A trip to Patagonia would not be complete without a visit to its crown jewel, the famous Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Known for its three distinctly shaped granite peaks from which it takes its name from, the park features some of the most extraordinary and spectacular landscape in the world. Towering snow-capped mountains, vibrant glaciers, sprawling valleys, thick forests, gushing waterfalls, glacial lakes and an abundance of wildlife are just some of the unforgettable sights you’ll come across. The park is especially breathtaking during sunrise and sunset, when the sunlight casts a striking glow across its magnificent peaks.

In the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the southernmost tip of South America, you’ll find the picturesque Argentinian resort town of Ushuaia, aptly nicknamed the “End of the World”. Nestled along the shoreline and surrounded by mountains, this former penal colony is a bustling tourist town, offering plenty to see and do, as well as providing a gateway into Antarctica. Take a boat tour through the Beagle Channel, island hopping and siting wildlife along the way, stop by Bridges Island and see the Yámana archaeological ruins, learn about the town’s history at the Museo Maritimo, housed in an old prison complex, pick up a souvenir handcrafted by a local artisan at Paseo de los Artesanos, dine on Fugean cuisine consisting of freshly caught local seafood, and take a scenic ride on the southernmost train in the world straight into Tierra del Fuego National Park and be sure to see the mesmerising Laguna Esmeralda.

Located in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, Los Glaciers National Park is a place of rare and exceptional beauty, known for its extensive area of continental ice and glaciers. Among these is the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, located in the park’s south. Measuring 30 kilometres long, five kilometres wide and 60 metres high, its certainly a vision to behold, but what makes it even more astonishing is how active it is, constantly moving forward up to two metres per day. Watching building-sized chunks of ice to break calve off from the front and thunder powerfully into the water below is a thrilling and unforgettable experience. The park’s mountainous north is a hiker’s paradise, with the ever-popular Fitz Roy Range of rugged summits attracting adventurous and experienced climbers from all over the world, while scenic hiking trails invite adventurers and nature lovers of all levels.

Cavernas de Mármol, or the Marble Caves, consist of unique rock formations located on the waters of Lake General Carrera in Chile. Water rushing and swirling through the caves has eroded the rock, carving out beautiful angles and curves and a marble-like colour on its walls over the past six centuries. The caves shallow waters also change colour depending on the seasonally changing water levels, appearing a brighter turquoise in spring and a deeper, darker blue in summer. Accessible only by boat, getting here takes some effort, but once you see the way the light reflects off the water and sparkles across those blue walls, you’ll be glad you did it.

Eco adventurers and lovers of wildlife cannot miss out on Península Valdés. This unspoilt peninsula is home to a variety of terrestrial, coastal and marine habitats, which play a significant role in the conservation of the many different species that reside here. Considered one of the best destinations in the world to get up close and personal to myriad marine life, the UNESCO World Heritage site plays host to southern right whale, which comes here to take shelter and breed between June and mid-December. You can also spot many others, including the native rhea, a relative of the ostrich, and guanaco, related to the llama, as well as elephant seals, Magellenic penguins and an orca pod, which beaches itself as part of its hunting strategy, causing quite a spectacle for onlookers.