Take a punta on Patagonia

Head south to one of the world’s great destinations.

Last week you left me in the Atacama Desert, but from there, my trip was to take me south, very far south, to Punta Arenas.

The most southerly city in the world, Punta Arenas is windier and colder than the Faroes on a bad night and when I was there it was the Patagonian summer!

On arrival we transferred along the coast to Puerto Natales, stopping en route to see the Otway Sound penguin colony, which was wonderful, but seriously windy and cold.

We overnighted at the distinctive Hotel Altiplanico Sur, which had a great restaurant, before heading off the next day to the amazing, in fact totally jaw-dropping, Torres del Paine National Park.

Here you’re in the heart of Patagonia, and we stayed at the riverside Hotel Rio Serrano, with exceptional views of the towering granite peaks.

I can’t begin to express how impressive the scenery is.

If any of you have travelled to New Zealand, you’ll have a bit of a feel for it it’s just amazing!

We had a morning tour to Lago Grey which revealed the huge glacier and stunning Patagonian scenery.

Blue shards of ice and massive mountains, it is truly awe-inspiring, and we were blessed with a sunny day with a perfect blue sky.

We were also treated to several sightings of the amazing condor and the flightless nandu bird.

As if that wasn’t enough we also witnessed the birth of a guanaco, an animal similar to a llama that stands between 1 and 1.2 metres and weighs about 90 kg quite something.

These cute guys are everywhere, but they’re not hunted, so don’t bother when tourists stop to photograph them.

They are truly beautiful beasts.

We’d seen plenty of llamas the week before, but this was something else again.

The next day we travelled even further south to the port of Punta Arenas, stopping at the Milodon Cave.

This is a must-see for anyone staying in Puerto Natales, just a few miles away.

In 1896 the almost completely intact remains of a milodon, an extinct giant ground sloth, were discovered in the cave, which is now a National Monument.

Think Loch Ness Monster, only this one really DID exist!

In Punta Arenas we saw the Straits of Magellan and visited a museum to see a replica of Ferdinand Magellan’s ship, the Nao Victoria, the first to circumnavigate the globe.

You really do feel at the end of the world here. Travel further south and you’re into Antarctica (I was freezing, and kept having to remind myself all the time that this was their summer).

Some of our group were travelling on to an extension tour to the Easter Islands or the Lakes District, and, despite the early-morning alarms, I was envious as I left them in sunny and warm Santiago.

This type of trip is not the for faint-hearted, but it will remain with you as a travel highlight for the rest of your life.

The wow factor in Chile is there, every single day.

If you’re a keen traveller, and prepared to set alarms, travel by air and overland for many hours on end, you will just love this trip.

You learn so much, and see a massive amount in a short space of time, and will come back with a desire to see more of South America, one of the great continents of this world.

So, what would I say about this tour?

It’s good value because hotels, flights, guides etc don’t come cheap in this part of the world, so having it all organised for you is a huge plus.

The standard of their English-speaking guides is very high, the accommodation is good, the flights (LAN is the national carrier to Chile, and they do a pretty good job), and what you will see will truly blow you away.

Chile is an amazing country. I will go back, because this is truly one of the world’s great travel destinations.

FACTBOX

Journeys of Distinction’s Contrasts of Chile 13-day tour is available as both a group tour from £3,375 or private tour from £3,975pp including return flights from Heathrow, accommodation throughout, an itinerary of exclusive sightseeing and several meals.

Group tours depart on October 18 and November 22. Private tours are created specifically with a tailored itinerary on a chosen date with private transfers and your own guide.

For more details on the Contrasts of Chile tour and for a copy of the Journeys of Distinction brochure call 0161 820 2157, or visit jod.uk.com.

Please quote The Sunday Post when enquiring.