Chile travel guide
Tall, slim and washed by the Pacific, Chile is adventure heaven, with deserts, vineyards, volcanoes, lakes and glaciers: great treks perfected by fine local wine
Skinny Chile, squashed between the Pacific and the Andes, is one giant playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Its landscape embraces glacial wilderness and moonscapes, lakes and volcanoes, beaches, salt flats and the burnt colours of the desert. In one day you can scale a snow-capped mountain, soak off the exhaustion in a thermal bath and rest beneath the desert stars.
Chile’s capital, Santiago, is a great place to see Chileans at play. The nearby port of Valparaíso shouldn’t be missed – a warren of narrow streets, brightly coloured houses perched perilously on steep hills and ageing bars frequented by sailors.
In the north of Chile, San Pedro de Atacama is an unlikely oasis set among the geysers, volcanoes and salt flats of the world's driest desert.
Heading south, forests, lakes and conical snow-capped volcanoes make up Chile's Lake District, with clear air perfect for hikes to small towns and villages topped by high-spired, clean-cut churches. The mysterious archipelago of Chiloé is the place to spot penguins and gorge on freshly dug oysters.
In the far south lies the awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National Park, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve and Mecca for trekkers and wildlife enthusiasts. Throughout the year, the park offers constantly changing views of the glaciers, peaks and the iconic granite towers which overlook vividly coloured lakes and quiet green valleys filled with carpets of wild flowers.
Wanderlust recommends
- Follow Pirates and Poets. The Unesco World Heritage site of Valparaiso is a colourful port town packed with history. If you wonder why no-one is swimming on the beaches, it's because the Humboldt Current is sweeping Antarctic waters up the coast
- Meet a Moai. Easter Islands are part of Chile. Fly out to witness the giant stone statues gazing silently out to sea, the last echoes of a civilisation that vanished in the remote Pacific Ocean
- Take a Trek. The Granite peaks of the Torres del Paine are amongst the most dramatic in the world. Chile shares Patagonia with neighbouring Argentina but keeps the most spectacular landscapes
- Do a Desert. The world’s highest geyser field (El Tatio), and driest desert (the Atacama), are in Chile: watch bubbling mudfields and flamingos snacking on salt flats
- Find a Fjord. Forget Norway. The fjords of Patagonia are far more dramatic, as the Andes finally subside beneath the waves. Take a cruise to explore a remote, unpopulated landscape of sheer, windswept beauty
- Live for the Lakes. Chile's Lake District is a beautiful region of conical snow-capped volcanoes, deep emerald lakes, and spreading forests of fragrant pine: great for hikes and exploring by car
- A Way with Wine. Chile's vintages are amongst the best in the world, and far less expensive than they deserve. Tour the small vineywards of the central wine-growing district: tasting opportunities abound
Wanderlust tips
Don’t call pisco a Peruvian drink – Chileans claim the hooch as its own. You can spot the world’s largest-ever creature, the blue whale, on a whalewatching trip from Punta Arenas.