Chile

Chile's capital in the Andean foothills - 7 million people at 520m, the Andes wall to the east (snowcapped six months a year), the Central Valley wine country at the door, and the gateway to Patagonia, the Atacama, and Easter Island.

Chile's institutional Dark Sky 266 anchor, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the world's institutional driest non-polar desert at 2,400m on the Chilean Altiplano, the institutional San Pedro de Atacama, ALMA Observatory (the world's largest astronomical project), Valle de la Luna, El Tatio Geysers, Salar de Atacama, Laguna Cejar, the institutional Chinchorro mummies (the world's oldest, 7,000+ years pre-Egyptian, UNESCO 1634).

Chilean Patagonia's Torres del Paine National Park with granite towers rising 2850 metres, the W Trek, Grey Glacier, and gateway town Puerto Natales at the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

Chile's UNESCO-listed Pacific port on 42 hills - funicular ascensores, street art on the cerros, Neruda's La Sebastiana, and fresh seafood.