chilewishlist - Tumblr blog

[chilewishlist]

KAYAKING IN LAGUNA SAN RAFAEL Glacier lake at the end of the earth! Maybe I will do this on the same trip as Capilla de marmol as they are near each other (see map). Navimag ferries has a cruise that goes here from Chiloe, but it's a little pricey. I am thinking about trying to get here by humbler travel methods. Regardless, it's a Chile must see.

[chilewishlist]

EL DESIERTO FLORIDO Once in a while, if there is an unusual amount of rain in the driest desert in the world (Atacama), more than 200 varieties of dormant flower bulbs bloom and cover the desert sands from Vallenar north to Copiapo. It`s rare, and most Chileans have never even seen it. When it happens, it`s between September and November. It happened last year, and I`m feeling lucky. Planning a trip soon...

[chilewishlist]

TORRES DEL PAINE. Camping, hiking, climbing, this place has been my dream destination for the past 8 months. Getting there is a bit tricky, but there is an airport in Punto Arenas, and from there, it's a bus ride to the park. I have heard there is a short loop and a long one, both with views of the towers. Now to buy a tent...(see map)

[chilewishlist]

PARQUE NACIONAL LAUCA. Near the Bolivian border in the north of Chile, this high-elevation park is packed with volcanoes! Chile is, after all, volcano (and hot spring) land. Can't wait to go!

[chilewishlist]

TORRES DEL PAINE. Part of the reason I am still in Chile, is the fact that I can't leave without traveling south to Torres del Paines. While it's a more touristic destination, there's hiking, camping, and all kinds of adventure to make it worth your while to travel to the end of the earth. Hurry up Summer!

[chilewishlist]

SWIMMING IN BAHIA INGLESA. This beach in the Atacama region is not only beautiful, with nice white sand, but it has something rare for a Chilean beach—warm water! If you've spent any time in Chile, you understand why that is an exciting thing. I'm choosing to imagine myself here today...

[chilewishlist]

STARGAZING IN DARKNESS LEVEL ZERO: ALMA OBSERVATORY in the Atacama desert. In the north of Chile, high altitude and extreme dryness (the Atacama is the driest desert in the world) make for premium visibility.

Image source:http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1108a/

[chilewishlist]

KAYAKING IN CAPILLA DE MARMOL. This is number one on my list. I'm not sure why, but maybe because it mixes three things I love, kayaking, caves, and lakes. This huge marble rock formation is located in the Aysén region, in General Carrera Lake.

MORE PICTURES HERE

[chilewishlist]

Cycling the Carretera Austral. Ok, more realistically, I will probably do this by car, but it seems that a bicycle is the best way to experience this 1,240 kilometer road that runs from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins. The road is unpaved for the most part, but runs through some of the most scenic parts of Chile.

WHEN: Some time in the summer, which for Chile is late November to early February. Regardless, rain seems to be a guarantee.

LINKS: Wikipedia map of the route

Blogs, trail reports and more pics from Alex and Dave