Pat’Alaska, Part 2: Punta Arenas - Torres del Paine - El Calafate
We started our bikepacking journey in Ushuaia and have traveled the island of Tierra del Fuego via the “Fin Del Mundo” route. Now, we are in the heart of Patagonia and continue our way up North…
Thanks for reading along! You can support our journey by becoming a Patreon member and access live updates, stories and early video-releases — and maybe even a postcard from our next destination. Cheers!
Rest, Repairs and Recharging for the Road ahead
We finally left the island of Tierra del Fuego behind. We’re on the mainland of South-America now!
We spend a week in Punta Arenas— editing our first trip video, showering, and eating lots of food. We stay in the cosy apartment of hosts Roxana and José, a lovely Chilean couple who takes excellent care of us. The hospitality and kindness we have received so far is incredible...
In between editing, we make some phone calls to family and friends, visit Margoni Bikes to get new chains and cassettes for our Surly bicycles, format our camera’s memory cards and eventually set off again on Highway 9, heading north!
Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: Battling the elements
Our first day out of town is a short one. Since there aren’t many good camping spots along the busy highway, we camp at Parque Chabunco, a public camping area overlooking the Strait of Magellan. We sleep for at least 10 hours that night—who would've thought town stays could be so exhausting? 🙂
The stretch from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales is relatively short (about 230 kilometers), but we manage to stretch it over 4 long, tiring days. The fierce winds slow us down significantly, and in the process, we've learned to stop fighting them. Instead, we - rather ungracefully - lean into them and try to follow their rhythm… That means, pedaling slowly and wobbly on the shoulder of the highway. Both Ryan and I overcome the worst parts of the day with some good music or an interesting podcast.
Slow-going on Highway 9, accompanied by a motorcyclist.
Highway 9 offers little shelter, but we get lucky every now and then! Along the way, there are a few places of refuge (mainly bus stops) where weary travelers can escape the weather for a while. Even though some of the windows are broken in the bus stops, it does the job!
Left: A tribute for the wind. / Middle: A bus stop, and a true lifesaver from time to time. / Right: Ruta 9
On the second day, fierce wind gusts force us to go into hiding twice: First in a hostel under construction, where the kind owner lets us eat lunch inside. Secondly, in an unlocked refugio, where we watch wildlife through the window before falling into a sound sleep.
Left: A free refugio next to the highway. / Right: Watching a skunk - from a safe distance - dance around the refugio
The last morning, we race to Villa Tehuelches for a feast of coffee and muffins, which fuels us for the rest of our journey to Puerto Natales.
Puerto Natales: Gateway to Torres del Paine
We stay three days in Puerto Natales, enjoying late-night walks under a half-full moon along the bay and meeting fellow bike-packers at the hostel downtown. The city is small and charming, although obviously catered to tourists. Nonetheless, we feel at home straightaway!
Quote by author Isra Al-Thibeh.
We decide to splurge and treat ourselves to a gin cocktail at Last Hope Distillery— the southernmost distillery in the world! We simply could not let that opportunity go by, right? :)
Not that Ryan and I are gin connoisseurs - if anything, we like beer best - but we make an exception every now and then. We drink two fizzy, pink gin cocktails that earn our wholehearted stamp of approval!
Bottom left: Eyes closed = sign of approval! / Top right: Sign of the city and statue of the mysterious Mylodon.
Before leaving town, we stock up on noodles and couscous as our main food supply in Torres Del Paine National Park. We heard so many stories of travellers and locals, and can’t wait to lay eyes on the park ourselves. Feeling both intrigued and intimidated by the online camping permit system (via different companies) and rather complex logistics, we aren’t quite sure what to do… Most travelers seem to have booked permits weeks or months beforehand, and arranging things last-minute isn’t very ideal. In the end, we just decide to plan nothing and see what happens! Plans usually change anyway.
One day at a time, one moment at a time, one step at a time, … Words to live by :)
For the first time since we left Ushuaia behind, we’re back in the mountains! It feels like a gift, after the rough start we’ve had, to be surrounded again by snowy peaks and green hills. With stunning views left and right, we cycle past the Cueva del Milodón, a large cave where remnants of the extinct Mylodon were found (see photo with the “Puerto Natales” sign). We meet more and more fellow bikepackers, flying by on their way south. So far, we have only met one other person cycling north. Most cyclists are either French, German or Spanish. I have heard rumors of a Flemish cyclist, but have yet to run into him or her :)
We bike downhill the incredibly scenic route beside Lago del Toro and set up camp right before the park boundary at Rio Serrano— a great river for fishing. Villa Serrano is a teeny-tiny, touristy hotspot that borders the park and caters to many tourists. We pass by expensive lodges and hotels, but since our budget doesn’t allow this, we camp in the town’s backyard - for free! And we’re not the only ones here…
Ryan photographing fluffy baby geese and their proud, watchful parents.
Late night drone shot of Villa Serrano. We were camped right by the river Serrano.
Exploring Torres del Paine by bike
The following morning, we venture excitedly into the park and stop at the entrance station - there’s nothing quite like proper bathrooms with toilet paper and soap after days of digging holes in the ground! We pay the entrance fee - $32 per person, yikes - and head off towards the famous mountains, the Torres and Cuernos family.
Riding the gravel road into the park and feeling mighty small in a place of granite giants…
Stopping at almost every corner to gawk, it’s clear that we need some time to take in the beauty of this place and squander around. In other words: Time for a day off! We spend two nights at Lago Péhoe campground ($36 per night for two) and wander around by bike and on foot. It feels good to be a tourist sometimes and take some time off the bike.
Early-morning sunrise shot, with the towers bathing in a pink backdrop.
The park is actually relatively small with just one or two roads, currently under construction. It’s a lot of fun exploring the park on bikes— we have the freedom to stop and explore without parking hassles… though we do need to watch out for tourist buses and construction trucks sharing the road. Most vehicles, however, drive carefully and give us plenty of space. One bus even pulls over and give us two chocolate bars - trail magic at its finest! We spot condors soaring in the wind and take in views of aquamarine lakes and glaciers from afar.
Cycling Through Patagonias Fierce Winds: Embrace the Unexpected
When the weather turns sour, we leave the park on the Y-156. This road is technically still under construction, but the park ranger ("guardaparque") assures us it is safe and allows us to pass through the road blocks. The construction workers kindly escort us all the way to Lago Sarmiento, where the road turns 90 degrees and we suddenly face brutal sidewinds coming from the west. With gusts up to 70 km/h, it feels like a massive fan is blowing us sideways! Forced off our bikes, we take shelter in a shack and crawl into our sleeping bags, desperately trying to stay warm in the windstorm.
Left: “Where does all that rain come from?” / Right: Home for the night.
Cyclists, or tourist attraction?
Every 15 minutes, tourist buses pull over, with 10 to 20 people hopping out to photograph Lago Sarmiento— and us! The past few weeks, we were often asked for a photo by both locals and travelers, but now we experience one camera flash after the other. We wonder: How many random photo albums will we end up in? :)
The relentless wind whistles on, leaving us no choice but to spend the night in the shelter. Our tent barely fits, and even though the creaking roof keeps us awake most of the night, at least we’re safe!
We see why so many buses make a pitstop: The view of Lago Sarmiento is magnificent.
The following day, we hurry out of our sleeping bags, eager to be on the move again. The wind, though still fierce, has eased significantly. On our way to Cerro Castillo (a small ‘pueblo’ bordering with Argentina), we motivate ourselves by talking about podcasts we’ve listened to, particularly an interview with “Mistborn” author Brandon Sanderson. Ryan is currently reading the books, and I put them on my to-read list.
We raid the minimarket in Cerro Castillo and fuel up on sandwiches with bell pepper and zucchini omelets. After lunch, it’s time to bid Chile farewell and cross into Argentina via Paso Rio Don Guillermo. We meet an Australian motorcyclist and we share some tales of the road. That evening, we ride with a tailwind, making our riding surprisingly easy… So this is what it feels like to ride a bike properly? What a feeling… 😊
Back in Argentina on the Ruta Cuerenta
After riding many miles on Ruta Cuarenta (R40) without seeing a single soul or shelter—except for one French bikepacker and a few cars—, we arrive at a crossroads around 8 PM. There's an abandoned gas station, a random police station, and an AVGP station. The attendant in the latter offers us a container with two mattresses for the night, for $10,000 (roughly €10). We gratefully accept and settle into the old container, sheltered from the howling winds. We cook inside and fall asleep shortly after dinner.
The final 100 kilometers on the way to El Calafate are mellow and peaceful, with long stretches of gravel and concrete riding, plus tailwinds propelling us forward. Here, we encounter several bikepackers heading north to south—including a very brave couple on a tandem (!!) and a Welsh cyclist who has ridden all the way from Alaska (hats off to both). We stop at an abandoned police station for a leftover lunch of slightly shriveled sandwiches with sticky cheese and dulce de leche. The walls are covered with messages from travelers over the years, and it's pretty magical to read all the names and quotes from people around the world. (See photo above)
A never-ending sea of yellow. The repetitiveness of the pampa is slightly boring, but can be meditative at times.
A magical night before El Calafate…
Our last night before reaching El Calafate is one of our favourite moments of the trip so far… We camp next to the road, but far enough to be out of sight. After pushing our bikes up the hill, the evening light turns orange and pink. In the distance, the peak of Mount Fitz Roy, or Mount Chaltén, and its brothers and sisters grace the skyline . Not long before we crawl in our sleeping bags, the moon slowly rises from the hill beneath the tent. We bathe in the moonlight and realize once more that the best things in life are free…
So, what’s next?
A new chapter, a new struggle: Ryan has discovered some serious cracks around his tire's spokes, so our priority is getting his bike back in shape before visiting the glacier of Perito Moreno, the iconic towns of El Chaltén and Villa O'Higgins, and ride the beloved Carretera Austral ... To be continued!
Thanks for reading and following along! You can support our journey by becoming a Patreon member and get access to live updates and early video-releases — maybe even receive a postcard from our next destination :) Cheers!
