Bajo Caracoles to Los Toldes: Patagonia national park

January 10, 2026

Hotel Bajo Caracoles with 1943 over the door and in 1975 the author of In Patagonia Bruce Chatwin held-up here for a few days, but at 07 in the morning there's nobody awake; so, I set off without the coffee I would've liked.

The Bajo, spanish for down or low place, in this case a low hollow. Well, in common like all of Patagonia, its a long way to the other side before the inevitable climb up the barrancas or hills; a lengthy climb, but with a moderate southwesterly breeze, there's a bit of wind assistants. Eventually levelling out upon a plain with another range of hills ahead which in due coarse means another climb.

Where the plain began to climb I stop, lean the Kona against a crashbarrier, boil water for mate and open a carton of cooked veg for breakfast. Afterwards the climb goes on over the shoulder of a hill to sharply decend into a valley with a strip of green through the middle indicating a significant river; whereupon, the road does a big diversion to the left along the valley then curving down to cross a bridge on the Ecker river and continuing to curve around to double back along the other side.

The river water would be ok for drinking without boiling if it weren't for cattle on the riverbank. Having returned back upon a northeasterly coarse, on the opposite side to where the road intially come down the hill, I remember the old 40 back in 2004 cut straight across the valley pass the yard gate of Estancia Casa de Piedra. The old bridge is still there and old gravel road is now the drive into the farm. At the time it had diversified into agri-tourism with horseback riding to visit Cuevas de Los Manos. But like many others in Patagonia without sheep it looks abandoned.

From the greenery of the riverbank to volcanic badlands on cresting the next rise with a curve to the left revealing the southwesterly wind is strengthening as I struggle leaning into a crosswind. A relief when the road curves back to the main northeast coarse with tailwind. All around are red, pink, light brown and grey hillocks. Further north I know the road will swing more to the northwest making reaching Perito Moreno today extremely difficuit with the wind. I pass a sign for excess to Patagonia national park in 5 kms; and seeing its 12.45, its a good place to turn off for a lunchbreak, not that there's anything to eat, but I'll make do with mate and a few biscuits.

At the park entrance building the ranger gives me hot water and I sit in a light glass fronted room in out of the wind. There is wifi and I check the Windy.com website and see it is calm tomorrow in the forenoon, so decide to remain here. It is 4 kms on a gravel road southeast where the campsite is a little way up from a hotel costing 20 USD but with circular windbreaks around each pitch a nice place and I go for a hike once camp is set up, involving a further few kilometres ride up a steep hill to the trailhead going to a high promontory with an alround panaramic view, plus a fun downhill ride on the way back.

This evening I've reserved dinner in the hotel which won't be cheap, but I'm so looking forward to it after 3 days of not much food. Tomorrow I will get away early and make the 60 kms to Perito Moreno by noon followed by 56 kms in the afternoon to Los Antiguos on the Chilean border.

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