Crossing Borders

If you ever cross from Chile to Argentina while staying in Torres del Paine, I can tell you what to expect. We had an early morning breakfast and took all of our things to the van. We said our farewells to our friends and guides we met. We headed to Cerro Castillo, about an hour away from EcoCamp. We shopped for a few minutes at the souvenir shop while we waited for the bus. Our guide helped us get our ticket to the bus, as well as loaded our luggage into the bus, and from then on, we were on our own. The bus driver directed us to the first check point leaving Chile. We waited at least 30-45 minutes in line for the Chilean border to check our passports. Adventure Life advises that you not bring any food across the border, but there wasn't even a time that they asked us about the food we had. At EcoCamp, they only recommended you not bring any fresh fruits across the border. After they checked our passports, we headed back to the bus. The bus was really comfortable, with big seats and a bathroom at the back. About 20 minutes down a bumpy road, we arrive to the Argentina border crossing. We all file out again and wait in line to once again show the Argentina border our passports. We loaded back on the bus and made our way to El Calafate. They made it easy, and we didn't need an interpreter with us, but it was quite a process. Sometimes it's helpful to know what to expect! So, there you have it.