Laguna Torre (Cerro Torre)

One of the most frequented day hikes from El Chaltén, the route to Laguna Torre leads to a glacial lake at the base of the Torre massif. The 18 km out-and-back trail follows the Fitz Roy River valley, moving through sub-antarctic forests of ñire and lenga. The terrain is primarily well-maintained gravel paths and packed dirt, with a short initial ascent followed by mostly level walking through the glacial valley. The destination offers direct views of Cerro Torre (3,128m) and the Adela range, with icebergs frequently calving from the Torre Glacier into the lake.

Scafell Pike is the highest peak in England at 978m (3,209ft). The route from Wasdale Head is arguably the most dramatic—and certainly the most direct—way to the summit. Ascending steep, rocky paths beside the rushing waters of Lingmell Gill, hikers are quickly lifted out of the pastoral valley into a harsh, craggy environment of volcanic rock. The summit plateau is notorious for its boulder fields and unpredictable weather, but on a clear day, the views stretch across the Lake District fells and all the way to the Isle of Man and Scotland.