Patagonia, CHILE
Airing Date: Jan 6th, 2003
The Torres del Paine National Park is about a five-hour drive from Punta Arenas. It covers hundreds of thousands of acres - all postcard perfect.
Located 51 degrees south of the equator the Torres del Paine National Park is almost as far south as you can get and in the middle there the unique Salto Chico Hotel.
Specialising in old-fashioned service the hotel prides itself on providing guests with that little bit extra. All guests are provided with their own personal tour guide who will lead them through the endless acres of natural beauty and ensure they have a truly memorable stay in this very special part of the world.
One of the first things you'll notice around here is the wildlife. In fact if you stroll just a few metres from your door you will probably come across a guanaco or two.
The guanaco is the wild cousin of the llama and there are about 3,000 guanacos in the area so you bound to rub shoulders with a few. Being a very friendly animal it isn't uncommon for them to come right up to you.
The Salto Chico Hotel is all about choice and each day guests can choose between 17 different adventures.
For keen horse people the three-hour trek through the Chilean high country is a must.
On this trek you will get to ride through the icy cold waters of rivers that cross the national park and while the water is too cold for us the horses have been specially bred to deal with the tough conditions. It is a great way to get the adrenalin running but if you're not so confident in the saddle there are gentler rides and quieter horses for beginners.
After all ll the fresh air and exercise you are sure to be hungry and the resort's traditional Chilean barbecue lunch where spring lamb is on the menu won't disappoint.
This is also the place where you can see some amazing icebergs. But remember you are on the southern tip of the continent so prepare for it to get very cold and windy when venturing out.
A 45-minute walk from Pingo River Bridge takes you to Lake Grey Peninsula where you can see some of the huge icebergs. The colour of the icebergs is such an intense blue that they almost don't seem real and the shear size of them is breathtaking. Only about one tenth of the iceberg stands above the water, so that means a six metre iceberg goes down 54 metres.
The facts
Qantas in conjunction with Lan Chile flies to Santiago three times a week.
Qantas
Tel: 13 13 13
Lan Chile flies daily to Punta Arenas. A Lan Chile Visit Chile Air Pass starts from $459 per person. Price includes government taxes.
Lan Chile
Tel: 02 9244 2333
Inca Tours have three night packages staying at Hotel Salto Chico from $1990 per person twin share. Prices include gourmet three course meals, beer and wine, guided excursions and return transfers from Punta Arenas.
Inca Tours
Tel: 1800 024 955
Email: sales@incatours.net
