When packing for our trip to Patagonia last November, Walker hemmed and hawed about bringing a longer lens, which is admittedly heavy, but also is best for capturing fauna.
![20181126_070935-_Z7A2612 20181126_070935-_Z7A2612](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/6fb0cd5f646c2a39fc1aef8b3cee4064/20181126_070935-_Z7A2612-900x900.jpg)
Our first morning within the true confines of Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile made us all so glad he had, and even disputed with Aerolineas Argentinas to carry along. We left our lodge, Awasi, early and dark, and drove about an hour to where Diego, our fearless tracker of a guide, suspected Walker would find at last the animal he wanted to badly to see. But first, the peaceful early mornings with all the ducks of the land.
I cannot remember the names of each variety, but I remember this type was always in pairs, everywhere we saw them, even in flight, or landing from flight.
Diego stopped every while to scan the horizon with his binoculars, and we did the same. Lucky for us, Diego was the man to have. His off-season job is a puma tracker for The Awasi Puma Foundation, which is working to protect these cats. We came around a corner, right near a lake, and although this looks close, we watched from near the road, hoping she would stand for a better view.
![20181126_065752-_D5A6958 20181126_065752-_D5A6958](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/d4c9039996aca6dc1125b13504b155bb/20181126_065752-_D5A6958-900x900.jpg)
And here she goes. It turned out to be a mom and one kitten, which was nearly her size.
![20181126_070236-_D5A6979 20181126_070236-_D5A6979](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/d1dcb29aee3958e9eaa961c1ed00348c/20181126_070236-_D5A6979-900x900.jpg)
The morning light behind them was all that set them in our vision,
![20181126_070239-_D5A6984 20181126_070239-_D5A6984](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/56757ccaaf0aa23e7c9116d3603ed175/20181126_070239-_D5A6984-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_070254-_D5A6988 20181126_070254-_D5A6988](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/18b043a9f3d67fbb2fccdf3e802d65d3/20181126_070254-_D5A6988-900x900.jpg)
and truly, the angles of their tails as they walked, and their interactions with each other, took away our breath.
![20181126_070307-_D5A7001 20181126_070307-_D5A7001](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/f1e2f317209a37d2b3b29a1d7f360d8a/20181126_070307-_D5A7001-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_070336-_D5A7009 20181126_070336-_D5A7009](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/fe125129bf78508683624525000f9732/20181126_070336-_D5A7009-900x900.jpg)
They seemed so huge compared to the African leopards we'd seen.
![20181126_070602-_D5A7021 20181126_070602-_D5A7021](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/f8757196d0368f443b17a2c1be93af80/20181126_070602-_D5A7021-900x900.jpg)
With the sighting we had come sorted out, Diego took us on our first of two morning hikes, this time by Lago Amarga to Lago Sarmiento.
![20181126_070945-_D5A7030 20181126_070945-_D5A7030](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/1dcea8bf26014880c2b9cd94be3dc02d/20181126_070945-_D5A7030-900x900.jpg)
We had to pass through the guanaco guard/sentry of alpha males atop each hill first.
![20181126_072229-_Z7A2614 20181126_072229-_Z7A2614](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/e3f3a3c69ca406fde55329b40ac3733b/20181126_072229-_Z7A2614-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_073007-_Z7A2618 20181126_073007-_Z7A2618](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/fbdfc17bd5aaad02355d32689b307c4f/20181126_073007-_Z7A2618-900x900.jpg)
and although we'd seen them from afar at Eolo, our first Chilean spotting of the flamingo, which surprised me yet again that it was in such a cool clime.
![20181126_073521-_D5A7045 20181126_073521-_D5A7045](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/9893b1e90e2b57872590bc1a36f35b46/20181126_073521-_D5A7045-900x900.jpg)
The appeal of this hike were the hieroglyphics, but first, we had our first close encounter with the llama-like guanacos. We walked by a few and Walker asked Diego if they ever spit. He shook his head and laughed; they are not llamas!
![20181126_080548-_Z7A2621 20181126_080548-_Z7A2621](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/b6b59bbaae53119c31d134262afa311d/20181126_080548-_Z7A2621-900x900.jpg)
First, can you even handle this situation? Its momma was on the other side of the fence and just stared us down as we approached.
![20181126_080631-_D5A7054 20181126_080631-_D5A7054](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/0c5e09481538275f0d37d42a8ddcaeef/20181126_080631-_D5A7054-900x900.jpg)
And one of my biggest regrets from the trip was not filming this because literally right as we were walking past, momma guanaco stared straight into our souls, sucked in her breath and woosh: a cloud of saliva vaulted toward us. Thankfully, just a bit too far to dampen, but it was both the funniest and most unexpected moment and got her message across: don't mess with that cute little chulengo.
![20181126_080728-_Z7A2631 20181126_080728-_Z7A2631](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/51d19c5f2740cb4bf035b42f7e26bc4c/20181126_080728-_Z7A2631-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_080754-_Z7A2633 20181126_080754-_Z7A2633](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/859013e49a34bcdb0496664be57fe916/20181126_080754-_Z7A2633-900x900.jpg)
They watched us into the distance and I can't say my laughter wasn't mixed with a little bit of get me outta here. Walker and Diego thought it was the funniest.
![20181126_080823-_Z7A2635 20181126_080823-_Z7A2635](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/efb643a16363c42d9a6016d4d8506353/20181126_080823-_Z7A2635-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_081148-_Z7A2640 20181126_081148-_Z7A2640](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/12a1dc2246257a8efeabfd12c140126d/20181126_081148-_Z7A2640-900x900.jpg)
We were headed toward this dome on the right on our hike,
![20181126_081913-_Z7A2641 20181126_081913-_Z7A2641](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/dc2b9853b5b6937c434d38e362b52c14/20181126_081913-_Z7A2641-900x900.jpg)
where the hieroglyphs were hiding.
![20181126_083513-_Z7A2653 20181126_083513-_Z7A2653](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/f8f38eb7e2ea4578af745bcff0b45ae5/20181126_083513-_Z7A2653-900x900.jpg)
Diego left us to get the car to meet us on the backend (his amazing strategy for one-way hikes) and we continued on ahead, alone. The vast distance shimmering and wild, and as we continued, passing through valleys and hills, we noted the alpha guanaco on each hill, without fail, staring us down.
![20181126_084323-_D5A7065 20181126_084323-_D5A7065](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/43fbf7ae222339eb3dc734b7c732f157/20181126_084323-_D5A7065-900x900.jpg)
At one point, from three directions, they started making noises and walking off their mounds toward us, and then started almost jogging. My get me outta here alarms were going off strongly, and vocally, to Walker.
![20181126_084341-_D5A7073 20181126_084341-_D5A7073](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/4c105afaa035a1e6b8227ca3d3bb695d/20181126_084341-_D5A7073-900x900.jpg)
They converged on us, hissing, as we sped up our pace. To this day, I'm not sure if it was us they didn't like or if there was some in-fighting going on, but they could gallop like the wind so I'm glad they seemed to calm down once they saw we were just two scared little hikers.
![20181126_084412-_D5A7076 20181126_084412-_D5A7076](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/958ab4906515f2fd1eebc12a906c7ee0/20181126_084412-_D5A7076-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_084654-_D5A7082 20181126_084654-_D5A7082](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/0c0c0cf5edfe12288fa748e9ca75d5cd/20181126_084654-_D5A7082-900x900.jpg)
The air was humming with spring life; in November, such a treat.
![20181126_084833-_D5A7096 20181126_084833-_D5A7096](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/2d7caa5ac99a17145063bc31db249ec6/20181126_084833-_D5A7096-900x900.jpg)
We kept up the ascent, our destination the top fold of this hillock.
![20181126_085337-_Z7A2663 20181126_085337-_Z7A2663](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/dcba3a5b108e1f3835d3b6990b5aeb33/20181126_085337-_Z7A2663-900x900.jpg)
The view as we climbed was more and more awe-inspiring,
![20181126_085535-_Z7A2667 20181126_085535-_Z7A2667](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/3d8a444b3432aeb57fd19c13f2183e36/20181126_085535-_Z7A2667-900x900.jpg)
and steep, although you can't quite tell. We didn't have a map (although we did have walkie talkies for emergencies; thank you, Awasi!), so we just followed the sparse signs, glad Diego had pointed the way.
![20181126_090120-_Z7A2671 20181126_090120-_Z7A2671](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/510d8713dca12613c27645292f71094a/20181126_090120-_Z7A2671-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_090230-_Z7A2675 20181126_090230-_Z7A2675](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/5cf94ed1e5945a90a223d21cef5e5353/20181126_090230-_Z7A2675-900x900.jpg)
When we got to the top, we looked and looked. There were no signs pointing to the hieroglyphics, just signs saying not to touch. We examined every groove in the rocks above us, searching.
![20181126_090559-_Z7A2677 20181126_090559-_Z7A2677](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/2d5883762387bdb7da43bdcf94222d29/20181126_090559-_Z7A2677-900x900.jpg)
until we realized they were right smack in front of us, paintings estimated to be over 10,000 years (I believe).
![20181126_091005-_Z7A2683 20181126_091005-_Z7A2683](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/57a4ea38db7ca0f7f6439adc47cee16c/20181126_091005-_Z7A2683-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_091130-_Z7A2684 20181126_091130-_Z7A2684](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/59a0f6bc264ba148cadf3d34b97a6c03/20181126_091130-_Z7A2684-900x900.jpg)
And the view on the way back down was just as spectacular.
![20181126_091803-_Z7A2686 20181126_091803-_Z7A2686](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/1f611d5c5e5231e720ed0541669b7b26/20181126_091803-_Z7A2686-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_092713-_D5A7102 20181126_092713-_D5A7102](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/db5ec84a2c93372b56b7d099a695eea4/20181126_092713-_D5A7102-900x900.jpg)
As we approached the end of the hike, on an empty road, we saw Diego and a group of other tourists (very few and far between on this trail) looking into the distance.
![20181126_095441-_Z7A2687 20181126_095441-_Z7A2687](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/6ff9de1c7cb394c270c0980de5fa386e/20181126_095441-_Z7A2687-900x900.jpg)
![20181126_100126-_Z7A2690 20181126_100126-_Z7A2690](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/68de03b89ffcc81094df3b4a9d3dcc6d/20181126_100126-_Z7A2690-900x900.jpg)
And there were more pumas. Diego's patient watching had won the day!
![20181126_095100-_D5A7112 20181126_095100-_D5A7112](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/fbe469efad91dd353235bf82482d3af0/20181126_095100-_D5A7112-900x900.jpg)
What an incredible and truly wordless experience to see animals at home in the world. Thank you, Awasi, and Diego, for helping us see them.
![20181126_095610-_D5A7129 20181126_095610-_D5A7129](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/133eb18b5a0fc7df72a2822055d40857/20181126_095610-_D5A7129-900x900.jpg)