There are no hiking guilds, no government departments, and it’s not a super popular activity with the locals. There are plenty of agencies in La Paz who will offer you packages, but there is no need for a guide on this hike, unless you are interested in chatting to the guide while walking, and you’re in a big enough group to make the guide and cook fees worthwhile. It is worth noting that the hike will probably be more difficult than you expect – only because of the altitude. Keeping a light pack goes far in having a good time, so if you want to go unguided but are worried about gear, you should try to book refugios to save on tent and mattress weight. The travel agencies in La Paz can be a bit cagey, but if you ask directly and with confidence (there should be enough information here for you to know what to ask for! If not, leave a comment) for the refugio owners’ numbers, we assume they would be more forthcoming. 

    It’s also pretty cold at night at the altitudes you’ll be sleeping at, so having a refugio is a nice way to get another barrier between you and the frost. We actually slept inside 3 nights out of 4 – on the first night, none of the facilities were open, but on the second night, the doors on an old concrete dorm were only tied shut (rather than padlocked), and the toilet was open for use. We ‘pitched’ by setting our groundsheet down in one of the dorms, and our mattress on top – being in an enclosed space kept the warmth in much better. On nights 3 and 4 the refugios were open, and we paid a few bolivianos for our own room and a straw mattress each – and an extra blanket to throw on top of our sleeping bags. So cosy!

    Getting to the start of the Condoriri requires a few different modes of transport, but the most annoying part is bartering with the taxi drivers once you arrive at Palcoco. Our hostel was very helpful in getting us this information – of course, you could take a private taxi to the start of the hike (as you’ll need to taxi at either end, anyway), but you can get a fair way via bus, which should cut your costs down. First taxi to the north side of the Cemeterio General; tell the driver you want to go to Cochabamba (also – take this bus if you want to go to Cochabamba, they’re cheaper than the ones from the main bus terminal). It should be about 20BOL per person. Tell the driver you want to go to Palcoco for the Condoriri trail. When you get off, you’ll be on a random bit of highway, but there should be a few taxi drivers waiting around. Now, these guys are used to taking people to ‘Condoriri’, which is the trail for Pico Austria, but if you are doing the 5 day hike you want to go to the far end of Laguna Karacota. It really is about the same distance from Palcoco, but because the latter is less popular (I guess from the Condoriri they can score a return ride) they tried to charge double to get to the Laguna. We spent a bit of time haggling but eventually settled on 220BOL. We arrived late morning, around 11am, to a construction site.

    In this part of the Andes there used to be a great number of glaciers. Because of rapid global climate change, they are melting off, but the lakes that they form are essential to the lifestyle of the people in the valleys below. As part of maintaining the landscape, unfortunately, the government has had to build dams along the range. This means there’s a lot of really ugly concrete amongst what was once beautiful and untouched lagunas. However, it seems necessary for the lives of the local people. At any rate, the start of the hike was, for us, in the middle of a construction site, which also made us a little uncertain. We eventually found the trail, and although it didn’t appear for a while, the initial ascent provides increasingly incredible views of Laguna Karakota. We had incredible weather for this whole hike – very lucky with blue, blue skies and little wind. Once the trail appears, it’s reasonably easy to follow across the saddle and down into the next valley. Then it disappears again as you cross the base of the valley and begin ascending, just keep an eye on your GPS and it should reappear eventually. The last ascent takes you next to a small stream and into a property of some kind – we think it was an old dorm designed to house workers who built the dam (it was certainly abandoned), and a refugio. The number for the refugio was scrawled on the wall, and both the refugio and the bathrooms (down the hill) were locked up tightly. We slept in our tent outside the refugio – not the best place, but at least the ground was flat. We both had a bit of altitude sickness so had a really small dinner, and crawled into bed as soon as we could to ward off the bitter cold!

    Day 2 is pretty similar to day one – up to the next saddle, down into the neighbouring valley, across a stream, and then back up the other side towards the next laguna and your campsite. However, for us it was a little less straightforward. As we climbed to the first saddle from the campsite, we had a little mishap with the reading of the map and getting our bearings, and ended up well to the right of the track. While we could’ve doubled back a little, we could see a track in the distance, and decided to go with it. Instead of skirting around the right of the main peak, we walked further to the north, walked up a different scree saddle, and ended up having to make a very sharp descent into the valley. We probably were on a random llama trail – a classic mistake, but thankfully we were still able to get down on the other side. It didn’t add too much time but it was a little stressful – better practice reading topo lines a bit more.

    Another thing to note in the wet areas near the river – there are lots of hairy caterpillars! They’re weird little guys, but their crawling is a little creepy and they look like the type that would give you a rash if they touched your skin. Thankfully, they aren’t near the campsites, only in the low areas.

    Once you’re out of caterpillar world and up the ridge, the next campsite awaits – this one is situated next to a stunning long lake and really gives you the idea of sitting at the foot of mountains – you’ll be able to see tomorrow’s challenge, Pico Austria. The campsite had a new big refugio (locked), and a small concrete dorm which was unlocked. There was a bathroom behind the main dorm which was only covered by a curtain, so I assume it’s always unlocked. We were a bit whacked by this point – having had the extra km or so with the detour, and generally being fatigued from the altitude and lack of food. However, we still arrived pretty early, set up in the open concrete area with our groundsheet, had a nap to stave off the altitude headache (it’s kind of like a hangover), enjoyed the sunshine, and tried to eat a decent meal before the sun set. The only problem with this campsite – was there was some asshole animal (rat or fox – who knows) who decided to scrape around in the discarded metal outside in the middle of the night, which woke us up a few times. 

    Day 3 started in a less-than-ideal way; Emma found that the zip holding her pack frame closed had burst, making the whole thing a lot less stable. While not a trip-ending event, it’s pretty annoying to have a 4-month-old 500NZD Osprey Pack break mid-hike, so we had a slow and unsuccessful morning while we tried to get it back together. This was also the first morning we saw anyone else interested in hiking – first of all, a fellow arrived on a motorbike, and once we were done with our pack disaster, came over to say hello and ask for payment for a ticket for the next part of the trail – we paid 20bol each. Once we got started, it turned out that he was probably there to get payment from a van of other hikers, so if we had’ve been a bit earlier in getting our shit together he probably would’ve missed us altogether!

    This day really is a stunner, but it’s tough. At barely above 6km (7km, including the summit of Pico Austria), it’s short day in theory, but you’ll be hitting the highest altitude on the track today – so take it easy and take it slow. Eat and drink often. Today’s the only day it gets a little technical – it gets a little steep on the scree ascending to the upper lake (note, on the map it says you can camp next to this lake – but the campsites are tiny and it’s very rocky, so it might be a tough pitch. Past the lake, there is a little bit of rock climbing and scrambling – keep your cool and get your hands and feet set before you move too fast (especially with weighty packs!). Keep an eye out for cairns on this section of the track, as there’s no path to follow. It is, however, an incredible day. Once you get to the lake, you can see Condoriri and the snowy peaks to either side. The trail up to Pico Austria is tough but getting a true view of Condoriri (with the birdlike perspective!) is awesome. You’ll also get your first shot of Huayna Potosi, on a clear day.

    This section is quite busy with day hikers, but the funniest thing (if you’ve got your big backpack on) is how interested and impressed all the guides are – every one asked us where our guide was, realised we were carrying all our own gear, and made a whole lot of impressed noises – hilarious, but also a great way to make a good impression (and some chatty friends!) fast.

    View from Pico Austria

    The track down to the refugio from Pico Austria is easy, with a well worn track, but longer than you’d expect. The descent can be tough on the knees so if you weren’t convinced by poles we would say 100% yes right about now. The refugios here are busy – there are a few different buildings – and lots of overnighters or day trippers or people heading up to Condoriri (at the laguna above) in the high season pass through here. We were able to snag a room with a couple of mattresses, and have a cosy night cooking and eating inside. We were absolutely stuffed after this day, so we were in bed very early – and seriously considering taxiing back the next morning.

    We started day 4 slowly, uncertainly, but once a tour group of four, who had been staying in the same refugio as us, started up the trail to Paso Condoriri, challenge mode was on. It was actually an excellent decision too – the track up to the pass was icy and filled with mischievous llamas, and the views over the mountains on the way up and at the pass were incredible. The descent on the other side got a bit muddled, as (again) there are plenty of animals tracks mixing and mingling. The trail will cross over the river at the bottom, and we scrambled up the ridge to meet up with the road (we aren’t sure, but we think you can skirt around it and still meet up with the right place – it’s probably easier). The trail continues along the road for a while, before turning off and passing by the small Laguna Puchinta. There’s an alternative route that continues upwards, runs up to another saddle, and meets up with a big descent on the other side. We were able to see the track from the laguna, but decided that was a biiiiig no. The lower track is reasonably well marked and follows the curve of the hill, sometimes on quite loose scree. It ascends a bit, before dipping back down towards the Lagunas Sura Khota and Wichu Khota. There’s a hamlet between these two lakes, and we’d read that there are refugios here too; however, nothing was open, even though one local pointed us in the right direction. There was flat ground, but the vibe was a bit weird, and there was no running water. We were pretty keen to continue on to somewhere nicer, but we weren’t convinced by anything the map was telling us now.

    Yet we were in luck! We didn’t realise, but somehow we’d overtaken the group of 4 and their guide and cook. As we sat at the ‘refugio’, a bit desolately, we spotted them coming down the hill. Not that we were waiting (we were waiting), but instead of turning towards us they continued along the other side of the lake. In comes a bit of hope and the smell of a little opportunity. We picked up our weary bodies and followed – under the pretense of walking toward the next campsite on the map, Maria Lloco, but really with the hope that they might stop at another refugio with a spare room. We eventually caught up to them, and we just want to acknowledge – we have really got so lucky so many times on this trip. We had a friendly chat about the track, the refugios at the lagunas, the general scenery… and their guide (our new mate Vladdy), who recognised us from the day prior, said we’d be able to stay in their pre-booked refugio – and that they’d have space for us in their vehicle going back to La Paz the next morning. An absolute stroke of kindness and good timing – we have been so thankful for such people!

    We again got our own room at the refugio, comfy straw beds and an extra blanket. This refugio was next to the road, halfway between the lagunas and Maria Lloco (see the image of the map for the marking). We don’t really know who to contact for this one, but there are a few houses around here so you might just be able to knock on a door and ask to stay. The refugio is in a gorgeous spot surrounded by snow capped mountains and right next to a burbling stream. The tour group actually caught some trout for their dinner with the help of the refugio owner, which was a hilarious scene.

    Refugio for our last night

    The great thing about the stay at our random little refugio was the proximity to the road. We still had one more pass over 5000m to walk over (normal by this point – how did it end up like this?!), but it was only going to be 6km, and now we conveniently had a guide to follow. The track followed the road for the first few kms, before starting to ascend (a bit randomly) up the side of the mountain to the pass. Although the group had acclimatised a couple of days less than us, they also weren’t carrying anything, so we struggled a little to match their pace. However, it was totally worth it – where we were intending to walk all the way to the main road (another 6km) to wave down a taxi, the vehicle was waiting at the road right on the other side of the pass. The group of four were actually using the 3-day Condoriri to acclimatise for Huayna Potosi – so we first drove to basecamp, waited for the day’s hikers to return, then got back in the van back to La Paz. We ended up heading off at about midday; it’s really early, but we really recommend if you don’t have a pre-planned ride, try to get to the highway by midday at the latest – all the hikers get down at about the same time, and if you can’t get on one of those vans it’s really hard to find another shared ride.

    We ended the hike still with half our food – a solid 4kgs or so of uneaten food, just weighing us down. Even though we’d worked through the appetite struggles by night 3, there’s only so much you can consume during the day. But what a learning experience it was – with stunning mountains and weather, friendly people and overwhelming kindness. While it’s not the most disconnected hike out there, it’s beautiful and it’s tough and it’s so very Bolivia.

  • An Essential Guide To Hiking in Northern Argetina: Tilcara-Calilegua Traverse (4 days)

    An Essential Guide To Hiking in Northern Argetina: Tilcara-Calilegua Traverse (4 days)

    This walk was a lesson in “if you’re willing to wing it a bit, it may just surprise you”. The Tilcara Traverse was a trail we picked based on a hasty search of Wikiloc, after a hot minute of deprivation from trekking (okay it was maybe three weeks… but it felt like months since Patagonia!). We weren’t certain what the hiking would look like in Bolivia, so we were willing to try something out before crossing the border. 

    We knew that we were going to be walking on paths less trodden by tourists, as all of the recommendations were by locals with local guides (and there were no blog posts at all!), but the kind contributors to Wikiloc had left great detail. The paths would still be well trodden, as the route we were going to take is one used by the people who live in the mountains – the range is dotted with pueblitos, so they need ways to connect to their neighbours, and to the roads for supplies. While the crossing from Tilcara to Calilegua is one of the most direct ways across the range, there are plenty of small trails that veer off to other villages and individual homes along the way. It’s an insight into a totally unique way of life in a really special part of the world; being able to see it first hand is a true privilege.

    It was also technically the ‘low’ season for this part of Argentina – being so far north, the summer/winter seasons are more like wet/dry, and of course hiking in the wet season is never ideal! 

    Click here to take yourself to short and sweet where we summarize this blog post.

    Tell me Everything

    Because the trail runs between villages, and actually amongst a lot of private land, the trek is a homestay to homestay number. We camped nights 1 & 3, and stayed in beds on night 2 (the weather was rubbish and the price was great… who were we to say no?), but even on the nights we camped, we were on someone’s property and were able to use a flushing (!) toilet and a makeshift shower. The relevant people can be contacted on WhatsApp before; this is most important for night one as the Yuto Pampa is not a village, but is a loose collection of houses – other homestays may be in the area but it’s not clear.

    Our original plan was to hike from Tilcara to Molulo, then return by the same route to Tilcara – because the trip back to Tilcara via road is so convoluted, and there are so many buses to catch, we were a little hesitant to waste a day or two travelling back around when we wanted to get to Bolivia (read: had meant to be in Bolivia two weeks prior…). However, the first two days were so spectacular (and we had descended SO much), that we decided to continue in the spirit of ‘just wing it’, and figure out the buses as we went along. And well… read on to see how that went!

    Day 1: Tilcara to Yuto Pampa (7-9hrs)

    It was not a good start. Our hostel host had organised a taxi pickup at 8am to the trailhead, which is at Casa Colorada, with an agreed price of 35000ARS – which was on the limit of what we were willing to pay for a 50 minute taxi. Halfway through breakfast our host burst in to inform us that the taxi was actually only going to take us to La Garganta del Diablo for 35K (a 30 minute drive, but the day before we’d walked it in one hour!) – and if we wanted to go to Casa Colorada, it was dependent on the ‘condition of the road’ (the weather had been perfect) and was going to cost us 50K! Clocking out at nearly 75NZD just to start our hike was an absolute no-go for us, and we were pretty upset as we felt like our host had been untruthful and it was feeling really, really scammy. We told him we couldn’t catch a taxi for that much and he got pretty mad – in Spanish, so unintelligible to us – and pretty much stormed out of the dining area while saying we had to follow up our end and take the taxi regardless of the cost.

    That was a pretty bad vibe – we had been planning to leave our spare kit at the hostel, but we really couldn’t afford to take this taxi, and we didn’t want to leave our stuff in the lap of someone who was potentially going to be looking for revenge. When the taxi arrived, we had a conversation about the mishap – the driver was very amicable, and relaxed about letting the job go. Nevertheless, with a few angry WhatsApp messages waiting on the phone, we shot out the door with all our things and spent the next 30 minutes finding a new hostel to book a room post-hike to secure our bag storage.

    In hindsight – we do think it was a genuine mistake by the host, and not that he was in kahoots with the taxi driver – partially because we walked past the taxi stand on the way out and checked their (always inflated) prices. The language barrier is always tough with this kind of thing. We spent the rest of the day to-ing and fro-ing – we were in the right, we were in the wrong. But at the end of the day it was done, and we had an extra 600m elevation and 6.5km to tackle!

    From Tilcara village, follow the track to La Garganta del Diablo. Without packs, this takes an hour – with packs and a burning sense of injustice, it also takes an hour! Continue along the road for another hour, climbing steadily, until you reach Casa Colorada. When we passed by, it seemed deserted; we had contacted them on WhatsApp for room prices out of curiosity, but there was no response at all, so we aren’t sure what the deal is there. Either way, it’s the last place you’ll find real shade the rest of the climb – so take a break!

    The road then continues on vaguely, but eventually peters out and becomes a normal track. The trail really just is switchbacks, cactus, and views over the valley until you hit the saddle. We were incredibly lucky with a cloudless stunner of a day but with a decent breeze, so we never got too hot. At beginning of the saddle, there’s a small river crossing via rock bridge, and then you enter a flatter valley filled with flowers and lush grass that rises to the maximum point of the hike, before descending somewhat to Yuko Pampa and El Cokena Refugio for the night.

    We would love to tell you that the views are gorgeous, that the descent into the pampa is magnificent – and while we’re sure it is, we have no clue personally, as the weather completely clouded over for us before we even reached the high point! We reached the refugio damp from cloud, rushing from impending rain, and feeling a little off from the altitude. It’s an important point to consider – even if you start from Casa Colorada, it’s a massive gain, and you’ll be sleeping quite high. We’d messaged El Cokena’s owner in advance, so they knew that we had our own gear – we guess that was why there was nobody there to greet us, and why the dorm rooms were firmly closed & locked. They don’t seem to live in or near the refugio (again, visibility was terrible, so we could have missed something), but there was a flushing toilet (that is, a toilet designed to flush, with big buckets of water to flush it yourself! No plumbing needed) and shower under a concrete shelter which were open to use. We had a bathroom, running water, and a flat space to pitch up – what else could you want!

    With the altitude playing tricks on our appetite, it was cookies with nutella and peanut butter for dinner, and an early night.

    Day 2: Yuto Pampa to Molulo (5-7 hrs)

    Day 2 also started a little miserable – the cloud hadn’t cleared, so we woke up fairly damp and still without a view. The altitude sickness was still playing on us, and who wants to cook breakfast in misty rain, so it was a quick pack down and off we went. The track continues to descend into a valley – and with this descent, we finally got some clearing clouds and some very cool sights of red clay against green hills, with horses and cattle peppering the hills. Down it goes (and down slips the hiker!) until the river that carves out the valley, and then it’s back up the other side. The track is not entirely clear in this section due to the livestock, so check your GPS regularly. The trail then winds around the tops of this part of the range for some time, which we think would give incredible views on a clear day – maybe even all the way to the yungas forest from certain points. We were lucky enough to see sporadic vistas of our close surroundings – little hamlets would appear randomly at the base of the ridge we were walking; peaks would suddenly loom out from across the valley; sunlight would peek through to warm and dry us off for a few minutes. Not quite knowing what we were walking through really added a layer of mystery to the journey. 

    Yea, couldn’t see nothing!!!!!

    The track eventually leads you into the village of Molulo. Here, there is a school and a little hospital, and a collection of houses and two or three homestays to pick from. The popular refugio in the pueblo is Refugio Lo de Lili (according to Wikiloc), but we found an alternative called ‘Mi Esperanza’ – and we couldn’t have been happier with our choice! The area is generally quite muddy, there’s not a lot of grass, plus we’d been walking in rain all day, so we elected to splurge for the night on a dorm bed each – 15K ARS each, about 21NZD. The family we stayed with were so kind and welcoming – plenty of chooks, a couple of friendly dogs and a tiny wee puppy wandered the yard, and along with Soledad, our host, there were four relatives of varying ages. They were all a little shy (except for the youngest – she was so curious, of course!), but we felt very welcome. The accommodation was basic, a mixture of traditional adobe and concrete, but so comfortable. Another ‘flushing’ toilet, too! They gave us some space once we were settled in by heading out (to a market, or a friend’s place – we weren’t sure), so we cleaned up and relaxed in the common area, had a hot drink and finally got set on cooking a hot meal!

    By the time our host Sole and her family returned, we were feeling pretty chuffed with our decisions and comfortable and warm inside. We knew a good night’s rest was just around the corner. We also knew that if we followed our original plan of an out-and-back, we were going to spend tomorrow hiking up all the downhill we’d just trekked down… so we decided to continue down the trail to Calilegua. We toyed with the idea of walking all the way out the next day – but Sole laughed at the idea, telling us that while she could walk all the way out in one day if she needed to, there was no way that us gringos would match her mountain pace! Our plan the next day would be to head to the next pueblo of San Lucas, and stay the night at Sole’s recommendation of Refugio Montana Ramona. 

    Day 3 :Mololu to San Lucas (6-8 hrs)

    We woke up early, (just in case we made good time and could make it all the way to the road) to clear skies on day 3. With a quick breakfast we began the trek down to San Lucas. The first part of the day was unbelievable – Molulo sits tight up against the hills facing east, but the refugio itself was tucked in behind some trees, so we couldn’t see the sun rising. However, once we were out of the village and onto the trail – the vistas were insane. We finally got the full picture of where we were walking. The track is reasonably flat to begin with, cut into the side of a hill. An alternative track runs along the ridgeline above you, if you want to start the day with an ascent to see a different view, but there are plenty coming. Our initial views were just across hills of alpine grass, but as we continued we got an idea of where we’d come from – even higher hills – and where we were going. The yungas were covered in cloud, as rainforest is so commonly, but the sights of the yellow-green of the pampas graduating into verdant forest, which quickly disappears into a blanket of cloud as far as the eye can see – well, it’s a pretty humbling perspective. 

    The track follows the sights – the rough alpine plants were replaced by bushes, then eventually trees began to surround us, and suddenly we were back amongst humid clouds. The altitude is still reasonable at this point, so it’s not hot – yet. The trail is pretty well worn and clear for this section, and the whole section is mostly downhill – but it still requires concentration, as it can get very, very slippery, especially on sections where the red clay is the prominent. There are a few small uphill sections, and throughout the trail enjoy the variety and beauty of the jungle growths.

    Walking into Refugio Montana Ramona

    Coming into San Lucas, the track widened out into a grassy area, with horses popping in and out of the bushes. Refugio Montana Ramona is well signposted and is the first dwelling in the village proper. The Refugio is run by two kindly old sisters; we arrived as they were doing some building work in one of their rooms – the language barrier meant we didn’t quite know what, or why, but we were eventually able to communicate that we just wanted a spot to pitch our tent, and we didn’t need food – it seemed like they weren’t keen to take dorm visitors and didn’t have the time to ‘host’ properly. Once they realised we weren’t going to be a hassle, they were happy for us to hang out. This refugio was so lovely. As it’s the first property in the village, it sits at the top of the hill with a great view of the valley. There’s an outdoor undercover space to hang out in, with a big table to sit and cook and eat. There’s only enough lawn to pitch one or two tents, but as we were the only ones there, it wasn’t a problem. And there was a proper flushing toilet, and a hot shower if you were feeling fancy! There are lots of other homestays in San Lucas, as it’s a reasonably big mountain village, but if you can get a spot at Ramona we would highly recommend it. 

    We had arrived quite early, so we spent most of the afternoon lounging, drying off our gear, playing with the kittens and the dog (or watching them get uncomfortably close to our tent), and generally enjoying life. Eventually the views turned to rain for the evening, so we were very happy with some shelter from the rain.

    Day 4: San Lucas to Pena Alta (2.5-4hrs)

    We woke up before sunrise to get on our way. We’d done some research before we left (and hence decided to only go halfway-and-back…), and our hosts confirmed that there was only one bus from the trailhead to Libertador General San Martin, and it came at 4pm. From Libertador General San Martin, we’d have to catch another bus to San Pedro de Jujuy. Then another to San Salvador de Jujuy. Then another to Tilcara. A logistical nightmare! But we were filled with hope – for hitchhiking is common enough in Argentina; all we needed was someone to be driving along the road.

    So we were off early, slipping and sliding through the clay tracks of San Lucas, in the morning mist. The track is a little convoluted through the town as there are lots of houses and connecting trails, but once you’re out it’s very straightforward to the road. The track descends quite a lot to start, down into a ravine. The track then follows the wall of the ravine, which is pretty spectacular, occasionally passing over or through connecting waterfalls. The descent is slow along the ravine, until it’s not! But this is the final section – a drop down to the water, across a bridge, and then back up 100m or so until the trailhead. By this time you will be sweaty – the altitude isn’t enough to stop the heat and humidity, and it’s really mosquito central. Have your bug spray ready if you want to stop. 

    We really hustled through this section, and took a short break at the road before beginning to walk towards San Francisco – the closest town about 7km away – as we thought that getting a hitch might be a bit more likely from there. Luckily, we weren’t walking for 20 minutes before a ute stopped for us – a friendly young Argentinian guy who was happy to take us to San Francisco, although his plan was to head to Termas del Rio Jordan, a famous thermal spot on the river, to pick up his friends who were kayaking down towards there. We thought that sounded ideal – a touristic area was way more likely to have people coming and going, and our chances of snagging a ride would be way better. Our new friend was munching on coca the whole way, and was happy to practice his English with us, so we had a good yarn before he dropped us off at Cañon de los Loros – a little further than he’d meant to go, as he needed to find a local guide to take him down to the termas. There were plenty of people at the Canyon, so we were hopeful, but all of them were tour groups who were just starting their canyoning tours, and then continuing onto San Francisco – so, the wrong way! 

    We hung around for 20 minutes or so, before Awal suggested continuing walking away from the groups of people. We looked a little out of place, there was a bit of traffic around, and there was a little bit of a mind game behind it, too. Do you think you’re more likely to give someone a hitch if you see them struggling? Looking miserable? Or just hanging out at a touristy area, looking hopeful and bright… Awal thinks the former is a better play, so we got our packs on and started walking (again) along the road. Now, it was really just luck, not strategy, because the first car drove past us while we were walking without a second glance, but the next car – well, it was our saviour! We were picked up by a super kind Argentinian couple from BA, who were on a birthday holiday in the north. We spent the whole drive out of Calilegua yarning – in broken Spanish, with a bit of Google Translate thrown in, but they were so interested, kind, and welcoming to their country. AND in a stroke of complete luck, they were staying in San Salvador – so they offered to drive us all the way there, directly to the bus station. We were totally overwhelmed with kindness – and the pure luck of being able to get back to Tilcara in a single day. 

    Lovely Argentinean couple that gave us a 4hr hitch

    This was one of those hikes that totally, unexpectedly worked in our favour. The views were sporadic but it meant they were so much more memorable. The locals were kind, helpful and welcoming – not just our hosts, but the people that we met on the trails who were going about their day to day. And of course, without the kindness of friends who offered us a ride all the way to San Salvador (4 hour drive), our experience would have been completely different. We finished up in Tilcara with warm hearts and full of gratitude.

    Keep it Short and Sweet:

    Climate: Wet in summer – December to March ; dry in winter – June to August

    Total Distance: 65km

    Elevation: 4500m up and 5780m down

    Description: A one way; homestay-to-homestay (book in advance via WhatsApp) track that traverses a mountain range. Walk between small mountain villages in alpine grasses into a humid jungle. If it’s not overcast, there should be fantastic views from the alpine hills across the jungle plains.

    Track: Non-technical, mostly well trodden, not always well marked.

    Facilities: Homestays with dorms or a space to camp; flushing toilets; makeshift shower; running water (filter needed); food available if you book in advance

    Getting there: The track can start from the town of Tilcara. The ‘road’ ends at Casa Colorada, so it’s possible to take a taxi if the conditions are good enough (50000ARS) or walk there from the town (extra 2-3 hours). 

    Day 1: Tilcara -> Yuto Pampa. Steep uphill most of the way, with views of Tilcara and the surroundings in the valley. At the ridge, take in the views then continue to descend into the pampas. The homestay we contacted didn’t have the bunkroom open, I believe because we had our own tent. The toilet and a makeshift shower were accessible. You will have passed through some substantial altitude, so increase your water intake and be sure to eat well. Homestay: El Cokena – Marcela (+54 9 388 477 9368)

    Day 2: Yuto Pampa – Molulo. Descend into the valley, cross the river, then ascend the other side. The track can get a little unclear in patches after this, so check your GPS to eventually descend into… and stay at the home of Sole Martines (+54 9 388 462 4023), Refugio Mi Esperanza

    Day 3: Molulo -> San Lucas. Continue around the alpine ridges for a few hours before descending into the jungle. It should still be cool enough that there aren’t any mosquitos. Stay at one of the homestays in San Lucas – we camped at Refugio MontaNa Ramona, which is the first refugio in the village, without a booking. 

    Day 4: San Lucas -> PeNa Alta (trailhead). Descend for about 4 hours, mostly alongside the river, in a ravine, until reaching the road at a point called PeNa Alta. You’ll be watching out for mosquitos by the end of this track – keep your repellent handy.

    Getting out: Is complicated! The range you’ve just walked over is not passable, so you have to drive all the way back round (or double your distance – hardcore). The bus only runs once a day from the trailhead to Libertador General San Martin at 4pm – 5pm. From there, take separate buses to San Pedro de Jujuy, onwards to San Salvador de Jujuy, then finally to Tilcara. Factor in an extra night to travel back. Agencies may offer private transport if you’re willing to pay. We were able to get a hitch hike straight back to San Salvador – which was incredibly lucky, as we only had to catch one bus.

  • Los Glaciares in El Chalten: Patagonia’s Most Famous Hikes & A Moral Conundrum 

    Los Glaciares in El Chalten: Patagonia’s Most Famous Hikes & A Moral Conundrum 

    It’s curious to consider how a region gets famous, and the fine difference between popular and overrated. Is it the difference between online-generated expectations and reality? Is it the crowds of people? Is it the burgeoning prices? Or some perfect, unfortunate combination of the above.

    Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is probably the most heavily visited area of Patagonia, iconic for Petito Moreno Glacier in the south, near El Calafate, and for the Cerro Fitz Roy mastiff in the north, by El Chalten. The accessibility of natural beauty from these two towns is a key reason for their popularity. Petito Moreno is an hour bus ride each way, but only a 30 minute walk to see an advancing glacier. And while trekking to Fitz Roy is a fairly long day (25km return), the trailhead is right in town. These two small Argentine towns have a mountain-village charm that – for us – was somewhat worn down by exorbitant prices. 

    Prior to summer 2024 – 2025, there were no fees to enter Los Glaciares. Prior to January 2025, there were no camping fees in the park, and wild camping was permitted – but all of this changed, quickly, without warning, and without the infrastructure to support the changes. 

    Entry to Los Glaciares now costs 45k ARS per day – although Guardparque Stations only exist on some trailheads, and the Guardparques are only serviced from 7am-5pm, so avoiding the fees is very much doable. A night’s stay at any of the campsites in the park costs 15K ARS per person – with long-drops available, but no campers’ shelter.

    As in our previous budget posts, the high cost of goods is some unlucky combination of Argentina’s changing economy and Patagonia’s isolation, but all prices are also driven by demand, of which there is plenty. Of course, we are complaining as reasonably well-off tourists – so if we found the prices in supermarkets rough, it only stands that the locals have it even harder.

    But while consuming food and booking accommodation supports the local community, it sounds like the changes to the park and park fees themselves are having little impact on the local people or the park maintenance itself. Although, whether that is the truth or a tale designed to make us all feel better, we have no proof.

    We’d say that in general, we’re pretty rules-driven people. We like lines. We think sign-in books are cool. We’re comfortable paying for an honesty campsite. And we both instantly feel guilty when we do something that we know isn’t right – so camping in Los Glaciares was a mixed bag for us. 

    We planned the trip to El Chalten based on information collected from the previous year – which turned out to be wildly wrong. It wasn’t until we had booked flights in and out that we checked again – on reddit – only to find out about all the changes to prices. We were already massively over-budget in Patagonia (a good start to a year travelling!), and couldn’t even remotely afford an extra 60USD each per day. Our only option was to hide out in the park, free camp in secluded places, and enjoy the solitude as much as possible.

    Tell me everything:

    Overall, we spent 11 days in Los Glaciares, with one restock. Five days were on the Huemul, which we’ve detailed in another post, then another 6 in the ‘main’ section of the park.

    Skipping Petito Moreno

    We flew from Ushuaia to El Calafate, as we’d already travelled through Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, and didn’t need to return (and it ended up cheaper). We decided to only spend a single night in El Calafate, skipping a visit to the Petito Moreno Glacier. If you’ve the cash to burn – don’t do what we did! It does sound spectacular. The walkways are close to the glacier front, so you get stunning views all around. In the afternoon, it’s supposedly common to see the glacier calving, where it sheds chunks of ice. But it’s 45k ARS entry (as part of Los Glaciares), plus 50k ARS for the return bus. That’s about 100USD ea…

    Bus Prices: Calafate to Chalten

    Talking about extortionate – buses in Argentina are far more expensive than those in Chile. The three hour ride between the two mountain towns will set you back 38K ARS per person, each way. Apparently, there is one bus that’s cheaper, but we don’t think it runs often (or at all) anymore.

    Camping at Laguna Sucia

    After the Huemul Circuit, we restocked and reentered the park late, snagging an uninspired camping spot in some trees a couple of hours in. The next day, we continued on with the intention of enjoying Fitz Roy from the neighbouring Laguna Sucia, rather than the main track, and camping there the night – we’d read and heard that there were lots of good campsites on this track. As mentioned, we had snapped a picture of an old park map, which had multiple tracks that are no longer displayed or ‘recommended’. So when we went to turn off onto the Laguna Sucia track, there were a couple of signs telling us to turn back! We ploughed on, crossed the river and did some fun boulder hopping to get to the laguna – which is absolutely worth it. It was super quiet, and the weather was stunning – no wind, no clouds, and only one other person, who wasn’t camping there. We picked a spot with a big rocky barrier someone had kindly built, and settled in for a calm evening.

    Little did we know – although perhaps it should’ve been obvious by the absence of other campers at the laguna – a storm was coming over the mountain. And that’s the problem with camping near such dramatic peaks; the sudden changes they can cause. From 9pm, the wind and rain picked up more, and more, and more, until we were pulling on rainproofs, crawling out of our shaking tent, restaking pegs and tightening guys – and eventually, changing clothes completely, packing up everything non-sleep related, and considering packing down and leaving. But at 3am, the storm eased off a bit (to the point where we didn’t have to hold up the tent’s buckling pole system), and we slept uneasily until sunrise. We snapped a cute photo and enjoyed the morning light on the mountains, slept a few more hours, then made our way down the mountain and away from the horrors of the previous night.

    Camping by Lago Electrico

    We’d wanted to spend two nights at Laguna Sucia recovering from the Huemul, but there was no way we were taking another chance there. Our next goal was Lago Electrico – at the far end of the park, and far away from the big crowds. It also turns out, Lago Electrico is actually private land and isn’t technically part of the park. There’s a shitty little barbed wire fence that has been maneuvered to fit a hiker, but otherwise we were easily able to move between the two without any guard stations.

    From the base of the Fitz Roy trail, we traversed down the true left of the Río Blanco, which enables you to take a side trip to some cool views of Glaciar Piedras Blancas. There’s a bit of rock hopping around this section too, which is fun, but will slow you down a bit. With the pack weight and the tiredness, this actually ended up being a much longer day than we anticipated.

    Río Electrico and the valley run perpendicular to the Cerro Fitz Roy mastiff – that is, it runs in the direction that the storm came the night before. This didn’t become obvious until we exited the cover of the forest, right after the Piedra Del Fraile refugio. Camping at the refugio was available for 20k ARS a night, so we continued on to brave the winds…

    … which did not work out in our favour. It took over an hour to reach the shores of Lago Electrico, where again, we’d read there were good camping spots – all of which were super exposed! There were a few ‘sheltered’ areas amongst the rocks on the way, but the wind simply said no – it must’ve been gusting at well over 100kph, and always found a way to rush around or over the surrounding escarpment. As we retreated back from the beach, we tried to set up in three different spots, quite unsuccessfully, and eventually were forced to run back to the trees, racing a rain front and the dying sunlight, and setting up camp alongside the cliff-face ascending to Piedra Negra. It was cookies and nutella for dinner.

    We spent three nights in the same spot – the next day, the sun shone and the trees gave us shelter, so we spent the whole day lazing around, eating our spare food and enjoying the break. The following day, the rain packed it in again, so we had a slow morning before taking a day-walk back to the shores of Lago Electrico. Emma really wanted to see the marked ‘Playita’ campsite on the map, but the river was impossible to cross without getting boots wet – so in the spirit of taking it easy, we enjoyed the view of the back of Fitz Roy and headed back for an early night.

    Cerro Fitz Roy

    Day 10 in the park – a few hours walking took us from Lago Electrico and back to the big crowds, and it was time to join in – for the most famous peaks in Patagonia. Actually, only Emma ascended to admire Fitz Roy from the traditional spot, and Awal stayed with the packs (a kind gesture, but also driven by being a wee bit hoha). It was a gorgeous day; although the wind was howling the whole time, the clouds would part to expose the peaks. What I found most hilarious was the line of people waiting patiently to stand on ‘the’ rock in the laguna, which provides the best shot of you, the clear blue waters, and the dramatic peaks. Do take care heading up – there is a steady line of people in both directions, and some places are well worn and quite slippery. It’s great fun to race up and down (especially being pack-less after walking 10 days with a pack!), but watch out for the wind in the exposed sections, it will blow you over if you’re moving too fast…

    After snapping a few shitty (hilarious) selfies with ol’ Fitz, we carried on to find a new campsite, again running away from a rainfront, and trying to find a spot nice and close to a trailhead for an early morning exit. We eventually set up near Laguna Capri, and had an early night hiding from the rain.

    Over and Out

    We exited super early the next morning down the main Fitz Roy track, and en route were greeted by dozens and dozens of other early risers! So many people complete this trail, from keenos who want to see the sunrise to trail runners getting their ks up to the majority – who just want to get through before the guard gets onto their shift. Since we’d been off the main tracks in the popular hours, this final part of our hike was the real ‘holy shit’ moment of the density of people walking in Los Glaciares.

    And it was a good thing we left early – we rocked up to the bus stop to check our tickets at about 7:50am, and found out that our midday bus was cancelled and we could only get on the 8am bus! There was a rush to grab some snacks, and then it was a prompt return to El Calafate and the biggest pot of post-hike maccy cheese you’ve ever seen. Delicious!

    Keep it Short and Sweet

    Normal Routes

    So we did a few odd things, and spent a few extra days just chilling out, but in the end didn’t backtrack on ourselves that much. We’ve put a little annotated map below, with a similar circuit and some options for wild camping that we thought might be good. Aside from our recommendation, there are apparently two massive circuits that you can complete – one that links up the Huemul to the main attractions instead of re-entering in the town, although you’ll need to do an extra Tyrolean and hire the harness for your whole trip. There’s also a super hardcore route, which you should only do guided or with expertise, that takes you over the ice sheet itself from Lago Electrico down to midway on the Huemul – it sounds so amazing!

    Our route in Los Glaciares
    Our recommended route in Los Glaciares

    So… Our Recommendation

    In conclusion, we had a superb time enjoying the hiking in Los Glaciares – there are plenty of trails to fit a journey to your liking, and plenty of spots that are less crowded to explore. What we did absolutely not enjoy was the continuous stress. Will someone find us without a ticket? Are we allowed to camp here? Is someone going to fine us? Is any of it worth it? On this trip, we realized the extent to which we are not rulebreakers, and while we loved the walking we were able to do, we aren’t sure that we could stomach doing it again.

    So, a lesson for us and maybe some insight for anyone reading, always stay true to your values, because doing the opposite doesn’t feel good!

  • Essential Guide to Huemul Circuit in El Chalten- 4 day trek

    Essential Guide to Huemul Circuit in El Chalten- 4 day trek

    El Chalten and Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is one of the most popular parts of Patagonia, primarily due to Cerro Fitz Roy and the two neighboring peaks, which create a dramatic backdrop to stunning mountain lagoons. However, it’s not all that the park has to offer, and in our opinion, the centre of the park is Absolutely NOT the highlight. The Huemul Circuit is a 4 day, 65km loop that runs around the southern of Los Glaciares (but still starting from El Chalten, so not that south – it’s a big national park!). It’s technically a very normal hike, with two exceptions – two Tyrolean Traverses, which require you to hire a harness in El Chalten and carry it for the hike. The Tyroleans are so cool, and an awesome experience if you haven’t done it before (like us!). But the true highlight of this track is the Southern Ice Fields. If you’re lucky enough to complete this track with good weather, you’ll come across the first pass with an unbelievable view of the world’s second largest non-polar ice field. If the mouthy title doesn’t impress you, the views absolutely will!

    If you are only here for planning purposes and only want key info about the trek, then please CLICK HERE to take yourself to ‘Keep it Short and Sweet’

    Tell me everything:

    Hiring a Harness:

    A harness, safety rope, a steel carabiner and a aluminum carabiner are all musts. Optionally, you can hire a loop of retrieval rope. We didn’t know much about the traverses before we did them, so we hired this, but it’s absolutely not necessary if you’re completing this loop in the direction we describe. The only reason it can be helpful is if you have a big group and want to pull all the bags over at once (instead of each person clipping on their bag), or if you complete the track clockwise (and you’re in a multiple), because there is only one retrieval rope on the second Tyrolean, and it’s on the wrong bank.

    The cheapest place (Feb 2025) we found was Viento Oeste, at 8k ARS per day for the essentials, and 2k ARS per day for the retrieval rope. The other four shops in town were 10k per day. Viento Oeste was also the only shop that checked we could put the harness on correctly before hiring it out – which made us feel more comfortable!

    Starting Off:

    El Chalten is your start point. From the bus stop, head back south across the bridge to the visitor centre for the trailhead. At the centre, the staff can give you any up to date information on the track, and there’s a form to fill out with your intentions. I don’t think they check it, to be fair, so have your own safety system set up (as always!). 

    At this office, we were lucky enough to snap a photo of an old park map, which marks a number of tracks that new park maps don’t show. It was very helpful once we moved back into the main section of the park!

    More details on the above photo will follow in our Los Glaciores post.

    The track starts behind the office. This is one of the trailheads that was marked by a guardparque toll booth in 2025. Enter after 6pm as required. The track is marked well in places, and can be unclear in others. Make sure you have a GPS or offline maps. The campsites are all free, but there are also no facilities. Always be a good hiker and bury your shit well and away from water sources, and piss somewhere it will get washed away. Be aware there are lots of stinky spots!

    We’re describing the ‘normal’ way to do the track, anti-clockwise, though it is doable clockwise too, we can imagine the ascent up on the 2nd day (3rd in our blog) would be quite rough.

    Day 1: El Chalten to Laguna Toro; 16km; 4 hours

    Day 1 is fine, but our memories are limited as is not hellishly interesting compared to all the other days. We completed it quite late, as we arrived late in El Chalten, and were hustling down the track. The trail starts quite rocky and uphill, but eventually changes to a mix of boggy fields and drier forest. There is a lot of cattle on this section, weirdly enough, but also great views to the north of the iconic tip of Fitz Roy. Eventually, the track descends back down towards Río Túnel, and then alongside it for another hour or so until you reach the (very basic) campsite, sheltering In some trees. We actually started so late we didn’t make it to the campsite, just found a flat spot near the Río Túnel.

    Day 2: Laguna Toro to Paso del Viento Camp; 16km; 5 – 7 hours

    From the campsite, start weaving your way around the rocky formations on the true left of the river. The track can be a little unclear at times, so check for cairns, but you’ll know you’re in the right place in about 30 minutes, when you reach your first Tyrolean Traverse! This Tyrolean runs over a ravine that the water has carved – there isn’t an alternative crossing place. The traverse is short and a bit steep, so definitely keep your bag off your back, and clipped in by your feet. ALWAYS remember: steel-on-steel. Make sure your harness isnt twisted. Take your time! Safety is more important than someone else’s impatience. There are plenty of videos out there, either keep one downloaded or screen-record if this is your first time to make sure you’re comfortable with the process.

    Awal did the traverse with his backpack on his back and he would not recommend this! Your back pulls you down and you cannot stay upright as you’re attempting to pull yourself uphill. DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID! Take your backpack off and clip it too the steel carabiner aswell.

    We were lucky to reach this Tyrolean first, so we could get comfortable with the gear and set up. As we said, it’s short but quite steep, so it can be a bit rough on the forearms. The dismount is also a bit hectic, because the rock face is fairly steep, so again take your time here! 

    Once over the ravine, and the adrenaline rush wears off, continue along the true right of the river along the rocks. This wends around a bit until you come to your next challenge – walking on or next to a glacier!

    It’s important to be careful here, as the moraines are unstable and the glacier, well, is icy. We found there was a well travelled path on the moraine, that wasn’t too slippery, so we followed that along the edge of the glacier, and just jumped on for a walk on it at the end. Poles definitely help with the slipperiness. There were lots of crevasses on the glacier that we could see, even right next to the moraine, so we kept off it until right at the end.

    Once youve had your fun on the ice, the track begins to ascend steeply, providing awesome views of the glacier below. Continue climbing for views over the glacier, which is broken up into two pieces now (or maybe it splits into two? Either way, it looks amazing!). The climb continues for an hour or so until you come to the top of the saddle.

    Now, if you’re lucky with the weather, this is the real extraordinary part, with the Southern Ice Field opening up below you. The views descending the pass into the valley below are the best you’ll get – we advise stopping and taking your fill of the view here and now.

    When we completed the O Trek, one of the rangers told us that as we ascended the John Gardener pass, if we were lucky we’d be able to see up the glacier to the Southern Ice Fields – and we were not lucky, so seeing it this time was so spectacular. 

    The main campsite descends to the left of the pass, and is only another hour’s walk. It sits next to a little lagoon and at this one, there is a tiny little campers’ shelter – which smelled like piss. There are several camping boundaries set up with rocks, and there’s not a lot of privacy. Being people who don’t love that vibe, we managed to find a little flat spot up in the rocks above the campsite (beyond the ‘toilet’ section – watch your step).

    Before that though – if you have terrific weather and time to spare, we recommend heading down to the right and camping at Laguna Ferrari for an extra night, which is a brilliant blue and is close to a series of moraines that overlook the ice sheet and give brilliant views. Obviously, being close to so much ice means it is quite cold, so wrap up tight overnight! It’s only an hour between the two campsites.

    Day 3: Paso Del Viento Camp to Bahia de los Tempanos; 14km; 5-7 hours

    As above, this was our day 4, but we’ll keep the numbers as is. The day starts with some easy, flat walking parallel to the ice sheet, between rocky moraines and stream ridden grassy fields. Eventually, the trail starts turning to the east, and you’ll start catching views of the Glaciar Viedma, which splits off the ice sheet. There’s a particularly nice view, and a good spot to take a break, just before the track begins to narrow and follow a sheer wall on the left, and a solid drop on the right. This is also where, for us, the famous Patagonian winds began to really pick up. The ascent up the pass is very steep, but not too technically difficult, and we did it with the wind blowing into our backs, making us trip up into the hill, but there were times where standing was nigh impossible!

    There’s a slight reprieve of a bowl at the top of this section, though the real ‘peak’ of the pass is up to the left a bit further. We took a right turn here before checking the GPS, and had to backtrack (big regrets in the wind). The track descends through scrubby legua forest – we assume the roots keep erosion to a minimum, but they make for some leg raises as you’re walking! The real rough bit comes on a very steep, eroded section a little way down. There are some ropes to help (it’s basically on sand covered rocks, but at about 45° – hell), but we both spent most of it sliding down and not really walking. The descent overall is quite long, so take care on your knees.

    Eventually the track flattens out though. Take care, as you’re again in a section with lots of cattle, and misleading tracks. The campsite is only about 30 minutes walking more, where the final stretch descends to Bahía Tempanos of Lago Viedma, sheltered by the trees. There a lotsssss of rats at this campsite, so keep your food triple bagged and out of your tent. We think there’s an alternative campsite another 30-60 minutes along the trail, but we didn’t check it out. The beach is rocky and slippery, and with the wind can be quite rough, so take care if you swim (but it’s so worth it).

    Day 4: Bahia de los Tempanos to El Chalten; 16km; 5-7 hours

    As mentioned, take care with the cattle trails compared to the track. GPS can be helpful in this section to keep you confident. Also note that when we completed this section, we had to do a small stream crossing about an hour in. It’s a couple of hours trekking through grassy countryside until you reach the second Tyrolean. 

    As mentioned, this Tyrolean only has one retrieval rope, but you should be on the correct side. Just make sure you don’t forget anything on the pulley (or let go of the pulley too early… maybe before you’ve attached your harness for your trekking partner… just a thought). This one is also quite long! So be prepared for a workout, and possibly wear gloves to help with the rope chafing.

    From here, it’s pretty flat walking out of the park. If youre lucky, or organised, you can plan a ride to picn you up another 30 minutes along the track. If youre not so organised, or cant afford the taxi, its another hour and a bit to the road, which at this point, is really just a slog. But you’ll get there eventually, joining up to the road, and a beer and a bed.

    Keep it Short and Sweet

    Track Type: Circuit

    Distance: 65km

    Elevation: 2500 meters gained

    Days: 4

    Park Entry Cost: 45k ARS (the guards leave after 6pm)

    Camping Cost: Free. No facilities at campsites.

    GPS needed in sections, in general the track is easy to find.

    Cattle tracks can be misleading. 

    The cheapest place to hire a harness is from Viento Oeste, at 8k ARS per day for the essentials, and 2k ARS per day for the retrieval rope.

    Day 1: El Chalten to Laguna Toro; 16km; 4 hours

    Cruisy day

    Day 2: Laguna Toro to Paso del Viento Camp; 16km; 5 – 7 hours

    First tyrolean traverse, glacier walking

    Day 3: Paso Del Viento Camp to Bahia de los Tempanos; 14km; 5-7 hours

    Walk up a pass with a sketchy downhill

    Day 4: Bahia de los Tempanos to El Chalten; 16km; 5-7 hours

    Bit of a slog and final Tyrolean traverse

  • A Journey to the End of the World: Hiking the Dientes De Navarino- 5 day trek

    A Journey to the End of the World: Hiking the Dientes De Navarino- 5 day trek

    From Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas – we’ve been detailing our moves to the south, and our next stop is the most south we’ll ever go – Puerto Williams, on Isla Navarino in Chile.

    There’s not much to Puerto Williams. Being at a tiny town so close to Antarctica has a real charm, but we travelled there for one reason – the hike at the end of the world, the Dientes de Navarino.

    The trail is named for the mountainous prominence the circuit winds around, which look a lot like – well – teeth. If you fly into Puerto Williams, you’ll probably be able to see them out your windows. They really are an impressive rocky feature, like stone canines protruding from mountain gums. The best views (and photo opportunities) are on day one, as you initially climb up into the range but there is plenty to see on the track that will make your own jaw drop!

    Click here to take you to ‘Short and Sweet’ that summarises this blog post!

    Tell me everything:

    Getting There:

    Being the end of the world Puerto Williams is not the cheapest or easiest place to arrive in. There’s three ways in and out:

    Ferry from Punta Arenas: a 30 hour trip through Patagonia fjords. Apparently, one of the most gorgeous trips you can take, even if the sleeping conditions are questionable.

    Fly from Punta Arenas: the quicker option and for a similar price, but you miss out on the experience of the ferry. We did this, and wished we’d taken the ferry!

    Ferry from Ushuaia: this is the only way to get to Ushuaia from Puerto Williams, but it is so expensive – 320USD for the ride!

    Generally, whichever method you take, your accomodation should offer to pick you up. Puerto Williams is tiny and tourism not a core industry, so the airbnb and hostels are pretty kind.

    Accommodation

    We stayed with Luis, at his airbnb cabin – it would be at least 40 minutes walking from the town, but it is only ten minutes from the beginning of the Dientes track. We don’t usually comment on where to stay, but we would highly recommend this accomodation – it’s super cute, quiet and an amazing way to disconnect. The family is incredibly lovely, and a friendly homestay lives out the back, too. If we ever found ourselves down that way again we’d stay there in a heartbeat. 

    The Hike

    The Dientes actually has reasonable information on Wikiloc, and the trail is reasonably well marked for the most part. A GPS is still necessary – some sections are confusing and, this part of the world gets a lot of rain so there’s also a lot of bog. Also, clearly, it’s very close to Antarctica – so while not all the track is what would usually be considered ‘alpine’, the weather is incredibly changeable. The passes can snow up and be impassable all year around. If you have the flexibility, arrange to be in Puerto Williams for additional days, and certainly take an extra days’ food and extra dry food, in case you get stuck in your tent. In saying that, the weather forecast should be reasonably accurate – just be prepared that you may arrive and not be able to start in the first place!

    The Dientes de Navarino track itself is not very long. The days are around 10km on average. The beauty of the track is in the scenery and the wildness, and being one of the southernmost people in the world. The challenge is in the isolation. You could do it in three days sure – but why would you? You’ll probably never be so far south again, so enjoy the seclusion!

    Day 1: Puerto Williams – Laguna Del Salto; 11km, 6-7 hours

    The track starts as a day hike, climbing up with switchbacks through forest to Cerro Bandera. There are multiple viewpoints along the way, but the view at the summit is the most spectacular. Treat yourself to the view of Tierra del Fuego. The track then continues along the side of the ridge and towards the Dientes de Navarino. Coming around the ridge you’ll get awesome shots of the Dientes and lakes and rivers below. This is actually the view that our logo is taken from! Eventually, you’ll descend to a lake below the Dientes, where the first campsite is located. All along this route, the campsites are clear with people having set up stick or stone walls to give the tents some shelter. 

    There is an alternative route into this location, alongside the river, if the winds are too high to walk to Cerro Bandera. We believe some people also walk this as an overnighter loop. There was certainly a large group on the day we stayed at this campsite, and we didn’t see them again.

    Day 2: Laguna Del Salto- Laguna Escondida; 9km, 5-6 hours

    Where day 1 was all great views and chill walking, day 2 was a shitty slog for us. It started raining at about 8am and didn’t let up until the next day. Day 2 is where you should get even better views of the Dientes, as you pass underneath them and through the mountain pass. We didn’t see anything – to be honest, we can hardly recount the track, except that there was a lot of up to start, and a bit of slippery boulder clambering next to a lake. The campsite on the map is pretty nice, situation by a laguna with a great view (we saw in the morning), but we continued onto the other side of the laguna to get a little more privacy – we knew there were quite a few other hikers behind us! 

    This was a day we were so glad for our tent setup – we can put the footprint and fly up, then sit in the shelter and dry off before putting the inner up. Awal almost got too cold, but our setup meant that everything important stayed dry. The rain did not stop, so it was a cold bread & cheese dinner for us. 

    Day 3: Laguna Escondida- Laguna Martillo; 7km, 5-6 hours

    We woke up to a smattering of sun and rain, and quite a bit more cold. Today was the day we were the most south we’ll ever be! It was to be a tough day – another pass for the southernmost point, plus snow and wind on and off all day kept us guessing what we should wear. At times, it was a winter wonderland, but it never lasted too long. As we circled the mountains we got spectacular views of the surrounding valleys. On this day you also pass the turnoff for the Windholm circuit which does actually pass further south than the Dientes. The Windholm passes into more difficult territory(verify). After the southern pass, the track circles the mountain for some time before dipping into another laguna for the campsite. We followed the track a little further to find a lovely campsite overlooking that laguna, however we did camp next to a beaver site, so we had to be more careful with our water. We managed to set up the tent before another bout of snow arrived!

    Day 4: Laguna Martillo- Laguna Los Guanacos; 10km, 6-7 hours

    This was a boggy day. The track carried on down into a valley filled with forest and a lot of waterways, which made going fairly slow. Then, the final pass – where we lost the track multiple times because the way up through the trees was also a bog! We struggled uphill for an hour or so before it changed to a rockier and drier track. Eventually the track levels out to some flat top walking. Some of the cairns are hard to spot, so keep your eyes peeled. Eventually, this last high pass does end – you’ll come to overlook the final laguna and again you’ll have an amazing view of the Beagle Channel. The descent to the laguna is pretty fun (although, if it were icy or snowy it would be awful). The scree is thick enough to run or bound down the slope. The track then travels around the left, to a viewing platform and the campsite. Continue down through the bush for some more sheltered campsites – the wind coming up from the channel can be strong. 

    Day 5: Laguna Los Guanacos- Puerto Williams; 3km, 3 hours

    The last day is meant to be short, but don’t rely on it! The start of this day is filled with beaver dams, tracks and general skulduggery. This makes it really difficult to follow the trail, both because of the misleading tracks and the dams which block the real track. Not so fun fact – all the beavers are introduced, initially for hunting game. However, the beavers have no natural predators, and the trees have no natural defenses, so the result is some serious deforestation where there shouldn’t be any. The result is also a nightmare of a couple of hours, where there is no real track to follow. Eventually, it dries out as the track ascends a ridge and follows it for some time, before descending into a normal forest – we found that the markers were inconclusive in this forest, so keep an eye out and on your GPS again!

    The track eventually meets the road by some means. You can follow the road back to Puerto Williams, but we were lucky enough to pick up a hitch and shave a few kms of road walking off our hike. Then Luis’s wife drove us back to the airbnb, we lit a fire and had a warm, toasty evening of celebrating our achievement!

    Keep it Short & Sweet:

    • Trail type: One way
    • Distance: 40km
    • Time: 4-5 days
    • Day 1: Puerto Williams – Laguna Del Salto
    • Day 2: Laguna Del Salto- Laguna Escondida
    • Day 3: Laguna Escondida- Laguna Martillo
    • Day 4: Laguna Martillo- Laguna Los Guanacos
    • Day 5: Laguna Los Guanacos- Puerto Williams
  • Essential Guide to the O-Circuit in Torres Del Paine | [2024/2025]

    Essential Guide to the O-Circuit in Torres Del Paine | [2024/2025]

    There are some things that are on every tourist’s bucket list, and this hike is one of them. If you are heading to Patagonia, then this trek really is a ‘must-do’.! This 8 day trail will take you on a 120km adventure around Torres Del Paine (TDP) National Park. You will see beautiful glaciers, beautiful lakes and the famous Torres. 

    This post will equip you with all you need to know if you are planning to complete the O-Circuit. The O-circuit is usually open from November to March, although the track can see snowfall and heavy winds all year around.

    We completed this trek with all our own gear. We had our own tent, food, sleeping bags, mats, liners – the whole honky. It’s nice to be able to rely on your own gear, and cheaper to boot. We assume you want to do the same thing, so all costs will show how to book this as cheaply as possible.

    If you are only here for planning purposes and only want key info about the trek, then please CLICK HERE to take yourself to ‘Keep it Short and Sweet’. This section at the bottom of the post will provide all the essential info for planning & logistics with no extra details. We get it! Sometimes you just want to enjoy it by experiencing it on the trail.

    Tell me everything:

    Why the O-Circuit?

    Whilst researching what hikes to do in Patagonia, the O-Circuit will definitely come up on your radar. Most likely, it will be on every single “South America Hiking” list you look at, and even on some ‘top 10 hikes in the World’ lists. There are 2 main treks you can do in Torres Del Paine National Park, the O- Circuit and the W-Trek. Old maps show that there used to be several extra tracks around the park, but most have been closed, for a combination of conservation and tourism management.

    The O-Circuit is a loop around TDP national park. You can only do this loop in an anti-clockwise direction, in the Patagonian summer and shoulder seasons (Dec – Mar is easiest, Oct/Nov and April you may get snow). The loop makes its way around the north side  of the park and meets up to include the W section at the ‘front’, southern side. It totals up to 120km over the 8 days. The alternative W-Trek can be completed in 4 days, in either direction, but it is only a one way track. You have to ferry in or out, although we did hear that some people were planning to walk from Paine Grande all the way back to Central.

    For the rest of the post we will only be talking about the O-Circuit. The W-Trek is far more popular, and far more trafficked – fair warning for those attempting the O-Circuit and arriving into Refugio Grey! The W-Trek is shorter, more easily accessible, and has more of ‘classic’ photogenic spots, but we wanted to do the O-Circuit for a few main reasons:

    • We love spending time on the trail!
    • We prefer taking the path less traveled
    • Glacier Grey – a sight which has become one of the highlights of our trip

    How do I plan this hike?

    When we were in the planning stage, we were overwhelmed with information. There is a lot to process before booking this trek. We will take you through everything you need to know from organising buses to organising shuttles to buying the park entrance tickets and most importantly, booking the campsites!

    Firstly, let’s start with figuring out what the 8 day itinerary looks like with the relevant campsites/refugios. All of the refugio/campgrounds have flushing toilets (!) with toilet paper, and most have hot showers. There are no cooking facilities for campers, so you need your own cooking system. There is boiling water available in some refugios, but it wasn’t super consistent. All of the sites have a minimart with a variety of small (expensive) snacks and hiking gas if you run out. On the W-side, there tends to be spare gas left behind by those who don’t need it, so if you get in early you can avoid paying for extra.

    Day 1 | Start at Central and hike to Serron to stay the night | Managed by Las Torres

    Day 2 | Hike from Serron to Dickson | Managed by Vertice

    Day 3 | Hike from Dickson to Los Perros | Managed by Vertice

    Day 4 | Hike from Los Perros to Grey | Managed by Vertice

    Day 5 | Hike from Grey to Paine Grande | Managed by Vertice

    Day 6 | Hike from Paine Grande to Frances or Cuernos | Managed by Las Torres

    *Day 7 | Hike from Frances or Cuernos to Chileno or Central | Managed by Las Torres

    **Day 8 | Hike from Chileno or Central to Las Base Torres Lookout, back to Central and out of the national park.

    *Frances or Cuernos are fairly interchangeable. 

    **Chileno is much better, as you cut 2 hours off your sunrise wakeup time! But it fills up super fast, so you may need to stay at Central. 

    There are 2 companies you have to book through, called Vertice and Las Torres. In the past, you could stay at the CONAF campsites for free but they are now closed. While we were on the trail, we had some chats with the CONAF park rangers, and they indicated that the cheap campsites will likely never reopen. CONAF now works with Vertice and Las Torres to upkeep the track and park as a whole.

    As we’re sure you can imagine, this is quite a chaotic working relationship, which makes your life as a tourist confusing as hell. Vertice and Las Torres release the dates for booking at different times, with very different pricing models The release time varies year on year but should be sometime between April and June. The prices increase annually so the only way to know how much each campsite will cost will be when the company opens up the bookings. For our 2025 bookings of the Vertice campsites, we paid $11USD per person and for the Las Torres campsites we paid $40USD per person. Yes! This is to camp, bringing all of our own gear… so it is ridiculously expensive. All you get is a piece of ground that you can pitch your tent up in and access to a hot shower. At those prices, you’re damn right we used the showers!

    If you have a fixed time frame you can go to Patagonia, then booking well in advance, as soon as the spots are released, is your best bet. We would recommend joining the reddit Patagonia page as when the bookings are open, info generally gets posted there first. At the time of writing, Vertice 2026 bookings  are already open –  so get booking!

    Vertice: https://booking.vertice.travel/booking 

    Las Torres: https://lastorres.com/circuitos-y-tours/circuitos-de-trekking/ 

    We booked the ‘simple campsite’ option as this one does not include any extras and is the cheapest. This also books out the fastest. Though, don’t necessarily trust what the company tells you. We had a pretty crazy time booking the simple campsite last year. The bookings at Las Torres opened online with no option for a simple campsite. Awal then proceeded to spend a couple of days going back and forward (via WhatsApp) with someone at Las Torres, who insisted that there was no such thing as a simple campsite, despite all the evidence to the contrary! We eventually managed to book the spots, but there was a pretty stressful time where our Vertice spots were booked and our Las Torres ones were not.  And once the simple campsites sell out, the premium options are crazy expensive – and they really aren’t very ‘premium’ 

    If you’re getting a bit overwhelmed and have some cash to spare, there are 3rd party companies that you can book with, which will save you from booking with Las Torres and Vertice directly. There’s about a 15% markup for the service. The most popular one is Torres Hike: https://torreshike.com/en

    If you’ve already missed out on your ideal dates, don’t stress too much. The simple campsites can become available at a later date. This is because Vertice and Las Torres reserve some campsites for tour agencies to use up. If they are unable to sell it, the campsites become available. We came across a family of 5 who booked a week before! This comes with its risks – but we know there are people out there who froth that kind of last-minute organisation.

    Once you have booked your spots at each location, you need to book the bus that will take you from the town of Puerto Natales to Laguna Amarga. Laguna Amarga is the entrance of the National Park. You can find buses through BusBud [https://www.busbud.com/en]. You don’t need to reserve this bus months in advance (in fact, you can’t), but it’s worth checking a week or two before to make sure you can get on one of the earliest buses. There will be many people who catch the bus for a day hike to Las Torres, not just people completing the O- & W-Treks. Try to book the earliest bus which will leave around 6:45am from the bus terminal in Puerto Natales and will arrive at Laguna Amarga at 9am.

    TIP: throughout your travels in South America, you can find buses through BusBud and then jump on the website of the bus company to buy your ticket there. It will save you just a few $$, but over time it all adds up. 

    The day you catch the bus from Puerto Natales to Laguna Amarga, you will then need to present your national park ticket at the registration area. The ticket can be bought up to a day before you start the hike. The ticket to the national park can be bought here: https://www.pasesparques.cl/en/parks/torres-del-paine. We have heard some tales of people skipping the park entrance fee – there’s not a very efficient system at Laguna Amarga, so we could see how this would be doable. However, CONAF does an awesome job of servicing this park, the money really does go straight to them, and the systems in place are really effective for managing tourism, so we would definitely encourage you to pay your fair share 🙂

    Once you have checked in at Laguna Amarga with your park entrance ticket, you will walk about 400 meters to the shuttles that will take you to Central which is where the hike begins – you cannot book these in advance but yes, there will be enough shuttles for everyone – don’t stress. The shuttle cost us 4500 CLP each.

    TDP Park Rules and Guidelines for etiquette:

    • You can only camp at the designated campsites
    • No open fires allowed. You’ll read a story about a dumb traveller who tried to burn some toilet paper and set fire to a large portion of the park.
    • You can only use a burner at the cooking areas at the campsites.
    • You can drink the stream water and water is drinkable at all the campsites
    • Check In to campsites are usually from 2pm. If you arrive early with a reservation to the campsite, the staff will let you set up your tent whilst you wait to check in.
    • The checkout times are only for those staying at the refugio and staying in a pre-made tent as they need to be cleaned for the round of hikers. This being said, spending more time on the trail and appreciating the views outweighs sleeping in.
    • You need to have your campsites booked before you arrive
    • You are not allowed to hike at night. We weren’t specifically told this but there were lots of signs pointing to this act. 
    • Please note that swimming is not allowed in the national park. It might be tempting but, these are the rules for the park. We noticed many travellers breaking the rules and this is not a good look!

    Now the fun part, TREKKING!

    Below we will provide a description of what to expect on the O-Circuit, based on our own experience. One thing we can’t predict is the weather; this will vary dramatically in Patagonia, even over the course of a single day. Do note that your timings will be equally variable depending on the weather and your level of fitness. For reference: we’re fairly fit, but we also like a good sit-down in the middle of the day. If you are concerned about not being able to do it, trust us, you can! The track is in great condition, and there are plenty of people around to offer encouragement. If you know you are a slower trekker, start earlier in the day, take plenty of breaks, and trust your own pace. Another important note: every blog, website, signpost, you name it, will have a different distance and time on it. 

    Day 1: Central to Serrón (Approx. 13 km, 4-6 hours)

    Your trek will begin at Central. There is a tourist shop you will walk through before beginning the hike. We recommend not buying things until the end of the trek as you will just have to carry it. The trail winds through recovering farmland and you will mainly be walking on a 4×4 track that Las Torres use to service their refugios and campsites. It’s not great walking, but about halfway through you get views of a glacial river, which is a stunning colour. Upon reaching Serrón, you will set up camp, have an afternoon tea, socialise with the other campers and those in the refugios, take a nice refreshing shower and enjoy a peaceful night in the park.

    Day 2: Serrón to Dickson (Approx. 18 km, 5-7) 

    On day 2, hike from Serrón to Dickson. The trail is filled with scenic views and takes you through more diverse terrain than the previous day. You will pass Guardaria Cuoiron where you will need to sign in by showing the park ranger your booking for the campsite ahead. A screenshot is all that’s required. As you approach Dickson, you’ll be greeted by breathtaking views of the mountains, lakes and the very top of a Glacier, if you’re lucky. Settle in for the night at Dickson. We would recommend taking your time on this day as it is mostly flat and you will begin to see the beauty of Patagonia, as the day before was merely on a 4×4 track. If you wake up in the middle of the night, do some star gazing. The night sky is beautiful!

    Day 3: Dickson to Los Perros (Approx. 12 km, 2-4 hours)

    On day three, trek from Dickson to Los Perros. This section of the trail is mostly a gentle uphill as you climb the valley, and features lush forests that eventually turn into a rugged glacial valley. You will also begin to cross dodgy bridges at this point, maximum one person per bridge for good reason. There will be a few of these over the next few days and it honestly does not get better until you reach the more travelled W-Section of the hike. Towards the end of the day, you will be greeted with the beautiful Los Perros lake along with its glacier – very cool to see, but it has receded a lot. However, never fear, tomorrow you’ll see the real deal. After a pleasant but short day on the trail, arrive at Los Perros, which is a beautiful campsite nestled nicely into the forest, away from the winds where you can recover, chill and have an early night. The next day will involve a very early morning wakeup!

    Day 4: Los Perros to Grey (Approx. 18 km, 6-12 hours)

    Our View of Grey Glacier

    Today’s hike is probably the toughest. It will take you from Los Perros to Grey, through the John Gardener Pass. This can be a very long day, somewhat dependent on your fitness, but realistically mostly dependent on the  weather.. CONAF are very strict about the timing. You must be out of the campsite by 7am but they recommend starting at 5am or 6am. This is because you must arrive at Paso Guarderia below the pass by 2pm or they won’t let you continue, and you have to stay there for the night. From Los Perros, it is a steep, exposed climb uphill to John Gardener Pass; when we completed this section, the winds were pretty mental. Lots of rain covers were lost and people were being blown over so start early and take your time. CONAF will brief you on the weather the day before. Once you cross John Garner pass, you will be greeted by the beautiful and majestic Glacier Grey. If you’re really lucky with a clear day, you should be able to see all the way up the Glacier to the Southern Ice Fields – the 3rd largest continuous sheet of ice in the world. Just take a moment at this stage. One of the most breathtaking views we have ever seen. 

    After admiring the glacier, you will head into the forest for a steep descent until you get to Paso Guarderia. From Paso Guarderia, it’s another 3-4 hours descending towards Refugio Grey, along which you will find many opportunities to take in stunning views of Glacier Grey until the Refugio, where you will take a well deserved hot shower, have dinner and get some well earned shuteye. 

    Day 5: Grey to Paine Grande (Approx. 11 km, 2-4 hours)

    This is a short day, only around 3 hours, so we had a really nice sleep in after the long day before. The trek to Paine Grande is very gentle as you will be trekking along a mountain edge alongside Lago Grey where you’ll be able to see Glacier Grey from another beautiful angle. Take your time and take it all in. The trek ends next to the beautiful Pehoe Lake where the Paine Grande campsite is located. We tried to resist buying anything from the minimarts but we caved in here and got some snickers! A well deserved treat! This is the most exposed campsite in the park. We were there on a very sheltered day and had nothing to worry about, but if you hear horror stories about tents getting destroyed – this is the place it happens.

    Day 6: Paine Grande to Francés (or Cuernos) (including Miradors Frances and Britanico ~22 km, 6-8 hours)

    On day six, hike from Paine Grande to either Francés or Cuernos. On this day, you must make two choices. The first is the direction you approach Guarderia Italiano – there’s a fork about 10 minutes after leaving Paine Grande, with the right option taking you in between lakes, ponds, trees and a wetland, and the left option taking you along the base of the mountain. We took the right option (not knowing the difference) and it is much less travelled, if you’re looking for a quieter morning. We only walked past one couple, right at the end. It did feel quite exposed though – we nearly lost two pack covers on this day! 

    The tracks meet back up at a bridge. The next decision must be made at Guarderia Italiano, where you may leave your bags and take a steep trek up to Mirador Frances (2.6km one way) and Mirador Britanico (5.8km one way). This is the middle line in the “W”. Mirador Frances is approx half way to Mirador Britanico, and the total elevation gain is about 800m. This means that there’s a good chance the weather at the base is not the same as the weather at the Miradors. On the day we did it, we walked up to Mirador Frances but not to Mirador Britanico as we ended up in the clouds, soaking wet, without all our layers. Please consider taking your warm & waterproof clothes even if it is not cold or wet at the bottom. It’s so changeable, and especially without your full pack you might regret it! 

    Mirador Frances is stunning, even during bad weather. We recommend you don’t miss it. The hike is steep and involves clambering up lots of big boulders. Don’t feel like you have to rush – though we did, enjoying the thrill of walking without a full pack. Britanico is also supposedly gorgeous, although we can’t comment – see photo evidence of the ‘view’ before we turned around, about 30 minutes from the Mirador.

    Once you descend back to Guarderia Italiano, you will walk 20 – 30 minutes to your campsite at Frances. The trail passes straight through the camping/refugio area so you shouldn’t miss it! The camping check-in kiosk is located up a little hill. Frances has a beautiful common area inside the minimarket where you can spend the afternoon drinking tea (free hot water!) and journaling or reading. In the evening, this area is used for the trekkers who purchased dinner, so we retreated to our campers’ shelter.

    Cuernos is a few kilometers further along the trail, so if this is your campsite expect a slightly longer day (30min – 1 hour).

    Day 7: Francés (or Cuernos) to Chileno (or Central) (Approx. 14 km)

    On this day, you will pass through Cuernos campsite (or not, if you stayed here) and continue your trek alongside Lago Nordenskjöld. This is a pristine blue lake where you’ll have the opportunity to take some photos and take in all of nature’s beauty. As you continue your trek, you will come across a turnoff that says ‘shortcut to Chileno’. Take this shortcut if you are staying at Chileno, or if you want to see Las Torres on this day, as it means you don’t have to walk all the way to the turn off on the W section. If you are staying at Central and don’t want to ascend Las Torres, take the normal route. It was a very worthwhile shortcut, and probably cut an hour off our time. 

    To Chileno, the trek becomes a slog uphill, and when we did it, boy was it windy. At some points, we had to stop & brace so we didn’t get blown off the track! After about an hour more, you’ll join the main track to the towers. Soon after is ‘Paso Viento’, the windy pass. And holy f***, it gets windy. This is the most exposed section of the entire track, with the valley creating a wind tunnel especially for your hiking pleasure. It can be scary but it’s so awesome – enjoy it! But we definitely recommend using hiking poles. This is the last section before you find the Chileno campsite which is nestled in the forest and reasonably sheltered. Make sure you get an early night because tomorrow you will wake up at 3am to make your way to Base Torres lookout for one of the most beautiful sunrises you will ever see.

    Day 8: Chileno (or Central) to Las Base Torres Lookout, back to Central and out of the National Park (Approx. 10 km)

    Sunrise shot at Base Torres

    On your final day, it’ll be an early wake-up if you want to see the sunrise. You can leave your main pack in the lodge (both Chileno and Central allow this) and only take a day pack up, which is a great relief! From Chileno, it’s on average 2 hours to Base Torres. Because you won’t have your pack, and it’s cold as hell, you’ll probably be hustling. It took us 1.5hours, which was kind of a mistake… we just had to freeze at the top for even longer (not ideal). Additionally, we asked the staff what time sunrise was and they said 5:30am. The sunrise was actually at 6:30am. Even more freezing time 🙁

    PLEASE, take warm clothes with you. Sure, you will already be in some warm clothes as it’s a cold start to the morning but by the time you get to the top, you will stop moving, your body will start cooling down and you will get coldddddd. Yes, this is advice from experience. Awal ‘forgot’ one layer and got super cold at the top so we had to leave a bit earlier than we wanted to. Don’t make the same mistake we did!

    The harsh dawn sunlight shining on the towers is a sight to behold. Keep warm and enjoy.

    After you’ve soaked up all Base Torres has to offer, hike back down to Chileno, pick up your pack and hike all the way down to Central. From here, you will catch a shuttle back to Laguna Amarga, another 4500CLP each. DON’T STRESS, there will be enough shuttles for everyone. There is a shuttle timetable on the board at central. It aligns with the buses that will transfer you back to Puerto Natales. We caught the 2pm shuttle to Laguna Amarga, as we had booked the 3pm bus. There is an earlier bus, at 11:30am, with a 10:30am shuttle. We arrived at 10:35 – classic. However, the 11:30am bus was full anyway, so if we had taken the shuttle, we would’ve been sitting at Laguna Amarga for hours. Moral of the story? Check the schedule when you arrive, but really just take your time. We were hustling back to Central in the hopes of moving our bus ticket, but what it meant was we spent the least time on the trail and the most time in an incredibly expensive cafe with no food left to eat. Eight days on the track makes two very hungry kiwis.

    So, was this trek worth it?

    Heck yeah! The trekking, Glacier Grey, the lagoons, the amazing people you will meet along the way. This trek is one of our favorites and we will recommend it to everyone we know.

    Yes, it is expensive and some would even describe it as a money grab. We were hesitant when we realised how much it cost but we made sure we got in early and booked the absolute cheapest option.

    Keep it Short & Sweet:

    Why do the 0-Trek?

    Beautiful lagoons, glaciers and mountain views. Well managed tracks. 

    We say: it’s worth it.

    How Long is it?: 

    120km, 8 days

    What do I need?

    To do it cheap: take all your own hiking gear ($$$)

    To do it fancy: stay in a combination of pre-setup tents and refugios, totally catered ($$$$$)

    For everyone: Standard mountainous hiking gear – good base layers, proper hiking shoes, proper waterproof gear. All of the refugio/campgrounds have flushing toilets, showers, and toilet paper. Boiling water is available in most refugios. There are no camper cooking facilities (you will need a stove). If you don’t have enough food, snacks are available at all refugios.

    When do I go?

    October – April (best luck for weather Jan-Mar)

    What do I need to organise?

    Book Campsites/Refugios – as soon as they open, generally April-July.

    Standard itinerary and Booking Information:

    Day 1 | Start at Central and hike to Serron to stay the night | Managed by Las Torres

    Day 2 | Hike from Serron to Dickson | Managed by Vertice

    Day 3 | Hike from Dickson to Los Perros | Managed by Vertice

    Day 4 | Hike from Los Perros to Grey | Managed by Vertice

    Day 5 | Hike from Grey to Paine Grande | Managed by Vertice

    Day 6 | Hike from Paine Grande to Frances or Cuernos | Managed by Las Torres

    Day 7 | Hike from Frances or Cuernos to Chileno or Central | Managed by Las Torres

    Frances or Cuernos are fairly interchangeable. 

    Day 8 | Hike from Chileno or Central to Las Base Torres Lookout, back to Central and out of the national park.

    Chileno is much better, it’s closer to the towers & you can more easily wake up to see the sunrise. It’s also much more popular.

    As above, there are 2 companies you book campsites/refugios with: 

    -Vertice: https://booking.vertice.travel/booking 

    – 4 x 11USD for camping

    -Las Torres: https://lastorres.com/circuitos-y-tours/circuitos-de-trekking/ 

    – 3 x 40USD for camping

    -Third-party reservation website, Torres Hike: https://torreshike.com/en (if you don’t want to manage the bookings yourself)

    Bus to Puerto Natales to Laguna Amarga (location of park entrance) – a week before

    Park entrance ticket – day before

    Upon arrival at Laguna Amarga: Shuttle to Central (Start of hike)

    • 4500CLP
    • These cannot be booked in advance
    • There will be enough for everyone

    Total cost: 

    Accom – 164USD

    Bus – 32USD

    Shuttle – (~9USD) 9000CLP

    Park entrance – (~46USD) 46200CLP

    Total – 251USD

    If you found this post helpful and have any questions about the O-Circuit, Patagonia or any of our other blog posts, then feel free to contact us!