Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes us from the canyon near Perito Moreno to follow above the shores of the northern side of Lago Gral Carrera. Here we cross a very obscure mountainous border back into Chile where we pass through immigration at Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez before heading to a farm at Villa Cerro Castillo, where we explore the hills under the mountain of Cerro Castillo on horseback.
Today's Journey
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A very colourful sunrise and cold still air greets us as we leave the canyon at first light. |
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We pass the small town of Perito Moreno but otherwise cross dry prairie land gradually approaching the Andes just north of the end of the great ice field of Glaciers National Park. |
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We reach a small building in Ingeniro Pallavecini at the edge of the mountains where we pass through a very relaxed and remote border crossing out of Argentina. |
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The actual border between Argentina and Chile is about half an hour along a steep winding gravel road over the precarious Paso Ingeniero Ibanez Pallavicini. High mountains tower over us on either side as we cross this remote border. |
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The Lago Gral Carrera lake swings around the mountains, carved out by ice age glaciation and deepened with the distortion of the Andes as the mountains continue to rise. |
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We stop at the immigration checkpoint at Costanera Puerto Ibanez for a lengthy immigration process - they are a lot stricter in Chile than they are in Argentina. |
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After leaving the small town, we follow the main road once more ascending the mountains to this viewpoint where we have a final view of the town and the lake. From here we follow the river Estero Lechoso upstream into the mountains. |
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We stop at a small lake at La Esperanza where we get a spectacular view of the 2675 metre high Cerro Castillo - Castle Mountain. |
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We stop for the night at the Cabalgastas Con Assado Y Camping farm near the well named El Mirador where we ride on horseback through the hills with spectacular views across to the mountain. |
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We return to the farm homestead a bit sore after our ride, where we have a very nice dinner of farm produce as the sun sets and the valley quickly cools. |
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