Is this the world\u2019s most beautiful country? We think so. Stretching from the dry, arid Atacama Desert in the north, through turquoise fjords in the Lake District and Patagonian wilderness right down to the Tierra del Fuego archipelago on the southern tip, the dramatic landscapes will stir your soul. En route, you\u2019ll see snow-capped volcanoes, dense pine forest, glacial lakes, erupting thermal geysers, otherworldly salt flats and lenga rainforest, all pristine. Cities are cosmopolitan; Santiago sits in a bowl cradled by the spectacular Andes, while colourful Valparaiso has an easy boho vibe. The desert oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama is a jumping-off point for the cactus-strewn desert of the same name, with its mystical landscapes and magnificent star gazing. Pretty Pucon, home to the Machupe people, is a base for watersports: white-water rafting and kayaking across mirror-still lakes. But the biggest lure in our eyes is Patagonia, a vast wilderness of mammoth glaciers and rugged mountains, the most extraordinary terrain you\u2019ll ever see.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3898,"template":"","format":"standard","country_category":[191],"when-filter":[],"type-filter":[],"who-filter":[],"appeal-filter":[],"class_list":["post-4195","destination","type-destination","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","country_category-south-america-en-us"],"yoast_head":"\n