The driest desert on earth at one end, glaciers and granite towers at the other, and 4,300km of country in between that is never more than 350km wide.
Chile is 4,300km long and averages 180km wide, pinned between the Andes and the Pacific. That geography gives it the driest desert in the world in the north, Mediterranean vineyards in the middle, lakes and volcanoes below that, and Patagonian ice at the bottom.
Most trips pick two ends. San Pedro de Atacama in the north does salt flats, geysers and some of the clearest night skies anywhere. Torres del Paine in the south is the continent's most famous trek, done as the W in four or five days or the full circuit in eight.
Santiago sits in the middle with the Andes visible from the street, and Valparaíso an hour away is a hillside port of murals and funiculars. Chile is more expensive than its neighbours and better organised than all of them, which is a trade most travellers accept.
Flying is the only sensible way to cover the length. Buses are excellent for regional legs.
The capital, with the Andes above it and ski resorts an hour away in winter.
So much is always happening in Santiago! And getting around via the Metro is both cheap and easy! However if you are up for a quick walk be sure to visit Barrio Italia!
A traveller, on Hostelworld
A hillside port of murals, funiculars and faded grandeur. An hour and a half from Santiago.
I have come to Valparaiso several times. It the prettiest city in the world. Absolutely magic!
A traveller, on Hostelworld
The driest desert on earth: salt flats, geysers, lagoons and world-class stargazing.
San Pedro is a magical little town, and the Atacama desert a stunning place with lots to see and do. Visit this place!
A traveller, on Hostelworld
The gateway to Torres del Paine, where every trek is provisioned and every bed is booked.
I hadn't expected much from the town, but we found great food, coffee, and shopping. The street dogs are all very cute and lazy sleeping on the sidewalk. The town is quiet, safe, and the shop keepers are all very helpful.
A traveller, on Hostelworld
Lakes, hot springs and an active volcano you can climb in a day.
I went for a day in late May and it was fantastic. I didn’t need to use public transport as everything is within walking distance. Good shops, restaurants, and activities available. Would love to come back in the spring.
A traveller, on Hostelworld
The southern city on the Magellan Strait, and the jumping-off point for Antarctica.
There is such great wildlife at Punta Arenas so it’s worth spending 4-5 days here rather than just pass through to Torres del Paine or Ushuaia. 60,000 penguin colony / yes you will see lots of penguins! Viewing condors really close Whale watching and glaciers Also a great walking tour and the food is fabulous / king crab snd of course lamb. Everyone is super friendly and English is widely spoken . Such a wonderful, laid back city.
A traveller, on Hostelworld
A lakeside town facing the Osorno volcano, and the best base for Chile's Lake District.
The capital of Chiloé: stilt houses, UNESCO wooden churches and an island culture of its own.
A colonial beach city and the gateway to the Elqui Valley, for pisco and some of the clearest skies on earth.
Rapa Nui and its moai, on a tiny volcanic island five hours from Santiago.
I love the mystery of the island and the happy people. They are so happy to show you their culture. It’s a safe and relaxing place, you can walk pretty much everywhere around town. Little bonus for dog lovers, dogs are everywhere and they’re also so friendly!
A traveller, on Hostelworld
Chile is a trekking and landscape country, with a wine region and two good cities attached.
Torres del Paine, volcanoes and the Atacama.
Murals, Neruda houses and Atacameño heritage.
Seafood from a very long coast, and serious wine.
Santiago and Valparaíso over four days.
A very long Pacific coast, and very cold water.
The most expensive country on the continent, and manageable.
Torres del Paine is the headline. The W trek takes four to five days between refugios and campsites, the full O circuit takes eight, and both require booking accommodation months in advance — the park limits numbers and turning up without reservations means being turned away. Puerto Natales is where everyone provisions.
San Pedro de Atacama is the other pole: the Valle de la Luna at sunset, the El Tatio geysers at dawn at 4,300 metres, altiplano lagoons with flamingos, and stargazing tours that use the clearest skies on the planet.
In the middle, Valparaíso is a day of climbing hills between murals and riding century-old funiculars, and the Casablanca valley between it and Santiago does wine. Pucón has a volcano you can summit in a day with crampons and a guide.
Chilean food is less celebrated than Peruvian or Argentine and quietly good. The menú at lunch — soup or salad, a main and often a dessert — is €6 to €10 and is what everyone eats.
Seafood is the strength, given 4,300km of coast: machas, congrio, centolla crab in the far south, and ceviche that Chile and Peru argue about. Mercado Central in Santiago is the place to try it.
Completos are hot dogs buried under avocado, tomato and mayonnaise, and they are a national institution. Pastel de choclo, a corn and beef pie, is the homely dish. Chilean wine is excellent and cheap — a good bottle is €5 to €10 — and pisco is claimed here as firmly as in Peru.
Santiago's nightlife is in Bellavista and Barrio Italia, with Bellavista the louder student end and Barrio Italia the bars and restaurants. It starts late, though not quite as late as Buenos Aires.
Valparaíso has the more interesting scene: bars in old hillside buildings, live music, and a bohemian crowd. Weekends there are better than in the capital.
Terremoto — sweet wine with pineapple ice cream — is the drink to try once and regret. Beer is €2 to €4, pisco sours €4 to €7. In San Pedro and Patagonia, nightlife is a bar or two attached to hostels, because everyone is up at five for something.
The country is too long to bus end to end: Santiago to Punta Arenas is over 3,000km. LATAM, Sky and JetSmart fly the length for €50 to €150, and booking ahead is what keeps that low.
Buses are excellent for regional travel, with cama seats on overnight routes, and Santiago to Valparaíso is ninety minutes for a few euros.
Torres del Paine requires a bus from Puerto Natales and, inside the park, a catamaran and shuttles that need booking in season. Hiring a car makes sense for the Lake District and the Carretera Austral, which is one of the great road trips in South America and needs two weeks on its own.
Chile is the most expensive country in South America and the gap is real. Dorms start around €14, a menú lunch is €6 to €10, and a beer is €2 to €4.
Patagonia and San Pedro are more expensive again — both are remote, seasonal and have captive markets. Torres del Paine refugios cost €60 to €120 a night with meals, camping is cheaper, and the park entry fee is separate.
A day in the cities is €35 to €55; in Patagonia in season, closer to €70 to €100. Cooking in hostel kitchens and camping are what make a long Chilean trip affordable.
Chile is among the safer countries on the continent, though street crime in Santiago and Valparaíso has risen in recent years and is now the most common complaint from travellers. Phone snatching and bag theft happen in central Santiago, around Valparaíso's tourist hills and on public transport.
The usual approach applies: phones out of sight, apps rather than street taxis, and nothing valuable on display in Valparaíso, which is beautiful and has a genuine theft problem.
Outdoors, the risks are altitude in the Atacama — El Tatio is at 4,300 metres and reached before dawn — and Patagonian weather, where wind and rapid changes catch people out on the W trek. Chile is also seismically very active, and earthquakes are a normal part of life with a well-drilled response.
Most European, UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens enter visa-free for 90 days. You receive a tourist card on arrival which you must keep — losing it causes delays on departure.
Passports need to be valid for the stay.
Chile has unusually strict agricultural customs. Bringing in fruit, seeds, nuts, honey, meat or plant material carries substantial fines even when accidental, and the checks at airports and land borders are thorough. Declare everything, and eat or bin anything before you land.
Southern hemisphere seasons, and Patagonia sets the calendar: November to March. The Atacama works year-round and Santiago is best in spring and autumn.
Average highs for Santiago. The Atacama is dry year-round with freezing nights at altitude, and Patagonia has its own calendar — most Torres del Paine services run October to April only.
Pick how you travel and how long for. Per night, for one person. Patagonia runs well above these figures.
Torres del Paine refugios at €60–120 a night with meals, park fees and domestic flights at €50–150 sit outside these figures.
Fiestas Patrias in September is the biggest week of the Chilean year.
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The Santiago Grill Festival is the country’s premier barbecue event, bringing together over 100 top brands and thousands of grill enthusiasts each year. Attendees…
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Art Week Chile in Santiago brings together a dynamic mix of emerging and established artists from Chile and around the world, transforming the Estación…
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The La Serena International Film Festival (FECILS) in La Serena, Coquimbo, Chile, is the region’s leading film event, dedicated to showcasing and supporting audiovisual…
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Gran Fondo Volcán Osorno is a renowned road cycling event held in Puerto Varas, Chile, drawing cyclists to tackle challenging routes that wind through…
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Runman Maratón Pucón is a standout running event in Pucón, Chile, drawing participants each year to experience the region’s natural beauty. Runners can choose…
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Giro del Lago is a renowned cycling event in Puerto Varas, Chile, that draws riders from across the country to tackle the scenic routes…
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The Triatlón de Zapallar is a renowned Olympic-distance triathlon set against the stunning backdrop of Zapallar Beach in Valparaíso, Chile. Athletes tackle a challenging…
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The South American Orienteering Championship in Pucón, Chile, invites athletes, clubs, and enthusiasts from across the continent and beyond to experience world-class orienteering in…
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