Introducing Chile
Spindly Chile stretches 4300km – over half the continent – from the driest desert in the world (near San Pedro de Atacama) to massive glacial fields. Filling up the in-between are volcanoes, geysers, beaches, lakes, rivers, steppe and countless islands. Slenderness gives Chile the intimacy of a backyard (albeit one fenced between the Andes and the Pacific). What’s on offer? Everything. With easy infrastructure, spectacular sights and hospitable hosts, the hardest part is choosing an itinerary. Consider the sweeping desert solitude, craggy summits and the lush forests of the fjords. Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and the isolated Isla Robinson Crusoe offer extracontinental exploits.
But don’t forget that Chile is as much about character as it is setting. Its far-flung location fires the imagination and has been known to make poets out of barmen, dreamers out of presidents and friends out of strangers. A few wrong turns and detours and you too will be part of this tightly woven family who barbecues on Sunday. Don’t forget to bring an extra bottle of red to the long, lazy dinners that await.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
Sights in Chile
Activities in Chile
Santiago
On a clear day, fresh after winter showers, Santiago basks in one of the most spectacular settings of any city in the world.
Tours in Chile
Norte Grande
Traveling inland, the balmy coast of sunbathers and surfers shifts to cactus scrub plains and dry mountains streaked in reddish tones.
Chile destination guides
Sur Chico
The further south you go in Chile, the greener it gets, until you find snow-bound volcanoes rising over verdant hills and lakes.
Hotels in Chile
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Chile
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Chile
Apartments in Chile
Southern Patagonia
Mysterious, storied Patagonia may claim the lower third of Chile, but the heart and the ethos of the region lie in the southern states of Magallanes (Magellan), Última Esperanza (Last Hope) and Tierra del Fuego (The Land of Fire).
Entertainment in Chile
Middle Chile
Many visitors tend to skip Chile's heartland on their way to more famous attractions further south.
Shopping in Chile