Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine National Park is bordered by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, one of the largest glaciated areas in the world outside of Antarctica. Sister park to Yosemite in California, Torres del Paine's busy trail system, pricey refugios and the 200,000 visitors it hosts per year, may not make it exactly paradise for those looking for something remote.

That said, it's extremely popular for a reason. The Torres and Cuernos grace postcards and book covers all over the world and they are a symbol for Chile. “Paine,” by the way, means blue, and you'll see blues that will blow your mind. Plus, it is possible to get away from the crowds, especially if you stay long enough, for example, to do the back end of the circuit, and not just the standard W trek.

To venture even further away from the masses, visit Laguna Azul or Pingo. Even if you don't stray from the well-trod parts of the Park, make sure you check out the icebergs on Lago Grey. Human settlement in the area traces back to 12,000 years ago. Estancias (ranches) were started by German and British colonists in the 1890s. More recently, truckloads of barbed wire fencing have gradually been removed from the Park as the land is converted from estancia back to its natural state.

National Park administrator: jose.linnebrink@conaf.cl; URL: www.p.t.paine.com