In Chilean Patagonia, Following a Track to the End of the World

Beautiful place...but confusing timeline. Jurassic Period: ~200-145 million years ago Last ice age ended about 12 thousand years ago. Morada del Diablo volcano, by the looks of it in the photo, is from the younger time. You would not be able to see the original volcanic form from anything as old as Jurassic. But a spot worth visiting, even with the geology nerd correction.

It would've been lovely to see a video of this landscape besides the photos. I miss the travel videos the New York Times used to post. And I would even show them to my students. They really made you feel like you were there and were helpful at getting a true feel of the place.

Chilean Patagonia is a starkly beautiful place. But 100 million years ago was not during the Jurassic. It was Cretaceous.

I met Doug a few times at his father's place in Millbrook. I admired his intensity even in tennis and i am very pleased to see that he put this to work, along with many $ for the future of the planet. Devoted, intelligent, spirited in his interests and philanthropic with his earnings. The world needs more like him!

Wonderful article on a spectacular trip as well as a reminder of how beautiful the worldd is and how huge our responsibility is to protect and preserve it for our grand children and their children.

My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Chile when I was five. The first time I visited was in 1990 to visit family. The second time, I did a solo bike tour of the Lake Region and Chiloe. The third, the "circuito" of Torres del Paine the fourth to scout property and spend time in Chiloe and Pumalin with my wife. I now call Chile home, it is an incredible country.

Wonderful article, when was your visit? e.g. What month of the year. Thank you.

Great article about amazing place. Just got back from trip there and still learned a lot about Patagonia from this article. Times travel section is a weekly favorite. Keep up the great work!

Great travel piece. Wished for more - many more - pictures!

Great story, i am now more than ever determined to go there.

Wonderful story and pictures of a fascinating area of the world. We were just there in November, but did not have time to visit Pali Aike park. Instead we went to the more famous Torres del Paine and then to El Chalten and El Calafate in Argentina. Photos and stories of the travel at www.neurotraveler.com

This artcle yelds riches for The Times lovers. Thank you very much.

When I visited this beautiful place in the 90's the school children could not play outside because the sun's rays were too damaging due to the hole in the ozone. Thankfully the hole has been much reduced now which proves something positive is happening at "the end of the earth". Thanks for reminding me of my wonderful experience so many years ago.

Just returned from from 3rd trip to Patagonia in 40 years. This trip was inspired by the Tompkins' work with Chile's parks - can't say enough about the wonderful gift they have given Chile and the world. If you love wild, open country, if you love seeing land formations in the making, if you don't mind that occasionally you can't stand up because of the strength of the wind -go. So many remote areas in Patagonia are accessible now that just a few years ago were not. The few people you will meet are wonderful. The wildlife is incredible and often approachable. I always return from Patagonia feeling ..... incredible.

Indeed, I join others below in complimenting on photos. I was just there 4 weeks ago in Punta Arenas - and crossed the straits of Magellan. And drove around in Tierra del Fuego - simply beautiful. I am surprised that this writer did not comment on skies and clouds. Simply mesmerizing. Magellan named it del Fuego - because he thought he saw smoke from fires down south. After my visit, I think he was mistaken. It should be called del Viento as in winds. The winds there make some windy days in Baku mild. Winds in that Tierra can hurll automobiles into each other. You can see some wrecks on the road along with crosses made into mini altars. They create sand storms to make visibility almost zero. And clouds with hefty winds make you think it's smoke. But it's God's smoke and mirrors which fooled Magellan. Antonio Pigafetta was the "travel writer" on Magellan's voyage - without Antonio - Magellan may have never gotten credit. Before you go there, read his book - it's the best travel journal you will ever read.

Traveled from Santiago to Punta Arenas. Loved it all. Seeing the Straits of Magellan thrilling. Hotel Terra del Fuego in Punta Arenas a great choice. Stop in Pucon.

The long-tailed meadowlark is an exceedingly common bird found throughout most of Chile. You can even spot in Santiago foraging on the ground.

Transported there. Mesmerized and speechless. And though aware of Patagonia geographically and as a fashionable outdoor clothing store you need to publish your story in hard copy and make available for coffee tables across our country. And do a reprise.

Best trip of my life was through South America....spent 3 months trekking from Tierra del Fuego to the Panama Canal via bus, though I did fly to Ushuaia. Patagonia was truly a dream. I hope I can make it back in my lifetime...l believe I can.

A map corresponding to the parks and the photos would have been a nice addition considering the peculiar geography of the area.

I think they would be locally known not as "ñandús" but as "ñandúes"

More photos, please. The landscape looks gorgeous.

Wonderful, wonderful! A map would be a good addition.

We parted at the Ruta del Mundo, sad to end such beautiful writing. Most of us will never travel to such awesome dream worlds as this, I bow to Joshua Hammer, thankful for the NYT's for sharing this wondrous vision, outside and faraway from this petty world of greed and politics.

Hopefully I'm not the only one who finds it ironic that the NYT simultaneously reports on the impending extinction of mankind as a result of our fossil fuel use, and then goes on to encourage everyone to fly off to distant lands and engage in the single most harmful activity we've yet developed as a species (air travel). Burning fossil fuels is arguably shameful for doing essential tasks such as growing food, but for purely whimsical activities such as sight-seeing, the shame is undeniable, both for those who engage in it as well as those who promote it.

We have two years to protect our National Parks and Monuments from being carved up and sold to the highest bidder by going to court. Then we can replace the despoilers with people as far seeing as the government of Chili by voting to replace Trump and his minions.

Hi Joshua, great article. My wife and I spent three weeks in the area this time last year. The diversity and amount of wildlife in Patagonia was nothing short of mind blowing. While we were suffering on more than a few days riding our motorcycles, I would stop to just watch some flamingos and think, it must not really be that bad because they seem content. Nor did we realize that we would see flamingos that far south. Our favorite was the always curious Southern Crested Caracara, squawking around the tent most mornings. Thanks for all the new information and a reminder of how much we enjoyed Fin del mundo!

A gorgeously evocative, dream-time article. I have been fascinated, since my early 20's, with Patagonia since I read Bruce Chatwin's, In Patagonia. Thank you.

Great article. Thank you very much. Encouraging to see how major conservation can occur, even in less affluent countries.