2025_26 Oosterdam, Torres del Paine, Day 3

Torres del Paine are privileged windows to Patagonia. Stopping at a viewpoint is more than just viewing the landscape; it is experiencing a real connection to your surroundings. Next, we stopped at Mirador Cuernos del Paine offering stunning views of Cuernos del Paine (Horns) overlooking Lake Toro and then to Mirador Rio Serrano. The Rio Serrano mirador offered us a magnificent panoramic view of the Serrano River valley. Over terrible washboard roads we arrived at Grey Lake. We walked to the Hotel Grey with the best views and I went down to the beach and got some dramatic photos of the lake and glacier in the background. Grey Lake (Lago Grey) is a glacier-fed lake in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park, famous for its turquoise water, floating icebergs from the Grey Glacier, and stunning views of the Paine Massif. Visitors can hike to viewpoints, take boat tours to get close to the glacier, or kayak among the icebergs, though strong winds are common…This area is a key feature of the park, known for its dramatic, icy landscape and the wildlife that inhabits the area. We camped out in the Hotel restaurant for a while but with the rain and winds not easing up we decided to return to Puerto Natales…A good choice as the weather improved greatly with blue skies and sunshine. On our two-hour drive back to Puerto Natales, gods’ artwork offered a smorgasbord of photo opportunities. We exited the park via the southern route, enjoying final views of the western area mountains, Lago Toro, and a view of the Grey Glacier from Mirador Grey. Before returning to Puerto Natales, Maritza took us down a surprise side road to see a small but very powerful waterfall flowing from Cerro Prat…great stop! We made a quick stop at Puerto Consuelo, a scenic historic estancia (ranch) and small port located about 20 km northwest of Puerto Natales, along the shores of the Eberhard Fjord. Arriving back in Puerto Natales, we did a walk about taking in the murals. Another day of stunning scenery…the weather may not have been the best but we never missed a beat. Tomorrow we will take tour of Milodon Cave before returning to Punta Arenas. Another wonderful day in Patagonia.