Cerro Castillo is a tiny settlement on the Patagonian steppe in the Magallanes region of southern Chile, close to the Argentine border, and it is the last place of any size on the road from Puerto Natales to the Torres del Paine national park. Around it the land is a vast sweep of tawny grass, scrub and low hills, broken by lakes and rivers and a long horizon with snowy peaks far off to the west. It looks empty, and it is not: guanacos graze in small herds beside the road, rheas dash through the grass, and condors circle on the thermals.
The wind is the character of Patagonia. It blows steadily from the west and gusts hard across the open plain, and on a motorbike it demands constant attention, leaning the bike into each gust and bracing for the moments when the wind drops or changes direction. A bike with a full-face helmet and good luggage security is worth the effort, and the days are long in summer, with light until late in the evening. The sheep estancias that dot the landscape are the economic backbone of the region, and the road passes the long fences and old wool sheds that tell of the nineteenth-century boom.
The road from Puerto Natales runs north on Route 9 and then turns toward the park on a good paved road, although some sections beyond may be gravel, and conditions change with the season. Fuel is the key practical point: fill the tank in Puerto Natales, which is the nearest town of size and about an hour from here, because services in this area are scarce and the distances are long. A small roadside stop may offer a coffee or a sandwich.
Weather in Patagonia can change in minutes. Sun, rain, hail and wind can appear in a single hour, so waterproofs and layers are essential. The best season is from November to March, when roads are open and the days are long. As you approach the park, the first sight of the jagged Paine peaks over the plain is a moment worth stopping for.