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The Coastal Ranges of Chile encompass some of the country's most beautiful and diverse expanses of wilderness, from placid river valleys to golden Pacific beaches to rugged mountains. For me, the opportunity to explore this pristine area, part of the the national reserve, Mapu Lahual, in a four-day hike was an exciting privilege, not to be missed.

The coastal trail, completed on foot in a short timeframe, was a physical challenge for me; it demanded reasonable fitness and good preparation. Nevertheless, there were ample opportunities for rest and recreation: lazy mornings on the beaches, swimming, fishing for trout in the rivers and watching sea otters at play. Four days was great, but a week or two would have been better.

The walk is advantaged by a constantly changing canopy, enabling visitors to experience various types of evergreen forests and some of the last remaining forests with Alerce trees. We also sighted some amazing fauna, including the rare Darwin Frog.

A highlight of the journey was meeting the human inhabitants of this area. We were welcomed into their communities with smiles and one group even collected wild fruit and herbal tea for us to sample.

To learn of the threats this precious region faces adds to the privilege I feel from my experience. Most of the area through which we walked faces a sad irony: it is among the most pristine and ecologically significant land in the country, yet it is owned by logging companies. The only reason this last stand of coastal temperate rainforest is so far untouched is that it is inaccessible. One wonders how many weeks it will last when the Coastal Highway opens it up for exploitation.

So, if you were to ask me, "where in Chile should I hike, climb, paddle, fish and seek nature?" I would have only one response. Experience the Coastal Ranges. Experience them now. For more details on how to arange a trip to visit the wonders of the Valdivian coastal forest, click here.

Daniel Wilson.