Enjoying Torres del Payne

During the last week we have camped at two campgrounds within the national park. First, we spent three nights at Lake Pehoe, with a panoramic view at the three Torres (towers in English) which have formed part of so many commercials for trekking and tourism.   

At Lake Pehoe camping, which we used as a base for various hikes, we were several days in good company of a group of British tourists on a sort of “explorer” tour (in a large yellow school bus-looking vehicle), with the result that we suddenly one evening was surrounded by tens of small tents and English-speaking travelers. Interestingly, the bus drops them at the various mountain trails every morning, brings them back to the camp at night, and provides them with food at the end of each day. All in all, it was a very well-behaved crowd with a routine not so different to our own when we stay at more or less organized campsites (which is attractive more than anything due to the hot showers, kitchen-facilities and small shelters for making food). And due to the considerable efforts hiking each day, most are too tired to make noise at bedtime.

One of the days I was at the kitchen sink, a black slightly camperized Toyota Landcruiser rolled in (with huge gas-tanks on the roof). We soon got to know Sam from Massachusetts (still with US-registration on the 1996 model cruiser). He told us he worked half the year and travelled the rest…… and that he used to park his truck in Ipiales, Colombia and that there exists a manner allowing you to park the vehicle for more than 3 months. So, we exchanged contacts and will get more information on how this might be an option also for us. By the way he also told me that the value of our old truck is higher today – 27 years old – in the US than when we got in Barcelona. This of course, is just an anecdote. Nice to know, but we are not thinking about selling our trustworthy camioneta…… 😊, at least not yet.

Then we moved camp and spent the next two nights at the feet of the famous Torres-mountains. Here we simply camped in an area serving as parking and we did this in good company of numerous overlanders and other visitors – some in campers, and others simply finding a way to spend the night (inside the vehicles) in preparation for the next mornings’ hike.

The second morning, we got up at 05:00 a.m. to beat the crowd, and headed up the trail after a quick breakfast. The destination was a viewpoint just in front of the three majestic towers. And after a good 4-hour mostly uphill hike – with some very steep and difficult to pass stony stretches in between – we finally reached the end-of-track viewpoint with a beautiful be lake in front of the three Torres. And we really felt good and happy to have made it without too much of problems.

After a quick rest, we started the 3 hours return downhill hike and finally reached our campground pretty much done for the day. However, we celebrated with a quick meal and a cold beer (that means mostly I did the beer part, but with the customary few sips to Mona). We crept into the sleeping bags early, too tired to think about moving camp that night.