Backpacking Chile & Argentina

Rating:
Summary: Guide Lite
Review: Having spent over 18 months hiking throughout the Chilean park system I looked forward to reading Tim Burford's guide to backpacking and hiking in Chile and Argentina, I was disappointed. I can only comment on parts of the guide that deal with areas of Chile I am familiar with. The far north of Chile is dealt with in 5 1/2 pages and after getting through the usual list of animals to be seen the 5 parks, 7 reserves and 2 national monuments are briefly described as attractive and amazing but very little is said about actual hiking and trekking access or trails. I can assure you there are dozens of well known trails throughout the parks, reserves and national monuments mentioned in the far north section. The three featured hikes in Santiago area are dealt with in a more detailed manner but this area as well as the three featured hikes described in the Araucania section, the five or so in the Chilean Lakes section, the three in the Carettera Austral section and the hikes in the Patagonia section seem to be be more of the same served up in other well known guides - not much new. I would characterize Tim Burford's guide as Chile and Argentina Lite. The maps are sufficient for only the most casual observation. If one is considering some serious hiking and trekking in southern Chile then I would reccomend Clem Lindenmayer's trekking in the Patagonian Andes. The maps are more informative, the information is focused on dealing with trekking and hiking issues and the flora and fauna are presented as an integral part of the life in in the wide open spaces.