South America

Chile

More than four thousand kilometres between the Andes and the Pacific — from one of the driest deserts on earth to rainforest and ice.

Photo: Alain Bonnardeaux / Unsplash

Chile is a narrow ribbon stretched along the continent's entire western coast, and that is exactly why so many different worlds fit inside it. In the north lies the Atacama Desert, parts of which see rain only very rarely; in the centre, Mediterranean valleys planted with vines; in the south, volcanoes, lakes and damp forests; and further still, the fjords and ice of Patagonia.

Here it makes sense to plan a journey around landscapes and seasons rather than cities. In the Atacama, mornings begin at steaming geysers and days at turquoise lagoons, while nights — when the sky is clear — unfold beneath a canopy of stars that draws the world's great observatories. In the south, the rhythm is set by lake water, hot springs and forest trails.

Between these extremes stand Santiago, with mountains rising behind its towers, and Valparaíso, whose painted houses climb the hills above the port. Because Chile lies in the southern hemisphere, its summer falls in the Lithuanian winter: December to March is often the best time in the south, while the desert can be visited year-round.

Why go

01
The Atacama Desert
From the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama to the Valle de la Luna at sunset, the high lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques, and the El Tatio geysers at dawn, more than four kilometres up. At night, weather and moon permitting, stargazing through a telescope.
02
Santiago, Valparaíso and the wine valleys
In Santiago, markets, museums and views of the Andes from Cerro San Cristóbal. In Valparaíso, funiculars, street art and stairways between painted houses. Along the way, the white wines of the Casablanca Valley and, to the south, the reds and haciendas of Colchagua.
03
The Lake District and its volcanoes
Pucón beneath Villarrica volcano, hot springs in the forest and trails among monkey-puzzle trees. In Puerto Varas, the wooden houses of German settlers on Lake Llanquihue and the perfect cone of Osorno volcano, with the emerald Petrohué falls close by.
04
Chiloé
An archipelago with its own myths, cooking and rhythm of rain. In Castro, colourful palafitos stand on stilts over the water; in the villages, wooden churches, several of them on the UNESCO list; and curanto — seafood and meat cooked in a pit over hot stones.

Ways to travel

Ways to experience it

Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.

Tailor-made journeys
North and south linked by domestic flights, with the route matched to the season: desert, wine valleys or Patagonia — each when it's at its best.
Adventure & active travel
High-altitude hikes in the Atacama after acclimatising, volcano-slope walks near Pucón, kayaking in the Lake District and the W trek in Torres del Paine.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Adobe lodgings in San Pedro de Atacama, a winery with a handful of rooms in Colchagua, lodges on the volcanic lakes and timber houses on Chiloé.
Culture & discovery
Valparaíso's hills of poets and artists, the wooden churches of Chiloé, the Atacameño villages of the desert and the moai of Rapa Nui.
Honeymoons & special journeys
Starlit desert nights, wine on a terrace above the valley and a few days by a lake beneath a snow-capped volcano.
Wildlife & nature
Flamingos on the Atacama lagoons, vicuñas on the Altiplano and, in summer, penguins often gathering off the coast of Chiloé. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Chile

Journey inspiration

Illustrative ideas for how a tailor-made journey could look. Not bookable packages: no prices, dates or inclusions are implied.

0114–18 days
From desert to volcanoes
A few days in Santiago, the Atacama with its lagoons and stars, then a flight south to Puerto Varas, Osorno volcano and the Chiloé archipelago.
Tailor-made journeys · Adventure & active travel
Plan something like this
0212–16 days
Wine, a port city and Rapa Nui
Santiago, Valparaíso and the wine valleys of Casablanca and Colchagua, then a long flight across the Pacific to Rapa Nui — the moai, volcanic craters and slow island days.
Culture & discovery · Honeymoons & special journeys
Plan something like this
0316–21 days
The south, slowly: lakes and Patagonia
Pucón and its hot springs, Puerto Varas and Chiloé, then a flight to the Magallanes region and several days around Torres del Paine.
Adventure & active travel · Exceptional stays & escapes
Plan something like this

Planning your journey

When to go

The Atacama can be visited year-round, though nights are cold, and in January and February the high country sometimes sees rain and some routes may close. Central Chile is usually pleasant in spring and autumn, with the grape harvest generally in March and April. The Lake District and Chiloé can be rainy in any season but are usually driest from December to March, which is generally the best time for Patagonia too. Rapa Nui is mild all year. Conditions vary from year to year.

How long to allow

For two regions we suggest at least 12–14 days; for north and south together, three weeks is better. In the Atacama, keep the first days gentle and gain height gradually; with Rapa Nui, add another four or five days.

Natural combinations

Chile pairs naturally with Argentina — over the Andean passes or on both sides of Patagonia — and with Bolivia, crossing the Altiplano from the Atacama to the Salar de Uyuni.

Areas to explore

The Atacama
Desert, salt flats, lagoons, geysers and dark night skies.
Santiago and central Chile
The capital, Valparaíso and the wine valleys of Casablanca and Colchagua.
The Lake District and Chiloé
Volcanoes, lakes, hot springs and island culture.
Chilean Patagonia
The Carretera Austral, the fjords and Torres del Paine.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
A remote Pacific island of moai statues.

General guidance only. Weather, seasons and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

Sample journey