Things to do in Chile

Patagonia provides a setting to stir the heart of adrenaline-loving adventurers and soulful wilderness lovers alike. Think calving glaciers, penguin-peppered ice fields, and remote island expeditions across waters breached by giant blue whales. There are gorgeously empty landscapes stalked discreetly by puma, plus snow-capped peaks and alpine valleys patrolled from above by graceful condors. Imposing volcanoes jostle with fjords more wild than any in Norway.

But don't think of it as a harsh land. Patagonia is big on southern hospitality and cosy lodges too, serving up delicious meals and full-bodied wines to warm your cockles and up the recharge levels after a brilliant day's exploration.

Don't rush either. Patagonia is big but that just means you have a chance to take your time getting beneath the skin of its wild beauty. Hiking is one of the best ways to appreciate its epic scale and unforgettable ambience, whether a single day at a time or multi-day treks. Discover a land beneath your feet – and at the end of the world.

The world's driest and oldest desert occupies 1,000km plateau of northern highland – though sometimes rains in September/October create a stunning carpet of desert blooms in its southern section. Atacama feels other-worldly – literally for NASA, who trialled both Mars and Moon missions here. Its beauty is other-worldly beauty too – salt flats and emerald lakes, ancient lava fields and snow-capped 6,000m peaks. Mining once brought prosperity, though today its memory is embodied evocatively by dozens of ghost towns that contrast with the buzz on the dusty streets and adobe houses of gateway town San Pedro de Atacama. Atacama also boasts some of the world's clearest skies, making it an astronomy mecca - just gaze up at the galactic light show or visit the observatories at Paranal. Ahlarkapin or Cerro Mamalluca (in the nearby Elqui Valley).