A Rainy Day Option For Exploring Torres Del Paine In Patagonia, Chile

by Jessica Festa on

No trip to the Patagonia region of South America is complete without a trip to Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The park is regarded by many as the “trekking capital of the world.” After visiting for myself, it was easy to see why.

While many travelers choose to spend three or four days hiking the “W” circuit, this is not feasible for everyone. Some people may not have the time, while others might not feel up to the intensity of the hike or the planning. Furthermore, Torres del Paine tends to be extremely windy, and if you add rain to the equation, long-term hiking can be unpleasant.

For me, the problem was a mixture of all these things. I knew if I tried to do a day hike I wouldn’t see a lot. Additionally, the forecasted rain did not make me excited to be outside. On the other hand, I wanted to experience the park and hike at least a bit of it. The solution? A 4×4 tour with Patagonia Extrema Viajes. I was able to book the tour at Chaltén Travel in El Calafate, Argentina. The experience allowed for three hours in the park driving to different sites, some of which included Salto Grande Waterfall, Bitter Lake, the Rio Paine, Paine Grande and, of course, the Horns of Paine. There was also a one-hour hike to help visitors get even closer to nature.

Don’t let bad weather stop you from exploring Torres del Paine. Even when raining, its beauty and unique features are inspiring. To get a visual of my experience on the 4×4 tour on a rainy day, check out the gallery below.

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Photo Of The Day: Easter Island P.D.

by Meg Nesterov on


Spring is in full swing and Easter and Passover are coming this weekend. Looking for something seasonally appropriate, I searched the Gadling Flickr pool but instead of Easter the holiday, I found images of Easter the Island. This shot by davitydave especially caught my eye, showing the uniformed (and probably Chilean) Easter Island police looking rather stern and serious with their incredible and unusual view. I wonder what their “beat” is like? Do they see much action other than rowdy tourists and the occasional protest? Hey officers, I see some shady looking characters loitering down at the water.

Add your travel photos to the Gadling Flickr pool to be featured on another Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day: Horse in Torres del Paine

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, located at the southern end of South America, is the kind of place you romanticize when you think of wild, unspoiled nature. I’ve never been, but I have a vision in my head of towering pinnacles of rock, windswept fields of grass, and serene babbling brooks. It turns out the real thing is just as beautiful – Flickr user LeaningLeft snapped this wonderful shot of a horse bathed in sunlight, set against the park’s majestic mountain-scape.

Taken any great photos during your own travels? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Traveling turtle finds new home in Arizona

by Chris Owen on

Green Sea Turtles travel great distances in their lifetime with a range that reaches as far north as the southern coast of Alaska and as far south as Chile. In the water. On land is an unlikely place to find a sea turtle but this week one will settle into her new permanent home at the Sea Life aquarium in Tempe, Arizona.

The green sea turtle, Ziva, sustained serious injuries after being struck by a boat off the coast of Florida in 2010. Ziva has spent the past two years receiving treatment and rehabilitation at the internationally acclaimed Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC). She sustained such extensive damage to her shell and skull that she requires specialized weights to swim and dive correctly. Because of these injuries, Ziva will never be healthy enough to survive in the wild but Sea Life Arizona will provide her a safe and permanent home and will ensure she receives the experienced care she needs.

“Having Ziva at Sea Life Arizona gives our guests the opportunity to see something that can’t be seen anywhere else in the state,” said Hayley Townsend, Sea Life Arizona general manager. “We are excited to help rescue an incredible sea creature and share a message of hope and ocean conservation.”One of the few institutions in the country to comprehensively integrate rehabilitation services with research and education, GSTC offers injured animals, such as Ziva, a second chance at life.

“Our goal is to rehabilitate injured animals and enable them to survive in their natural habitat,” said Dr. Terry Norton, director and veterinarian of GSTC. “In a case like Ziva’s, we wish we could restore her to normal health, but are grateful she will be able to serve as an ambassador for sea turtle education and ocean conservation to the visitors of Sea Life Arizona. We are thankful for partnerships like this that provide an opportunity for these animals to thrive in a new environment.”


Photo: Sea Life Aquarium

A story for tomorrow

by Grant Martin on

I will do little to distract from the beauty of this piece filmed throughout South America but to say that this is maybe the best travel video I’ve seen in the last year. It’s a combination of several things — the narrative is rich and well timed, the landscapes are beautiful and lush — but I think that the most important thing is the way in which it appeals to the traveler. In a way, we’re all looking for some sort of solution when we travel, and the joy and energy in this production seems to hint that there’s actually an answer somewhere out there. Personally, I’ll take this as justification to keep searching.