Patagonia Flora
The Flowers of Torres Del Paine National Park
The Patagonia flora is not the first thing you’ll notice during a visit to Torres Del Paine National Park, the centerpiece of Chile’s burgeoning ecotourism industry.
Located 70 miles north of the nearest town, Puerto Natales, this is a land primarily known for its larger-than-life natural attractions: Big blue skies, expansive fields of grass and common sorrel, glaciers that stretch as far as the eye can see, megafauna such as guanacos and Andean condors, and of course the majestic mountain peaks of the Paine massif itself.
With so much “WOW!”-worthy eye candy vying for your attention, you’ll be forgiven if it takes you a while to look down and notice the magical minutiae of the miniature forest at your feet. When we visited Chile last November, it was spring in the Southern Hemisphere, with flowers of myriad shapes and colors miraculously working their way through the arid soil of this harsh climate, where winds frequently whip at speeds of up to 80 mph.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that the flora of Patagonia tends to be diminutive: Most of the flowers pictured below were smaller than your thumbnail. But what they lack in size they more than make up for in color and complexity, from the yellow and white “tongues” of the Porcelain Orchid to the red and yellow fireworks explosion of the tiny Blanquita. Is it any wonder we spent half our hikes down on our knees getting these Macro shots? –Bret Love; photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett
Our trip to Patagonia was sponsored by Adventure Life, a company of travelers with a passion for sharing the world with others. Visit their website to learn more about their Patagonia Tours.
If you enjoyed out Patagonia Flora Photo Gallery, you might also like:
CHILE- The Road To Torres Del Paine
CHILE- Torres del Paine’s Grey Glacier
