Chile and Argentina (9) - W Trek day 6

Today is our last day in Torres del Paine National Park. We need to hike back to Paine Grande to take the 6:35 pm Catamaran, and then take the bus back to Puerto Natales. During our W Trek briefing, we were told "the Catamaran and the bus work together. The bus will not leave until the Catamaran arrives, even if the Catamaran is delayed". This is true from our experience.

1. A little beach near Grey Lodge.

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4. Some kayakers are ready to setoff.

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7. A lookout near Grey Lodge.

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10. Heading back to Paine Grande.

11. Lago Gray.

12. Lago Gray.

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15. Lago Pehoe.

16. Paine Grande Lodge and Campground.

17. Paine Grande Campground.

18. Lago Pehoe.

19. Paine Grande and Lago Pehoe.

20. Lago Pehoe.

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We got back at Paine Grande around 2:30 pm, had to wait 4+ hours for the 6:35 pm boat. People started to line up at the dock around 5:30 pm, so did we. It was cold and windy. I had to put all my warm clothes on to stand in the wind for over an hour.

The boat was late, we were lucky to get on it before it filled up. It took ~35 minutes to cross the lake. 4 buses (belong to different companies) were waiting at the other side. But since the boat and the buses work together, the buses won't leave until the boat has got everyone, so we had to sit on the bus for 1.5 hours for the boat to go back and get the rest of the people.

It was 8:50 pm when our bus finally left. It drove 30 minutes to the main park entrance where we entered the park 4 days ago to pick up more people if there is anyone waiting, then another 1.5 hours to Puerto Natales. By the time we got back to town, it was almost 11 pm. There was no taxi waiting at the bus station, we had to fight for every taxi coming into the station because there was no line, no rule, everyone for themselves. Many people gave up and started walking to their hotel, but we couldn't. Garden Domes is too far out of town to walk with our backpack, in the dark, with no sidewalks.

To make this experience even more frustrating we later learned:

• Paine Grande Lodge had radioed the boat company ahead of time, telling them there was a large crowd waiting for the boat, can you send an earlier boat? They didn't bother to respond.
• At least 2 out of the 4 buses (if not all 4 buses) were coming back to the same bus station. Why can't they coordinate with each other? Have one bus come back earlier, leaving the other bus waiting there for the rest of the people. This way not only we could get back 1.5 hours earlier, but also it would make it slightly easier trying to get a taxi.
• The London family tried to call Garden Domes multiple times, see if they could send a car to the bus station to pick us up, but they didn't bother to answer their phone.

(To be continued)