I have 5 weeks of college winter break from mid December to late January and I’m close to pulling a trigger on buying the flights to Santiago, Chile. I’ve been wanting to experience nature and backpack around South America for a while (never been!).

However, I’m a bit intimidated by the in-advance reservations requirements for the most popular hiking trails in Patagonia, like the O trek in Torres del Paine; even now, 2 months in advance, it seems like it’s already too late for me to snatch a spot there in peak season.

I’m more used to planning my hiking itinerary spontaneously and having flexibility for weather and such. Traveling solo, I sometimes meet nice people I stick with for a few days or take extended breaks around interesting towns in between multi-day wilderness hiking sections.

Therefore, I’m seeking suggestions for where else in Chile/Patagonia I can go backpacking that’s not as popular as Torres del Paine and friendly to wild camping/last-minute campsite reservations. Today, I discovered the Greater Patagonian Trail and I’ll read more about it to potentially do select sections.

As for my background and preparation, I have the necessary gear and am quite comfortable living out of a tent and a backpack for extended periods of time. I spent all of last summer traversing the Faroe Islands and Iceland on foot, so I’m familiar with camping in extreme conditions and being fully self-reliant while walking for days on end without seeing any other people. So don’t hesitate to give me your wildest itinerary suggestions. I’m completely open for my 5 weeks in Chile this winter (the Southern hemisphere’s summer). Ideally, I would immerse myself in nature hiking in 5-7 day sections, stopping in cities and towns along the way to explore the local culture and food. That said, sadly I do not speak Spanish so it might be a challenge to communicate and find my way.

Finally, given that I will start in Santiago and make my way south to Patagonia (whether by flights, buses, or hitchhiking), does it make sense to fly back to North America again from Santiago? Or is there a big international airport I should consider in the south that would make more sense to depart from after hiking in Patagonia?

Any other advice and preparation tips would be highly appreciated. Thank you!