Electrify your senses in this country of extreme variations in landscape, weather and wildlife. Travel from the stark Atacama Desert salt flats, hot springs and geysers to the white-water rivers and grassy pampas of Patagonia. Choose from a menu of natural wonders and activities: witness active volcanoes, surf world-class waves, ride horseback to a glacier, wine-taste in picturesque vineyards or photograph penguins, flamingos and vicunas in their natural habitat. Complete your trip with Easter Island and admire its mysterious stone statues.
Chile: Land of extremes. Shaped like a hot chili pepper, Chile stretches from Peru to the Straits of Magellan with 4,000 kilometers of stunning Pacific coastline and the rugged Andes Mountains tracing its interior border. Natural wonders abound in this country of overwhelming contrasts of climate and landscape, including hundreds of active volcanoes. From world class trekking and whitewater rafting to surfing, skiing, cycling and paragliding, there is a sport for everyone. A generous portion of Chile’s land is designated as protected park or natural preserve, guaranteeing that its unique flora and fauna will be sustained for future generations. Bird watchers and photographers thrill to see flamingos, penguins, condors, vicuna, foxes and pumas at close range in their natural habitats.
A wild untamed beauty electrifies the senses in every direction, with craggy peaks dominating the horizon in much of Chile’s expanse. In the north is the stark Atacama Desert with its salt flats, hot springs and geysers. Famed for being one of the driest places in the world, it gets just enough precipitation to seasonally explode with exotic desert plants and flowers.
In central Chile, the surprisingly sophisticated and cosmopolitan capital city of Santiago is home to almost half of Chile’s population. Nearby, the fertile central valley with its temperate climate is perfect for the profusion of vineyards that proudly produce a variety of complex wines. The pristine beaches, port cities and small fishing villages of the central coast entice visitors to relax in the sunshine and enjoy the steaming seafood cuisine, tasty empanadas and those award-winning wines!
With more frequent rainfall, the climate cools considerably to the south. Patagonia, fondly called the “End of the World”, possesses a singular austere beauty unmatched by any other place on the planet. Studded with intricate fiords, picturesque lakes and raging rivers, it’s wind-swept grassy pampas are home to the vast estancias or ranches, where Chilean vaqueros lead horse-back trail rides to the glaciers and mile-high granite peaks in Torres del Paine National Park. For the ultimate adventure, the Futaleufu River affords spectacular white-water rafting up to a class V+ level. Farther south, explore the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego with its famous Cape Horn, the last point of land before Antarctica.
Three of Chile’s magical islands are destinations well worth the effort. A short ferry ride from the town of Puerto Montt takes you to Chiloe Archipelago, sprinkled with brightly colored wooden houses on stilts and quaint wooden churches– all enhanced by the warm hospitality of the Chilote people. Farthest from the mainland is Easter Island with its mysterious stone statues scattered over an eerie volcanic moonscape. Robinson Crusoe Island, part of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, inspired the book of the same name based on an actual person who was stranded there for over four years. It is richer in flora and fauna than the Galapagos, and famous for its main source of food, the rock lobster.
Chile’s blend of indigenous and Spanish ethnicities has given rise to unique customs, festivals and delightful folk music. The Chilenos are also avid lovers of the fine arts. Renowned poet Pablo Neruda and novelist Isabelle Allende wrote lovingly about their native country, although both ended up in exile during the tumultuous political era of Pinoche. Politics are calmer these days, but contact with Chile’s unspoiled wild nature might inspire a tumultuous and life-changing reconnection to your own wild nature, and the longing to come back for more!