Conservation

 

 

The most spectacular scenic route in the world. That categorical and ambitious epithet has been used to refer to the Route of Parks of Chilean Patagonia. And it probably is. There sure is plenty of variety: temperate rainforests, Patagonian steppes, ice fields, endless mountains, fjords, lakes, and glaciers are just part of the mosaic that provides colors, lights, and contrast to the 2,800-kilometer (1,740 miles) route that crosses the three regions at the southern end of Chile. From north to south, the parks route begins in Puerto Montt, and ends at Cape Horn, connecting 17 national parks and more than 60 neighboring communities. There are 11.5 million hectares (28.4 million acres) of protected land that are home to 140 species of birds and 46 species of mammals.