28-12-19: Puma sighted

No, not in the zoo, but in the wild!

Today, the alarm went off at 05:10 am. After a good breakfast, we headed to the famous Torres del Paine National Park. The roads here are not always what we are used to at home, so the distance and travel time do not always correspond logically, and enough time needs to be allowed. We abandoned our original plan to hike to Grey Glacier. I have been suffering from a cold for a few days now, and an 8-hour hike is not the best idea. So we decided to hike to a viewpoint (Mirador) where we can see the famous Torres (Towers). This hike was originally planned for the next day, but we are flexible. According to the plan, this hike should take 2.5 hours one way and a total of 5 hours. About 500 people started the hike at the same time as us. The problem with these national parks (also in the USA) is that everything happens in a relatively small area compared to the Alps in Europe. There are only a handful of trails that lead to specific points, and they must be hiked in order to take the perfect selfie. Unlike in the Alps, where the journey is the goal, here the journey means nothing and must be completed quickly. This crowd of "hikers" is intimidating. Of course, there are well-equipped hikers. The ones who are wearing sneakers or sports shoes and have no idea what they're doing on a mountain are the worst. And then there are the groups that hire a "guide." In the Alps, a guide is a mountain guide who is usually from the area and knows the trails, the history of the region, and everything about it inside and out. Here, a guide is a person who prefers to hear their own voice and does so in tortured English. I have no idea why anyone would hire a guide here. There is only one trail, and it is well marked. Most of the time, these groups don't make it to the destination because if one person struggles, the whole group has to turn back. However, many young hikers set out to hike from camp to camp and spend at least 5 days in the mountains. That's how long the entire loop through the park takes.

Anyway, during our hike, we saw a puma, also known as a mountain lion. There are many pumas in this park. This one was still far away from us, and we had to rely on the telephoto lens.

After a 2.5-hour hike and some really beautiful impressions, we realized that we made a mistake. The map of the national park looks completely different from the hiking maps that we are used to. The walking times are written very small, and you need a magnifying glass for the contour lines. The total distance to the Mirador takes 4 hours. We had already tackled some very steep sections up to this point, and the last kilometer is supposed to be even more challenging. Plus, there is a strong wind blowing, which makes things even more exhausting. We decide to turn back here and head back to the car. After a total of 5 hours, we are back at the car, and that's enough for today. I think I will take a day off tomorrow.

On the way to the accommodation, we see guanacos, which are only found here in the south.

By the way, our accommodation is located in total seclusion with a direct view of the Torres (Towers)!