But I could never leave this place. Other cities are too slow and quiet. Ride along the base of the 2,900-m Torres del Paine, a craggy fist of rock punching into the sky, or trek on horseback close to the face of the imposing Grey Glacier. Above tower some of the world's most spectacular granite monoliths. Below, icy rivers thunder through lush green valleys.
Glaciers crunch and spit blocks of ice into aqua blue lakes.
For even more demanding landscape, try the countryside around Agadez in central Niger. Sited between the savanna of the Sahel to the south and the harsh Sahara Desert to the north, the town was once an important stop on trans-Saharan trade routes. While the 20,000-strong camel caravans of old no longer pass through to salt markets farther south, Agadez is reinventing itself as an adventure hub. Half a dozen tour operators offer four-wheel drive or camel expeditions. Itineraries often involve up to 12 hours of driving or walking a day.