A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started
Explore the capital with a city tour of Santiago
14 days, from £5,660 to £9,030
Enjoy a walking tour around the pretty port city of Valparaiso
14 days, from £5,515 to £8,800
Enjoy a city tour of Santiago and ascend the Cerro Cristobal funicular
14 days, from £5,265 to £8,410
A long journey through southern Chile, a beautiful alternative to the north, a place to experience from October to April
15 days, from £4,500 to £6,160
A legendary journey: the detailed exploration of 'Rapa Nui' or Easter Island, the fabled land of the Moai
12 days, from £4,745 to £6,605
The Uyuni Salt Flats in an Airstream caravan: a road-trip in style, a travelling room with a view looking out onto Bolivia
14 days, from £7,395 to £10,270
Begin in Buenos Aires, the vibrant capital of Argentina, and end in Santiago, Chile’s dynamic and energetic capital
18 days, from £5,385 to £7,410
Tour the colourful barrios of Valparaiso
13 days, from £3,405 to £5,435
Chile is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, something our passionate team of experts can vouch for. They’ve journeyed from the salt flats in the north to Patagonia’s wilderness in the south, uncovering the best guesthouses and outdoor adventures along the way. If you’re craving a road trip, we know the crowd-free Carretera Austral inside out and can recommend national parks off the beaten track. While you’re away, our trusty in-country Concierge is on hand to help with hiking suggestions, winery visits, restaurant reservations and more.
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Who better to entrust with your Chile itinerary than our well-travelled South America experts? We’ll tailor your trip through the country’s winelands and snow-capped mountains, leaving room for plenty of tried-and-tested hiking, biking and white-water rafting trips. In-country tips and tricks are at your fingertips – just drop our clued-up Concierge a WhatsApp message, and they’ll eagerly answer your questions or recommendation requests (like where to find the best authentic moqueca).
Chile is famous for its diverse landscapes, which encompass everything from deserts and salt flats to glaciers and mountains. The country is also known for its excellent wine and beer, delicious food (we’re talking empanadas, casseroles and hearty stews) and its rich history and culture.
Chilean cuisine is hearty and delicious. Seafood, beef, fruits and vegetables are all mainstays, reflecting the geographical variety of the country. Typical dishes include:
Wine is king throughout Chile, and there are five major wine regions: Bio-Bio, Rapel, Maule, Aconcagua and Maipo Valley. The latter, located near Santiago, is the most famous.
Fermented alcoholic fruit juices are also very popular, as is pisco – a grape brandy taken plain or in a cocktail.
The con leche platano is Chile’s tasty take on a banana milkshake. Non-drinkers can also try mote con huesillo, a traditional non-alcoholic drink served in the summer. It has a sweet flavour and is made from sprouted wheat grains which are soaked in a maceration of dried peaches.
Tipping is at your discretion in Chile. It is very much appreciated and as little as £1 or £2 is enough to show appreciation for a job well done.
Unlike many other South American countries, haggling is generally not the norm in Chile.
Courtesy and decorum are key when you’re travelling in Chile and elsewhere in South America:
Chile is on the west coast of South America. It is bordered by Peru to the north and by Bolivia and Argentina to the east.
Chile is over 2,670 miles long but only has an average width of 109 miles.
The best time to visit Chile is between October and March. The Chilean summer falls in January and February, and the coastal towns are popular at this time of year, with sunny weather and little rainfall. Pack warmer clothing if you plan to travel to places at higher altitudes, as temperatures can be much cooler.
Chile has a real mix of climates. In fact, the only climate it doesn’t experience is a tropical one. The weather is sometimes extremely dry, sometimes freezing, and changes depending on the region.
The only common climatic thread is seasonality. The seasons there are the opposite of ours, so don't expect summer weather in July and August.
Chile is one of the longest countries in the world and when it’s hot in the Atacama (think light cotton and linen clothing), it’s snowing in Patagonia (think thick jumpers and thermals). Add in Easter Island (sarong and flip flops), and Chilean packing lists can get very complex. Pack lightly and with versatility in mind and you’ll nail it. Luckily, the dress code here is anything goes. Aside from a small number of luxury establishments, sportswear and casual dress is the order of the day.
You’ll find a variety of plugs are used, so take a universal adapter. The voltage is 220-230V.
Chile is four hours behind GMT.
The capital of Chile is Santiago.
Spanish is the official language. The variant spoken is Chilean Spanish, which is similar in pronunciation to Andalusian Spanish. The majority of Chile’s population speaks Chilean Spanish or variants of it, while a smaller number speak an indigenous language called Mapuche. English and German are spoken, although they are not widely practised.
Chile’s population is 19,854,232.
The majority of Chileans are Christians, mostly Catholic and some Protestant. Minority religions include Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
The national currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP).
Generally, banks and post offices in the UK don’t keep Chilean pesos in stock, so it’s best to pre-order if you wish to take cash with you.
It depends where you are. ATMs and exchange bureaus in larger cities will offer the best exchange rate if you need more cash while you’re out there, but most restaurants, shops and hotels accept all credit cards.
Try to carry smaller denominations of pesos with you when heading to rural areas because you may struggle to find vendors with enough change. ATMs in rural areas also regularly run out of cash by 4pm, so plan ahead.
Shops are generally open from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 1pm on Saturday. Some shopping centres are open until 9pm. Some supermarkets are open on Sunday.
Yes, the tap water is drinkable in Chile.
No, British citizens who intend to travel to Chile for fewer than 90 days do not need a visa. You’ll be given a tourist card on arrival, which must be given back to immigration when you leave. You can ask for a copy online if you lose it.
Your passport should be valid for the length of your stay in Chile. For more information, please check with the embassy.
You must be up to date on your vaccinations for life in the UK.
Like a spine along the western seaboard of South America, Chile is over 2,500 miles long but never more than 150 miles at its widest point. And over this vast stretch are an extraordinary array of geographical contrasts, and correspondingly rich experiences. You’ll find the most arid region on the planet in the wonderful other-worldly Atacama desert, where flamingos breed in their thousands on shimmering salt flats. The Atacama Desert is also home to the extraordinary Valley of the Moon, a truly lunar landscape of wind-sculpted dunes which glow vermillion at sunset. The silence here is so profound that you can hear the salt crack in the rocks and the flamingos sipping in vivid blue lagoons. Then in the middle of all this emptiness, discover leaping llamas etched onto rocks thousands of years ago, and spouting geysers bubbling up from volcanic depths. There’s an ancient feel to this whole place, and the night skies are clearer than anywhere on the planet. Those clear skies also mean minimal rainfall, a concept close to inconceivable to the average Briton. Elsewhere, appropriately, there's one of the planet’s wettest regions, in the island of Chiloe, whose beautiful wooden churches are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In the north of the country, the snow-capped Andes Mountains are reflected in the still, silent lakes of the altiplano, but in the south, there are gushing waterfalls, deep fjords and the glaciers of Tierra del Fuego, half of which belongs to Chile. And in the middle? Forests and vineyards, and lush green countryside. It is these contrasts which make every stage of your trip to Chile totally different. And we haven’t even mentioned Easter Island yet!
Chile holidays are ideal for those who love adventure, in enormous, wild and mythical places. It’s for anyone curious enough to want to solve the mystery of the Moai sculptures on Easter Island. And for those who yearn for big experiences, you’ll find plenty of them in the Andes. In Patagonia, you’ll even find Mapuche people, whose indigenous traditions remain very much alive.
Chile is so extensive that it would take more than a lifetime to discover all its many secrets and marvels. Ideally, then, focus on one region. If that’s Santiago, you can experience this fashion and design capital from a stylish city slicker hotel. If you head to Atacama, you’ll discover the high altitude salt flats sitting at the feet of volcanoes from the privacy of a desert lodge: an adobe hideaway that blends seamlessly into the mountains. In Chilean Patagonia you’ll gaze out over the singular beauty of Ultima Esperanza Sound and the sharp peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, a world biosphere reserve. Amid the wine-growing slopes of Colchagua Valley you’ll stay in a hotel whose innovative architecture combines stone and wood to perfection. On Easter Island, 2,300 miles from the Chilean coast, you’ll discover the giant Moai statues, whose enigmatic gaze no one has so far been able to fathom. You might match your Chile experience with one of Argentina, for a more complete picture of Tierra del Fuego, or even to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic. And for lovers of the Andes, how about the heady mix of Peru and Bolivia with Chile?
Some of the finest skiing in the Southern Hemisphere - there is quality skiing in the Andes, and we recommend resorts like Portillo and Valle Nevado which are knee-deep in powder from June to August.
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges