PUERTO NATALES,THE JUMPING OFF POINT TO TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK.

What is Torres del Paine? We're talking about azure lakes, trails that meander through emerald forests, roaring rivers you'll cross on rickety bridges and one big, radiant blue glacier. Variety spans from the vast openness of the steppe to rugged mountain terrain topped by looming peaks. Part of UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve system since 1978, the park is also home to flocks of ostrich like rhea (known locally as the ñandú), Andean condor, flamingo and many other bird species. Its star success in conservation is undoubtedly the guanaco, which grazes the open steppes where pumas cannot approach undetected. After more than a decade of effective protection from poachers, these large and growing herds don't even flinch when humans or vehicles approach.