Sardinia - Corsica - 2014

ITINERARY – 13 nights

Sardinia: Fly to Olbia/drive to Orosei [2] > Tempio Pausania [1] >Alghero [1] > Castelsardo [1] > Santa Teresa di Gallura [2] - Corsica: Ferry to Bonifacio [2] > Propriano [1] > Ajaccio [1] > Porto [1] > Calvi [1]

Michael and I, and a group of friends joined an organized bike tour of Sardinia and Corsica. As part of the tour, I will not be recommending any hotels – none of them charming, authentic or appealing to my design taste. Relatively large hotels that could have been anywhere in the world. Same with restaurants. We had very few opportunities to select our own restaurants, so I will mention only those.

We did however arrive a few days earlier in Sardinia so I will include more information on that. 

SARDINIA

Orosei has a picturesque historic centre with cobbled lanes that wiggle around pretty stone-built houses, churches and piazzas. Nice little place for kicking back and watching the world go slowly by. The coast along the Gulf of Orosei is extremely beautiful. If you have the chance to rent a boat and explore the coast, I would highly recommend it. We unfortunately did not have the time.

STAY Albergo Diffuso Mannois [simple inn set in rustic stone buildings; rent their e-bikes and ride along the coast to different turquoise-water-beaches]

Tempio Pausania - we did not get to see the town since the place we stayed at – details below – was hidden in the hills.

STAY L'Agnata di Andre [very charming B&B housed in a building with grapevines all over the facade and surrounded by a beautiful garden. It used to be the house of the famous Italian songwriter Fabrizio De André – the Bob Dylan of Italy. The house has been maintained as it was while Fabrizio still lived there. For fans of Fabrizio a visit to this property is a must. We got to experience some of them sitting in the garden, drinking wine and singing Fabrizio’s songs accompanied by an acoustic guitar. It was special! We stayed for only one night but wish we had a couple more. The restaurant there is delicious, and the place very relaxing] 

Bike Tour Begins...

Day 1: Alghero - beautiful coastal town encircled by ancient walls with a charming cobblestoned old center. This was the starting point to the bike tour.

Day 2: Castelsardo- ride inland through fields of wheat, farmland and distant villages. Castelsardo, the end point of today’s ride, is a hillside town overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Make sure to walk up to the castle for beautiful views.

Day 3: Santa Teresa Di Gallura - not the most beautiful ride until Santa Teresa di Gallura’s coast is approached. The town itself is another nice little town, but the coast and beaches are stunning.

Day 4: La Maddalena’s Archipelago  - beautiful wooden boat ride to La Maddalena with a stop at a very remote beach. The captain served up a delicious meal on board with local wine and homemade mirto - a Sardinian liqueur. No riding today.

CORSICA

Day 5: Bonifacio - ferry to Corsica – the views of Bonifacio perched atop the rocks from the ferry are magnificent. This was my favorite town in Corsica. Spend at least a couple of nights here since the old town is charming and the beaches in the area incredible.

EAT L'epicerie Corse [stop at this wine & charcuterie shop, for a glass of wine and a taste of Corsican cheese and cold cuts] Chez Ange [tiny French restaurant with tables on the sidewalk. Very charming spot for dinner]

Day 6: Day at the beach in Bonifacio

Day 7: Propriano - hilly ride with views of the coastline. We stayed outside of town, so cannot vouch for Propriano.

Day 8: Ajaccio - ride along the countryside and coastline along the bay of Propriano all the way to Porticcio – then shuttle to Ajaccio. Ajaccio is the largest town and capital of Corsica and Napoleon Bonaparte’s birthplace. A day is enough time to explore this town.

Day 9: Porto - the most incredible day of riding with amazing scenery - ride along a wonderful coastal road with white sandy beaches - climb towards Cargese, a very picturesque village – then ride ten miles through the astonishing coastal area of Les Calanche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with red and pink granite spires that soar above the sea - descend to Porto, a sleepy village.

Day 10: Calvi - another incredibly scenic ride  - tough climb out of Porto - zip-inland through lush mountains with eucalyptus trees and meandering cows and goats – take a very bumpy road along the coast with turquoise blue waters and white sandy beaches all the way to Calvi. Calvi is a charming town and it’s worth spending a day walking around.

EAT U Casanu [tiny place that serves delicious seafood. If you like octopus, don’t miss it!]

Bhutan - 2014

Visiting Bhutan was an unforgettable experience. It’s possibly one of the most remote countries I have been to perched on the edge of the Himalayas. It is a Bhuddist Kingdom and a constitutional democracy so the Bhutanese get to vote for their leaders, but still adore their king and queens and quite frankly in their hearts, they are still their true leaders. Bhutan measures its success as a country, as a society through Gross National Happiness (GNH), where the happiness of the Bhutanese people is of equal or more importance than economic growth or material gains (GDP). And they are truly happy and lovely people! It is also a country very focused in preserving its cultural heritage (all the buildings have to incorporate vernacular flourishes like hipped roofs and wood-framed windows. They also have a dress code which obliges the Bhutanese to wear traditional clothing inside temples or governmental buildings) and protecting the environment (more than 50% of the country is made of protected national parks and reserves & 72% of it forested). 

The only practical way in and out of Bhutan is to fly from Thailand or India on Drukair. Their pilots have to go through rigorous training to be able to land in the Paro Valley - not an easy feat. Note that tourism in Bhutan is restricted, so visitors are required to travel as part of a pre-arranged package or guided tour, so to avoid the hordes of backpackers that have overrun Nepal. 

We got to visit important valleys in Bhutan: the capital of Thimphu; the tropical Punakha valley; and the emerald valley of Paro.

ITINERARY – 10 nights

Paro [1] > Thimphu to Punakha [4] > Paro [1] > Bumdra Monastery Camp [1] > Paro [2] 

STAY Uma Paro, Uma Punakha & Bumdra Monastery Camp (all-inclusive)

Day 1: Arrive in Paro, from Bangkok. We (my husband Michael and I, and dear friends, Alessandra and Peter) got picked up at the airport by Gopal who would be our driver during our stay and Ugi, our guide.

Day 2: Paro to Punakha Valley via Thimphu and Dochu La. Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan and the centre of government, religion and commerce. Things to see: town viewpoint at the Big Buddha statue, Folk Heritage Museum & Trashi Chhoe Dzong.

Following the ride to Thimphu, the drive to Punakha is truly awe-inspiring as it zigzags up to the mountain through the Dochu La with its prayer flags & maze of memorial chortens and views ofthe Himalayan range. Duration of drive: 3-4 hours

Day 3: In the morning we hiked up through farmland to Khamsum Yuley Namgay Chorten, a shrine built by the royal family. This ornate structure has superb views of the valley. In the afternoon we visited the magnificent Punakha Dzong. This fortress monastery was built in 1637 in a commanding position at the confluence of the Po Chhu and Mo Chhu (Father and Mother rivers). It once served as the seat of the Kingdom's government and is now the winter home of Je Khempo, the head Abbot of Bhutan, along with 1,000 monks.

Day 4: Drive to the Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery and then to the Talo Nobgang village. We hike down through chir pine trees, passing a school, farms and farmers houses and our final destination is the Punakha Dzong where we have a picnic lunch. In the afternoon we visited Chimmi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to Drukpa Kuenley, a Tibetan Buddhist saint known popularly as the Divine Madman (there are penises everywhere, a symbol of fertility in Bhutan)

Day 5: Hike up to Chotren Nibu and Khabasa village. Chotren is a monastery that houses orphans from the nearby village where the children can study both traditional Buddhist scriptures and texts, and also learn Western subjects. There is an incredible oak tree outside the monastery.

Day 6: We retrace our steps back to Paro and spend the rest of the day enjoying the hotel and its magnificent spa treatments.

Day 7:  Hike from Sang Choekor Buddhist College (2,800m) to the Yak pasture below Bumdra Monastery (3,800m), where we glamped. We were accompanied by mules to carry our stuff and that made the hike much easier. We were so impressed with the multi-course dinner that was served literally in the middle of nowhere with no built structures. Everything cooked inside a tent covered in yak skin! We did have a hard time with the altitude though, and consequently a rough night.

Day 8: Hike from our camp to Taktsang Monastery, best known as Tiger’s Nest. After a few hours of descent we caught glimpses of the golden roofs of temples below and as we got closer we got to see the Monastery perched against the cliff-face of a gorge. It is phenomenal!

Day 9: We spent most of the day relaxing at the hotel and took a hot stone bath followed by a massage. That’s all we needed after 2 days of hiking. We did go for a short walk on trails right behind the hotel that lead us to the beautiful Paro Dzong (fortress monastery).

Day 10: We were lucky to be in Bhutan at the time of the Paro Tsechu festival, one of the most popular festivals in Bhutan. A Tsechu is a Buddhist festival in honor of Guru Rimpoche, the saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. It was held at the Paro Dzong and featured dances with amazing masks and costumes. In preparation for the festival, Alessandra and I got traditional Bhutanese dresses called kiras - a belted dress(a men’s traditional outfit is called a gho - tunic-like with knee-high socks) and proudly wore it to the festival.

Day 11: It was time to say goodbye, but not before trying archery which is the national sport. Obviously we were terrible at it and kept Gopal and Ugi pretty entertained.

Fascinating custom - courtship ritual called night hunting: a young man will make arrangements with a girl for a what is basically a consensual one-night stand, then sneak into her parent's house that night to consummate the deal. If he manages to leave without being caught, he is under no obligation to marry her. If he wants to marry her, he can stay for breakfast. Ha! I love this :-) 

 

 

 

*Thanks to Alessandra and Peter for some of these great pics!

UK - 2013

ITINERARY - 3 weeks

Scotland – Edinburgh > Pitlochry > Isle of Skye > Loch Lomond/Stirling > England – Yorkshire Dales/York > London > Wales – Hay-on-Wye > Newport > England – Oxford > Shilton > Woodstock

Edinburgh

EAT The Gardener’s Cottage [simple but inventive menu; great spot for lunch] The Timberyard [creative menu & with a carefully designed space with a cleaned-up industrial look]

SEE Edinburgh Castle [historic fortress with a very prominent position in the City] Hop-on Hop-off bus [normally I refuse to take the red tourist bus, but since we only had 1 ½ days in Edinburgh and did not have a car, this was a good way to get an overview of the city. It was actually fun!]

STAY we stayed at a friend’s place so I don’t have a recommendation for a hotel

Pitlochry beautiful drive from Edinburgh to Pitlochry with great stops along the way: Taymouth Castle & Grounds; Queen’s View that overlooks Loch Tummel

STAY Atholl Palace Hotel [pretty old school hotel but comfortable and with beautiful grounds and views]

EAT Watermill Bookshop [on the way to Pitlochry stop at this bookshop & café in Aberfeldy – very charming spot] Moulin Inn [historic inn for dinner] Blair Atholl Watermill [after leaving Pitlochry stop at this bakery for breakfast or to buy some snacks for the road]

Isle of Skye stunning island with picturesque fishing villages, very narrow roads crisscrossing a rugged landscape and sheep everywhere. Loved this place!

STAY Bosville Hotel [in Portree, a convenient location to get around the island; very simple inn] The Spoons B&B [we did not stay here, but it is highly recommended by a friend who goes to Isle of Skye frequently]

EAT Sea Breezes [very casual; awesome seafood] The Three Chimneys [more formal upscale meal; also a B&B] Red Roof Café & Gallery [cute spot for lunch]

SEE Eilean Donan Castle [in Loch Duich on the way to Skye; we did not go inside, but we could not stop photographing the outside and setting of this castle] Dunvegan Castle [worth a visit inside] Nest Point Lighthouse [the walk down is relatively easy and from the path you will see stunning views of the high cliffs and the lighthouse itself – it is spectacular!]

HIKE The Storr and Old Man of Storr [Loof of 3-4 hrs RT, 1880’ vertical climb] The Quiraing [absolutely spectacular hike, not very long but with some good climbs; loop of 4.2 miles RT/3 hrs, 960’vertical climb] The Fairy Glen [short hike near Uig; you can do this while touring the island]

Yorkshire Dales a conglomeration of stone-built villages amongst traditional farming landscapes crisscrossed by low drystone walls and hay meadows. This as beautiful a countryside as it gets!

STAY Low Mill Guesthouse [stone-built corn mill in the beautiful village of Bainbridge; super charming B&B]

EAT Low Mill Guesthouse [they will cook a beautiful dinner upon request] Wensleydale Heifer [old pub atmosphere, seafood dinner]

SEE/DO Bolton Castle [14th century medieval castle, don’t miss the birds of prey display – the owls are beautiful] North Yorshire Moors Railway [18 miles of preserved steam railway running through spectacular scenery – if we had time, we would have done this] Walk [there are innumerous walking trails crisscrossing all the farmlands, that even though they are private properties, they sit within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, so visitors have access to these trails. These are wonderful walks through fields full of wildflowers, sheep and old barns. Not to be missed!] Aysgarth Falls [near the village of Aysgarth, these shallow falls over a series of broad limestone steps make up a famous spot. Take the short riverside walk]

 

London

STAY We rented a house through Onefinestay but it was pretty disappointing. However we enjoyed staying at the Notting Hill neighborhood. Plenty of shops, restaurants & bars, as well as easy access to the subway to get to other parts of the City.

SEE/DO Maltby Street Market [only open on the weekends, this lively market is funky, fun with a combination of stalls, under-arch shops, pop-up bars and eateries] Regent’s Park [beautiful park to walk around] Tate Modern [there are so many museums in London to choose from, it can be overwhelming. If you’re into modern art this is a good place to start] Saatchi Gallery [another great option for viewing contemporary art] Thames River Tour [typically avoid very touristic tours like the plague, however on a very hot day, this seemed like a nice thing to do and indeed it was. It gave us a different perspective of the city seen from the river]

EAT Granger & Co [great for breakfast or lunch in Notting Hill] Dishoom [Indian food in a sexy spot in Shoreditch] Pizza East [either the location in Shoreditch or Notting Hill] Ottolenghi [delicious healthy Israeli-inspired food; various locations; not to be missed] La Fromagerie [amazing cheese shop in Marylebone, with great sandwiches & snacks]

Wales we started our visit on the east part of Wales nearby the town of Hay-on-Wye. It is famous as the town of books! It’s a great base to explore the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black Mountains. Then we continued on to the west coast, to Pembrokeshire National Park.

STAY The Peren [restored barn in Clifford, near Hay-on-Wye, that has been converted into a 2-bedroom contemporary home – beautiful spot; the river Wye is a short walk (about 5mins) if you like to go for a swim] Llys Meddyg [stone-built Townhouse Inn in a small town called Newport]

EAT Felin Fach Griffin [rural gastropub for dinner, also a charming inn] The Stagg Inn [another beautiful gastropub for dinner and an inn as well] Richard Booth’s Bookshop & Café [good spot for lunch while you explore the quaint little town of Hay-on-Wye] Llys Meddyg [has a few options from an indoor restaurant, a cellar bar and a kitchen garden that is more casual]

SEE /DO Hike Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black Mountains [we did a spectacular hike with amazing views but I unfortunately do not remember the name. It was a relatively short drive from The Peren and the information on this hike was on the owner’s recommendations list] Carreg Cenen Castle [this castle, in a ruinous state, is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, and it has a spectacular setting above a limestone precipice] Tintern Abbey [close to the border with England this is a beautiful monastic ruin, worth a visit] Coastal Path [a continuous trail contours the west coast of Wales. A couple of days walking along this trail is a must. Don’t miss St. David’s head, the Blue Lagoon nearby and Strumble Head and it’s lighthouse] St. David’s Cathedral [a majestic building beautifully situated]

Shilton

Shilton House is the lovely home of our friends Nicola & Tom. It is located in the most quaint little hamlet in the Costwolds. Nicola is an incredible host and cook, and she uses fresh produce from her prolific vegetable garden. Tom pilots the grill and is an enthusiastic DJ. All this sums up to lovely dinners with dancing afterwards. 

Woodstock we had a day to kill in the area before flying home so we decided to remain in the Costwolds and visit the historic town of Woodstock.

STAY The Feathers [in the centre of town, walking distance to Blenheim Palace]

EAT Woodstock Arms [village pub &restaurant with a courtyard garden]

SEE Blenheim Palace [monumental country house in a large estate. It was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Incredibly opulent and absolutely beautiful]

Bali - 2013

ITINERARY

Ubud > Pemuteran > Seminyak > (Gili Islands)

Bali is known for its lush topography, expansive beaches ranging from white to black sands, and elaborate arts & crafts. There are an estimated 20,000 Hindu temples in Bali (the only island in Indonesia that is hindu and not muslim) making it known as the ‘Island of the Gods’. Every aspect of life in Bali is accompanied by religious rituals.

We went to Bali with our friends Dave Steele, David & Jen Garlasco. We also got to meet my husband’s old roommates Glen & Leslie who have been living in Bali for over 15 years and were lovely hosts.  

UBUD

a remarkable town in the middle of Bali. It is the island's heart and center filled with arts, local artisan shops & restaurants. It is the perfect spot to make it your base for exploring the island. We wish we had spent more time in Ubud.

STAY UMA Hotel [loved this intimate hotel and became a fan of the COMO resorts since. Make sure to get a Javanese Royal Lulur Bath treatment at their spa the day you arrive. It will wipe out your jet-leg away!] COMO Shambala Estate [is their other property nearby. Beautiful hotel and wellness center. I got to spend the day there and had a wonderful Taksu massage in a bungalow tucked in the woods by the river. Pure bliss & peace!]

EAT Ibu Oka Warung [opposite to the former Royal Palace, this shanty cafe is an Ubud institution that draws both locals and tourists from around the world. Babi guling is Balinese roast suckling pig and that is what everyone goes there for. It is served in big chunks in a rattan bowl with rice, spicy vegetables and secret sauce. And it is crazy cheap!] Mozaic [considered a gourmet restaurant in Ubud, it was not worth the price and very long dinner in my opinion] Locavore [did not go to Locavore but read great things about it]

SEE/DO Hiking & Biking Tours [UMA provides various excursions and we did a hiking tour one day and a biking one another. We got to see peaceful Balinese farmland, ancient villages & terraced rice paddies. Banyan Tree Bike Tours also offers good tours] Rafting on the Ayung River [this is a popular tour for tourists but we did not get to check it out] Yoga [we took yoga classes at the hotel’s studio that is open and overlooks the Ayung River valley. Not to be missed!] Walk around Ubud [worth exploring - bit touristy at the times, but for most part still retains quite a bit of charm]

PEMUTERAN

a small fishing village on the northwest coast of Bali.

STAY Matahari Beach Resort  [located between the Bali Barat National Park and the Java Sea, this is a secluded hotel in very traditional Balinese style]

SEE/DO Secret Garden Tour [tour offered by the hotel to Buleleng: we trekked in this mountainous area, saw waterfalls and got to swim in one, traversed plantations of coffee, cloves, fruit trees and Balinese rice] Scuba Diving or Snorkeling [we went to Menjangan Island, part of Bali Barat National Park for scuba diving and snorkeling. It was a 50-minute boat trip from the hotel and considered one of the top dive sites in the world, offering steep wall sites - spectacular coral as well as rich variety of fish] 4 Hands Royal Bali Massage [yes, a four hands massage is something to be experienced at the hotel’s spa. It felt beyond luxurious!]

SEMINYAK

is Bali's most fashionable beach & home to luxurious resorts, fine restaurants and boutiques.

STAY We stayed at a villa in the town of Seseh and even though it’s not that far from Seminyak, the traffic in that part of Bali is terrible, so we ended up pretty isolated from everything. If we were to do it again, I would stay in Seminyak. The W Hotel is a nice option.

EAT/DRINK Sardine [seafood - enchanting open air restaurant overlooking rice paddy fields and lily ponds] Kilo [Latin-Japanese cuisine - minimalistic designed restaurant tucked away behind Oberoi] Mamasan [Asian-Thai - beautiful restaurant & lounge bar] Tiger Palm [Malaysian cuisine - little cousin to Mamasan, serves Penang street food] Metis [French Mediterranean – very sophisticated setting & food] Sarong [Indian-Asian food – very nice & classy restaurant & bar. Really liked this place!] Potato Head [sexy beach club right at the beach] Ku De Ta [another sexy beach club facing the sea – the sunset is incredible from here and lounging at night on big beds facing the illuminated beach with great DJ music in the background is as cool a bar as it gets] Hotel Tugu in Canggu [Canggu is not that far from the village we stayed at and we had a Balinese dinner at an outdoor kitchen with a traditional wood-burning stove. This very sweet older Balinese woman cooked a great variety of dishes on her own and served us]

DAY TRIP Uluwatu [hire a driver for the day – pretty cheap – and go check out the beautiful beaches in Uluwatu. We spent part of our day at Karma Kandara beach club at Karma beach. A cable car will take you down the limestone cliff to the beach. There’s a nice restaurant for lunch & drinks. Some other beaches to check out: Uluwatu beach – to get here you’ll need your driver to drop you at Blue Point Bay Villa & Spa and then walk through the Pecatu village down the hill. The beach is located deep under the cliff bank, but it’s not good for casual swimming. Preferred beach for surfers though. Bingin – ask your taxi driver to drop you off at Mick’s Place and then follow the signs to the beach. You will have to hike down the massive rocky path to get to the beach. Pretty spectacular. Padang Padang & Dreamland aka New Kuta Beach are also favorites]

It would be worth spending a few nights in Uluwatu and if you want to splurge, the Alila Villas is stunning or the Bulgari Hotel is equally beautiful.

We were going to the Gili Islands for a few days but Michael threw out his back so badly that we had to return to the US earlier than planned. The Gili islands are a group of 3 tiny islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air – with idyllic sandy beaches with palm trees, and beautifully clear waters. Our friends did go and had a great time even though the boat ride from Bali can be rough.

Patagonia - 2012

ITINERARY – 12 nights

Fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate [1] > El Chalten (4-5hrs drive) [2] > El Calafate [1] > Torres del Paine (6-7hrs drive – cross into Chile) [3] > El Calafate [1] > Estancia Cristina [2] > El Calafate/Perito Moreno [2] > fly back to BA

 

IDEAL ITINERARY, if I were to do it again - 13 nights

Santiago flight to Punta Arenas, drive to Puerto Natales [2 at Singular] > drive to Torres del Paine [3] > El Calafate/Perito Moreno [2] > Estancia Cristina [3] > El Chalten [3] > El Calafate to Buenos Aires

EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA

EL CALAFATE is a resort town that will serve as a base to get to other areas in Patagonia.

STAY Design Suites is located at the edge of Lago Argentino and a great place to relax after a long day of traveling. While not walking-distance from the small downtown area, the hotel has a shuttle to transport guests to town.

EL CHALTEN, ARGENTINA

EL CHALTEN is a dusty mountain town and the jumping-off point for climbers and trekkers heading up Cerro Fitz Roy (11,138 feet), which towers over town.

STAY Hotel Los Cerros is a rustic but very comfortable lodge well located right in town.

HIKES we only had 1½ days in El Chalten and here were our favorite hikes:

Day 1: CERRO TORRE VIEWPOINT is a trail along the Fitz Roy river valley to reach the viewpoint of Cerro Torre. If the weather is good this short hike offers unforgettable views. Difficulty: Low Duration: 3 hours

Day 2: RIO BLANCO is a spectacular hike with its starting point just a short drive to Hosteria El Pilar next to Rio Blanco, 11 miles north of El Chalten. The trail follows Rio Blanco, pass Piedras Blancas glacier and up to Rio Blanco base camp. After that the final challenge is a steep and rocky slope to Laguna de los Tres. The reward for the hard climb is well worth it: stunning views of the Fitz Roy massif (close up view of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, along with 3 impressive lakes). The return to El Chalten is on a trail that overlooks the wide, dry valley. Difficulty: Medium-Hard; Duration: 8 hours

TORRES DEL PAINE, CHILE

TORRES DEL PAINE is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the grandest parks in South America with the colossal Paine massif, impressive glaciers, pristine lakes, and the unique Magellanic trees. My favorite “local” residents were the guanacos (a wild camelid) and lesser rheas (an ostrich-like bird).

STAY Hotel Las Torres [this is where we stayed; not a fancy but comfortable lodge inside the park and only hotel with horses that you can ride in the park] Other more luxurious options with incredible design are: Explora, Tierra Patagonia, Awasi or Singular (in Puerto Natales, about 1hr outside the park).

HIKE there are many incredible hikes around this park, but our favorite was the one to the base of the famous Torres del Paine - vertical spires with sheer granite walls over 2500 feet high and a turquoise blue glacier lake at the base. We rode horses to Las Torres base camp and from there hiked the rest. The trail steepens but the views are spectacular and that helps. The return down is on the same track. Difficulty: Medium-Hard; Duration: 8 hours

ESTANCIA CRISTINA, ARGENTINA

ESTANCIA CRISTINA located in the Northern side of Brazo Norte of Lago Argentino and inside Los Glaciares National Park. It is only accessible by 2.5hr boat ride on Lago Argentino weaving between icebergs that have separated and floated away from the Upsala Glacier. The boat that takes you there is an exclusive boat for Estancia Cristina’s guests or day-visitors. It’s probably one of the most isolated places I have ever been to and absolutely spectacular. There are plenty of excursions offered by the hotel from hikes, to horseback riding and fishing. All weather dependent like in most of Patagonia – you never know what it’s going to be like. The food and accommodations are great. Probably one of my favorite places in the world!

PERITO MORENO, ARGENTINA

PERITO MORENO about an hour drive from El Calafate is the Perito Moreno Glacier. There is a short walk along the viewing platforms, where you get fantastic vantage points of the glacier. Keep your eyes and ears out for icebergs breaking off the glacial wall into Lago Argentino. There’s also the option to take a boat to the glacier and do an ice-guided-walk. Pretty touristy, but still fun. To get there we booked a cab for the day. This is a common way to visit Perito Moreno.