The main attraction of the Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are the national parks and reserves which protect over half of the region. In the north is Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins, home of the Campo de Hielo Sur, the planet's third largest freshwater reserve. The extreme southeast corner is Parque Nacional Cabo de Hornos. Of all these parks, Torres del Paine is the most famous. Treks of up to a week are the challenge for those who make it here. Other reserves, though, are easier to get to, like Cueva del Milodón, near Puerto Natales; Pali Aike, Magallanes, Laguna Parrillar and Los Pingüinos, near Punta Arenas; and Laguna de los Cisnes, near Porvenir.

But you don't have to go to the parks to see wildlife. The Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego serve up wildlife in amazing portions. From the road it is common to see ñandú and guanaco roaming, and flamingos feeding at ponds. Condors soar over the pampa. Taking a boat ride through the channels, you’ll see dolphins, toninas and whales swim the many frigid channels. Penguins and seabirds are amazingly abundant.

If history and culture are more to your liking, you won’t be disappointed. Punta Arenas has a wide variety of museums, ranging from the mansions of the Braun-Menéndez family to an art gallery. Puerto Natales, Porvenir and even Puerto Williams have small but interesting anthropological and historical exhibit halls.