Patagonia
Perhaps it is because I started my travel career working for a tour company in Patagonia or maybe because it is just a truly stunning landscape, but Patagonia holds a very special place in my heart.
Encompassing the southern third of Argentina and Chile, Patagonia is a land of extremes - from the cold waters from the Atlantic, down to Antarctica, and up the western side of Chile to the imposing granite spires of Torres del Paine. Known as el fin del mundo ("The End of the Earth"), with glaciers, fjords, prairie grasslands, Patagonia is wild, diverse, and sparsely-populated.
I recommend adding a few days to your Patagonia trip either in Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina - two cosmopolitan cities with plenty to offer in their own respects. Either city makes a great way to begin and end a trip with excellent Chilean or Argentine wines, steaks, and that exciting South American flair.
