By March 2003 more than 200 km of the Path of Chile will be complete. The hiking route will ultimately extend the length of the country's varied geography along the Andes mountains, running from Collacagua, in the extreme north, to Cerro Bandera, near Strait of Magellan in the south, say officials. “This path will highlight the historic and cultural heritage of the Andean foothills. It will foment tourism-related activity at the local level and will serve as a platform for education and recreation,” according to a government statement.

Over the next year, the path will grow to 319 km, based on the timeline that President Ricardo Lagos announced in May 2000.

By 2010, when Chile celebrates its bicentennial of Independence, the path is to cover 7,000 km.