The next stop on our trip was Punta Arenas. We had to pinch ourselves to realize we were looking out of our hotel onto the Strait of Magellan! From here we toured and hiked in the Torres del Paine National Park. On our ride into the city from the airport we noted that trees were noticeably bent in one direction yet it was not windy. This gave us a clue that the wind blows here a lot. We later would experience this!
After an overnight in Punta Arenas we traveled to Torres del Paine National Park where we stayed two nights in this very remote, beautiful park. We were able to do several hikes, including one with winds approaching the 50 mph range! The park has abundant wildlife, wildflowers and even icebergs. During one hike an Andean Condor performed above us with its gliding flight. We saw these enormous birds with their 10 ft. wingspan several times but most were too distant to photograph.
