Where: Chile
Length: Day Hike
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Why You Should Go: Located near Torres del Paine National Park and set along the border of Argentina is Chile’s Sierra Baguales, an undiscovered, pathless, and utterly-perfect region where wild horses, condors, and rheas roam. Here, the mountains harbor a constant sun-drenched glow, and during a stay at Awasi Patagonia in the property’s own Tercera Barranca Private Reserve, you can explore Sierra Baguales during a day hike, which will lead you through five cattle gates, the last of which only Awasi Patagonia holds the key. Truly wild and delightfully untrodden, this is the locale to explore Patagonia serenely, without the intrusion of other trekkers. Pass Catedral and Ciutadella peaks as you ascend the range’s slopes, passing fossilized leaves, shark’s teeth, and tree trunks from over 20 million years ago.
You may have heard of Patagonia’s W Trek in Torres del Paine and odds are you’ve even completed the Inca Trail to Peru’s Machu Picchu, but South America is home to far more undiscovered treks than these famous routes.
From Colombia to Argentina, the continent is teeming with myriad journeys well-worth the passport stamp and worn legs. Whether you have one day or fourteen, here, your guide to South America’s greatest under-the-radar hikes.