July 6, 2018 | Leave a comment Circuito Los Cóndores. We would enter through Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay, and could complete a loop by crossing through Reserva Nacional Radal Siete Tazas. Alternatively, we could exit the trail via Parque Ingles and end at the turquoise, cascading Siete Tazas waterfalls. Fritz already had our food and campsites figured out. Despite all this, and being promised of breathtaking volcanic landscapes that would change drastically each day, “hesitant” doesn’t begin to describe how difficult I was being. Photo credit- Fritz When Fritz first told me the first stop on our Great Chilean Road Trip would be a trek lasting between five and eight days, I almost went right back to Argentina. I had spent the prior month based in the city of Bariloche, comfortably thriving as a couchsurfer. When I wasn’t doing a stunning day hike, I was eating kilos of gourmet ice cream and hopping among microbreweries. My feet needed to heal from Patagonian blisters. My thumb was cracked from hitchhiking in low temps. My right iliotibial ligament was crying. But I was being a baby. When you’re invited to join for a walk no one knows about, the only answer is yes. Chile’s Maule region is full of natural wonders and rarely touched by foreigners. Fritz and I were experienced with overnight hiking around the world, yet no life experience had ever been quite so remarkably remote. Sure, on Day Two we came across some gauchos with traditional fur leggings who insisted that we have some of their whisky, but for the following days there were zero signs of civilization. Really. No electric lights beyond our headlamps. No voices besides our own, not even a dog’s bark. With very little trail information in English on the internet, we had the entire route to ourselves and only got lost once. Getting There & Away Coming up from Patagonia, we drove Bob the Van along the Pan-American highway to the major city of Talca (excellent hot showers, decent wifi and fast food in Copec gas stations). To get to the trailhead, we continued for another 70 kilometers to the village of Vilches Alto, and parked for free at the entrance to Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay. For non-overlanders and for returning to Bob, a combination of public transport and hitchhiking can be utilized. We hitched from the Siete Taza waterfalls to the town of Molina and stayed a night there. The next morning we took one of many frequent colectivos to Talca for 2000CLP, and from Talca a colectivo to the town of San Clemente for 1000CLP. In San Clemente we hitchhiked all the way back to Bob at Vilches Alto. Alternatively, buses leave at midday and around 5pm from Talca directly to Vilches Alto. There is also a strict schedule for buses leaving from Parque Ingles back to civilization. Hitchhiking helped us stay flexible and return faster. A very, very rough depiction. 5-Day/4-Night Itinerary Total distance: 68 km, plus or minus depending on hitchhike luck and accessing Siete Taza waterfalls. Notes: Using maps.me our trails we used were labeled, in order, Sendero de Sillabur, Sendero de Chile, Circuito Cóndor, and Interparque. All water sources potable as far as we know. Day One Talca → Vilches Alto → Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay →Valle El Venado Should do Distance: 22 km Camp: Valle El Venado Notes: Register and pay at reserve entrance; running water and toilets at El Venado. Actually did Distance: 7 km Camp: Punto 6 Notes: Spent a while packing at entrance; ranger charged us student fares for entry; running water, toilet, cold shower, picnic table at Punto 6. Day Two Valle El Venado → Termas del Blanquillo Should do Distance: 11km Camp: Termas del Blanquillo (backcountry) Notes: River crossing; natural thermal pods at camp, each outlined by bright-green grass; warm enough to bathe in pods, but not to sit in for an hour; locked refugio just beyond Termas with space for a meal or a break. Actually did Distance: 22 km Camp: Random patch of volcanic pebbles short before river. Notes: Gauchos were nice and asked what the weather forecast was, let us refill water and stretch; edible blackberry bushes along trail. Day Three Termas del Blanquillo → Veguilla Las Yeguas Should do Distance:16 km Camp: Veguilla Las Yeguas (backcountry) Notes: River access at camp. Actually did Distance: 20 km Camp: Random patch in the middle of no where. Notes: Crumpled to floor when Fritz informed me we just hiked five kilometers in the wrong valley and completely off the trail, and should turn around, like, now. Photo credit- Fritz Day Four Veguilla Las Yeguas → El Bolsón Should do Distance: 8 km Camp: El Bolsón (refugio) Notes: Camp had no running water but access to river; cot, mirrors, unopened foods found in refugio. Actually did Distance: 18 km Camp: Random patch of dirt short before El Bolsón. Notes: Some “camps” in between did not have water nor sites after all; tuna burritos for Cinco de Mayo; occasional strong winds carried pebbles that smacked us; stunning sunset; lost trail and patience after sundown; stunning starry night. Day Five El Bolsón → Parque Ingles → Valle Las Catas (Siete Tazas) → Molina Should do Distance: 11 km Exit: Parque Ingles Notes: Checked for proof of payment at exit; after El Bolsón every kilometer had a marker, must hike or hitch to Siete Tazas and pay entrance for waterfalls; Unimarc supermarket in Molina. Actually did Distance: 13km Exit: Parque Ingles Notes: Great empanadas and best completos I’ve had with array of sauces at restaurant just outside of park and to the left; hitchhiked to Valle Las Catas for viewpoints and access to Siete Tazas waterfalls (cheaper than official Siete Tazas site). Longer Options If you want to stay on the trail and hike all the way to the origin, the last day is 22 kilometers and does not include Siete Tazas. Days can be added to visit other points of interest, including sulfurous hot springs and hiking up the Descabezado Grande volcano. Due to weather and a desire to move on to San Pedro de Atacama, we chose to hike for five days and suffice with views of the volcano from the main circuit. Photo credit- Fritz Packing List Tent with rain fly and tarp 0° down sleeping bag Sleeping pad Headlamp Trekking poles Phone with offline maps.me trailmap downloaded Official Condor Circuit map Windbreaker Down jacket Fleece layer Quick-dry long-sleeve Quick-dry tank top Leggings Thin waterproof pants Running shorts Underwear Buff Watch Compass Sunglasses Sunscreen Wetwipes Jetboiler Titanium spork Bowl Instant oats (powdered milk, dried fruit, chia) for five days Powdered milk for five days 10 tea packets Honey Cinnamon 3 packs of instant noodles 18 granola bars Roll of cookies 3 snickers bars More chocolate 2 cans of tuna Wraps 1 apple 5 instant soups Photo credit- Fritz Cost Calculator Altos de Lircay entrance: 5,000 CLP Camping in Altos de Lircay (first night): 3,000 CLP Radal Siete Tazas entrance: 5,000 CLP Camping in Radal Siete Tazas (last night): 3,000 CLP Valle Las Catas entrance (Siete Tazas waterfalls): 2,500 CLP Molina to Talca colectivo: 2,000 CLP Talca to San Clemente colectivo: 1,000 CLP Shower at Copec gas station: 800 CLP Total: 22,300 CLP Also In The Area Inverted Waterfall El Enladrillado Piedra de la Iglesia Maule Wine Route