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Patagonia is a land steeped in ready-mix outdoor fantasies, from the Torres del Paine national park to the gnarly rapids of the Rio Negro. With low population density and few travelers, stunning landscapes and wild weather, Patagonia is a land of pure, unadulterated outdoor fun. Or as the Chileans and Argentineans might say, adventura. Patagonia covers the southernmost tips of both Argentina and Chile The region runs south from the Colorado River on the Argentine side of the Andes mountain range, the Biobio River on the Chilean side, bound by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on its west and east coasts respectively, and in the south at the Straits of Magellan. It would take multiple lifetimes to fully explore Patagonia; here's a sampling of what you can discover there. If you are traveling south through Chile by way of Santiago, try venturing deep into southern Patagonia by boat. The Puerto Eden is a passenger- vehicle ferry that travels for four days and three nights through a 1,000-mile maze of inner passages and fjords, from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales. The ferry remains the only non-air transportation link between central and southern Chile, passing through what is possibly the longest undisturbed stretch of coastal wilderness on the planet. (Prices range from $215 to $285. For more information contact Navimag Ship Lines 56-2-203-5030). Parque Nacional Torres del Paine is considered the most famous park in South America, known for its stunning torres del paine, or "towers of pale blue"-three peaks that point vertical resembling Flash Gordon spaceships. But aside from these giant, frost-polished granite obelisks, this park offers one of the best multiday routes on the continent-the Torres del Paine circuit. This 7-10 day, 60-mile hike of moderate difficulty passes massive glaciers and azure lakes, encircling varied mountainscapes. To access it, catch a 2-hour bus to the seaside town of Puerto Natales, Chile. Southwest of the Chilean town of Coyhaique, Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo offers one of the wildest and most beautiful treks in Patagonia. To get there, hitchhike or hire a taxi from Coyhaique. The reserve is rarely visited and a trail faintly exists and its appropriate for those with good map-reading and trekking skills. For four days, follow the Cordillera, dipping in and out of alpine beech forest and moorland meadows filled with wild Magellan strawberries. Small azure lakes and glacial streams trail you the whole way. There's also a good chance you'll see many Andean condor-the largest land bird in the world. A trip to southern Patagonia isn't complete without crossing the Straits of Magellan to Tierra del Fuego's Parque Nacional. The island is a wondrous landscape and truly the essence of Patagonia: wilderness, inclemency, and beauty. Nowhere will you find all of these so wonderfully mixed than in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, which lies on the Beagle Channel on the Argentinean side of the Chilean frontier. It's reached by bus from the world's most southerly township, Ushuaia. The park is rugged, mountainous country filled with glacially ravaged peaks and has one of the most challenging and rewarding walks in all of Patagonia-the Lago Kami Circuit, a six-day trek by isolated lagoons, lakes, and through some of the most beautiful wilderness in the Patagonian Andes. -Mitchell Scott and Arjun Mehra 51