Chile
The first trip we organised that crossed over the border into Chile was a historical adventure that retraced the hoof steps of General San Martín (one of Latin America’s liberators and greatest heroes) retracing what has become known as one of history’s most audacious and brilliantly executed military campaigns. It was a fascinating expedition to organise and the perfect introduction to the wild, exciting, ribbon-of-a-country that winds down the bottom half of the South American continent, squeezed between the highest peaks of the imperious Andes mountain range and the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean.
Despite appearing as only a sliver of a place on the map, Chile is home to a vibrant melting pot of cultures and a plethora of vastly differing, wildlife-filled habitats. From otherworldly, scorched, volcano-dotted, arid landscapes to an agricultural bread basket of rolling hills, famous for its wines, to the almost tropical Lake District of Northern Chilean Patagonia to the vast, imposing wilderness and awe-inspiring scenery of its Southern regions. And, the cherry on the top of this fabulous multicoloured cake of a country, is Rapa Nui Island (formerly known as Easter Island). This remote Chilean island, two time zones away from the mainland, has a Polynesian culture that is vastly different to anything found on the South American continent, and much of it still today remains a complete mystery.
Where to go & What to do
- The Northern Atacama region: famous for its section of the Puna plateau, known for being the driest place on earth, is also home to a dizzying array of terrains, some of the clearest night skies in the world and a suprisingly wide variety of wildlife.
- Santiago, Valparaiso and the central wine region: the economic centre of the country and one of the few places in the world where you can explore the coast in the morning and relish the clear mountain air in the afternoon.
- The Chilean Lake District by a geographical quirk, is almost tropical and has tremendously verdant land. Fortunately, much of the region is tricky to farm so has been left to its own devices and retains a great deal of its original fauna and flora.
- The Aysen region: the difficulty of linking Aysen to other regions and the time it takes to travel around the area, much of which is only coverable by long stretches on the road or by spending a lot of cash on chartering planes or helicopters, has meant it is one of the lesser visited regions of Chilean Patagonia, though, if you have the luxury of time or are happy just to explore one region, it’s a world in itself.
- Torres del Paine National Park is one of the world’s most famous parks and, at times and in certain sections, it can be a victim of its success, bursting with visitors. However, it’s a vast area and, with a little inside knowledge, you can still find the magic behind’s its fame, even at the highest point of the Summer season.
Travel logistics
- Generally, our favourite times to travel to Chile is Spring (End of October to the start of December) and Autumn (March to April) during which times you are, normally, out of the more extreme weather patterns and the times when the country is more crowded.
- The above said, assuming you are not travelling for a seasonal specific activity, such as skiing, due to the length of the country, there is not really a bad time to travel to Chile. Nevertheless, Chile has wildly different climates and habitats, and it is not helped by the weather becoming increasingly more erratic so we always advise each of our guest on a case by case basis.
- Wine harvest: February to April
- Season to visit Antarctica: November to March
- Due to it geography, Chile can be a tricky country to travel around, with few connecting flights. For example, to get to Atacama in the north to Torres del Paine in the South, (during which you have to fly via Santiago and generally land in Punta Arenas) it would be a 2 hr flight and then a 3,5 hr flight approximately 6 hr to get through the airports and a total of about 6 hrs driving.
- Over the years, we have found Chile works best combined with different regions of Argentina. Some examples:
- Driving from Salta and the Northwest over the Andes to the Atacama region of Chile,
- Taking a boat from Punta Arenas, south of Torres del Paine, to Ushuaia in the southernmost province of Argentine Patagonia.
- Mountain biking, hiking and boating through the Andes to combine the Lake Districts of Chile and Argentina.
- Combing the central wine regions of Chile and those of the province of Mendoza.
- Road tripping along part of Chile’s famous Carretera Austral (the great southern road) and over the border on to the renowned Route 40 of Argentina. This takes you from the Aysen region of Chile to the Argentine province of Santa Cruz (this is one of our favourite road trips though, needless to say, it is one for keen drivers only!).
Things to keep in mind
- For those passionate on stargazing, Chile is a great destination though it can be unpredictable so the more time you can give it the better and it is very important to keep in mind the moon cycle when planning, we’ll talk you through the best options during the preparation of your trip, though the main thing is to avoid a full moon and the days previous or after.
- Altitude sickness can be a problem and can affect anyone irrespective of physical condition, particularly in the Atacama region. There are a variety of ways that we can help you avoid it, number one: take it easy for the first few days to allow you body to acclimatize, though we’ll talk you through the precautions during the organization and run up to your trip.
- Where to stay in Torres del Paine: many accommodations advertise as a Torres del Paine hotel, though it is a very large area and it is important to understand the distances involved depending on where you are staying.
- Antarctic trips and the boat trip through the Patagonian Fjords between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia are, for most people, unforgettable experiences, though both require a night in the departure city before embarking.
- It is at least a 5 hr flight from Santiago to Rapa Nui (Easter island) and, for logistical reasons, it is necessary to spend a night either side in Santiago city.
Example Itineraries
Some examples of our favourite trips that we’ve organised over the years:
