Tortel - A place not far away from the End of the World

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After an unforgettable time by the lake, we were off to Tortel. I took off just before my comrades, and because the bike better handles the sometimes tough dirt roads I was sure to arrive ahead of them. So I thought at least. But we all know who wins the race...the turtle! 

Because of really cold and chilly winds I was often forced to stop, do some push-ups and warm up my frozen bones, and then keep going. At one point, I also had to re-tie my luggage as it had become loose, and maybe not surprisingly a yellow van appeared from around the corner. I obediently followed the turtle the last bit to El Tortel and enjoyed the dream-like landscape around us.  

When we started to approach Tortel, we drove through landscapes with impressive mountain ranges, lots of rivers and streams, and a very humid climate. Tortel lies by the calm water of a fjord-like basin, on the side of steep and green mountain sides. It is entirely navigated on boardwalks built around the village, thus inaccessible to vehicles. The town is very quiet, and renders an unmistakable end-of-the-world atmosphere.

I have looked at this place on a map many times, and wondered what it would be like to see it  with my very own eyes. This mythical vision sort of came true as I walked along the boardwalk, passing the old tree buildings, boats in questionable condition, and wooden objects simply left to decay. Furthermore, the climate was super humid with rain always in the air.

wonder when the boat was last used!

After we were satisfied and began to discuss the various accommodation options, we realized that a lot of people in Tortel were not very enthused about tourism, hence little regard of a hospital welcome and charged quite high prices. 

At the end, we actually settled for some soup and bread, underneath a roof (with two walled corners) by the main parking area, where we eventually laid out our sleeping bags and slept quite comfortably until the morning pedestrians started to disrupt the peace.

Although I think it was worth visiting this remote and mysterious town, I think it would have been a less of an enjoyable trip to come here alone. It is truly a unique an spectacular environment, but I really appreciated the company I was with. Maybe it was just due to the melancholy weather and the emptiness...

After breakfast, we headed back up north, and I on my own towards the Argentinian Patagonia to continue en route south!