Desert skies in the north, granite towers and glaciers in the south.
Chile is a thin ribbon squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific. In the north, the Atacama Desert around San Pedro de Atacama offers salt flats, geysers and some of the clearest night skies on Earth. The centre holds Santiago, the colourful port of Valparaíso and wine valleys like Colchagua, while the south breaks into lakes, volcanoes and the peaks of Torres del Paine.
Seafood is superb, from ceviche to hearty caldillo de congrio, and the wine is excellent value. Long-distance buses are comfortable, but flying saves days when heading to Patagonia. November to March is the prime season for the south and the lakes, while the Atacama can be visited all year and June to August brings skiing near Santiago.
Best time to visit Chile
January, February, March, November, December.
Places to visit in Chile
Torres del Paine: Chile's showpiece national park, with the granite Torres, turquoise lakes and glaciers on the famous W and O treks.
Santiago: Chile's capital, a modern city below snowy Andean peaks, with lively neighbourhoods, good museums and vineyards on its edge.
San Pedro de Atacama: An adobe village in the Atacama Desert, base for salt flats, geysers, high lagoons and some of the clearest night skies anywhere.
Valparaíso: A port city of steep hills covered in brightly painted houses and murals, linked by old funiculars and winding stairways.
Easter Island: A remote Polynesian island in the Pacific, famous for the giant moai statues carved by the Rapa Nui people.
Puerto Varas: A lakeside town of German-style wooden houses facing the Osorno volcano, the base for Chile's Lake District.
Chiloé: A green, rainy island with UNESCO-listed wooden churches, stilt houses over the water and a strong folklore of its own.
Elqui Valley: A narrow, sunny valley of vineyards and pisco distilleries, known for exceptionally clear night skies and the poet Gabriela Mistral.
Carretera Austral: A long road through northern Patagonia, past fjords, glaciers, hanging forests and the marble caves of Lago General Carrera.
Essentials
Currency: Chilean Peso (CLP)
Language: Spanish
Plugs: Type C / L, 220 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC−6 to −3
Tipping: A 10% tip is suggested on restaurant bills
Getting around: Comfortable long-distance buses; fly between Santiago, the Atacama and Patagonia
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking