If you set regular hair appointments, there are calmer places than Patagonia to put on your bucket list. Then again, if you hold strong hope that there is still wildness to be found on our swiftly tilting planet, forget your tangle-free locks for a moment and consider this: Patagonia howls.

Most are familiar with the classic “W” and “O” hikes found in Torres del Paine National Park, which is spectacular and not overhyped, regardless of the weather. This 600,000-acre park receives fewer than 150,000 visitors a year; Grand Canyon National Park, in contrast, receives five million folks annually. Like parts of the Grand Canyon, it’s not rare to find yourself alone on the trail for long stretches of time.

Patagonia is not a country.

For example, did you know you’re now welcome to explore Chile’s new conservation success story and outdoor playground called Parque Patagonia? Or how about embarking on a 1,200-kilometer mountain bike trip that ends with you accessing El Chalten through a northern backdoor entry?

Options abound in this land of surprises, which is guaranteed to surpass your expectations no matter how high you set them. But to manage these anticipations, it’s good to know what Patagonia is not. Patagonia is not a place to “just chill,” as some people like to do on vacation.

While the high season for travelers—December, January and February—offers long days (the summer solstice sees 18 hours of light!), extreme weather can happen every day in a matter of minutes. Even when it’s not raining, sleeting or snowing, the sun is a constant threat through a seething hole in the ozone layer above here.

Patagonia is not a place to “just chill,” as some people like to do on vacation.

While the high season for travelers—December, January and February—offers long days (the summer solstice sees 18 hours of light!), extreme weather can happen every day in a matter of minutes. Even when it’s not raining, sleeting or snowing, the sun is a constant threat through a seething hole in the ozone layer above here.