You can never have enough of Chile’s scenic views and abundant outdoor activities. Recently, the Chilean government launched a new route that aims to boost tourism and protect the wild lands, thanks to the generosity of the Tompkins Conservation. Stretching over 1740 miles from Puerto Montt down to Cape Horn, the extensive trail connects 17 national parks and forms a new route - the "Patagonian Route of Parks". This trail also supports further transition from private parks to national parks in Chile.
This scenic route will satisfy all your expectations: vast green land stretching far in the distance, turquoise lakes glistening in the sunlight, the snow-capped Andes looming over your sight. According to a report, The Route of Parks includes three acclaimed existed routes: the Southern Way, the Patagonian channels and the End of the World Route.
Founder of The North Face, the late Douglas Tompkins and his wife Kristine McDivitt Douglas founded the Tompkins Conservation. This foundation is dedicated to promote Chile’s spectacular scenery and develop Chile’s economy based on conservation. As keen conservators, the Tompkins have been trying to arouse the sense of pride and responsibilities of world citizens toward to the rugged wilderness.
In December 2015, Douglas Tompkins died in a kayaking accident in Chile. Months before this tragedy, the Tomkpins Conservation proposed to the Chilean government to donate over 1 million acres of their private preserved lands if the government would also allocate additional lands to create a Patagonian national park network.
In March 2017, Kristine McDivitt signed an agreement with the Chilean government donating vast amounts of land to establish a network of national parks. Continuing Douglas Tompkins’ vision of conserving the landscape not only for Chile but also for the planet, The Tompkins Conservation accomplished “the largest land donation in history from a private entity to a country.”
In January 2018, the foundation's efforts in environmental conservation over two decades finally came to fruition. The government ended up contributing nine million acres, doubling the amount of land it previously promised. The Bachelet administration created five national parks, covering 10-million acres of land to form the Patagonian National Park System.
The Chilean government plans to increase the number of national parks in the near future. The government intends to integrate an aesthetic design into the untamed terrain in order to advance travel experiences and conserve the landscape. Hikers will be treated to more artistic signage and contoured trails instead of the existing rough and desolate trails.