As an award for their commitment and awareness of the environment, LATAM Airlines, the NGO AMA Torres del Paine and Las Torres Reserve took student groups through primary to middle school to see a trail that they themselves helped build through a national fundraiser.

It was a dream come true for nearly 100 students from four schools in Chile who participated in the Your Best School Footprint campaign, organized by the NGO AMA Torres del Paine and sponsored by LATAM Airlines. The campaign had a double purpose: to promote fundraising for the restoration of the trail, Base of the Towers, which is the busiest route in Torres del Paine National Park, and to raise awareness among Chilean youth about the importance of protecting the land and natural resources.

Through this work the four schools, Lorenzo Sazie, Entre Aguas de Llico de Vichuquén, Colegio Árabe and Campanita de Viña del Mar had the opportunity to travel to Patagonia. Thanks to the support of LATAM Airlines the children were able to live a whole adventure in Torres del Paine that filled their hearts with emotion and sowed the seed of love for Patagonia and the preservation of its wealth of nature.

Due to this epic trip, the students were able to enjoy one-of-a-kind activities, such as hiking in Patagonia during the Spring and appreciating the landscapes. They also saw with their own eyes the famous granite towers and learned about the restoration of the Base of the Towers trail. They visited Las Torres Reserve’s organic garden and learned to value sustainability practices that are being implemented in the park.

How did it start? Towards the middle of 2019, the Tu Mejor Huella campaign carried out a school version in which LATAM Airlines joined as the main partner. Schools from all over Chile were invited to register and compete in this particular initiative: each child, in support of their class, had to raise the largest amount of donations for the restoration of the main trail in Torres del Paine National Park, in Chilean Patagonia.

With the calculation of a square meter of trail at 650 pesos, the students took the challenge seriously, raising funds through relatives, friends and others. They had it clear that a dream prize was on the horizon – an all expenses paid trip to Torres del Paine in Patagonia.

Once the winning classes were defined and everything was ready for the trip, the prized trip was put on hold due to the outbreak of the Covid-19. Today, two and a half years later, LATAM Airlines upheld its commitment to sustainability and delivered all the tickets to the winners, finally making this dream trip a reality.

“We are very happy and we thank LATAM Airlines for their commitment to this campaign and to the trails of Torres del Paine. We are aware of the importance of the Base of the Towers trail project, and we will continue tackling the challenge of building a new trail that is on par with the 8th wonder of the world,” said Mauricio Kusanovic, executive director of Reserva Las Torres.

Thanks to the efforts of LATAM Airlines, the NGO AMA Torres del Paine, Las Torres Reserve, and the students at the University of Magallanes, who are studying tourism, and the Buses Base Torres, who joined this initiative by providing land transfers of the winning students.  All of these parties honored their commitment to provide these children with an extraordinary, ecological and educational trip that will be unforgettable, and in many cases due to the children’s socioeconomic conditions, a once in a lifetime experience.