The biggest city in Chile, Santiago is well known for being a vacation destination spot for those who love living-it-up and who want to experience all the wonder that can be found in this steamy section of the world. Santiago has everything that you could want on your vacation – clubs where you can dance the night away, museums that unveil the secrets of this area of the world, malls, parks, theaters, luxury resorts, and restaurants that serve more delicious food than one could ever hope to eat.

A hiking trip at the end of the world is not something I would normally consider. I am a girly girl whose ears perk up at the mention of booking a “spa” or a “villa” rather than doing “rugged mountain hiking.” The luxury travel magazines Travel & Leisure and Departures are my vacation planning sources. Nonetheless, my tennis partner and good friend, Donna, had planned a trip to Patagonia to celebrate her birthday and insisted I do something new and different for my next vacation. Always up for an adventure, I agreed to tag along.

Chile has become a favored destination for skiing enthusiasts the world over. One very popular place to ski is in Santiago.

If you like adventure, beautiful landscapes, distinctive German influenced architecture, and meet with friendly country side people, come to Pucon, located in the south of Chile (9 hours driving time from Santiago, Chile’s capital or 3 hour if you fly from Santiago to Temuco and then drive to Pucon). This cozy town is within an area called the Lake District (from Temuco to Puerto Montt).

Chile is a place of contrast, not just by the diversity in its geography, but by the landscapes and climates that can be found travelling through its territory. Beginning by the Big North (Norte Grande), linked to the Desert of Atacama (Atacama Desert or Desierto de Atacama). From Putre by the north in the Chilean Altiplane (Altiplano chileno), contemplating to the Chungara Lake and Lauca National Park, Vicuñas National Reserve, to San Pedro de Atacama and the Salt Flat of the same name, you will encounter a wide spectrum of colors drawn in the landscape, a dry atmosphere, the cold nights and the warm of the afternoons.