Tag: adventure

Mirador Cuentos – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O Part 5

One of the things that they do not show you in the pictures of Torres del Paine is the weather. Well, they do show you the weather, but only one those days when it is perfect. The sun is shining. There is a slight breeze. People might even be walking around wearing shorts. This is the ideal, and I get why they show these pictures. This is the best way to sell a vacation to this part of the world. The reality of the situation is that Torres del Paine is on the tip of South America where the weather is unpredictable and though those beautiful days do exist, there are just as many rainy, cold, and windy days, even in the middle of the summer, so the hikes do not always go as planned.

We had this problem with one of the hikes that we had planned to go on to, Mirador Cuernos. This is a very popular hike with the tour groups. It starts off at a cafateria just a little down the road from the Hotel Pehoe, and after a leisurley twenty minute stroll it takes people to a big waterfall that many people stop at to take pictures and watch large portions of water dive over a cliff. But if you take this hike another three kilometers away, the crowds start to die down, and you are rewarded with some of the more impressive views of the mountains in the area. This is the reason to come out and take this hike.

The hike basically follows the lake that feeds into the waterfall that most of the people stop at. It is on a well-groomed path that is wide and basically flat. There are a couple of rises on it, but it is nothing to strenuous and most people should be able to complete the hike without any problem. In fact, I saw many people on the hike that did not even bother to bring water or any additional equipment with them, and treated the hike as a lovely Sunday stroll. But do not be deceived; that could be the worst thing that you do if you take this hike.

Like I said earlier, the weather in Torres del Paine is unpredictable. A beautiful sunny day that you see in most of the pictures of the area can turn on you really quick, and you might find yourself out in the middle of nowhere as a storm blows in over the mountains. And let me tell you that when I storm blows in, it is not at all a pleasant experience. The winds out there can be extreme. We experienced one such day where we struggled to walk and after certain gusts, even continue to stand. Even though, the path is flat and wide, the weather can add a new diificulty to the hike. There are even times when they will shut down the path if the winds are too strong which happened to us the first time we attempted to make this hike.

Still, we did not let this deter us, and we came back another day when the weather was perfect. It wasn’t shorts weather, but it was just crisp enough to make for the perfect conditions to make a hike. We packed layers just in case the weather changed on us, and we brought a small lunch to enjoy at the beach we came across on the shore of the lake. And when we finally made it to the viewpoint, it was worth the wait. The views were stunning, and the sun shining on the peaks made for the perfect conditions to take pictures. It was a great hike to take that gets you close to the same places on the W loop and it only takes a couple hours to do, easily worth the time for those that are not doing the bigger loops.

Thank you for following me on this exploration of places to go in Torres del Paine besides the W and O loops, and I hope it gives you some ideas for your trip out to this area.

A Stroll Along the Boardwalk – Torres del Paine – Without the W or the O Part 3

We had an hour to kill in the afternoon and the weather was beautiful so we decided to take a leisurely stroll down the road to the Explora Hotel where we heard that there was an easy boardwalk stroll to see a waterfall next to the hotel. What we did not realize was that the boardwalk was actually a maze of paths set up by the hotel that did not always go directly to the viewpoint of the waterfall. In fact, what we thought would be a twenty minute stroll to see a waterfall turned into an hour and half of wandering over old wooden paths, always hearing the waterfall, but taking a long time to finally get to the spot that we had heard about.

We traveled from Campground Pehoe by turning right out of the parking lot from the restaurant and walking fifteen minutes to the Explora Hotel. The boardwalk was hard to miss when looking from the right side of the road, but this was the back part of the boardwalk, and we made a few mistakes from this point. When wer got to our first four-way intersection on the boardwalk, we thought taking a right would be the logical choice because this led to the lake and we could hear the waterfall coming from this direction. But this was incorrect. This took down to a dock where a large boat was parked, and we could see the rapids that were formed at the top of the waterfall, but could not see the waterfall itself. It was still okay because we had some beautiful views of the mountains in the distance and the whole lake, but we knew there was a better view, and we just needed to find it. 

We backtracked and took the left turn this time because if we had gone straight from our original position, this would have taken us to the hotel. This part of the boardwalk seemed promising even though it was taking us down to the hotel’s spa. Still, there was another fork in the boardwalk that went right and took us down by the lake on the other side of the hotel. This followed the shore of the lake and its calm demeanor. We were able to get nice views from here as well, and there were even a couple of ducks sitting on the side of the lake that were there to greet us. Just to warn you, the boardwalk was at its most dangerous here with many of the board rotted and ready to break at any moment, but we took it slowly and were able to get to the other side without any problem.

This is where we were rewarded with the waterfall. We had to climb up a series of rickety wooden stairs to get to it, but once again we took it slowly and we made it up without a problem. Lo and behold, there was a waterfall there. It was a great spot to get some great photos and we were still able to talk over the roar. Even though it turned into a much longer hike than we were anticipating, it still made for a fun outing, and we were able to find some other nice viewpoints along the way.

Going back we found the last of the boardwalks that took us straight to the hotel’s parking lot. It took us a lot longer than we expected but eventually we found the path that we were originally supposed to take to make this a twenty minute stroll instead of the afternoon adventure that we had. Still, I am glad that we did it the way that we did because I think we got more out of the experience. It is a great way to spend some time if you have a lovely afternoon and you really do not have anything better to do.

Campground Pehoe – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O Part 2

When hiking the W loop or the O loop in Torres del Paine in Chilean part of Patagonia, one of the benefits of it is having a place to stay each night while out there. Anybody who has looked into staying out in this national park has discovered that the price of lodging is through the roof. Some people find it so expensive that they decide to do day trips from Puerto Natalis instead, but doing that means that you are missing half of the fun that can be found in this park. I have enjoyed staying in the park, but I will admit that it was expensive to do so, but I did not go for the hotel option. Instead, we stayed at the Campground Pehoe. It is situated in between to of the bigger hotels in the park, and it is considerably more affordable than the hotels.

Now keep in mind that affordablity is a relative term. Campground Pehoe is easily the most expensive campground that I have ever stayed at, and the benefits to staying at this place do not necessarily match with some less expensive campgrounds I have stayed at around the world. We stayed in one of the canvas domes that are on the edge of the campground. They do offer some amazing views of the mountains over the lake, and we did not have to set up camp, but we were still paying over $130 a night in U.S. currency. This did not come with any great ammenities such as electricity or heat. It was a basic room with a couple pieces of furniture, a bed, and a hardwood floor. It stayed cool during the day, but I could see if the sun came out that the tent would get extremely hot. Fortunately, we were in Patagonia where the weather rarely gets that hot, so it always stayed at a comfortable temperature.

There is a shared restroom not too far away which is great during the daylight hours, but makes for a cool, slow trek at night, especially if the moon is not creating enough light. On the other hand, at night when it is clear, you can see a vast network of stars because you are far enough away from any light pollution to destroy this spectacle for you. There is also a restaurant close by that also acts as a cafateria. It does not have a lot of amenities that you can use, but it does supply hot water in the morning for coffee, and a place to sit during down time or while rain comes blowing in. In other words, even the best of spots in this place offer to simplest of features for you to enjoy your time there.

They do have camp shelters as well. There are plenty of these around, and they still cost more than you would find at a typical campsight in other parts of the world. They do offer you a shelter though for you to set up your tent and to protect you from the wind and rain that come intermittently in this campground. The problem comes with the fact that you need to bring all of your camping gear with you. If you are able to do that this is a bargain, but if not, you can still rent all of the equipment from the campsight, but when you add up all of the costs, it ends up costing almost the same as renting a dome, and then you have to spend a lot of time setting it all up.

They do have a restaurant there where they cook everything over a grill heated up by throwing big logs on to a fire. The selection is not amazing, but after a long day of hiking and exploring the park, the choice between a huge steak or a hunk of grilled salmon is the only thing you really need to think about. The food portions are huge, and they are not fancy, but they are prepared well. I was never disappointed in the food, and when I wanted a snack, they had a selection of quick grocery store bites that could satisfy that hunger during the day. They also had hot water in the morning and throughout the day, so if you were looking for a cup of coffee in the morning, or a cup of instant soup in the afternoon, it was really easy to make. They do turn off the water for dinner which we found out the hard way, but if you plan ahead, it is not a problem.

Overall, it is a great place to stay despite the price. It keeps you warm and dry during the crazy changes in the weather that can be found at Torres del Paine, and when it is gorgeous outside, the campgrounds might have some of the best views in the park. It is the perfect place for those who are looking to spend time in the park but have more of a budget. It isn’t perfect, and if you go in thinking that it is a couple of nights camping, you will be happy with what you get out of it.

Mirador Condor – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O Part 1

It is a badge among many hikers to travel all the way down to the southern tip of South America and do the five or six day hikes that are a part of the W loop or O loop in Torres del Paine. Not to take away from the people that are able to accomplish these great feats, but there are many other ways, and many other hikes to take that are just as spectacular in this National Park of Chile. It also does not require you to book the hikes six months in advance to make sure that you have the limited spots that are available on these paths, and if you can find the trailheads, you are welcome to enjoy these hikes on your own time. This short series will explore some of the paths and other things available that I was able to take during my five night stay in the park, and it might help you plan your trip if you were not able to book the W or O loops.

The first one is one of the easiest to find, Mirador Condor. It is a forty-five minute hike out, and forty-five minutes back that takes you to the top of a ridge that will give you some of the more iconic views from the park. The path is groomed well, and for the most part is pretty easy to travel on. It is a little steep on the way up, and there are parts with loose soil that makes footing a little slippery, but if you take it slow on the way up, it is still not too difficult. I would recommend bringing hiking poles as well and this will help give you the balance that you need to reach the top.

The views are not the only reason to take this hike. Just as the name implies, this is also the scrounching grounds for condors, and if you are lucky, you can find them hunting for food. These birds are enormous, and watching their graceful dance as they float over the peaks was one of the highlights of this trip. They are not always out, but they usually hunt in the morning hours when it is not too windy, so if you plan your trip well, it will increase your chances to see them. I know that the picture I included does not make it look like they are that great, but it is hard to take a picture of one of these birds that does it justice. You just have to go out an visit to see how majestic these birds really are. Also, I am told that nine times out of ten when making the hike up to this peak, people will not see condors, so if you do see them, consider yourself extremely lucky.

Another reason that you might want to go earlier in the morning is because of the winds. On the way up, it was not very windy, and I even joked about some of the signs we ran into that warned about the high winds. Right when we summited, the winds came, and apparently heard me joking about them because they came in strong. They were not joking about the wind either. It blows so hard that it feels like it could easily sweep you off of the mountain, and there was a saddleback in between two peaks where the path takes you, and it is here where the wind was at its worst. We ended up walking directly into the wind on the way down in this part, and that might have been the most strenuous part of the whole hike.

The trail head is pretty easy to find. We left from Campground Pehoe. If you are leaving from the parking lot with the restaurant in it, it is to your left. We walked down that way, and we reached where the parking lot for the trailhead was in a couple of minutes. It was really easy to find, and there is even signs that point to where it starts. This is not the only way to the peak. There is another path on the other side of the mountain that you can find by traveling another kilometer and you will be able to find the parking lot right before the bridge that takes you to the hotel on the island in the middle of the lake. We did not take this path, but we talked to some people on top of the peak, and it sounds like it was just as difficult as the one that we took. Either way, you should be able to find your way up to this amazing viewpoint in the middle of Torres del Paine.

Cueva del Milodon Natural Monument – Patagonia, Chile

One of the biggest attractions in Patagonia is the national park, Torres del Paine, and you can find a stream of cars, campers, and tour buses taking the one road out of Puerto Natalis every day during the summer to bring various travelers to this spot to enjoy the scenery, take in the hikes, and snap a few pictures to bring back as momentoes. But there is a stop along the way that many people skip out on and they should take the time to explore this spot, Milodon Ceuvas. This is three natural caves that were formed when the sea levels had reached the lower shelves of the mountains, and dug away the sediment to create these caves.

There are many reasons to make this stop besides the caves. The first is a short hike about an hour long there and back that will take you to the top of a plateau that overlooks the whole valley all the way from Puerto Natalis to the start of Torres del Paine. It is a little bit of a rocky hike up to the top, but with some good hiking boots, and a bottle of water, most people can make it to the top without any trouble. I especially like the hike because when you get there and take a couple of pictures from the right angles, it looks like you accomplished a more difficult hike than you really did.

The other big attraction is the Devil’s Chair. It is a rock formation that sits right off the road and is the first impressive sight that you will see on your way to Torres del Paine. This can be easily reached by hiking along the valley for a kilometer from the visitor’s center, or for those that are not as adventerous, you can open the gate and drive your car down the dirt road to the rock and look at it. If there is one thing to skip on this trip, it is the hike out to the rock. It does not look as impressive up close as it does when you are further away, and there are plenty of views of it as you explore the rest of the area.

The thing to stop for is the caves. The one closest to the visitor’s center is the easiest to get to and has a paved path all of the way up there. The walkway has many signs along the way that talk about the formation of the caves, the various types of animals that used to live in the area over the centuries, and the how the first people in the area used to live. It is also the biggest of the caves, and it looks like most of the time people are allowed to walk all the way around the cave, but the back portion of the cave was closed while I was out there. It is also a very yound cave in terms of what features can be found there. There are only a few stalagtites being formed so far, but most of the ceiling and walls look as smooth as a new canvas waiting for the artist to deliver his paint.

The other two caves are similar and it takes a couple of kilometers to get out to the furthest one. The one in the middle is considered one of the most important finds in all of Patagonia as it had human remains in there that show that this was the oldest place of human habitation in all of the region. The caves are neat, but they do not take much time to explore so if you are not up for a good hike, then they might not be worth the effort. I enjoyed them a lot and would do the hike again, and it does not take more than a couple of hours to do the whole loop.

If you are taking that drive out to Torres del Paine, I would recommend making this stop along the way. It will whet you appetite for the exciting things you will see when you finally make it to the national park.

Kayaking to Moreno Glacier – El Calafate, Argentina


There are two big attractions outside of El Calafate, both of which are for the outdoor enthusiast. The bigger of the two, or the one that I am told is the most visited sight in Patagonia is the Moreno Glacier. There are many ways to experience this glacier. There are treks that will take you out on the ice. One is more of an adventure than the other one, so depending on your hiking level, you find the one more appropriate to you. There is also a ferry like ship that people can book passage on and it will give them a tour of the lake, getting close to the glacier so people can see it calf. Many people load up their cars and drive up to the main visitor center where there is a walkway that will take them to many great viewpoints where they can still hear the rumble of the ice as it falls into the water. And there is the option that we took which is to put on some wetsuits, grab a paddle, and push a kayak off from a sandy shore two kilometers from the base of the glacier.


Each one of these options allow you to explore the glacier in many different ways but they limit the amount of people that can experience any of the options except for the walkways by the visitor’s center. Because of these limitations, the excursions have a tendency to start to book up, so I would recommend to book them at least a month in advance, or if you are trying to play the weather game to look for a good day to enjoy the glacier, no later than a week earlier. If you do wait until later do understand that some options might not be available. This is what happened to us, and part of the reason that we ended up kayaking instead of doing one of the treks.

This is not to say that kayaking is a bad option. I love kayaking, and though it does not get you as close to the glaciers as the big boat will, it still gets you close, and the perspective you get from being low on the water makes the glacier look the most impressive. It towers over you and a couple of times, we actually felt the waves created by the glacier shedding a cathedral-sized hunk of ice from its edge. My issue was seeing the glacier this way was that I have visited a couple of glaciers by kayak, and I really want to try voyaging over one some time in my lifetime.

Still, the company, Patagonia Chic, we went with supplied us with the perfect day to go out and do this. It did require an early morning as they came by our hotel with a bus to take up into the national park. On the ride up, a guide talked to us about the area and some interesting facts about it. My favorite was where the name of the town, El Calafate comes from. There is a berry that grows on wild bushes in the area that is called calafate. It looks like a tiny blueberry, and people pick them to eat or turn into a jam that you can find all over the town.

After an hour and half ride, they dropped us off with the kayaking company. The company supplied us with wetsuits, kayaks, and two guides. There was a little talk about how to operate a kayak which is always nice to have, especially for those that have never kayaked before, and our guide was so good that he gave me a couple of pointers that I have never heard before making my kayaking experience even better.

We had a beautiful day to go out to see the glacier and explore some of the recently birthed icebergs. The weather was 21 degrees Celsius which I am told eight degrees warmer than the typical temperature during this time of the year. I am also told that they do still go out in adverse weather conditions, but they do go out with two expert guides to educate and help people guide themselves through choppy waters. The also have a Zodiac boat that follows a safe distance away so as to appear as if it is not there at all. This is mainly for those times when some capsizes their boat so they can pull them out of the chilly water as fast as they can. Not that we needed it, but it was nice to know that the company took safety very seriously.

The whole experience on the water lasts for about an hour and a half. Patagonia Chic gave us a couple more hours to enjoy ourselves at the visitor’s center. There is a cafeteria style restaurant for food if you are hungry but you can also bring your own food and enjoy it at one of the park benches close to the walkways. It also gives you plenty of time to explore all of the walkways at a leisurely pace allowing for more pictures of the glacier from many different angles. It makes for a long day, but one that you will not soon forget. I also like the many options that are available to explore the glacier. Though I did not stay out in El Calafate long enough to try another excursion, I now live close enough that I am now thinking about doing a different excursion if I ever find myself out in this area of the world again.

Until next time, I hope you are able to find those experiences that are amazing, no matter how you get to enjoy them.

Above the Canopy

There is an all-inclusive resort close called Inkaterra to Porto Maldonado, Peru in the Amazon rain forest where they have many different activities to keep the guests busy. Each day is supplied with various hikes, boat rides or excursions that will take you to various parts of the rain forest to explore. My favorite excursion so far has been the canopy hike. It allows for a view of the forest that is hard to come by. You are allowed to raise yourself above the lower levels and get to look at it the same way that the monkeys and birds that wander through the forest get to see it. 

It does take a little bit of a voyage to get to the towers that will take you above the canopy of the forest. The resort will load everybody on a boat and take them down the river to a short trail that will take you to the first tower. They will take you out there during the planned time whether it is sunny, rainy, or just murky out, so go out there making sure you are wearing the right clothes you will need to stay dry. I took the boat rise during a torrential downpour and was stuck in the front of the boat. Though I was wearing my best protective gear, I was still soaked to the bone by the time I arrived.

Still, being wet did not take away from the experience. I climbed up a tower built out of rust wood, a strong wood from the forest that looks like it is rotting away, but is actually super strong. The tower took us up forty meters to look down at the first canopy of the forest with six suspension bridges in-between the two towers that were connected to the bigger trees in the forest. The goal was to walk over the six bridges to get to the other side while looking down on the forest and hopefully catching sight of some of the birds and animals that live in this altitude of the trees. 

Because of the rain, we were not able to find any animals, but it had cleared off enough for us to enjoy the view. They would only let one person walk across the bridge at a time which was probably a good thing because even with one person, it was rather bouncy. It also caused us to take a good amount of time for the whole group to get from one side to the other, but once things got started on the bridges, it did not feel like the wait took too long between the bridges.

I would not claim that those who are afraid of heights would have a problem with this excursion, but I did go with a couple of people that are not big fans of heights, and they never felt as if their lives were in danger. The bridges are a little bouncy, but you feel secure as you cross over them, and there are places to hold on to allowing you to feel as if nothing really bad could happen as you cross over. When all was said and done, it was a lot of fun, and if the place allowed for it to happen, I would easily go out there to experience it again. Maybe the next time I would be dry and get to be able to see the animals come out of their hiding. Until then, I will just have to enjoy the next experience that life has planned for me.

Casa Bonita

I was watching an episode of South Park a few years ago with my wife. It was the episode where Cartman convinced Butters that he had travelled in time to a post-apocalyptic world just so he could take his spot to go to a birthday party at Casa Bonita. My wife could not believe how much I was laughing, and she could not understand what was so funny. I pointed at the screen, and told her that Casa Bonita was exactly like that. She looked at me and stated, “That place is real!”

Yes, Casa Bonita is a real place, and it holds a special place for many people who grew up in Denver. There have been many birthday parties that I went to at this place, and my memories of it are fond, even though the food was never any good. It had been a staple of Denver for many years, and the legend grew because of the South Park episode. Still, the old building started to fall apart, and fewer people came, and eventually they had to close down. It laid abandoned for many years.

This was until Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, saw an opportunity to refurbish the building, and return Casa Bonita back to its glory days. They came in and put back together the crumbling infrastructure of the building. They added a real kitchen that could actually cook more than two items. They hired a chef to make the food worth the visit. And they kept the magic that made Casa Bonita the place it was, it is, and as it should be.

They obviously kept the arcade that was a part of all childhood memories of any location that we went to while children. They kept a few of the games that we loved so much. I was able to find Centipede, Ms. Pac Man, and Galaga. They have also updated many of the games, and there are some more modern ones to appeal to the younger generation. And if you are into useless crap, you can still try your hand at Skeeball to get a bunch of tickets to buy that crap.

Of course, they could not get rid of Moco, the gorilla that walks around with its handler where you can your picture with it. It is odd to see when you first witness it walking around, but in a place as strange as Casa Bonita, it somehow seems to fit.

There are also many other forms of entertainment to keep you in the building and enjoying yourself. You can sit through one of the puppet shows where a talking taco will make you laugh with all the food pun jokes that it can come up with. If that is not your cup of tea, you can get your fortune read, watch an illusionists, or watch a mariachi band. It is all a little schticky but if you lean into the schtick, it makes it a lot of fun and you no longer notice the schtick.

And of course, they kept the thing that made Casa Bonita the legend that it is in Denver, the cliff divers. Of course they have not kept the original cliff divers, but the replacements they have found are still skilled in the abilities to dive and entertain. Parker and Stone have also made the diving safer for those entertaining the crowds. Rumor has it that the old place where the divers came out of the pool was the electrical room for the restaurant. The new place is free from accidents happening that would cause quite the stir in the newspapers if they happened.

Casa Bonita has returned back to its glory days, and has become a tourist destination in Denver. If you are thinking about going while visiting the city, keep in mind that at this time, it is hard to get a reservation. I had to get mine four months in advance, and it happened because the person that made the reservation had special status with the restaurant. It is a little pricey now, but it is a lot of fun and worth the visit. I’m just glad to know that the pink building in Lakewood is not sitting there empty, and laughter and joy still ring out from its halls. It might be another thirty years before I go back again, but I am glad that I was able to sneak in this one time while visiting home.

Thanks for reading.

Gergeti Trinity Church – Kazbegi, Georgia

The scenery might distract you, and it is easy to do because everywhere you look in the small mountain town of Kazbegi, Georgia is stunning. It sits next to the Terek River in the Caucasus Mountains about seven kilometers from the border of Russia, and it is easily one of the biggest draws for tourists in this country. Many of them will splurge a little extra money to spend a night or two at the Rooms Hotel, a converged day spa that has a great view over the valley. From there, if you look closely to the left of the tallest peak, on a smaller mountain in front of it, there sits on top of the peak a monastery, the Gergeti Trinity Church.

During the summer months, this monastery is one of the biggest attractions in the region. It is filled with visitors all the time, and offers many amazing views just like the hotel across the valley. There are two ways to get there. The way that most people take is the road on the side of the mountain that takes people to a parking lot just a short walk to the monastery. It is the easier choice, but the road is not always maintained and after a good rainstorm, it can be covered in run off. It is also on a series of switchbacks that take you up the mountain, and some Georgian drivers take the corners rather fast, but if you take your time, and slowly navigate through the debris, it is not that hard to get to.

The other way is to hike up the hill. The trailhead for the path is on the opposite side of the mountain from the parking lot, on the side facing the town. The road up to the trailhead is also difficult. It is really rugged and covered with many potholes, but the traffic on it is a lot less, and people generally take it slower. When heading to the mountain, you will cross a bridge over a river, and you would take your first left after it that will wind its way through a small part of town, and deposit you at a small cafe. Signs indicate that parking here is 5 Lori, but there was no one there, and no place to put the payment, so we got away without playing. The parking lot is also kind of small, so I would recommend getting there early to find a place. The path follows a stream on the left-hand side and goes by the ruins of an old tower on the right-hand side. It has many offshoots, but all of them tend to lead to the same place, Gergeti Trinity Church.

The path offers more amazing views then just driving up, and it is the one that I would recommend taking. It is not a hike for everybody though. There are many difficult and rocky parts to the path, so good hiking shoes are required, and I would also bring hiking poles to help you through some of the more treacherous moments. It does not require ropes, and most skilled hikers should not have a difficult time with it, but just know that it is not always a stroll. There are two basic paths on it, and I would aim for the upper path as the lower path just follows the stream. It looks easy to begin with, but once you get to the end, the path veers sharply up. It took me only an hour to complete the trek, and this was after a day of heavy rain, so there was a little more runoff than usual.

Either way, this is a must see if you are in Kazbegi. There will be tourists up there no matter when you head up, but if you take the trail earlier in the morning, you can have it to yourself and feel like the Caucasus Mountains are all your own. There is also the added pleasure of seeing horses grazing in the pasture, and having some of the most amazing views that the world has to offer. The monastery is really cool as well, holding some great iconic paintings that have recently been done and some that are frescos from centuries past that are worth seeing.

The best part is that you get the rest of the day to enjoy the views. Each day in Kazbegi offers something new with nature as the clouds come and go in this isolated valley. It creates some very dramatic moments that are worth sitting on a deck and watch unfold.

Until next time, get out there and continue to explore the world.