Talca and Altos de Lircay National Reserve

Before heading back to reality, we decided we needed one more outdoor experience. We bussed north from Villarrica to Talca, which is located about 3 hours south of Santiago. Following a Lonely Planet recommendation we decided to stay at the highly recommended Casa Chueca, located on the outskirts of town. Casa Chueca is known as a destination in its own right, and the reasons for this became clear upon arrival. Beautiful gardens, quaint and tastefully constructed rooms and dorms, and an idyllic swimming pool give the impression of a club med stay rather than a $16 a night hostel, not to mention their excellent all you can eat vegetarian dinners and fancy wine selection. We enjoyed out first night there hanging out with fellow travelers Catherine and Thomas from Germany, swimming and chit-chatting.

"Tumi," our dorm room at the hostel... named after a type of ceremonial Peruvian knife which seen to the left of the doorway!


The swimming pool!


Hammocks, beautiful gardens and a pool, what more could you ask for?

After a day of preparation, we headed east towards the little town of Vilches, on the edge of the Altos de Lircay National Reserve. We had been forewarned about the dust that we would encounter both on the bus ride and the trail, but couldn’t of imagined the extent. It was so bad that the windows had to be kept closed the entire 2 ½ hours. We stepped off the bus into ankle-deep dust like cocoa powder, except not quite as sweet. We took a wrong turn down a steep path, (sorry, Jack!) then had to backtrack for 45 minutes, finally arriving at our first campsite 3 hours later.

Not sure how we missed this giant sign the first time we walked by!


We were told that this tree has been dead for over 10 yrs. Can you see the crescent moon in the background?


It was a tough hike and the campground definitely left something to be desired, used toilet paper everywhere, yellow jackets and horseflies, cows (one came and drooled on Jack's backpack!) and, yes, more dust. After a nice long lap in the protection and comfort of our tent (thanks mom and dad!) we headed off to see the mirador (viewpoint), not really knowing what we would see. It was beautiful! The viewpoint overlooks the scenic Valle Venado and the river that winds its way through the bottom, as well as several massive Andes volcanoes in the background. As we were enjoying the view, a pair of huasos (Chilean cowboys) came zigzagging up the steep, gravel trail. Very cool and worth the efforts.

Jo at the top of the world! Overlooking Valle Venado.





Now that's a vista! The Valle Venado Mirador.

After a good night's sleep we hiked the grueling 1,200 meter trail to the famed Enladrillado (brickwork or paved with brick), which is a flat plateau covered in patches of lava rock that look like huge, you guessed it, bricks. This was caused by lava flowing over a glacier and is also a famous site for UFO sightings. We thought the first vista was incredible, but this one took our breath away.

That 1 hour was a doozy! Check out the rock "el conojito " in the background.


Jo posing at the Enladrillado, which is famous for UFO sightings - 2,700 meters


Jack at the Enladrillado with Volcano Descabezado Grande in the background.


The moonscape on the way out of the plateau near the Enladrillado

After a break, we continued on to the Laguna Alto where we set up camp and took a refreshing swim in the icy cold waters. It felt great to get rid of the layers of dust that had accumulated on the trail. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the alpine valleys surrounding the lake and we even hiked all the way around the lake, which was a fun adventure. That night we had the lake all to ourselves and the next morning awoke as the sun spilled over the mountains, bathing the lake in crimson light.

Our first look at the Laguna Alto


The laguna with the Volcano in the background.


The hike out was nothing short of pure hell, we descended something like 2,000 meters at full throttle trying to catch the early bus out of the park. The park ranger told us it would take about 1 1/2 hours to get out of the park when in fact it took 3 full hours. However we were able to catch a 12 pm bus and it all worked out in the end.

That night we returned to the Casa Chueca and enjoyed a swim, good conversation with fellow travelers, and yet another excellent vegetarian dinner. The following day we hung around the pool some more, read and enjoyed watching the owner Franz giving lama rides. On the grounds they have lamas, chickens, and even donkeys!



This is what happens when you descend 4,000 feet with a 40 pound bag in less than 3 hours. It should have come as no surprise when Jack woke up with this frightening-looking burst blood vessel in his left eye.