www.audleytravel.com/chile ?01993 838 640 ?Chile111luxurious style considering the remoteness ofthe terrain. There are also other less expensiveoptions for those not staying at the Explora.These trips stay in simpler places with lesscreature comforts, but all use sturdy 4x4s, a pre requisite for the region.The CentreDriving yourself from Santiago down to theChilean Lake District is a wonderfully relaxingfew days along good roads, via some of the bestwine-producing regions in the country. Once inthe Lake District, you will find some of the bestself-driving opportunities in South America, withgood roads that skirt by emerald green lakes,wind around volcanoes and pass through smallpicturesque towns. To the north of the region you will find thetown of Pucón nestled under the VillarricaVolcano and as you travel south from here youenter one of the most indigenous parts of Chile.The Huilo Huilo Nature Reserve lies on theother side of the volcano, and is full of ancientwoodland, remote lakes and a deep sense ofhistory and tradition rooted in the MapucheIndian past. Driving south you enter a regionthat was heavily populated by Germanimmigrants in the 19th century. This is the mostcommonly visited part of the region, focusedaround the town of Puerto Varas. Having a carhere allows you the flexibility to explore theregion at your own pace. Driving over into the Argentinian Lake District is possible, but one of the quirks of the hire carset up is that it can be prohibitively expensive toreturn a hire car to a different country, so wewould recommend looping back into Chile. For the more adventurous there is the option of driving further south, down into the Aisénregion. Mainly on unpaved roads, and with theneed for some ferries, this can be a challengingtrip, but it is through some of the most pristineareas of Chile, much of it national parks. Thereare lodges along the route, which becomesmore rugged as you travel south. Finally, you cango no further, the road stops at the settlementof Villa O'Higgins as the Southern Patagonian IceField proves an impassable barrier.The SouthBelow the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, roadsstart up again, and exploring this end of Chile byroad is all about long journeys across wide openexpanses of Patagonian steppe. Driving yourselfaround Torres del Paine National Park is aninteresting way of seeing the magnificent sceneryat your own pace, giving you a little moreflexibility to explore on your own rather thanbeing in a group.As well as the 4,300 kilometres of coastline,Chile's unique geography also creates somewonderful opportunities for road travel, eitherwith a driver on some of the more challengingterrain, or driving yourself. Independent self-drive in South America as a whole is not alwaysthe easiest thing in the world, even forexperienced independent travellers, because ofundeveloped roads, a lack of 'road etiquette'and sparse road signs. Chile, however, is anexception and offers fantastic opportunities toexplore under your own steam. The romanticnotion of driving from top to bottom of thecountry is actually an impossibility though, as the Southern Patagonia Ice Field bisects thecountry, and the roads cannot cross it.The NorthOne of the most spectacular overland trips inthe world is between southwestern Bolivia andChile's Atacama Desert. This is a trip where youdefinitely need to be a passenger and let anexpert who knows the area do the driving, asmuch of it is off-road amongst the Salar deUyuni salt flats (see page 30), volcanoes andcolourful lagoons. The scenery is breathtaking,from seeing the curvature of the earth whenstanding on the dazzling white salt, to thedescent into the oasis town of San Pedro deAtacama. The Explora hotel (see page 107)arranges a travesía ('journey') from its propertyin San Pedro up through this area, in incrediblyChile by roadTypical road, northern Chile

to Puerto Natales, and then on another 100kilometres to the park itself where your firstsighting of the eponymous torres (towers) andthe uniquely smooth and twisted cuernos (horns)of the Paine Massif will be unforgettable. Oncethere, the incredible landscape is waiting to beexplored, either by foot, boat, bike, horse orvehicle. We particularly recommend anafternoon's sailing on Lago Grey to approach theglacier of the same name, navigating through vividblue icebergs on the way. However you chooseto explore you will marvel at emerald andturquoise lakes, waterfalls and grazing guanacos.For those who fancy some trekking you can takea hard day's hike to the base of the towers, or alonger circuit involving camping and up to sixdays' walking. EXPLORAENPATAGONIA,TORRESDELPAINESister to the Atacama hotel, the PatagonianExplora may be wildly different in terms of setting,but its design, facilities and service are equallyoutstanding. All public areas and the Scandinavian-style bedrooms have views of the lake, mountainrange or the Salto Chico waterfall. Some roomshave Jacuzzis, but there are also open air pools,saunas and hot tubs. As in the Atacama, all yourtransportation, meals and excursions are included,and the expert guides will share with you theirknowledge and love of Chile's most famousnational park.REMOTA, PUERTONATALESAn ultra-modern, environmentally-friendly buildingon the water's edge to the north of PuertoNatales, Remota has comfortable and stylishrooms, and large public areas dominated by openfires with spectacular views of Seno UltimaEsperanza. The hotel aims to show visitors moreof Chilean Patagonia than a traditional visit toTorres del Paine National Park may offer byorganising trips outside of the main park areas.PATAGONIACAMP, TORRESDELPAINELocated on the shores of Lago Toro, an hourfrom Puerto Natales and an hour from thefamous towers of Torres del Paine, PatagoniaCamp accommodates its guests in 'yurts' orwooden tents with central heating and en suitefacilities. Each yurt has fantastic views and aprivate balcony and a skylight in the roof so youcan see the stars while you lie in bed.Torres del Paine National ParkThe most famous national park in Chile and all of Patagonia, Torres del Paine is remote, ruggedand windswept. While this makes it lengthy toreach and demanding to explore, its seclusion isthe very essence of its appeal and it is undeniablyworth the effort. Unless crossing into the park byroad from Argentina via El Calafate, you will arriveby air into Punta Arenas; Chile's southernmostcity, a bustling place of multi-coloured houses that resonate with pioneer spirit. You may wishto stay a night here before or after your time inthe park itself, in order to break up the longjourney. To get into the park you will travelthrough the Patagonian steppe for 300 kilometres112Torres del Paine National ParkExplora en PatagoniaPatagonia Camp