Nordenskjöld Lake and Lenga Forest Excursions

Our final day in Patagonia was spent on two horseback rides! First we went on a ride to Nordenskjold Lake, and then in the afternoon we went through the Legna Forest. After our hike the day before it was nice to get a break from walking, and still get to enjoy the scenery!

This was definitely the most beautiful place I had ever been on a horseback ride, I especially loved the view of the towers on our afternoon ride. After getting back to the ranch we grabbed some dinner and then headed to the spa for a massage. This was also New Year's Eve, so that night we attended the hotel's party before getting up early to head to the airport. Hopefully I will get to return to Patagonia someday and make the hike to the towers and the lake just below them! This was the one thing we missed out on that I really would have loved to have done, but we just didn't have the time (or the energy) by the end of this part of the trip. Thank you Hotel Las Torres for showing our family just how magical Patagonia can be! 

Arriving in Patagonia

After our first day in Santiago we boarded another flight South to Punta Arenas. While in Patagonia we stayed at Hotel Las Torres, a beautiful ranch right at the foot of the Torres del Paine. On our way to the hotel we had a chance to stop at the Estancia Cerro Negro (Black Hill Ranch), which is owned by the same family as Hotel Las Torres. There we experienced a traditional Patagonian lamb barbecue and learned about the farm. 

Before eating we received a tour of the farmhouse and learned about what life was like for the Kusanovic family (they moved to the region from Croatia). After our delicious meal and some time spent at the farm we were back on the road. A few hours later arrived at the park! Our driver was even kind enough to pull over several times for us to take photos of a beautiful blue lake and to observe a guanaco. The scenery was even more beautiful than I imagined, and I can't wait to share our three full days we spent in the park. Enjoy! 

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