Discover
Chile
A sliver of land stretching from the driest desert to the end of the world.
Top Destinations
Explore our curated selection of landmarks and cities you must visit.
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
A remote volcanic island in the Polynesian Triangle, famous worldwide for its nearly 1,000 monumental stone statues called Moai, carved by the ancient Rapa Nui people between 1100 and 1680 AD. Key sites include Ahu Tongariki with 15 standing Moai and Rano Raraku volcanic quarry crater.
Best Time
October to April (milder temperatures). February hosts the vibrant Tapati Rapa Nui cultural festival.
Insider Tip
Hire a local Rapa Nui...
San Pedro de Atacama & Valle de la Luna
San Pedro de Atacama is the oasis gateway to the driest non-polar desert on Earth. Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) features eerie wind-carved salt and stone formations, immense sand dunes, and salt caves that resemble the surface of the Moon.
Best Time
Year-round (Atacama receives virtually no rain). October to April offers warmer night temperatures.
Insider Tip
Book an astronomical tour outside...
Torres del Paine National Park
A world-renowned UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southern Chilean Patagonia, dominated by the sharp granite horns of the Paine Massif (Cuernos del Paine), azure glacial lakes, towering glaciers, and golden pampa meadows.
Best Time
November to March (Patagonian summer) for milder temperatures and 17 hours of daylight.
Insider Tip
Book campsite and eco-lodge accommodation...
Valparaíso Historic Port City
A UNESCO World Heritage coastal city built across 42 steep hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Valparaíso is famed for vibrant bohemian street art murals, historic wooden funicular elevators (ascensores), and Pablo Neruda's whimsical house museum (La Sebastiana).
Best Time
October to April for warm coastal sun. December 31 features one of South America's largest fireworks displays.
Insider Tip
Explore Cerro Alegre and Cerro...
Marble Caves (Cuevas de Mármol)
A series of sculpted calcium carbonate cave formations along the shores of General Carrera Lake in remote Patagonia. Over 6,000 years of wave erosion have carved swirling marble patterns in shades of blue, turquoise, and white into the rock.
Best Time
September to February when lake water levels are low, allowing boats to venture deep inside cave chambers.
Insider Tip
Early morning boat tours offer...
Chiloé Island & Wooden Churches
A mystical island archipelago steeped in indigenous folklore and maritime heritage. Chiloé is famous for its 16 UNESCO-listed 18th-century wooden churches built entirely without nails, colorful palafitos (stilt houses), and lush green countryside.
Best Time
December to March for summer festivals, warm weather, and whale watching off the coast.
Insider Tip
Taste traditional Curanto al Hoyo...
El Tatio Geysers
Located 4,320 metres above sea level, El Tatio is the highest geyser field in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, featuring over 80 active geysers shooting steam plumes into crisp mountain air.
Best Time
Year-round. Tours arrive at 6:00 AM at sunrise when steam columns reach maximum height due to freezing morning air.
Insider Tip
Dress in extreme cold-weather thermal...
Lauca National Park & Lake Chungará
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve located in the high Andean altiplano at 4,500 metres altitude near the Bolivian border. Highlights include cobalt-blue Lake Chungará and the snow-capped symmetrical Parinacota Volcano.
Best Time
April to November (dry altiplano season with clear blue skies).
Insider Tip
Spend a night in Putre...
Carretera Austral (Route 7)
One of South America's ultimate scenic road trip routes—a 1,240-kilometre highway winding through remote northern Chilean Patagonia past hanging glaciers, turquoise rivers, fjords, and temperate rainforests.
Best Time
November to March for open mountain passes and summer ferry schedules.
Insider Tip
Rent a sturdy 4x4 vehicle...
Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park & Osorno Volcano
Chile's oldest national park, famous for the perfectly conical, snow-capped Osorno Volcano, emerald Lake Todos los Santos, and the rushing turquoise cascades of Petrohué Waterfalls.
Best Time
December to March for sunny weather and hiking; winter for skiing on Osorno slopes.
Insider Tip
Take a boat cruise across...
Casablanca Wine Valley
A premier cool-climate wine region situated between Santiago and Valparaíso. Morning coastal fog blowing in from the Pacific Ocean makes Casablanca world-renowned for crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and elegant Pinot Noir.
Best Time
October to April. Grape harvest season takes place from March to April.
Insider Tip
Visit Bodegas RE for innovative...
San Cristóbal Hill & Sky Costanera
Metropolitan Park on San Cristóbal Hill offers sweeping views over Santiago and the snow-capped Andes mountains. Nearby stands Sky Costanera, the tallest skyscraper in South America (300m).
Best Time
Year-round. Clear autumn and winter days after rain offer crisp views of the Andes.
Insider Tip
Visit Sky Costanera observation deck...
Conguillío National Park
A pristine national park dominated by the active Llaima Volcano, ancient monkey puzzle trees (Araucaria araucana), lava fields, and deep blue mountain lakes. BBC filmed 'Walking with Dinosaurs' here due to its prehistoric appearance.
Best Time
November to April for hiking; autumn (April) brings golden Nothofagus foliage against green Araucaria trees.
Insider Tip
Hike the Sierra Nevada track...
Pucón & Villarrica Volcano
Pucón is Chile's premier adventure sports hub, situated on Lake Villarrica at the foot of active Villarrica Volcano. Activities include volcano climbing, white-water rafting, thermal springs, and skiing.
Best Time
December to March for volcano hiking and lake sports; July to September for volcano skiing.
Insider Tip
Soak in geometric red wooden...
Magdalena Island Penguin Colony
A small protected island reserve in the Strait of Magellan, hosting over 120,000 breeding Magellanic penguins—one of the largest colonies in southern Patagonia.
Best Time
October to March (penguins arrive to breed in October; chicks hatch in December).
Insider Tip
Book ferry tickets weeks in...
Bahía Inglésa & Atacama Coast
A coastal gem in northern Chile featuring white coral sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise lagoons, and calm sea bays contrasting with the surrounding coastal desert.
Best Time
December to March for warm swimming weather and coastal sunshine.
Insider Tip
Take a day trip north...
Sewell Mining Town
A uninhabited UNESCO World Heritage company town built in 1905 on steep Andes mountain slopes at 2,200 metres altitude to house El Teniente copper mine workers. Known as the 'City of Staircases' because no roads exist.
Best Time
October to April. Winter visits require snow travel conditions.
Insider Tip
Sewell is located inside an...
Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve
A 100,000-hectare private eco-reserve in the Patagonian rainforest, famous for surreal eco-architectural hotels like Montaña Mágica (a volcano-shaped hotel with a waterfall cascading from its roof) and Nothofagus Hotel.
Best Time
November to April for hiking and outdoor canopy adventures.
Insider Tip
Visit the reserve's Darwin's frog...
Chaqchan Salt Flat & Laguna Chaxa
Located within the vast Salar de Atacama salt flat, Laguna Chaxa is part of Los Flamencos National Reserve and a major breeding ground for Andean, James's, and Chilean flamingos.
Best Time
Year-round. Golden hour at sunset provides the best pink reflection photos.
Insider Tip
Combine your afternoon Laguna Chaxa...
Futaleufú River
The Futaleufú River is globally revered among kayak and raft enthusiasts for its electric turquoise glacier-fed waters and world-class Class IV and V white-water rapids flowing through granite river canyons.
Best Time
December to March for rafting season and summer camping.
Insider Tip
Class II and III family...
Travel Tips for Chile
- 1.
Chile is very long – domestic flights save time
- 2.
Try empanadas and pisco sours
- 3.
The currency is Chilean peso