Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes

Average customer rating:

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes
Lonely Planet Rocks
amazing hikes, erroneous details
An Unparallelled Resource
Well-done work

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes
Clem Lindenmayer , and Nick Tapp
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 186450059X

Customer Reviews:

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes.......2007-01-16

For the last year I've been planning a trip to Chile and Patagonia. This book has helped me plan and organize and decide which areas I want to see. This book has been full of helpful information about all the different treks in this region, the difficulty rating, miles, average days specific trails will take, and great maps. Not only does the book give great info about specific treks, it also gives really great information for newer backpackers, such as a checklist of what you should bring on the trek, what kind of food to bring, how to use a compass, first aid info, etc. (Though you should know these things before you trek around Patagonia.) I give this book 5 stars.

Lonely Planet Rocks.......2007-01-09

I am an avid traveler, hiker and explorer and have found the Lonely Planet guides to be the absolute BEST if your intention is to explore the "ins and outs" of a country without the services of an in-country guide or tour service. They are a valuable tool for the experienced treeker/hiker/tramper and also a great resource for the urban adventurer. Lonely planet pulls their data from a variety of folks- including locals, recent transplants and adventurers- who provide extremely relevant input for the books. I always find their rating of lodging and food accurate~~ low budget is truly low budget and their recommended picks are always clean, comfortable and well situated. I also find their description and maps of hiking/trekking/tramping routes very accurate, although I would still recommend using up-to-date topo maps, GPS or hiring a local certified guide if you are exploring off-piste, mountainous or rugged regions anywhere. There is no replacement for experience and sound judgment in the backcountry. This particular guide book is wonderfully laid out and their advice is keen. Unless you have a solid 3 months of time to adventure in more than one of the regions it is best to pick an area (like the Lakes District) and focus your time in one place. Obviously the Torres Del Paine or Fitz Roy regions see a lot of traffic but the other areas are absolutely fabulous, as well. While other guide books may cater to the "guided tour crowd", I find Lonely Planet caters more to the independent intrepid traveler. Two Thumbs Up. Enjoy your exploring....

amazing hikes, erroneous details.......2004-07-28

This book is a perfect introduction to the wealth of hiking possibilities in patagonia - many of them are still significantly under-used and of equal calibre to the more famous routes. The general information sections are quite good, and give a good feel for what conditions are like both trekking and travelling in general; a good purchase for planning your trip. Where the book falls down is on the actual trekking notes, which are consistently inaccurate, obscenely outdated and sometimes quite misleading (see other reviews). On this front, Cerro Electrico is not safe - however Cerro Electrico Oeste is safely climbable without mountaineering equipment (although crampons are a nice idea) and gives mind-blowing views of the rear of Fitzroy - I think this might be what the author actually had in mind.

The best use of this book is as an introduction/inspiration, then get hold of decent military maps (plentiful in santiago and buenos aires) and local advice (abundant) and go from there. Given that many of the treks require some degree of independence and judgement (especially in snow-bound regions), pretty much any information should be taken with a grain of salt and certainly should be double-checked independantly or at worst against common sense. It is a pity no better alternative exists, but the general information is good and if prepared, leave the fun of route-finding up to yourself.

An Unparallelled Resource.......2004-01-14

Like all Lonely Planet guides, Trekking in Patagonia is very much geared to independent trekkers. Considering how huge Patagonia is, the book covers it pretty thoroughly with a wide range of suggestions, from easy short walks right up to a few week-long ones. The text is strong on practical information like local transportation and accommodation and supplies wide coverage to flora and fauna, which is a real bonus.
Patagonia's five regions are arranged in chapters that go from north to south which the way most foreigners seem to travel. The information is set out very logically, with tables of routes and a small info box at the start of each walk so you know what to expect. I liked the book's simple but correct contoured maps that are given for every trek. Some walkers I met wanted the book to have more day walks but that's a matter of personal preference. I got alot out of my 5 weeks in Patagonia, thanks greatly to this book. Unless you're a complete jerker, you're not going to get lost with this! A warning though, sometimes it's hard slogging that may not suit pampered English hill-walkers.
This book is a veritable encyclopaedia that I found a real companion on the trails constantly taking it out for quick reference. It is indeed an unparallelled resource for trekking in Patagonia, so I'm awarding it 5 stars!

Well-done work.......2003-12-27

I am using the latest (thid ed.) on my second trip to South America. It an indispensable resource with very accurate text and maps which are quite accurate to use even if you you don't have a topo (yeah I know, but maps are not always easy to buy here). The routes carefuly prepared...this new edition has a whole lot of new trails. I'm also finding it up to date. One thing is maybe that the authors could have given better coverage to some areas such as the Pumalin. But this is more than enough material to spend a couple of summers down here anyhow, even if you just go for it! I definitely feel anyone that wants to trek in this region will be sorry if you don't have this book. Enjoy! Feel free to contact me privately for any info.
Ryan

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