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text and photographs by Nicholas Hobley
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This name evokes images of rugged, imposing, inaccessible mountains and vast stark plains, stretching down from the pampas in the north for thousands of kilometers through Argentina and Chile to the southernmost tip of the South American continent. Plains, endless and windswept, open yet inhospitable, devoid of all but the most resistant and determined. One thing only is constant here: the driving, incessant wind that swirls threateningly over the Andes before blowing unchecked out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Within these barren, monotonous plains hides an inexplicable, intrinsic beauty that captivates and fascinates. This culminates when, travelling westwards, the imposing Cordillera rise still distant from these unlimited horizons. |
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Although no longer as remote or wild as it once was, this final stretch of the 12200km long Andes still remains a formidable challenge to the best mountaineers in the world. And as the only way of reaching this is either on horseback or on foot, mountains such as Cerro Torre, Fitz Roy and the Torre del Paine have justifiably become highly popular trekking routes.
Those in search of adventure will not be disappointed; Patagonia remains, to this day, a magical and mysterious land. And even though it is becoming a victim of its own success, much remains still to be discovered, with a little effort, off the beaten track.
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Introduction & treks
