TORRES DEL PAINE – FINALLY!

For years, I’d mulled over a trip to Patagonia and the stunning -looking Torres del Paine National Park (TDP). It’s an iconic mountain range that just makes you go – wow!! Age (I’m 67, Chris is 69) has definitely brought on a sense of ‘now or never’ so finally, in early April 2025, I made it happen and we spent 8 days in Chile with 6 in the National Park.It wasn’t a lot of time for such a huge trip but to be honest, nothing else in South America had ever appealed.The Big Itch needing scratched was TDP whose landscape was just out of this world – different and ultra special.I just had to see and photograph it!

The iconic mountains from Lake Pehoe…

Was it worth it? Oh yes, absolutely! There are many destinations which we have loved so much and have either re-visited or plan to – Namibia, South Africa, the American Desert, Alaska, Iceland, the Lofoten Islands. Much closer to home, the Amalfi Coast, the South of France and the Greek island of Symi are all big favourites. Would TDP become one of these oh-so-fantastic places which had captured our hearts?

Getting There

Travel from our home in Scotland meant 4 flights each way to TDP. I could have cut it to 3 but I didn’t fancy British Airways’ near 15 hour non -stop flight (just too long, really expensive and not daily.) Plus I noticed Miami as a possible hub and I’d always wanted to visit it; quite fancied the contrast too!

Our route was:

1 Friday: British Airways Edinburgh to London(1hr flight) then overnight at Heathrow’s Holiday Inn Express.

2 Saturday: American Airlines Mid day flight next day Heathrow to Miami (9hrs 30)

3 Saturday:Later that evening, American Airlines Miami to Santiago (7hr 50) arriving 8am Sunday

Many International flights to Santiago land early morning.Flights the same day to Punta Arenas might be possible (3.5 hr drive to TDP) but we chose to fly to Puerto Natales (1.5hr drive to TDP) and flight times meant we felt safer planning a day in Santiago and catching the PN flight next day.Plus, it would be nice to see something of Chile’s capital city.

4. Monday: LATAM flight from Santiago to Puerto Natales (3hrs 10) then a boneshaking drive to TDP.

Phew! Huge amount of travel and I get really nervous about flying routes I don’t know (you’d think I was the pilot.) Honestly, a few days pre trip, I was wishing (but not admitting) that I hadn’t booked the trip at all.4 flights! What was I thinking of? This was crazy.

Thankfully, once I am actually in an airport, nerves tend to go and I get caught up in the excitement of a big adventure ahead.

The Trip Begins in pretty South Queensferry

South Queensferry near Edinburgh airport

We drove through to Edinburgh from Glasgow, arriving for a late lunch in Orocco Pier restaurant in the village of South Queensferry.

This pretty place gives fabulous views of Scotland’s world-famous Rail Bridge.

Salt and Pepper Squid to start, then Fish and Chips, Beef Stir Fry for Chris.Finally, a real baked Apple Crumble for me for dessert.Food was ok – views were superb.

We were now just a short, quiet, 20 min drive to Premier Parking at Edinburgh airport and our 6pm flight to Heathrow. Got a very good price of £59 for 12 days parking with, of course, a free shuttle to the terminal building.

Airport security is now much smoother and easier as you don’t need to remove liquids from bags. Bizarrely however, because I had a banana in my day bag, the new scanner picked up potassium (an ingredient in explosives) and my bag was searched.Lots of good humour about this by the security chap – they are always really cheery and pleasant at Edinburgh Airport security and Border control.

Smooth 1 hr flight. We’d booked into Heathrow’s Holiday Inn Express in Terminal 3, two short train rides away from Terminal 5 where we landed. Decent price, a bit of a space age hotel, no exterior windows, ultra modern, but that certainly made it very quiet.

Nice big room, attractive, clean and good shower.Very pleasant buffet breakfast next morning – the usual hot and cold selections.Would certainly use this hotel again.

Our Miami flight was at the back of 12 noon. Good seats – just as well, as we had to pay top dollar for them! Otherwise, we would have been separated on the long flight. Mind you if we’d had a tiff that would have been ok ( and we actually DID have a bit of a fall out in S.Queensferry, probably a reaction to the build- up of stress and all the running about and last minute things pre trip.At least that got it over with, I hoped! )

Landed Miami 6pm and the hours dragged until our 10.50pm flight to Santiago. We were also tired as it was now 2am UK time and we are generally early bedders @ 10pm.

Most of our Santiago flight was in the dark though we were very fortunate to get a stunning sunrise over the Andes as we began our descent to Chile’s capital city. In fact, we reckoned we saw Aconcagua! It lies only 60 miles north east of Santiago so I think that’s what it was.It certainly stood head and shoulders above the other mega stars.Grainy photo below of S.America’s highest mountain, over plane wing…

An unexpected bonus and a highlight of the whole trip were these wonderful views.Despite an underlying fear of flying, I love gazing down at landscapes from on high– we’d had amazing views over the Alaska range last summer, flying up from Vancouver. These were certainly their equal.Dawn breaking over the Andes…