Dramatic landscapes provided us a continual Kodak moment throughout. It is late spring in the region and the weather was cooperative with a lot of sunshine. This however is a land where the unexpected is the norm, so we came prepared for occasional wind and rain.
After a rest at the lovely Hotel Neruda and a city tour in Santiago, we flew south to Punta Arenas. There we transferred 2 hours by coach to Puerto Natales at the Patagonia steppe. We welcomed an overnight at the spartan but cozy Charles Darwin Hotel and a fabulous dinner of king crab and fresh salmon.
The following day we sailed several hours on the cutter vessel 21 de Mayo up the fjord of Ultima Esperanza. We stopped for a hike around the fabulous Serano Glacier and a lunch on lamb at a remote cattle ranch. Later we boarded zodiac boats for a thrilling ride to our lodge located inside Torres del Paine National Park. Hosteria Pehoe is rustic for a rate of $200 per room but it lies on the edge of a turquoise glacial lake with an indescribably beautiful view. The backdrop of the spiny tall rugged mountains capped with ice was as vivid as a postcard.
Three days were spent touring the park. We were...