Patagonia

The rugged majesty of Patagonia greeted me with sweeping vistas of golden pampas and herds of wild guanacos grazing peacefully against the dramatic backdrop of the Paine Massif. I arrived at Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa, an architectural masterpiece of curved lenga wood that blends seamlessly into the shoreline of Lake Sarmiento. Checking into the Suite Paine ($1,650/night all-inclusive), the immense panoramic window framed the jagged three granite towers of Torres del Paine rising majestically into the southern sky.

I began my days wrapped in cashmere, sipping rich Chilean coffee while watching the morning sun illuminate the mountain peaks in shades of glowing orange and crimson. Led by our private park guide, we embarked on a trek to the base of the Mirador Las Torres. Traversing ancient beech forests and scrambling across colossal glacial moraines, the final reveal of the teal glacial lagoon beneath the 2,800-meter vertical granite towers was an emotional, humbling triumph.

Back at the lodge, I eased my muscles in the Uma Spa’s heated indoor hydrotherapy pool and outdoor outdoor hot tubs overlooking Lake Sarmiento, sipping a frosty Calafate Sour ($18) made with native Patagonian berries and Pisco. Dinners were a celebration of southern terroir: succulent Magellanic lamb roasted slowly over open wood coals, king crab (centolla) salad from the Strait of Magellan, and bold Carménère from the Colchagua Valley ($120).

The following afternoon, we boarded a private catamaran navigating through turquoise waters littered with floating blue icebergs toward the colossal wall of Glacier Grey. Hearing the thunderous crack of ancient ice calving into the lake was a powerful testament to the primeval power of Mother Nature. Patagonia touches something wild and untamable within you.