If you are looking to get away, there are few places as remote as Chile’s Patagonia. Stretching some 1,000 mile off the horizon across the tip of South America, it is a land of soaring, snow-covered peaks, howling winds, turquoise lakes and green forests, just waiting to be explored by adventurers of all ages.

We base ourselves at the Tierra Patagonian Hotel and Spa, where multiple excursions of every description are organized on a daily basis. If you like to hike, there are numerous trails, both inside and outside Torres del Paine National Park to explore; if you are a photographer, the opportunities to capture wildlife and birds, as well as magnificent vistas, are endless; if you are a rider, you can explore the pampas accompanied by a local gaucho. Your difficulty will be fitting everything into your schedule. Fortunately, with 16 hours of sunlight a day during the summer months, you have ample time to play.

It goes without saying that the most striking attraction in the Torres del Paine National Park is the imposing granite massif that soars above the pampas. The highest point is Cerro Paine Grande with its ice mushroom cap, a unique feature of Patagonia, formed by the fierce wind and precipitation; nearby are the Cuernos de Paine (the Horns of Paine), whose multi-hued black shale over the granite base provides a canvas for the light; finally, at the eastern end of the range are the three granite towers — the Torres del Paine.

Two of the most well-known treks in the park are the Paine Circuit Trek (7-8 days of hard-core trekking) and Paine “W” (5 days if you want to hike the entire trail but you can also break it down and only hike portions in single day excursions.) There are numerous other day hikes including the French Valley, Hunter’s Glen or the Sendero Mirador Cuernos that take you into the core of the park.

The possibilities for exploring the rest of the park and its surroundings are unlimited. Take a walk along Condoreras Ridgeline where you will see more South American condors than humans. The birds build their nests in the craggy cliffs and ride the thermals looking for small prey. Hike through the trees and lupines to reach a crag above Laguna Azul or walk through meadows sprinkled with tiny orchids along the edges of Lago Verde; imagine that you are a bird and throw yourself into the fierce wind above Lago Pehoe — for a split second it will seem as if you are really flying!

The Torres del Paine National Park is home to the Patagonian Ice Field. We use a zodiac for a quick trip to board a small fishing boat on Lago Grey, sitting amidst the icebergs which have broken off from the main glacier. An hour’s sail later we are beneath Grey’s glacier, its blue ice pinnacles soaring above us. The shapes and colors of the pockmarked snow field are mesmerizing in the late afternoon light. To celebrate, the boat’s mate passes around a tray of Pisco sours and whiskey poured over the chunks of the ancient ice.

The Torres del Paine park is surrounded by estancias — the massive, million acre ranches — where gauchos herd sheep and cows over the arid terrain. A horseback ride on one of these estancias will take you over the pampas with its sweeping views of the mountains. Stop at one of the shearing huts to watch as hundreds of sheep are relieved of their massive winter coasts before being set free to graze under the watchful eyes of the sheepdogs. If you are lucky, you can quench your thirst with a bottle of artisanal beer brewed by the estancia owner using the local calafate berry. According to legend, if you eat or drink calafate, you will return to Patagonia.

As a photographer, the opportunities are endless — apart from the sweeping landscapes and spectacular sunrises/sunsets, the wildlife and bird life are everywhere, seemingly fearless of humans. Herds of dainty guanacos graze around river banks; a small fox lies in the grass by the side of the road; birds of prey soar and swoop over your head; black necked swans glide across the azure waters.

At the end of the day, return to Tierra Patagonia where a blazing fire and a drink for everyone, whether a glass of fine Chilean wine or passion fruit, awaits you. You may not be able to see everything you want on your first visit — reason enough to return time and again to this captivating part of our planet.

IF YOU GO
The Tierra Patagonia Hotel and spa is located on the shores of Lake Sarmiento, just outside the Torres del Paine National Park (www.tierrapatagonia.com; +562-263-0606. It is open from September to April. The Torres del Paine National park (a UNESCO World Biosphere reserve) is located between the Los Andes Mountain Range and the Patagonian Steppes of southern Chile. It is open year round. To reach Torres del Paine you can fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas (LAN has several flights a day). During the summer months you can also fly to Puerto Natales (the closest town to the park) on SKY Airlines. Although the summer months is when there is the least amount of rain, the weather in Patagonia is ever-changing, and you might experience the fours seasons in a matter of hours. This is also when there are over 16 hours of daylight, providing ample time for exploration. There is an entrance fee for the park for foreigners. This is a one-time fee regardless of how long you stay. There are a number of campsites around the park which must be reserved in advance. Camping outside these specific sites is strictly forbidden — with good reason. While we were there, a camper who pitched his tent outside the authorized area sparked a ferocious forest fire which destroyed over 13,000 hectares of this fantastic place.

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