Chile

Land of contrasting attractions: glaciers, deserts, beaches, wine, ski slopes, crystalline lakes and so much more.

Chile is a long, narrow country stretching along South America’s western edge, with 4,300 km of Pacific Ocean coastline. Due to this geographic feature and its location, Chile qualifies as a fantastic vacation destination. It’s difficult to find another destination that offers such a variety of scenery and climate. From the driest desert in the world in the north, to the Patagonia glaciers in the south, and countless natural marvels in-between such majestic volcanoes, spurting geysers, beaches, pristine lakes, rivers and countless islands. For whatever reason you visit Chile, don’t forget to spend a few days in the capital, Santiago de Chile; which is a great base to visit nearby attractions such as Ski resorts, wine farms and the charming beach villages Valparaiso and Viña del Mar.

Chile Highlights

Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert is considered the world’s highest and driest desert, where sand dunes, volcanoes, jetting geysers and crusty salt lakes make for an absolutely amazing collection of geologic episodes. The Atacama Desert is over 15 million years old and offers some of the most fascinating and dramatic visual treats. This desert contains numerous attractions that have turned the hamlet of San Pedro de Atacama into a bustling hot spot for travelers from all over the world.

The altitude and dryness of the area also make it a top stargazing site and a visit to the Moon Valley promises breathtaking views of the salt ponds and surrounding snow-capped volcanoes. Other highlights include visits to indigenous villages where you can enjoy original hospitality and maybe a llama barbeque, visits to the awesome salt flats with ice-blue lakes and pink flamingos and to spewing geothermal geysers situated 4,300 m above sea level. San Pedro de Atacama and her surrounding attractions, has, with reason, become one of Chile’s premier destinations and is so worth a visit.


Chilean Patagonia

The Chilean PATAGONIA in the Southernmost part of Chile is adorned breathtaking landscapes: pristine native forests, pampas, islands, fjords, channels, fast flowing rivers, lakes and lagoons, hot springs, majestic ice fields and snowdrifts.It is one of the most extensive areas of the country and yet the least populated: 1.3 inhabitants per square mile, which ensures that the natural surroundings are practically untouched and pure.

There Chilean Patagonia consists of are two sub-regions; the northern Aysen Region and southern Magallanes Region.

Isolated from the rest of Chile by fierce storms and impassable mountains, The Chilean Patagonia also includes the Torres del Paine National Park with her imposing “horns” that reach up to the sky. This park is considered the crown jewel of the Chilean Patagonia and National park system. In 1978 it was designated Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Status. P

In the uttermost south of this vast territory, the land is full of beauty and historically renowned places like the Straits of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego and the mythical Cape Horn.


Lake and Volcano region

The lakes region of Chile in the central South is of one Chile’s prettiest regions. It’s a beautiful area with surprising nature, consisting of valleys, forests, lakes, rivers, thermal centers and volcanoes. These natural phenomena are interspersed among charming villages and town from where you can organize a host of activities to the surrounding attractions.

Some of the towns like Puerto Varas and Frutillar portray and practice the strong influence of the German settlers (colonizers) and this can be seen and experienced in the architecture, handcrafts and exquisite pastries including kuchens, cakes, marmalade and of course really good artisanal beer.

Nature lovers will adore this area as it is perfect for a host of adventure sports, including: rafting, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, canopying and floating. It is also popular for mountaineering and trekking to the volcanoes, along with ornithology and photographic safaris in the national parks.

Also part of this region, the Chiloe Archipelago consist of hundreds of islands which were almost completely isolated from the rest of Chile for many years. That is how it retained its rich ethnic and folkloric traditions and mythology.


Easter Island

Easter Island is a tiny (180 KM2) and remote volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean some 3500 KM from mainland Chile. It’s famed for its archaeological sites, including some 900 monumental statues, called moai, created by its early Rapa Nui inhabitants during the 10th-16th centuries. The moai are carved human figures with oversize heads, often resting on massive rock altars called ahus.

The first European to discover Easter Island was Jakob Roggeveen on April 5, 1722 – on Easter Sunday, hence its name change from that point on. Despite the name change, Rapa Nui (its name in the native language), has preserved a culture whit roots dating back 1700 years.

Easter Island is much more than an open-air museum though. It is a fantastic eco-travel destination where the island’s immense and unspoilt beauty is best explored on foot, bike or on horseback. Diving, snorkeling and surfing are fantastic, and for simple relaxation – the island comes with some superb beaches with white sand.


The Central Valley

The central valley, stretching 500 KM from north to south is a large extension of fertile land and mountains that extend down to the ocean. Lovely views of their snow-topped peaks can observed almost throughout the year.

Important urban centers like Santiago de Chile, Valparaiso, Viña del Mar and Rancagua are located in this central zone. All of these cities are worth a visit and boast some fantastic cultural and historical patrimonies. The city of Valparaiso, a port city on coast close to Santiago, known for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes is particularly interesting to visit, especially at New Year when it hosts one of South America’s most popular celebrations.

Chile is renowned for its delicious wines, and this is the area where you’ll find some of the famous vineyards and wineries in the Aconcagua, Colchagua, Curico, Casablanca, Maule and Cachapoal. Important ski resorts such as Vale Nevado are also located in this zone.

These are just a few of the amazing destinations that await you in Chile. Please do not hesitate to CONTACT US if you would like to visit any of these destinations, or incorporate them into your South American travel plans