Kristin Tompkins has lived a life shaped by two Patagonias.
Her first company was an outdoor apparel company she helped mountaineer Yvon Chouinard start in 1973. She served as Patagonia's CEO for her 20 years. And in 1993, she quit her company and headed to the other side of Patagonia, the far reaches of the world in South America.
Chris and her husband Doug Tompkins, co-founder of The North Face, famously quit the corporate world to focus on the natural world. While building the first park, Pumalin, conservationists lived in a rustic area without electricity, roads, or telephones. They learned important lessons about how travelers can help protect the environment for generations to come, collecting vast tracts of land to conserve and sometimes rewild. Chris, now 73 years old, continues to share them.
“There are countless ways to bring awareness and contribute to these places that we so dearly love to visit,” she said. “But you have to decide that you want to be that kind of traveler, and that you're serious about it. … I don't think we can afford to be indifferent anymore.”
After recovering land and building public infrastructure in Patagonia, the Tompkins donated their project to the governments of Argentina or Chile. The vast grounds are now a national park visited by hundreds of thousands of people a year.
“We wanted them to be economic drivers for their countries and communities. We like to participate in protecting our national jewels, but what does that have to do with us personally?” No,” Chris Tompkins said.
Doug passed away in 2015 while kayaking in Patagonia. Despite his grief, Chris completed his mission. For more than 30 years, the nonprofit Tompkins Conservancy has helped create or expand 15 national parks containing approximately 14.8 million acres of land and his two marine national parks totaling 30 million acres. Their organization created Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, independent nonprofit organizations that have worked to restore species such as the ostrich-like Darwin's rhea. A huge otter. And the Huemul deer, Chile's national animal.
Now, Chris Tompkins' call to action is informative and easy to understand. Even the most gentle adventurer can incorporate her travel advice.
During a recent stay at the Watergate Hotel, she shared with The Washington Post nuggets of wisdom gleaned from decades of conservation work and adventures in Patagonia.
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Tompkins admits he doesn't like playing the casual tourist. She enjoys traveling to investigate conservation projects and identify animal species.
But whatever the purpose, Tompkins encourages travelers to deeply connect with their destinations rather than just glide through them. Look for natural features, even in cities, and pay attention to the big picture of how your actions impact not only your immediate environment but the wider world.
“I think everyone should focus on the state of the natural world, whether they go to Paris or Mozambique,” she says. “And be careful where you're going, what's happening, and what's happening on Earth.”
Tompkins encourages visitors to contribute to the environment and to local communities whose livelihoods depend on local natural resources.
“Support your community by learning more about them. What problems are they facing?” she said. “Given the state of our planet and communities around the world, going to different places and just having a good time is outdated. It's over. Or better yet, it's over.”
look out the airplane window
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Chris and Doug Tompkins flew for hours in a small plane to explore Patagonia's vast terrain. Chris says these excursions were some of the toughest and most fun.
Doug, who was piloting a two-seater Husky or Cessna, was slaloming through the mountains instead of jumping over them. In addition to his daring feats, the weather was fickle and could change while they were flying. But in the days before Google Earth, there was no other choice.
“It's a way of understanding the land, from the top of the Argentine border to the Pacific Ocean,” she says. “This is the most storied and emotional time I've ever been in.”
Tompkins recommends looking at the view outside the airplane window, especially if it's a small plane cruising at low altitude. Commemorate the land below through aerial photography and videography.
“Taking photos and videos allows you to connect with what you're seeing,” she said.
Break your dependence on gadgets
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Tompkins said over-reliance on technology can cause problems, especially when traveling to remote areas where there is no cell phone reception. Travelers need to hone their old-fashioned navigation skills. Learn how to interpret maps and ask strangers for directions.
“The more people move away from paper maps, the less they can actually understand where they are because they're just looking at a blue dot on a screen,” she says.
“You need to go to rehab,” she retorts when I tell her about the time my cell phone battery died in the Montreal cold and I was paralyzed.
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Patagonia's weather is fickle. A storm rolled in and Chris and Doug Tompkins had to hunker down until the skies cleared. Tompkins learned how to pack for worst-case weather scenarios. She always carried food such as carrots and apples, as well as a tent and sleeping bag, “just what you would need if you were stranded for three days.”
In that moment, she found joy in hardship. “I look back now and think, 'Oh my god, what was I thinking?'” Tompkins said. “But at the time it seemed okay. It was romantic.”
She recommends accepting challenges that not only stimulate your survival instincts, but may also shake your soul.
“Those are the things we remember all our lives, the days when we were miserable and scared. Those are the stories we tell ad nauseum,” she said. “Because I feel something.”
Don't be intimidated by Patagonia
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Although the area may seem impregnable, Tompkins said it has become easier to travel across the country and between multiple parks. She said her family and friends are calmly navigating Patagonia because they “can't find their way out of the driveway.”
“I know people who have very glamorous plans to cross the border and travel to Patagonia, and it's not scary,” she says. “There’s no real way to get stuck at the border.”
New infrastructure is helping to close the gap between destinations. For example, her late husband's vision of the Park Route connects her 17 national parks across 1,700 miles within Chile. In and around the park, visitors can find dining, lodging, and even glamping. Last month, Tompkins Conservancy and its partners announced a new preserve called Cape Froward National Park, about 90 miles southwest of Punta Arenas, Chile.
Tompkins said her favorite time of year to visit is April, as fall approaches. The summer winds have subsided and temperatures are still mild. She should avoid May to September, which is the toughest time in Patagonia.
Locals are much friendlier. Tompkins said when a car breaks down, it usually stops and helps.
“It's a lot like a Midwestern state with small towns,” she says. “This is a culture where if you see someone stuck, you stop and get them back on track.”
Even if you have a flat tire, this is your chance to communicate.
