An isolated sliver of land between the towering Andes and the Pacific ocean. Chile boasts an incredible amount of sights packed into its length.
Come with us on a journey through Chile, an extraordinary land! From the fire of the Atacama Desert in the north to the ice of Patagonia in the south. Let us tell you, it is quite the adventure!
ATACAMA DESERT
The driest place on earth, the Atacama is exactly what you’d imagine Mars to look like. As a result, its stark beauty is in the simplicity of its shapes and colours; valleys and ridges formed of jagged triangles of rock, perfectly symmetrical volcanos, all in the same hues of red, that shift to purples and blacks as the sunsets.
These are the views you’ll get from simply staying in the vibrant desert hub of the San Pedro de Atacama. Venture deeper and you’ll find a more varied palette.
Vast rocky plains are broken by azure lakes, populated with salmon-pink flamingos, white geometric patterns of a salt lake, or the yellowish billows of steam produced by the geothermic pools and geysers.
The Atacama is the ideal place to stargaze; the night sky is beyond compare! With galaxies, planets and constellations easy for the naked eye to feast on, night after night.
Trust us when we say the Atacama Desert is unlike anywhere you’ve experienced before! Certainly one for your bucket list.
SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Nestled in a bowl created by the Andes Mountains, whose peaks are easily visible from all over the city, Santiago is a lively and cosmopolitan place.
Each of its vibrant neighbourhoods leaves, a unique impression – stately Centro, for example, is full of colonial architecture, meanwhile, Bellavista gives a relaxed and bohemian vibe where as Barrios Brasil is a bit more boisterous.
On the coast, 100 kilometres from the capital, the port city of Valparaiso has a ramshackle, roguish charm. Perched on the cliffs above the industrial seafront are its UNESCO-listed Cerros neighbourhoods. Reached by rickety old funicular lifts, wander the maze of laneways and discover incredible street art.
The narrow streets are lined with colourfully painted clapboard houses, chic cafes and boutiques, giving it a trendy, laidback vibe. Discover artfully dilapidated mansions with astonishing views of the Pacific along the way.
LAKE DISTRICT
Thanks to a long resistance to the advances of both the Inca and the Spanish, Chile’s Lake District was a region of simple farming settlements and home to the indigenous Mapuche people. Consequently, much of its thick forest remains intact today, dotted with deep lakes and watched over by snow-capped volcanoes.
In comparison, towns such as Puerto Varas on the banks of Lake Llanquihue, blend in with surroundings with an Alpine-esque style. Furthermore, Puerto Varas offers visitors a gateway to the gorgeous nature that it nestles in.
The close-by cone of Volcan Osorno offers hikes on its forested slopes in summer, in addition to skiing during winter. Around the base, waterfalls and lush greenery are waiting to be explored.
Venture to the Chiloé Island, part of an archipelago just off the coast. Home to pastoral landscapes steeped in folklore and, often, an enigmatic fog. Chiloé is best known for its 150 charming wooden churches, and the much photographed ‘palafitos’ – colourful houses perched above the water on stilts.
PATAGONIA
Encompassing the tip of the South American continent, Patagonia is a region of wild grey seas, ice and rock. Its landscapes are pristine and, thanks to its huge scale, incredibly diverse.
From the colourful town of Puerto Natales, cruise through the desolate waters of Ultima Esperanza Fjord to spot sea lions, snowcapped mountains and glaciers.
Chilean Patagonia’s headline attraction, the Torres del Paine National Park, above all, is a must-see for anyone travelling to Chile`. Centred around a massif of towering granite columns, the Eponymous Torres, this national park showcases the very best of Patagonia’s dramatic landscapes.
Alpine valleys, grass meadows, dramatic peaks, sparkling blue lakes abound, all watched over by the mighty Grey glacier. This is nature at its most magnificent, and totally unmissable.
