The Patagonia Diaries 2006-2025

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• The Return Journey, A Patagonian Farewell

  December 6, 2025 by Richard in Travel

  The journey home was a breeze, a stark, welcome contrast to the stress and queues of the outward leg. This was the easy part, a long exhale after over a month of wonders.

  Our farewell to Patagonia began under fitting skies. On Thursday, 4th December, the las Lengas minibus collected us outside the Hosteria Confin Patagonico at 9am. A grey ceiling hung low, with a light drizzle falling, a perfect mirror for our reluctant hearts. But after twenty minutes driving east, the landscape and our spirits shifted. The rain ceased as the vast pampas and steppes unfurled. Skies cleared, and the sun broke through, glinting off the astonishing turquoise waters of Lago Viedma streaming past our windows. I never tire of this familiar road to El Calafate airport. The sheer, arid vastness of...

  

• The Hidden Lake, To Share or Not to Share?

  December 3, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  Water of a piercing blue, fringed by beaches of sand the colour of the Sahara. We were, of course, immediately captivated. A plan was formed.

  The secret was offered over a casual meeting with our friends Patricia and Nicolas at the Kau Si Aike Hosteria in El Chaltén. They spoke of a lake unknown to guidebooks, a place where locals escape when the tourist trails overflow. Patricia’s eyes lit up describing it: water of a piercing blue, fringed by beaches of sand the colour of the Sahara. We were, of course, immediately captivated. A plan was formed. But first, a conflict. Do I tell you its name? Trace its location on a map? In an age where every hidden gem is one Instagram tag away...

  

• The Condor's Call, A Test of Patience in Patagonia (Part 2)

  December 2, 2025 by Richard in Hiking, Wildlife

  The condors taught us that the most magnificent views often lie just beyond the point where you think you can wait no longer

  Silence from us usually means one of two things: utter failure, or the intense focus that precedes a hard-won victory. For the last few days, it was a frustrating mix of both. Our quest to photograph the Andean Condor in its raw, mountainous realm had become a game of chess. Two blisteringly hot days were spent manoeuvring into position, only to be rewarded with distant specks and the unmistakable, and somewhat mocking, view of condor backsides disappearing over ridges. Patience, as we were learning, is not a passive virtue in Patagonia; it is an active, aching endurance. A Change of...

  

• Feathered Findings November 27th

  November 28, 2025 by Kiersten in Wildlife

  A day not finding the Andean Condor

  We scrambled up to a favourite view point in time for the afternoon return of the Condors. Yes I've studied the habits, I know what time they return home. There was a cool breeze blowing and sunshine. We sat for four hours, waiting. The Condors decided they were not coming home. In that time I managed to burn my legs. How after all these years can I still forget to apply sun cream!

  

• The Day the Condor Didn't Show

  November 28, 2025 by Richard in Hiking, Wildlife

  A day waiting for the appearance of the Andean Condor

  Kiersten's portfolio from our trip is already overflowing with marvellous bird images. But one kingly absence remained: a close-up of the legendary Andean Condor. We were determined to fill that void. Yesterday was to be our "Day of the Condor." Our mission began with a scramble up the low rocks on the east side of Cerro Paredon, joining a ridge that feels like the spine of the world. To our west, the cliff face plummeted, a sheer drop straight down to the turquoise line of the Río de las Vueltas. The day was perfect, sun-drenched, warm, with only a gentle...

  

• A Hidden Loop - Discovering the Eastern Side of the Río de las Vueltas Valley

  November 26, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  A short walk from the edge of El Chaltén, a metal bridge offers a gateway to the quieter, eastern side of the Río de las Vueltas valley. Our destination was vague, but the promise of exploration led us down a dirt track towards the prominent "Eco" Camp, its cluster of large orange domes promising luxury amidst the wild Patagonian landscape. The true treasure of the day, however, wasn't the glamping site. Just before a sharp left-hand bend in the main track, an unassuming path branches off to the right. This is the start of a delightful circular trail that proved...

  

• Feathered Findings November 19th, 20th & 21st

  November 24, 2025 by Kiersten in Wildlife

  Some of my favourite finds, and log, from a 3 day camping trip. Magellanic Woodpecker Crested Caracara Ashy-headed Goose Patagonian Sierra Finch Austral Negrito White-browed Ground Tyrant Dark-faced Ground Tyrant Austral Parakeet Buff-winged Cinclodes The trip was a flood of memories. We camped at Piedra del Fraile, the same spot that served as our first night's camp on all five of our previous icecap expeditions. From there, we set out on a walk towards the icecap, feeling its familiar, magnetic pull—perhaps from the way the mountains converge, or something more intangible. This time, however, we resisted and turned uphill towards...

  

• Down Memory Lane to the Refugio del Fraile

  November 23, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  A return to a classic Patagonian refuge reveals how the landscape, and the experience of trekking through it, has transformed over nearly two decades. The Rio Electrico Valley felt familiar, but the sound was different. The crunch of our boots on a wide, manicured trail had replaced the rustle and tear of pushing through spiky bush. This was the first sign that the Patagonia I remembered from 2006 was now a slightly different world. This three-day backpacking trip to the Refugio Piedra del Fraile and Laguna Pollone was a journey down memory lane, and at every step, the past whispered...

  

• Canuto de Paredón, El Chalténs Best-Kept Secret

  November 19, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  The weather has finally cleared. After being cooped up by a spell of bad weather, we needed a hike to shake off the rust. The perfect solution? A half-day adventure in the Cerro Paredón hills, a range that's quickly becoming my favorite escape from the well-trodden paths of El Chaltén. What makes it so special? Just 30 minutes after leaving town, you're rewarded with marvellous views over the iconic Cerro Torre and Mt. Fitzroy ranges. Forget fighting the crowds on the popular Parque Nacional trails; this is your shortcut to serenity and spectacular scenery. And the best part? It's located...

  

• Expedition to the Bridge - A Tale of Patagonian "Toughness"

  November 17, 2025 by Richard in El Chalten

  We fancied ourselves tough. I mean, genuinely hardy. Our resumes boasted five expeditions across the great Southern Patagonian Ice Cap, a place where the wind is less a weather phenomenon and more a personality trait. So, surely, a casual stroll down to the river in El Chaltén would be a walk in the park. What could possibly go wrong? The culprit was a severe case of cabin fever. After days of being serenaded by torrential rain and howling winds, a brief lull mid-morning felt like a divine invitation. We needed to escape our apartment, if only to confirm that the...

  

• From Pizzas to Pesos - A Foodies Guide to Eating in El Chalten

  November 17, 2025 by Richard in El Chalten

  Food, Glorious (and Sometimes Surprising) Food When we first arrived in El Chalten in 2006, the dining scene was simple: one restaurant. Return today, and you’re met with a dizzying array of choices. The catch? The options have become decidedly "Americanized." The menus are a familiar chorus of pizzas, burgers, fries, and pasta. You can, of course, find authentic Argentine gems if you look, hearty "Locro" stew, simmered with corn, squash, beans, and meat, or the famously sublime steaks, which are, as expected, completely out of this world. But no discussion of Argentine food is complete without mentioning the humble...

  

• Feathered Findings November 16th

  November 17, 2025 by Kiersten in Wildlife

  Some of the finds from Sunday's walk. We seized a small break in the Patagonian weather for a walk to Chorillo del Salto. As I write this on Monday, it's snowing in town—you've got to love a Patagonian summer! Thorn-tailed Rayadito Austral Thrush Fire-eyed Diucon Southern Lapwing American Kestrel Andean Condor Upland Goose We arrived early and had the waterfall to ourselves—a luxury! On the trail, one of my "nemesis birds" landed right in front of me. I raised my camera only to see: "battery exhausted." I was devastated. The good news? Richard's camera uses the same battery. On the...

  

• Chorillo del Salto and a Race Against the Patagonian Wind

  November 16, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  We were stealing a day. Sandwiched between brutal weather alerts for wind and rain, we had a precious half-day window. The target? Chorillo del Salto, a popular waterfall just outside El Chalten. A 9km round trip with barely a hill to climb seemed like the perfect, sensible mission. "Sensible," however, is a relative term in Patagonia. To beat the crowds, we launched our assault at 8 am, while the rest of El Chalten was still sipping coffee and crunching cornflakes. The strategy worked; the trail was nearly empty. But we hadn't beaten the cold. The bitter wind sweeping off the...

  

• The Apartment

  November 15, 2025 by Richard in El Chalten

  We’ve been housebound, or more accurately, apartment-bound, for the last few days. The reason? Patagonia is showing off outside our window with hurricane-force winds and driving rain that could strip paint. Suddenly, being here for a month instead of a few rushed days feels less like a booking and more like a brilliant, prescient survival strategy. The pressure is off; we have nowhere to be but in. The apartment itself is… basic. My wife, Kiersten, likens it to a student pad, and she's not wrong. But to me, it’s a warm, functional fortress. It does the job. Its greatest asset...

  

• Feathered & Furry Findings November 13th

  November 13, 2025 by Kiersten in Wildlife

  Some of my favourite finds from today's half day walk up a windy Cerro Antenna. Andean Condor Guanaco Long-tailed Meadowlark Just as predicted, it’s a windy day in El Chalten. We seized a brief lull in the weather—a precious window between yesterday's gusts and the stronger winds forecast for this afternoon and tomorrow. With our backpacks loaded with cameras and extra layers, we set out. My expectations for wildlife sightings were low, but the morning held some beautiful surprises. The undisputed stars were the Andean Condors, putting on a dramatic show as they battled the ferocious winds, struggling just to...

  

• A Windy morning on Cerro Antenna

  November 13, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  The Patagonian weather is finally breaking. After days of settled conditions, the script has flipped: while patches of sun still linger, the peaks are now swaddled in cloud, and the wind has arrived with a vengeance. These are the strongest gusts we’ve felt in the 13 days since we arrived. A proper Patagonian welcome. And that’s saying something. Patagonia is notorious for its ferocious winds, but to experience them is something else entirely. I’ve stood on my share of windy mountain tops, but this is like nothing else on the planet. There’s a reason these winds feel so profound. They...

  

• Feathered Findings November 10th

  November 12, 2025 by Kiersten in Wildlife

  Some of my favourite finds from our aborted bivvy on Loma de Pliege Tumbado. After my illness cost us several good weather days, we decided to seize a narrow window for a hike. The climb was a grueling 1000 meters with heavy overnight packs, making "slow and steady" our only pace. For a birder like me, that’s perfect. I’d hoped to birdwatch at specific spots on the way up and again the next morning, but as we’d soon learn, this trip had its own plans. Magellanic Woodpecker Austral Parakeet White-throated Caracara Ocra-napped Ground Tyrant Our first real break was by...

  

• How a Bottle of Malbec Lured Me Off the Mountain

  November 11, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  "I don't think the clouds are going to change color," Kiersten said, her voice barely audible over the wind screaming across the ridge. I grunted, a non-committal "Hmmmm," that hid the battle raging in my mind. We were at 1,276 meters on Loma de Pliege Tumbado, a spot I’d called my favourite viewpoint in all of Patagonia. We had sweated for five hours to get here for this overnight bivouac. Sunset was in three hours. And now, my wife was offering me a way out, sealed with a single, magical word: Malbec. "OK," I said. "Let's go." This is the...

  

• The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Laguna Torre

  November 8, 2025 by Richard in Hiking

  Just back from a stunning two-day backpacking trip to Laguna Torre, at the foot of the mighty Cerro Torre. We're committed to honest travel tales, the sublime, the frustrating, and the downright ridiculous. So, here's our warts-and-all report from the trails. The Good Let's start with the obvious: the scenery is otherworldly. The jagged summits of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, the ancient glaciers, the turquoise lakes, and the wind-sculpted Lenga forests—it's a landscape that defies hyperbole. On a good day, Patagonia is untouchable. The D'Agostini campsite is worth every peso of the 20,000 ARS fee. It’s a haven of...

  

• Feathered Findings November 7th & 8th

  November 8, 2025 by Kiersten in Wildlife

  Some of my favourite finds during our two day camping trip to Laguna Torre, returning via a Laguna Capri. The Torrent Duck obviously has it's own post. I love the light that shines through the Lenga forests here. Fire-eyed Diucon Dark-bellied Cinclodes House Wren Patagonian Sierra Finch White-browed Ground Tyrant Rufous-collared Sparrow Austral Thrush White-crested Elaenia