At a glance
Winter
Adventure
Outdoors
Curator's statement
The best time to visit Chile is in the Northern Hemisphere fall, winter and early spring before the rainy season starts in the Atacama. Adventure types will be enamored with all the active experiences Chile has to offer. There’s no doubt the South American country is a bucket-list place you must visit once in a lifetime, although you’ll likely end up wanting to go back and see more as the country is long and vast. Make Santiago your base and jet off on side trips to some of Chile’s most spectacular destinations. Before booking anything in Chile, reconcile yourself with a lot of car time. Know that the draw of the Chilean places you’ll experience overshadow logistics.
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Atacama
A 2 hour nonstop flight from Santiago, followed by a 90 minute drive to San Pedro de Atacama (where the hotels are located), the Atacama Desert is a must-see in Chile. Go to see lunar-esque landscapes, flamingo-dotted salt flats and towering peaks. There are simply few places on earth with scenery as stunning as the Atacama Desert.
A note from
Henley
Atacama is the driest desert in the world, and it's high altitude. Make sure to hydrate and wear lots of sunscreen. Work your way up from the easier activities while you acclimate for the more strenuous hikes toward the end of your stay.
Lake District
Puerto Montt airport is a nonstop 1.5 hours flight from Santiago and is the gateway to many of the lodges in northern Patagonia. The driving distance from the airport to your hotel will depend on where you’re headed (and can be as short as an hour to Puerto Varas). If you’re headed inland to Vira Vira near the Argentine border, the Temuco airport has fewer flights but much shorter drives to your final destination.
Go for the hiking, biking, kayaking and rafting down rivers, and skiing down volcanoes. Chile’s Lake District is a more rugged version of Switzerland’s Alps. Many travelers use the Lake District as a connection point between Chile and Argentina if combining the two countries and crossing over to Bariloche.
A note from
Henley
The Lake District feels more like a South American version of Switzerland. The climate is less harsh, and this is a great place to break up a trip or end one with activities that feel a little more relaxing.
Patagonia
Most flights land in Punta Arenas (3.5 hours flying from Santiago, also with connections from Puerto Montt). All lodges in Patagonia are a long drive following your arrival, anywhere from two to five hours driving. There are occasional flights into Puerto Natales, which cuts about two hours off your driving, but these are few and far between, and often canceled.
Patagonia is simply epic. For adventurers, wilderness lovers, activity fiends, there’s no place as appealing as the remote fjords, glaciers, mountains and valleys of Patagonia, specifically Torres del Paine.
A note from
Henley
The lodges are small and they're all excellent, so finding space anywhere is a win (don't stress too much about choosing which one).
Santiago and Wine Country
Spend at least a day in the capital city of Santiago between flying in and out of the city. Most people don’t give more than a night or two to the capital city. There are some good restaurants, cute shops, and neighborhoods to explore, but Santiago doesn’t have the draw of some more internationally acclaimed cities.
Save at least a day to drive two hours out of the city towards the wine country for the verdant landscape of vineyards and enjoy Carmenere wine.
A note from
Henley
Don't overlook Santiago, but consider it a hopping off point to get to other destinations. Valparaiso is a great day trip if you want to visit a colorful beach town. For wine, Vik Chile is unmatched.
Things to know
Curator
Henley Vazquez
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Advisor
Henley Vazquez
Advisor
Henley Vazquez
