A New, Huge Hiking Path Across a Third of Chile Linking Seventeen National Parks

From Chile's Lake District's Puerto Montt all the way to the Tierra del Fuego archipelago's Cape Horn, hikers can explore 17 national parks along the 1,740-mile Route of the Parks of Patagonia. 

Along the route, tourists can discover over 60 different settlements; the trail itself spans three distinct regions and 11.5 million hectares of protected territory. 

According to Carolina Morgado, executive director of Tompkins Conservation Chile, the scenic route was designed with two goals in mind: to showcase Chile as a nation rich in natural attractions and to set a precedent for conservation. It also incorporates existing routes such as the Carretera Austral. 

Watch the video down below to get a feel for the trail. 

After receiving a large donation of land from Tompkins Conservation in 2017, the Chilean government reclassified 2.2 million hectares of reserves as national parks, which are now part of the path, and five new national parks were established. 

The route encompasses 24 distinct ecosystems, allowing hikers to observe 46 different kinds of mammals and 140 distinct bird species, many of which are in danger of extinction. 

Some parks are more well-known than others; for example, Torres del Paine is famous for its blue icebergs, glaciers, and towering peaks. On the other hand, San Rafael Lagoon is less well-known but still has beautiful glaciers and snowdrifts to see. 

The new trail's website has all the information hikers need, including a list of parks' services (such as picnic spaces, lodging, restrooms, and restaurants), suggestions for getting about, and more than 50 trails marked with GPS.