Trek To Remote Beauty And Adventure In Chilean Patagonia

Trek to remote beauty and adventure in Chilean Patagonia.

- Gregory D. Mccluney

The southernmost region of the world rewards travelers with massive glaciers; ice fields; deep blue lakes; dark forests; and majestic, ragged mountains. Patagonia lies at the end of the massive Andes mountain range and serves as one of the departure points for travel on to Tierra del Fuego, the Patagonian Lakes, Cape Horn and, finally, Antarctica.

Shared with Argentina, Chilean Patagonia’s natural wonders rival nature’s wildest, most dramatic and most remote. During most of the year, this windy, cool climate is in almost constant flux and can blow visitors away — quite literally. In this breathtaking and unique corner of the world, the weather sometimes proves as dramatic as the landscape.

Outdoor activities abound for visitors, including riding, hiking to a remote overnight cabin, heli-skiing, heli-fishing, Jeeping and whitewater rafting. Additionally, wildlife sightings equal those on an African safari. Patagonia also offers a Big Five of game, especially in Torres del Paine National Park; boating on the Chilean Lakes; hiking to a glacier or ice field; and floating a river and fishing, where you’ll probably not meet another fisherman or group all day.

Here in one of the most sparsely populated areas of the world, you need not give up luxury or fine dining to see it. The hotels, restaurants and infrastructure — carefully developed over many years — are eco-friendly and welcome families and groups from around the globe. The range of lodging and restaurants can satisfy almost any budget, although the top accommodations, hotels and guest ranches often fill up a year in advance during peak season (November to March, during their most reliable weather, in summer).