Driving through the pampas in the foothills of the Andes, we were greeted by beautiful views of the snow-covered mountain peaks and the flowing river of the valley below. We spotted many different species of birds on our bus ride, including turkey vulture, striated caracara, and Chilean flamingos. Arriving at the Coyhaique National Reserve, we led several hikes which gave us the opportunity to experience the transition in landscape from the temperate rainforest we saw earlier in the trip to the beginning of Patagonia’s high desert steppe region. After working up an appetite we were rewarded with a meal of carne asada, an amazing Patagonian lamb barbecue, which was accompanied by plenty food, local drinks, and wonderful music.