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Torres del Paine by Andrew Eksner

This article was edited by James Morrissey

Torres del Paine National Park

I've been dreaming about going to Torres del Paine for as long as I can remember. The absolutely stunning view of the very sharp, wild peaks of Cuernos del Paine has been on my mind, seemingly forever. As photography has been becoming more and more important to my wife and I, we have started planning our trips with that in mind. We have discovered some amazing joy in waking up early just to see the breathtaking early light most people never see. The photography gave us one more reason to do it.

We wanted to concentrate on the best views in the park, and were not really interested in proving to ourselves we can walk 20 miles in rough terrain in one day. We did not wish to prove that we could survive some of the most difficult weather on the planet. Luckily, there is a solution for people like us – it's called Explora Lodge.

Explora Lodge

Explora Lodge is a luxurious hotel inside the Torres del Paine National Park. The most amazing fact about it is that one of the most beautiful capture of the Cuernos I've ever seen was taken from that hotel! We can stay in a very nice place and be able to take some photographs without even leaving our room! That's exactly what we were looking for. The problem is Explora Lodge is very popular. Some people save money for a long time just to be able to spend a few days in this amazing hotel. Christmas time, being the beginning of summer in Patagonia, is the most popular time to travel there. To be able to come in December 2007, we had to book it a year earlier.

Our South America trip started in Buenos Aires. From there we flew Aerolineas Argentinas to El Calafate, where we were planning to visit Perito Moreno Glacier. Perito Moreno Glacier is the only glacier on earth which is getting larger. If you decide to fly with Aerolineas Argentinas, be careful. They are famous for always being late. 85% of their flights are late. Just a week after we came back home, some riots started at EZE airport in Buenos Aires - people got so angry at their national airlines for not only canceling the flights and being late, but not informing them about any progress.

Perito Moreno Glacier

Considering all the trouble these people had, we were very lucky. We booked our passes over the phone. They only give us a booking number – and we never received a confirmation number. Surprisingly, it worked. All our flights were in the system, only half of them were late. The most critical connection from El Calafate to Iguazu through Buenos Aires was on time! However, don't expect this to be the norm. Prepare for some serious delays while planning. El Calafate is a small town in the middle of nowhere. I would call it "Patagonian emptiness.” Patagonia is famous world wide for its amazing landscapes. But everything in between is actually very bland.

Imagine the flat California desert without Joshua trees or anything, not even hills or mountains. There is, however, one thing that you notice the moment you step out of the plane - Patagonian wind. It blows. Really. Like nothing you have ever experienced. 150 miles per hour non-stop. It's a very important factor while thinking about your photography approach. We planned to spend only one full day in El Calafate. The weather changes here frequently, and it is famous for bringing the experience of four seasons in one day. So we just hoped for the best.

We rented a car at El Calafate Airport (Avis is represented by one guy who uses a table in the airport's cafeteria as his office). We drove very early the next day to be at the front of the Perito Moreno Glacier and to get there as early as possible. It payed off big time. We arrived there around 6 AM (the day is very long in Patagonia in December - 5:30 AM to 10 PM) and had the whole thing to ourselves.

It's amazing to "experience" the glacier. It's huge, 150 feet tall and very wide. There is a little mountain you can see at the back end of that part of the glacier - it's clearly quite close. The truth is it's 10 miles away! But the most amazing thing for us was that the glacier is alive. You can listen to the constant cracking and breaking noises. Most of those cracking sounds occur from within the inside of the glacier without any outside effects visible. But quite often a piece of the glacier will fall into the lake. It is quite a spectacle, enhanced by the solitude and the open space. Something not to be missed.

Perito Moreno Glacier 2

A couple of hours later it starting to get crowded. We returned to El Calafate, thinking about returning later again. It was then that we had a chance to experience the famous Patagonian weather for the first time. In the afternoon we had the rain, then the sun broke out, then it rained again. It created really interesting light but it was hard to photograph.

While planning a trip like this, you should consider a weatherproof camera body. I went with my Canon 5D (was planning to upgrade to 1Ds MkIII before the trip, but Canon announced it too late, plus, the set of features was a disappointment to me) and had to really pay attention not to get caught in the rain. It was even worse at Iguazu Falls where a huge wave of moisture came in a split second making the camera completely wet.

The next day was the day we were to travel to Torres del Paine. It's not as easy as you think! There is only one unreliable bus and some very limited private transportation options. We wanted to go to the Chilean border where Explora would pick us up. After a long research and paying some crazy price for a 4 hour trip - we were at the border. Our driver kept good relationships with the guards - a case of red wine helped us cross the border very easily. Other people were stuck spending hours there!

Torres del Paine National Park

The Explora van was waiting for us and we were on the road. Quite soon we saw the first glimpse of the famous Torres. Remembering that the weather could change rapidly, I asked the driver to pull over and I started shooting like crazy, thinking - maybe this is the only time I can see the mountains. Yes, some unlucky travelers don't even see the Torres or Cuernos at all. Imagine all that planning, money and effort and you don't even see a thing.

Torres del Paine National Park

Our luck was with us. We spent an amazing week in Explora Lodge and the weather was exceptional. We experienced the view in all kinds of light and cloud situations. Our day consisted of a short hike. The Explora guides are great, they offer a choice of longer, full-day or shorter, half-day hikes to choose from - and some time spent just photographing the view.

Torres del Paine National Park

Seeing different parts of the park, including the Grey Glacier - another part of the same massive glacier seen in Argentina as Perito Moreno - we had the same impression - the best view is from our room. That was the view we came here for and we wanted to admire it for as long as possible.

As far as the technical aspect of the trip goes - the wind is not your friend there. It's very hard to use a tripod or change lenses. You also have to pay attention to your exposures. They need to be shorter than usual. Everything moves around so fast, clouds, grass, trees... I didn't use my tripod at all.

The good ISO quality of the 5D helped me shoot with higher ISO - 200 and 400. I usually try to avoid shooting these. I used my zooms most of the time - 16-35L II and 24-70L. I also used my 135L for some close ups. I think next time I would take a pro series camera with me. The weather is so unpredictable that you risk ruining your camera very easily. You also must have a backup - I took my Canon 40D with me just in case my 5D died.

Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine is a magical place. Not only because you finally see the view, but the way that view changes so quickly. The amazing cloud formations appear and disappear and the light magically changes the whole scene in a blink of an eye. To me Torres del Paine is without doubt one of the top three of the most beautiful places in the world.

Torres del Paine National Park

If you would like to learn more about Andrew Eksner and his travels, please visit his site: www.wildlifeland.com.

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