You gotta love a city that shuts down a few of its main car routes through downtown – every Sunday of the year - in order to allow for pedestrian traffic, joggers, bikers and others to take advantage of the tree-lined causeways through the heart of the city. Check out www.ciclorecreovia.cl for organized routes.

The active lifestyle is not …

We had been warned that it would rain on us in Patagonia. I had also been warned that it would be windy – most of the time. But nobody told me about the rainbows! Our drive from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales, then Puerto Natales to EcoCamp, was filled with plenty of wind, and a bit of rain… but no less than four different …

One might not expect these two small towns, at the edge of the world, to have such elaborate public art. These are purely jumping-off points to get to the scenic riches of Torres del Paine National Park, Ultima Esperanza Fjord, and the wilds of Patagonia. But if you have a few hours in either city, its worth a stroll to find the parks and …

Just offshore from Punta Arenas lies a tiny sliver of an island, with a lighthouse at the top. There is nothing else on the island from April until October, unless you count the tens of thousands of burrows or holes dotting the landscape. But from November to March, this tiny island becomes home to an amazing number of Magellanic Penguins. …

There are tricks of the trade involved in directing summer camp. Tricks are developed over many years that will help a camp to create community, keep children fed and happy, encourage proper hygiene, and maximize the amount of fun that participants can have in the relatively short amount of time they have at camp.

As a former camp director, I …

Ah, the age-old question… Is it better to save a little money and secure a Standard Dome at EcoCamp, or spend the extra and enjoy all that a Superior Dome or Suite Dome will offer. (Heat, electricity, an ensuite bathroom, and more floorspace, to be specific.) Having spent one night in a Standard Dome and four nights in a Superior Dome, I …

One mustn’t expect solitary, wilderness-style hiking in Torres del Paine National Park. The area is incredibly popular, and for good reason. Trails are well-trodden (sometimes overly-trodden), and you will rarely go more than a few minutes without seeing other hikers along the way. This is particularly true about the trail to the famous …

The Serrano River flows southwest out of Torres del Paine National Park. This river drains most of the park, but with the exception of one large Class VI rapid that must be portaged, the river is flat and relatively calm – ideal for a multi-day float from the west edge of the national park all the way to Last Hope Fjord. (Ultima …

The distances are vast in Patagonia. The only real commercial airports with daily service are in Punta Arenas, Chile and El Calafate, Argentina – at least six hours apart. But there are actually multiple ways to get from one major destination to another.

If arriving in Punta Arenas, most all-inclusive accommodations in and around Torres …