The Patagonia Region of Chile has fascinated travelers from all over the world. Some come to hike the most famous national park, the Torres del Paine, and revel in the snow-capped peaks of the Andes and the pristine lakes and alpine forests. Others come to see the glaciers and penguin colonies, which are some of the most important ecological reserves in the world. Chilean Patagonia is made up of four regions, which are outlined below in further detail: Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, and the Parque Nacional Pali Aike that stretches along the Atlantic coast.

Torres del Paine
This national park is an excellent place to hike with its stunning mountain range rising up from a huge expanse of pampas. The Torres del Paine massif is the highlight of the park, which rises elegantly amidst thick, ancient forests. Further west is the Cuernos de Paine, which rises above the Valle del Frances. Aside from the campgrounds, hotels, and well-organized trails, the remote Torres del Paine National Park is preserved in its natural state, which is especially apparent in the Glacier Grey Ice Sheet and the large herds of guanacos running wild in the valley at the base of the mountain range.

Punta Arenas
Situated on the shores of the Magellan Strait, this isolated city is surrounded by a sprawl of barren plains and huge expanses of water. Lately Punta Arenas has been enjoying an economical boom from oil revenues that started pouring in around 1945. The town itself isn't much of a highlight, aside from the fact that it is the one of the few towns this far south and is a starting off point for excursions to the penguin sanctuaries of Isla Magdalena and Sen Otway, and the Reserva Forestal Magallanes in the west.

Puerto Natales
The second established city in Patagonia, Puerto Natales serves as an excellent base for excursions to the Torres del Paine National Park, which features some of the best hiking in South America. The city is well equipped to receive tourists, as travel agents, restaurants, and accommodation are widely offered. Close by and worth seeing are the glaciers in the Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins and the Parque Nacional Argentino Los Glaciales, which lies just over the border in Argentina. From here you can access the Carretera Austral or Southern Highway, which extends 600 miles from Puerto Yungay to Puerto Montt. The journey is half the fun, with no shortage of breathtaking scenery along the way. On your journey you'll pass by an archipelago of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and lush forests.

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