This region is generally on the east side of the Andes and consequently has a much drier climate – and wind is a big part of the landscape. Some of our best hikes were done here. I’d like to give a plug to our friends Juan Cordero, Katherine Munoz and their boys, who are in the process of renovating their well-situated Campamento Nandu Hostel in the town of Chile Chico in Patagonia. Juan has a long-standing association with the TRU Adventure Tourism faculty in Kamloops and has worked closely in B.C. and Chile with Ross Cloutier on tourism related development.

Outdoor enthusiasts themselves, Juan and Kathi are intimately familiar with the myriad recreational possibilities in the northern Patagonia region which is endowed with some of the most dramatic landscapes and friendliest people on the planet. For a town of its size, Chile Chico has plenty of amenities and a charm all its own. But as importantly, it’s a gateway to a full range of cultural and recreational activities, from the pristine lakes and glaciers in nearby Reserva Nacional Lago Jeinimeni (where Juan and partners have built a government-sanctioned back country hut) to the wind-scoured shores of Chile’s largest lake, Lago General Carrera.