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By Elizabeth Westbrook Yvon Chouinard, an American rock climber and environmentalist had numerous visits to Patagonia, South America's region shared by Chile and Argentina. He was the founder of a company that focused on outdoor activities and named his iconic products Patagonia sporting the logo of the silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia. According to Chouinard, he chose the name Patagonia because it sounded "like a wondrous, far-flung, and almost mythical place." After recently watching a documentary on an avid outdoorsman at Patagonia and having seen Patagonia hats and shirts since the 70s, I was hooked. Phillip and I love to hike. The Explora en Patagonia, located in the Torres del Paine National Park in the southernmost part of Chile, was the perfect fit. It was all-inclusive and pricey. The expansive views of Lake Pehoe and Torres Massif mountains from our windows, and the Salto Chico waterfall seen from the dining room with delectable meals, made it a bargain. There was also a choice of hikes, horseback rides, land tours, or a boat ride on the lake. It was difficult to choose from a buffet of 54 different kinds of hikes — gentle walks to full-day hikes. We decided to experience the four different terrains the park had to offer. Steppe, estancia, forest, and the Lago and Grey Glacier beach with its black surface from the pebbles. The walk on the beach rewarded us with a milky lake, a floating iceberg, and a view of the wall of ice expanding itself onto the lake. Yes, it was windy and chilly as were most of the days of our visit. I was happy to have packed my insulated raincoat. Our next camp was in El Calafate, Argentina. The logistics of crossing the border was easy. We were driven six hours in a comfortable ride and watched the many privately-owned ranches on the pampas. We stayed in a hotel with the views of Lake Argentino. Our excursion was the Puerto Moreno Glacier tour, a must-see for any tourist in the area. The enormity of the glacier is beyond description. Imagine that this ice field is the world's third-largest reserve of fresh water. Although amazingly engineered, the many steps of the boardwalks gave us an opportunity to get up close to see the different hues of the ice and feel the cold breeze. Several times we heard chunks of ice breaking away and thundering down. The downtown of El Calafate reminded me of a resort town with shops and restaurants. We ate Patagonian toothfish (Chilean sea bass) cooked to perfection. It's no wonder Chouinard was inspired from the perfection of the mountain peaks and the wilderness of Patagonia. If you had experienced African safari (July Breeze had my "Out of Africa"), you would definitely be keen on experiencing a Patagonian safari of hikes, walks, mountains, glaciers, and lakes. 20 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | DECEMBER 2025 PATAGONIA e glacier is in equilibrium, meaning it advances and retreats constantly.