Patagonia has been on my bucket list for YEARS! So, when our dart landed on Chile, game ON! We were beyond excited!  Chile is HUGE!  We decided to travel along the southern region, starting in Patagonia and finishing in Valparaso.  7 planes, 11 buses, 7 taxis, and 3 boat rides.

We flew into Santiago and hopped on another plane and flew to Puerto Arenas, then bussed to Puerto Natales.

We stayed at this awesome hostel, Niko’s 11.  We had our own room and bathroom, it included breakfast every morning and excursions.  The location was perfect for us and the staff was lovely…AND the breakfast was delish! When we arrived we made plans to hike up to Torre de Paines the next morning.  We were little nervous because we weren’t yet acclimated AND we just flew in from Panic Halloween in AVL… but did it anyway.  It was absolutely incredible! I mean, you can experience this park in so many different ways. I wish we had more time there but after our 9 mile hike we were good! We almost gave up when suddenly this young lady wearing a NC cap on her way down gave us the push that we needed to keep going Thank goodness we ran into her! We NEEDED her push. We would have been beyond devastated if we missed that beautiful landing. That’s the thing about hikes…you have those moments of doubt but you just have to keep pushing and in the end it is beyond worth it and SO rewarding…on SO many levels!

The next morning we gave our legs a rest and took a small shuttle throughout the entire park. This was magical! Between the history, glaciers, waterfalls, wildlife…this is our heaven! We met some awesome folks in our group from LA and Miami and truly had a BLAST! It’s such a small world. These connections keep you humble and keep you grounded. Keep traveling!!!!!

After visiting our heaven we bussed up to the Lake District and stayed overnight in Valdivia, where our bus dropped us off. Russ found kind of a bed and breakfast and kind of someone’s home. The home was owned by a sweet couple that spoke zero english..and our Spanish (especially Chilean) is not great. As soon as we arrived, our host took us on a walk throughout the property…so beautiful. They drove us into town to grab some dinner. It was glorious and their hospitality was divine. The next morning they made us a delicious breakfast and we were on our way to Pucon!

Pucon is AMAZING! It also sits in the Lake District. This part of Chile is for the outdoor lovers! We cruised around the downtown area on bikes passing flower markets, skateboarders, families playing soccer on la playa. Pucon is on the eastern shore of Lake Villarrica and overlooked by Villarrica volcano. We really wanted to visit the volcano but it was off season and it was closed. We stayed at an awesome hostel, Lounge Brasil Hosteria Boutique. This was the perfect spot for us. Most of the folks that were staying there were from Europe and New Zealand AND they were there for 1-3 months…THAT is how you do Chile! Unfortunately, we don’t have the that kind of time…our country has so much to figure out…we’re so young. Our host suggested that we go to Parque Nacional Huerquehue. We jumped on another bus and headed over. WOW! This place is magic! We hiked through the woods, jumping over streams, catching waterfalls, it was a glorious day. We headed back to town and grabbed a drink and a bite at alittle pub before heading to dinner at La Maga Uruguayan Steakhouse. Dinner was superb!

As much as we didn’t want to leave Pucon, we were ready to get to our final destination, Valparaiso. At this point we are so over bus rides, somehow we found an airport not too far from Pucon. When researching our travels, we read that when you get on the bus that takes you to the airport, you have to stop mid way (in the middle of the highway), and grab a taxi to take you there. The bus doesn’t usually make this stop unless asked, it takes you to it’s final destination, which is far past the airport. When we arrived at the bus station, we were trying to tell our bus driver our plan but the language barrier made it challenging. We just got on and went with it, figuring we’ll get there somehow. The bus was PACKED, Russ was sleeping and we come to a sudden stop. This man comes down the aisle while waving at me to follow him. I wake Russ up and we squeeze through the crowded bus to follow the man. We exit the bus, he has our luggage and a cab waiting on us. Our bus driver did understand us! It was a miracle! We graciously bid our farewells and carried on the airport. We flew to Santiago took a cab to Valparaiso. Magic!

Oh, Valparaiso! This port city is so vibrant with a bohemian feel. It is known for it’s colorful, hilly streets, historic architecture, and UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic quarter. After Chile gained independence in 1818 , the port became a free port, open to international trade and a major stopping point for ships sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific via the Strait of Magellan. This was before the Panama Canal.

We took a alittle boat ride through the port when we arrived. We stayed at Casa Puente Hotel Boutique, which was wonderful! This city is so easy to get around…you can walk everywhere! We decided to take a walking street art tour to learn more about the history and culture through art. We went with Tour del Graffiti Valparaiso and we learned SO much! It gave me so much inspiration…I was ready to start one in Asheville! I bet I missed that boat. We had a lovely dinner at La Caperucity Y EL Lobo. This is where I was introduced to Carmenere…it is now my go to red wine. Why did it take so long?

I could go on and on about this beautiful country and we barely touched it. It truly is all about the adventure. Traveling to new places is always so exciting but it can also be very challenging. You just never know what can happen, trying to figure out where to go, what to do, how to get there, and with the language barrier…it can be tough. BUT SO worth it! Russ is the best travel companion. He keeps his cool, he loves history, he loves trying new things, he’s an amazing navigator. He is my dream team! We are SO lucky to have each other to share these experiences… AND share them with you!