Base de las Torres

Base Las Torres in the Torres del Paine National Park in the far south Patagonia was one of the most awaited places by us in the entire year of travelling. A few months before we were marveling at the majestic peaks of Tre Cime in Italian Dolomites, but back then we did not know that we would make it all the way to Patagonia in the very same year! Visually both of these places have some things in common.

In Italy we had a sneak peak of Patagonia. When we made it to the famous lagoon with the glorious three, granite towers in Chile we felt that we had seen this place before. The world is so diverse and yet some places look surprisingly similar.

Torres del Paine National Park

You can easily spend many days in Torres del Paine walking countless kilometers of trails. The most famous multiday treks are the W-Trek and the O-Trek. There is quite some planning and logistics to do if you wish to finish them. You need to book camping sites well in advance and take all the equipment, food and water with you. We were not so eager for such an effort. Previously we hiked the 5-day Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu, so we knew what almost 100 km of walking in the mountains would feel like. What is more, back then the supplies and the extra luggage were carried by the horses and all the meals were cooked by a chef who was assigned to our group. In addition, the fees for the camping sites in Torres are really high (80 USD for a night in a tent per person).

One-day trek to  Base de las Torres

After some reaserch and brainstorm it turned out that we can make it to the most famous viewpoint in just one day. It is an 18-km roundtrip hike. We decided to set a base in Puerto Natales and explore the park during the one-day trips.

Landscape of Patagonia

Entrance fee to the Torres del Paine National Park

For everyone who is not chilean, the entry ticket is 21.000 pesos which is around 35 USD. It is quite expensive and the locals pay only one third of the price. Luckily for us, on the day of our visit there was a strike! Park rangers are unhappy with the politics, because the park is used as a way to make money and not as a mean to protect the nature. We were pleasantly suprised that we didn’t have to pay the entry fee.

Park Rangers on the Strike!

Begining of the trail

Trekking  in Patagonia

The trail to the lagoon is 9-km long which sums up to 18 km roundtrip. It starts easy and flat. You need to pass Hotel de Torres and start your ascent. Next part is uphill and takes about 40 minutes. After a while, you can enjoy the panoramic views of the valley and the lakes behind your back. The half-way point is a shelter and campsite situated on the riverbank. From there, the trail runs through a thick forest. It is a very pleasant part where you need to cross the stream a few times using the wooden bridges.

Walking through the forest

Crossing the stream

Beauty of Patagonia

day hike in Torres del Paine

The most difficult part of the trek

After another 40 minutes, when the forest ends the hardest part of the trail starts. There is 300 meters of elevation ahead and the trail runs steep uphill and you need to make your way across the rocks, loose stones, gravel and water creeks. It is the most challenging part of the trail, but after 40 minutes – 1 hour, you can already see the incredible view of the granite towers and the lake. It is the famous Mirador de las Torres!

Patagonia

Last part of the hike

Getting to the National Park

If you are planning to visit Torres del Paine you need to catch a bus from Puerto Natales, which takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. There is a number of agencies in the bus terminal. We decided to leave on a first bus at 7:30 am. It cost 12.000 pesos per person for a round trip, which is around 20 USD. The last bus back from the park departues at 7:45 pm, so we had enough time to hike up, back down and spend 2 leisure hours at the top.

When we made it to the top, the towers were hidding in the clouds. The weather in Patagonia changes rapidly thought so it cleared up a bit later, fortunately.

The bus took us to the park entrance and than we had to take a minivan further to the Hotel de Torres. It was extra 3000 pesos per person, one way and it took 15 minutes. From there, we could easily walk to the trailhead which was well marked.

The cost of the one-day trip

To sum up, the cost per person to get to the park by bus and then the minivan, roundtrip was 12.000 + 6.000 = 18.000 pesos, so around 30 USD. In addition, the entry ticket fee to the National Park, valid for 3 days, is another 35 USD (November 2017). We only regret that on the way towards the Park, we couldn’t stop to take pictures. The views behind the windows were breathtaking and there were wild guanacos everywhere.

Guanacos in front of the Paine range

Torres del Paine

Laguna Amarga

The weather in Patagonia

The trail to the Mirador de las Torres is a great way to see the magnificent Patagonia, up close. The landscapes are fantastic, mountains incredible and the lakes extraordinary with a deep emerald green colour. We were there in late November which was just before the high season (December & January). It was summer, but we were wearing winter jackets, scarfs and beanies. The winds are ferocious. Nevertheless, you can be lucky because sunny days do happen, even if the morning looks miserable. The weather can change every 15 minutes. It is one of the best places on the planet to do some trekking. We recommend hiking to the Base de las Torres and seeing Patagonia with your own eyes!

It is clearing up!

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Rainbow Mountain

Rainbow Mountain, Vinicunca, or the Montaña de Siete Colores. We saw The Rainbow Mountain of Peru for the very first time on Instagram. The photos were just mindblowing so we knew we would have to put this location into our travel schedule around Peru.

One day trip from Cusco

A good place to start the treck is Cusco. The one-day trip to Rainbow Mountain cost 60 soles and it includes breakfast and lunch. The trail is not very easy as it’s around 6-km long and the altitude rises to 5200masl. We figured that this will be a good warm-up before 5 day Salkantay Trek.

the way to the Rainbow Mountain

Andean highway

Acclimatization, acclimatization, and acclimatization again!

The air is much thinner up there so it’s common to encounter a few symptoms of the altitude sickness while doing the hike. Fortunately, the very first week in Peru we spent in Huaraz, so we managed to acclimatize to the high altitudes quite well.

Inca Horsemen

Trail at 5200 masl.

The trip began very early, at 3:30 am and after a 3-hour long journey we stopped for breakfast and a coca leaf tea. The hiking part began for us at 9:00 am from the altitude of 4500masl. Our guide estimated that we would all need between 2-2,5 hour to get to the top. For all those not feeling well, there was an option to take a horse for 50 soles per person. And actually, we saw many people using this opportunity. While hiking up, you could still buy some coca-candy or just coca leaves from the locals to support yourself on this adventure.

Searching for customers

Peruvian alpacas

Horseback ride to Rainbow Mountain

Catching a horseride to the top

On the top

The day we decided to hike to the Rainbow Mointain was a bit risky because of the bad weather forecast. We knew it was going to rain at 1pm but we still hopped for some sunshine at the top, around midday. And it all worked out!

We had the sun and all the spectacular colours of the mountains visible ahaed of us! A truly stunning landscape, almost like from a dream! It was also very windy so many layers of clothing were a good idea at that point.

At the top, we had around 45 minutes fime window to admire the views and take pictures. The guide explained where all the colours come from. Each colour is coused by the different chemical element.

Made it to the Rainbow Mountain

Final part of the hike

View to the other side

Storm is comming

Welcoming Llama at the top

The only disadvantage was the constant crowd of people going up, not looking around. That’s why we have many photos taken with unexpected hikers that just happend to stand for a while right in front of our lense. No worries, we were patient and finally, we managed to take some good shots!

Amazing Colours

Trekking in Peru is rewarding!

Rainbow Mountain

The way down

The trail down was much easier. After the first hour of descending the mountain, the weather changed and it started to snow. It wasn’t a problem at all, at that point. We saw what we wanted and the conditions at the top were just great so we were good!

The good weather is a key to good views!

It seems a good trick to book it last minute while considering the weather conditions. It can change rapidly in such a high mountains but it is still worth it to check. The 1-day tour to the Rainbow Mountain was a pure success and we would like to encourage you all to see it by yourself! It’s all worth the effort!

Hail at Montaña de los colores

Alpacas in the snow

A long way back ahead

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We decided to get to the lost, Inca City – Machu Picchu by foot. The Most popular trek is the Inca Trail, but it needs to be booked well in advance. We chose the alternative – Salkantay Trek that leads through the high mountains and tropical rainforest of Peru.

Salkantay Treak is 85 km long with the highest point of 4600 masl. It could be quite a challenge!

If we add to that all the walking in Machu Picchu and the way back to Hydroelectrica, we will have 95km all together! Seems like a lot, but it is definitely worth the effort!

Salkantay Trek day 1

Salkantay Trek step by step!

Day 1

The very first day of the 5-day Salkantay Trek began for us early, at 5am when the guide came to pick us up from the hostel. Soon, we were on a bus that drove us to Mollepata, where we could buy breakfast. Actually, every participant of the trek was made to order a 7-sol breakfast that included bread with jam and coca tea.

Start of Salkantay Trek

Luggage limit 5kg per person!

Then, we had to weight our extra kilos that were to be transported by the horses. The limit per person is 5kg and that includes also a sleeping bag, your own or rented. Our guide introduced himself together with his collegue and we all got on a bus for another 50 min to the starting point of the Salkantay Trek, located 3500 masl. For some hikers, the start was already hard because of the altitude sickness. Just a friendly advise – don’t start a trek the day after flying into Cusco. If you don’t acclimatize properly, it will be no fun later on while climbing in the glorious but demanding Andes.

Crazy Apacas – the team of 15 people for the next 5 days!

Our 15-people team was named “Crazy Alpacas” and from that moment we became a family for the next 5 days. Let’s start the hike! The first 30min was hard and steep. We were already out of breath but then our guide explained that only 2,5 more hour flat hike and we’ll have our lunch. This sounded like a relief. This was also the base camp and the place of our accomodation in tents.

Crazy Alpacas ready for challenge!

Lagoon Humantay – a warm up hike to 4200 masl

We ate a delicious meal, unpacked a little bit and got ready for another challenge of the day, 1-hour steep hike to Humantay Lagoon, located at 4200masl. This was hard but it was supposed to prepare us for the 2nd, most difficult day. The Lagoon was extraordinary. Although it was difficult to get there, everybody felt super rewarded with the view of the lake and the glaciers with the beautiful and warm weather. Another hour more and we were back in the base camp, ready for Happy Hour, which meant coca tea and popcorn. Our group started socializing, exchanging travel stories and future plans. What a team!

Our camp down below

Humantay Lagoon

Humantay

By 8:00 pm we were ready to crush in our tents! During night, there was a huge thunderstorm and massive rain so we were glad our tents were put under the roof. Otherwise, we would be washed away to Cusco!

Day 2

Wake up call with a cup of coca leaf tea was set up for 5am. We had 30minutes to organise our backpacks and get ready for a new, challenging day. At 5:30 we met the rest of Crazy Alpacas at the breakfast.

The first hour of the hike was easy because we were walking just a little bit up hill with a moderate tempo. The Salkantay Mountain was sometimes visable from behind the clouds and these were spectacular moments that gave us more energy. The next 3 hours we had to hike up, and it was the toughest part of the whole trek. The first guide was leading our group and the 2nd guide was at the end, waiting for the hikers that needed some more time. We all had a lot of coca leaves into our mouth and kept them inside our cheaks to make sure we get the coca essence slowly but regularly. The group was great, always waiting for the last person, just like a family.

Breave horses

Casual Break at Salkantay Trek

Wiola is chosing the "easy way"

In case of any problems – horse transport available for 100 soles!

If somebody didn’t adjust well to the altitude, it was possible for him/her to take a horse for that part of the hike which cost 100 soles. We both felt well that day and hiked without any problems to the altitude of 4600masl starting from 3900masl that morning. The landscape around was fantastic, especially while we reached the Salkantay Pass, the highest point of the trek.

At the top, our guide showed us a ritual of saying thank you to the Pachamama by sacrifying 3 coca leaves.

Because our timing was good and the weather permited we made an extra hike to see the amazing, blue Salkantay Lagoon.

Salkanta Pass - We made it!

Coca Leaves offering

Just walked to 4600

High Andean Landscape

So happy to be here!

Salkantay Pass

Way down from Salkantay Pass

From now on, we had a long long way down. Our lunch was waiting for us at 2900masl and we were supposed to reach this camp after 7 long hours from the starting point of that day. If you book the treck, keep in mind that different agencies inform about different things that are included in the whole expedition. We, for exampe, expected to be given some snacks while hiking and that was not true. That’s why we were extremely happy after making it to the lunch point! After the enegry-fix meal we had another 3 hour-trek till the 2nd base camp where we spent the night. The landscape changed into the tropical forest so we needed to put on the insect repellent. The 2nd base camp offered again tents for us and a cold shower. You could pay 10 sol extra and take a hot one, though. That night was again, a little scary because of the huge thunderstorm going on for at least few hours. No worries, we survived!

Long way down

Day 3

Day 3 was exciting! After a 6-hour hike we were going to visit the thermal pools in the afternoon. The trail led through the rainforest, at the bottom of the tropical valley. It was much warmer then during the previous days. The one who suffered the most was Mike, as he got food poisoning. Still, he made all the effort and walked the whole distance himself.

Inca Rituals

During the hike, we got to know some information about the plants that the Incas used to paint their faces. And this activity was also carried out in our group. We had a few stops on our hike to buy for example granadillo, 3 for 1 sol! The last part of our trek was fun because we crossed the river with the use of man-powered “cable car”. That was fun!

Andean Rainforest Valley

Incas' make up

Shortcut at Salkantay Trek

Peruvian coffee, hot springs and Inca Tequila!

It the lunch spot we could finally try the real peruvian coffee. It is suprisingly hard to get a good caffeine fix in Peru. Locals drink only instant stuff if any at all.

In the afternoon, we could go to the thermal pools in Santa Theresa for an additional cost of 10 soles per person. It was a much needed time to relax. All the muscle pain slowly went away and we could marvel at the wonderful mountains around. In the evening, we had an inka-tequila party planned, 1 shot only 1 sol. Luckily, it turned out to be the best medicine for the stomach problems so finally Mike felt much better!

Salkantay Hot Springs

Welcome to the Hot Springs

Santa Teresa Hot Springs

Day 4

The long way we had to cover on the day numer 4 was a bit boring. We had to walk from Santa Theresa to Hydroelectrika Mamy kilometers just down the road we shared with another cars and buses. Unfortunately, we found out that our extra luggage was not going to be transported anymore. Luckily, two friendly ladies from our team decided to take a lift to the next point and took our backpacks with them. What a relief. This was one of the drawbacks if the trip, we didn’t know exactly what was included in the price and what wasn’t. Anyways, the group we belonged to was amazing and it made up for all the small disadvantages.

Optional Zip Line shortcut

That morning, instead of walking that 3-hour distance, you could zip line first and then get transported to the place of our lunch – Hydroelectrica where the whole team met again. The zip line attraction cost 100 sol per person and was 4-km long. We decided to walk, but our friends who ziplined were very satisfied with the whole adventure! The trail lead along the unpaved road that was used by cars as well, so it was a bit dusty, noisy and unpleasant. At Hydroelectrica, we could leave our exta luggage and pick it the next day. We only took what was needed for the one night stay in the hostel and visit to Machu Picchu.

Salkantay Trek day 4

Enjoying day 4

Andean Valley

Along the railroads Aguas Calientes

The last part of the trail led along the rail roads to Aguas Calientes, the town at the footsteps of the Inka City. The trek seemed very long that day, we all felt pretty tired at this stage. Also, there were many insects, like sandflies and mosquitos around and we all got bitten pretty bad. Best to stay in long sleeves even though it is warm and humid. After getting to Aguas Calientes, we got accomodated in 4-people rooms with the comfortable beds, hot showers and wifi! Wohooo! We met with all the Crazy Alpacas at the dinner. We could celebrate the 85km that we already walked! But we still had 10 more to go on a final day.

train tracks from Hydroelectirica

the rail roads part

Peru Rail

Day 5

What an amazing Day! We had to wake up at 3:30 am to be in line to the 1st entrance go Machu Picchu at 4:00am. Then, it was „only” 1700 stais up… and after the visit to the Inka World we still had to walk back to Hydroelectrica to catch a bus back to Cusco. More about that in a next entry!

Welcome to Machu Picchu Pueblo!

To sum up the 5 day Salkantay Trek

When we were browsing best rated agencies on TripAdvisor we were supprised by how expensive the trek is, because it was quoted at 400 USD per person. Fortunatelly in Cusco there is a lot of competition between tour operators and we found an offer for 170 USD. We went with “MachuPiccu Trail” agancy. At the office they will tell you anything just to convince you to purchase. Later on it turns out that not everything is included after all.

Extra costs that we had to pay during the “all inclusive trip”:

• The first breakfast in Mellopata and the last day lunch and dinner (if you come back to Cusco by bus).
• 10 soles for the entrance to the National Park and the Humantay Lagoon.
• 10 soles for the hot springs in Santa Teresa and 15 soles for the transportation.
• You have to carry your extra-kilos luggage on the way from Santa Teresa to Hydroelectrica (we were told it’s gonna be transported first by horses and then, by bus).
• On the 3rd day we were asked to pay tips for the horseman and 2 cooks that were travelling with us. When we decided to pay 10soles each (15 people in the group) we heard it’s not enough because they each have to get at least 60 soles! That was a very uncomfortable situation. Does it mean these guys are getting paid only from our “compulsory tips”? Sounds so wrong!
• Always carry your own snacks. They were not included, at all!

Anyways, the adventurous hike through mountains to Machu Piccu is amazing! We encourage you all to take the challenge. It is great way to experience the land and the history of incas. We are always happy to help if you have any questions let us now in the comments!

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A trip from Huaraz

Postoruri Glacier – located at around 5200 masl is a great attraction for travelers who begin their adventure in the high Andes. A great way to explore the area is with a one-day tour. The guide will tell you more about the glacier itself, the region as well as he can share the knowladge about how to deal with the altitude sickness. The trip started at 9 am. The starting point was the city of Huaraz at 3000m asl, but we would make it to over 5000m in just few hours. It was going to be a great day!

Meeting the locals

At the very beginning, the guide saidwe would need to drink a cup of coca leaf tea, that helps with acclimatization. He explained the plan of the day in details. Spanish comes in handy as English speaking guides are a rare phenomenon up here.

You can chose from variety of coca products such as candy, sweets or just chew on dried leaf. We felt that it helped because we had no problemes ascending the mountain.

However our moves were a bit slowed down and the heart rate higher. On our way we stopped for a nice picture with a chilled family of alpacas. They were wearing sunglasses and peruvian traditional clothing. You could cuddle a baby alpaca too! What a lovely experience.

Alpacas are so cute!

Meeting the locals

Lovely, soft Baby Alpaca

Alpacas

High mountains flora of Huascaran National Park

Than we stopped in a groove of incredible cacti. They grow up to 10 meaters and can live for over 50 years. Just have a look.

Flora of Huascaran National Park

Road to Pastoruri

With our guide

Pastoruri Glacier

Finally, we arrived at the parking lot from where the path to the glacier starts. It is about 1 kilometer long, however because of the high altitude it takes about an hour to reach the glacier. We were walking slowly and had a break to catch our breath, every now and than. If you wish to you can save yourself the hassle and hop on a horse for 50 soles. We made an effort to walk ourselves the whole way and we took some nice pictures in the meantime.

Unfortunatelly the glacier is retreating and it had already lost 25% of its size and 15% of mass in the last 30 years.

The landscape was pure magic. The sun was shinning in one moment just to let the snow flakes fall gently in the other. We could see the glacier from the distance and feel its cold presence. We were happy to marvel at it while it still exists in this tropical region of Peru.

Horse rides are available

Alpaca sweaters!

The wall

I am the shield that guards the realms of man

First time over 5000m

We made it to 5200m asl

Pastoruri Glacier

A walk back from the glacier

Parking lot at 4900m

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Laguna 69

After a warm up and acclimatization at Lake Parón it was time to explore Laguna 69. To get there you need to hike the trail which takes 5-6 hours. During your 18 km journey you will climb 700m elevation.

We started at the level of 3900m, while the famous lake is located at 4600 m asl.

As we found out from the guide this place was not so known till 5 years ago, when more and more tourists started to come. It might by due to instagram where you can see a lot of charming pictures from this spot.

Adventure begins

For the transport and the guide we had to pay 30 soles each. Very reasonable price and we booked through the reception of our hostel. The departure time was set to 5:30 am and after 3 hours we were able to start hiking. In the meantime, we stopped to have some coca leaf tea, which helps with the altitude.

Huascarán National Park

Later, we entered Huascaran National Park (10 soles entry fee), where we soon stopped at the picturesque lake hidden in the mountain valley. At 9 am sharp, we started the hike. As we found out the trail consists of 3 flat parts and 3 sharp ascents. We were walking in our own pace, enjoying the landscapes. We had snow capped, huge peaks towering above us, what an amazing place! The group that we arrive with quickly disparced. Acctually, it felt like we were there all by ourselves.

Journey to Laguna 69

Hiking Cordillera Blanca

The Andes

Beginning of the trail

Huascaran National Park

Nice stop on our way

Dos cocas por favour!

Final ascent

During the last steep part Mike started to feel not so well due to the altitude sickness.

To put it short and sweet, one can feel like having a terrible hangover. Your had is pounding, no strenght to do anything and occasional nausea. Worst thing to do is to quickly stand up. Dizziness guaranteed.

Maybe 2 days for acclimatization was not enough before this trail or maybe we did not had enought coca leaves. The altitude sickness is more intense during the extensive efforf. Although it was a bit hard, we were bravely walking up and up while breathing heavily. Laguna 69 was so close that we could not stop, at this stage.

Trekking in Cordillera Blanca

Getting to Laguna 69

Mountains of Peru

Huascaran National Park

The altitude of 4600m a.s.l.

After aproximitly 3 hours of hiking we made it to the maginificent, blue lake. At the foothills of the snowy peak, fed by the melting snow the marvelous Laguna 69 was created. The mountains around are so high that it is hard to fit them in one picture with the lake. Fortunately panoramic pictures came in handy. We were happy to beat our personal altitude record even though the hedache and shallow breath was making everything a bit more difficult. We were very lucky with the weather as well. Sun was shinning directly on the lagoon exposing the spectacular colours. There was still over 2 hours of hiking back ahead of us. Pleased with our pictures we were going lower and lower and the altitude sickness slowly went away.

What a view!

Reaching Laguna 69

Mountains of Peru

GoPro Angle

Marvelous Laguna 69

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Volcanoes of the North Island

The North Island of New Zealand is an area with a very high volcanic activity. In the largest city of the country – Auckland, you can find almost 50 extinct volcanoes. If you wish to visit the active ones and marvel at stunning landscapes which were used as a set for shooting Mordor in the Lord of the Rings, you need to go 350 km south. Here, in the very center of the island you can find the Tongariro National Park and three active volcanoes within it: Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe.

It is a great idea to break the drive South. We recommend to stop at hot spring and geyser region – Rotorua and idyllic rural land and an amazing movie set –  Hobbiton.

Panoramic view of Auckland

Tongariro National Park

Tongariro is the oldest National Park in NZ. The area was quickly recognized for its remarkable natural beauty. Today, it is double-listed on UNESCO World Herritage List for both: its unique environment and cultural values. The volcanoes have spiritual and cultural significance to indigenous local people.

Taranaki Fall

In winter time, Tongariro is also a busy ski area. We drove almost to the top of one of the volcanoes, where we found the bottom station of ski lift Whakapapa. It was closed due to off season. The surroundings looked spectacular tho. Rugged, black rocks were all around. No wonder why sir Peter Jackson chose this spot to set Mordor scenes. To warm up before the longer hikes, we did a loop trail to Taranaki Fall. The weather was very changable, so we hoped that it would improve for the next day….

Hidden in the clouds

Alpine Flowers

Taranaki Fall

One way trail?

In the National Park you can find two very popular trekking routes. The longer one called Tongariro Northern Ciruit takes 3 to 4 days. It runs around the volcanoes and takes you to the remote corners of the park.

Best one-day hike in New Zealand

Second trail is probably the most popular one in the whole New Zealand. Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a route running for almost 20 km across the northern parts of the National Park. We chose to hike it, because we were lured by the colourful view that we found on every postcard – the Emerald Lakes. The trail connencts 2 parking lots: Mangatepopo & Ketetahi. First is located on the higher elevation, so more people choose to start there. You can park at the end in the morning and buy a bus transfer to the trail head or look for the transport after finishing the hike. Better to book ahead, but you might end up waiting for it or rushing to finish on time. Your call. 30 NZD pp. We do not like being told what to do and where to go. Therefore, we figured out that we will hike the Red Creater and the Emerald Lakes and than decide if we want to finish and look for the ride or to come back the same way to our car at Mangatepopo lot.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

We checked the latest volcanoe activity at the visitor center. You never know where the next eruption is due. We wanted to start the crossing early in the morning as there was almost 20km of walking ahead of us. We started at Mangatepopo Lot (1100 m). The problem was that everyone had the same idea and, in additon, the buses were scheduled to arrive at 7am. We were walking in endless queue of people. Felt almost like London Underground. This is not how we pictured the trail in our heads

3…2….1…Go!

We are marching in a tight cordon in the  morning mist. The crowd is impossible to avoid. After a while, we made it to the stream and small waterfall at Soda Springs. From now on the ascent to Southern Creater (1600m) starts and than the Red Creater (1886m). The trail becomes more challenging and we quickly pass the “conquerors” in sneakers who rushed in race tempo at the start. The sky is clearing up and we can see the Ngauruhoe volcanoe in its full glory. It is so simetrical that it resembles a pyramid. This peak was used as the “Mount Doom” in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Southern Creater

We got company

Ngauruhoe Volcanoe

Hikking is awsome

The Red Creater

On the top of the creater, we could bearly see the tip of our own noses due to the heavy fog. There was a cloud sitting on the top of the volcanoe and it seemed that it is not going anywhere. Luckly we did not miss the trail as it was leading right next to the edge of the creater. That would be a long way down!

The trail leads on and it changes to gravel slope. It is very slippery on the descent and we felt that it might be quite dangerous. The cold wind was blowing and it chased the clouds away. We could see the Emerald Lakes and their fantastic colours right before us. The more the sun shinned through clouds the greener the lakes bacame. It was the most amazing spot on the entire crossing. The water contrasts with black and red rocks of the surrounding. Here and there you can see some steam coming out from between the rocks. It is an active volcanoe, after all!

Low clouds all around

It is clearing up!

Sunny Emerald Lakes

A whole new day

We had a short picnic at the lakes. Eventually we headed to the Blue Lake. As we walked there we looked back and we could finally see the Red Creater. It looked incredible. Almost lika the Gate to Hell. We decided to turn around and go back to our starting point the same way.

Best decision

It turned out to be the best decision! Around 3pm there was bearly anyone on the trail. The clouds were chased away and the sun was shinning. We had the volcanoes exclusively to ourselves. Amazing! We could see the abyss inside the Red Creater as the view was no longer blocked by the fog. It was just the two of us walking down the South Creater. Way better experience than the morning crowds. It might be a good idea to start Tongariro Alpine Crossing a bit later after all. Our walk was a bit longer – over 25km but it was so worth it!

MT Doom

Almost there!

Tongariro National Park

Volcanic landscape

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

In addition, you can extend you walk and hike the summits of Tongariro 1967 m, or  Mt Ngauruhoe 2287 m. The second peak is far more challenging as it has a very steep and gravel ascent. We had enough of this after hikking the Red Creater twice.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing was truly a great hike and we recommend it to every traveler heading to the New Zealand! Just be mindful of the changing weather condintions and be prepared for slippery surfaces. Have fun!

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Dolomites

Milions of tourists visit Italy each year. It seems that they are interested mostly in cultural and historical herritage. Qeues in Vatican go for kilomiters and ancient Forum Romanum is incredibly crowded. In some cities like Pisa or Venice you can hardly pass down the street because of the amount of people  around. Bus sightseeing tours go from one city to another to quickly check as many attractions as possible and fill up the initiary to the limits. Are Dolomites among them?

We love to escape crowded cities and we adore nature. We feel great among green hills and rocky peaks, far from anything. We even used to live on the desert. Mountains give us a sense of freedom. Vast open spaces and picturesque landscapes fuel our souls.

In sunny Italy, you can find a lot of places of natural beauty. When you plan your visit, you should think about it and do not limit your initiary to the most visited places. Dolomites are one of the most stunning and georgous montains that we have seen. 3-hour drive from the airport in Venice or Milan and you are there! Our inner travel and explorer could not wait to venture forth on one of the amazing trails in southern Alps.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo – Three Peaks

There are some peaks that inspire thousands of mountaineers. Their majestic, raw beauty is a magnet for explorers. Sometimes, it is even hard to look away. First peak like that, which we felt in love with was Half Dome in Yosemite, California. We hiked it back in 2011. We are not the only ones to be amazed by it. You can find a shape of Half Dome in famous outdoor company logo –  The North Face. Another peak that we loved was Matterhorn, but we were still thinking about famous Dolomites and it’s Three Peaks – Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Finally we managed to get there and witness its beauty.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

How to get there?

We flew to Venice Treviso from Poland and we rented a car at the airport. As soon as you leave the city, you can see the Dolomites towering on the horizon. After 3-hour drive, we made it to Misurina. The circuit trail that goes around Tre Cime starts at a mountain shelter – Rifugio Auronzo. To get there, you need to pass the toll road or hike from the village. We were a bit pressured by time so we chose to pay 25€.

road to Misurina

Four shelters and three storms

Rifugio Auronzo

The trail around  Tre Cime is 9,5km long.. You can finish it in around 4h without stops and the total elavation difference is 400m. The Auronzo shelter is a start point and the first bit of the path runs flat. You can marvel at the alpine meadows and valleys. Flowers and rock walls are simply stunning. We met pretty much all kind of people on the trail: families with childrens, photographers from around the globe, alpinists with some serious equippment heading for “via ferrata”.

On our way

Tre Crime Circuit

Alpine flora

Rifugio Auronzo

Rifugio Lavaredo

Second shelter on the route is Rifugio Lavaredo. We walked pass a shrine on the edge of the cliff and we could already see the Lavaredo hutt. The weather was quite changeable. Down at the airport next to Venice, it was 33 degrees, up here in the mountains it was barely 17. As we learned in Norway: “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing”, so we came well prepared. As we passed the shelter, a short ascent started. We made it quicly to the top and could already see the famous face of Tre Cime di Laverado. We could see more and more with every step we took. We spent a while enjoying the views but dark clouds started gathering, so we rushed to the next shelter.

Spectacular dolomites

Break time

Tre Cime di LAvaredo

Hiking Tre Cime

A view of the shelter

Rifugio

First view of famous rock faces

Rifugio Locatelli

From Rifugio Locatelli one can admire the beauty of Three Peaks from the most famous angle. We made it to shelter just as the storm began. Thunders were roaring in the valley and we could bearly see the mountains. After 10 minutes the sun was back. We went out to enjoy the views and snap some pictures. It is an incredible spot for coffee, too. According to the Mike it was the best spot on the hike. Clouds were speeding across the see and it did not take long for a second storm to start. We luckily bearly moved as we were busy taking pictures, so we managed to hide again in the Rifugio Loctelli.

Storm is comming

Great trail

admiration

Enjoying the walk

Tre Crime di Lavaredo

Tre Crime di Lavaredo

That's the spot!

Hikers!

Coffee with the view!

Alpine flowers

Lange Alm

Next part of the trail took us very close to Tre Cime. We had to look almost straight up to see the tops of the peaks. We came across a little pond and the rocky summits were towering in the background. The view was absolutly mesmerizing and according to Wiola that was the best spot during the entire hike. It reflects the natural beauty that made dolomites world famous.

Next we walked pass the last shelter on the trail –  Lange Alm. As we were approching the parking lot and Rifugio Auronzo, another storm started. Last 20 minutes we walked in rain and strong wind. We were walking as fast as possible to the rythm made by the bells hanging on the cows’ necks. They were gathering on the trail in big herds to keep themselves warm. Fortunatelly, it was not far to the parking lot and our tiny but warm car…

Last part of the circuit

Tre Cime

Snack break

Winding mountain path

Amazing views

Stunning pond

Joyful hike

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Half Dome

Ever since we saw Half Dome for the first time, we knew we would do anything to try to reach its top!

A steep, almost vertical wall of Half Dome seems unreachable!! The Half Dome top (2693 meters above sea level) remained unavailable for people until 70s of XIX. Today, the 13-km long trail is well-maintained and can be hiked by any average fitness level mountain-lover.

Half Dome and we are about to hike it!

Before you reach the summit…

If you want to reach the Half Dome top, you need to climb the cables. To do so, you should obtain a permit from the National Park Service. Due to safety reasons, there is a limited number of people that can reach the summit per day, and it’s only 400 people. The conditions are difficult and there have been people who died while climbing the cables that’s why it’s very important to be careful and hike in good weather conditions, only! You can apply for the permin on-line on a Yosemite’s Park website a long time in advance, or try your luck and get a permit early in the morning, the day before. There’s a small number of permits available on last notice, as well. You may get a fine if you try to hike without approval.

Half Dome cables

Half Dome cables

We made it, last part of the hike

We started the hike at midnight…

We started the hike around midnight in order to reach the Half Dome top to admire the sunrise. The trail goes up and up, sometimes very steep, and sometimes just through the forest. Since we hiked at night, we couldn’t see the Valley and the beauty of the park on our way up. We only could hear the sound of the water, stream and waterfalls around. Once we got closer to the summit, the trail became much more difficult and steep. We could only imagine by listenig to the wind how high we actually are. Before we reached the cables, we climbed the stairs for about 2 hours and that part of the hike was quite demanding! After that, we “only” had to climb the cables. Before you start your last ascent, you can “borrow” the gloves that lie just at the beginning of the cable-trail. It’s a very good idea to use them as you hold yourself very tight to the lines while slowly moving towards the top. To be honest, it is a scary part. We did it in a team and we all had the same impressions. It was well worth it, though!

The California’s sky is amazing, especially in August. We could see the meteor’s shower going crazy while we were climbing the Half Dome. We had to pay attention to the cables but the whole scenery was just breathtaking!

Take some warm clothes to wear once you reach the summit. It’s very windy and you’ll be wet after the intensive hike! The whole way up took us around 6 hours. We made it in time to see the spectacular sunrise. We could finally see the awe-inspiring, extraordinary Valley that surrounds you from every angle. You can take some incredible photos while sitting on the edge with toes hanging just above the abyss. No worries, it’s pretty solid, and a picture on a top is a must for everyone who conquered this majestic rock formation!

Half Dome sunrise

Descent

Sadly, it’s time to start our way down. First, you need to make it to the bottom of the cables. Then, it’s getting a bit easier yet it’s steep almost all the way down. Now we can truly admire the beauty around us. Waterfalls, rainbows, mist in the air with the sunshine. Something we will never forget! The last part of the hike down it called the “Mist Trail. You continue your walk along the river and there are 2 stunning waterfalls to enjoy: Nevada and Vernal. Wonderful!

To sum up, it’s the adventure of a life time to hike Half Dome and the beauty of Yosemite is one of the finnest on the planet!

On the top

Proud to be on the top of Half Dome

This photo is a must while on the top

Overlooking the valley

Vernal Fall

Mist trail

Nevada Fall, Yosemite

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