Chile - Amazing wilderness and mesmerising places
Chile is a diverse country rich in natural wonder where you can visit the Mars-like Atacama Desert or explore the cosmopolitan capital of Santiago. Travel farther south through Chilean Lake District's natural beauty and discover the spectacular wilderness of Patagonia in Torres del Paine National Park, and still you’ll only have seen a fraction of this formidable country!
Santiago
The capital of Chile, Santiago, is one of the largest cities in South America. Its Metropolitan Region is home to about 7 million inhabitants, a third of the total Chilean population. The Andes are only 70 KM away, which means you can enjoy stunning views of the world’s longest mountain range from around the city! Santiago is vibrant, cosmopolitan with strong European and North American influences. Begin the journey at “La Plaza de Armas”, the main Square, from here, you can visit places such as the remarkable La Moneda Palace – the seat of the of the President of the Republic of Chile, and other locations like Santa Lucia Hill or the Central Market, where you will discover traditional Chilean food and outstanding products at great prices. Explore or stay in one of the many neighbourhoods. Districts such as Providencia, Bellavista, Las Condes and Vitacura offer a dazzling array of shops, restaurants and bars.
Torres Del PaineTorres Del Paine is probably Chile's most famous National Park and located at the southern end of the Andes Mountains. An area of outstanding natural beauty where the scenery is dominated by the "Torres", three vast granite towers that stretch 9,000 feet into the sky.
This beautiful national park attracts thousands of visitors each year and is a great
place to go if you are into walking, trekking, mountain biking or anything of an outdoor nature. The Torres Del Paine National Park is also where you can join the famous W Trek which is a week-long hike of around 100km meandering in and out of the valleys of this extraordinary landscape.
Lake District
The Chilean Lake District stretches 220 miles from the town of Temuco in the north to Puerto Montt in the south. Deep blue mountain lakes, snow-capped volcanoes, forests, ski resorts, year-round sports, and traditional towns make this one of the most visually attractive regions in Chile, with plenty of activities to be enjoyed. It’s the perfect place to spend a few days relaxing or exploring on a spectacular self-drive. A great travel combination would be to cross between Chile and Argentina on the famous 3 lakes crossing over the Andes to Bariloche on the Argentine side.
Atacama Desert
The dramatic and rocky landscape is home to many spectacular sights including enormous valleys, glistening salt lakes, turquoise highland lagoons, explosive geysers and historic towns. Some of the highlights in the Atacama include the Moon Valley, Death Valley, the
Atacama Salt Lake and the El Tatio Geysers. Gaze up into the sky at night and you will also find some of the best views of the galaxy to be found anywhere in the world. Northern Chile is peppered with astronomical observatories, and some of them, such as La Silla, welcome visitors to take a look inside.
Embarque Travel works closely with experts in South American travel, so why not let us give you a helping hand to plan your Chilean adventure? Contact Gill now!