What should i do in chile
This quirky pier is one of the best places to go in Chile for the gorgeous viewpoint and the adventurous hike to the bridge. Rent a car to drive or get a local bus, known as micro pronounced as mee-crow , to Cucao. After about a 1.
The last bus to the hike leaves from the restaurant at 3 pm. After the bus ride, hike for about 45 minutes to one hour through the undulating hills and pastures of the national park to get to the dock. Get there in the morning to get bright views over the ocean and to make the most of the day.
Remember that the last bus from the pickup point to the restaurant leaves at pm. In case you miss this one, like we did because someone forgot her phone at the top of a hill, walk for an hour or hitchhike to get back to the restaurant for the next bus.
Photo by f3nc0r3. CC BY 2. How to go: The Museum is free to enter and is a short stroll along the waterfront from the Plaza de Armas of Puerto Varas on the Road heading towards Ensenada. Hornophiren is a beautiful town in the lake region. Most backpackers and travelers miss this beauty on their Chile trip for it is not on a typical travel route. But as if it is out of a fairy tale, Horniphiren has misty volcanoes, deep blue lakes, huge national parks, hot thermal pools, solitary mountains, white rivers, open pastures studded with birds and horses, amongst other things that can lure any adventurer.
The rivers have good viewpoints, too. There are volcanoes to be hiked, but you would need good weather to climb. How to go: Get a bus or drive there but remember you would have to get up on ferries a few times. Climbing up hiking Villarrica is the goal of many travelers when they travel to Pucon, the adventure hub of Los Lagos. For a hiker, climbing up Volcan Villarica would be one of the top 10 things to do in Chile.
Plan your trip to have a few days in Pucon so that at least one of them has favorable weather for the hike. My Villarica hiking experience can be read here. The hike would take your entire day. Where to stay in Pucon? I stayed at the Chilli kiwi hostel which was comfortable and had ample double rooms and dorms. You can also book any of the adventure activities, hikes, or tours from Chilli Kiwi. Click here to find the availability in the hostel and to book it.
Relaxing at the Caburgua lake beach after climbing the volcano would be a smart thing to do. Borrow or rent Kayaks from the hotel and explore the lake.
You are bound to find some empty beaches. This waterfall is mostly deserted, and you might want to start early from Pucon as it takes about hours of walking to reach there. The waterfall is about six kilometers out of Pucon, so you can either hike all way or bike or take a taxi and walk or hitchhike.
Make sure that you carry enough water, snacks, a towel, and keep your phones charged as there are no shops or restaurants near the waterfall. If you are lucky, you would be able to hitchhike back to the town. In the South of Chile, Andes rise on the mainland to form Patagonia.
Patagonia is mostly uninhabited because of the crazy climatic conditions. Torres del Paine National Park is one of the most sought-after parts of Patagonia. From multi-day circuits to a day-long hike, one can find them all. One of the longer hikes known as the W trek is one of the most beautiful trails of the park and extends over days. Sleeping in pre-booked camps and eating packed meals throughout the trek makes the hike challenging but thrilling. You can also book the W trek and get all the arrangements done.
How to go: Frequent flights are available from the major Chilean airports to the two main cities Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas of Patagonia. Where to stay in Puerto Natales: Browse through hotels and check the prices here.
The boat takes up to a point near the glacier from where you can admire the meter high river of ice. The Milodon Caves are said to be formed at the end of the ice age from the erosion of a glacier. Excavations have found animal bones, old tools, and even hints of humans. Ferdinand Magellan discovered this strait when he sailed from Europe to America while making his way around South America through the rough Pacific waters. How to go: Boat tours for the Magellan Strait leave from Puntas Arenas, one of the two major inhabited towns of Patagonia.
Here is one tour that sails through the Strait of Magellan to go to the Magdalena and Marta Islands to observe Magellanic penguins, Patagonian sea lions, and other marine life. Watching the penguins play around on a remote Southern island could be one of the most interesting things in Chile, or in the world.
Cuevas de Marmol or the Marble caves are carved into the Patagonian Andes by years of wave washing up against the calcium carbonate. Marble caves are located in the General Carrera lake, which spans the border between Chile and Argentina. To get the best colors, visit during September and February when the water is turquoise. Early mornings are the best for the perfect lighting. In spite of the remoteness, Marble caves is one of the most tourists places in Chile so you should not have a hard time making a trip to them.
Photo by jvieras CC BY 2. The island is inhabited by only about people most of whom make a simple living by selling lobsters. Robinson Crusoe island houses beautiful coral reefs, white-sand beaches, blue lagoon, palm trees, traditional thatched huts, tropical fruits, and abundant seafood. Activities such as hiking, horseback riding, birdwatching, snorkeling, sport fishing, and scuba diving are available on the island.
How to go: During the prime season, small planes of up to ten passengers leave Los Cerrillos and Tobalaba airports in Santiago daily. After a two and a half hour flight, a boat ride from La Punta would take you to the island. Carry cash as there are no ATMs on the island. I would update this post when I find more credible information. Valle Nevado resort is one of the best ski resorts in Chile. Located on the foothills of the Andes Mountains, this is just one ski option but the country is full of ski resorts and icy slopes.
Or consider this tour that goes skiing in the Andes. While the Easter island is one of the most remote places in Chile, thousands of travelers and Chileans visit Easter island every year for its clear natural beauty. When on the island, see more than the moai statues. This half-day archaeology tour is a good option to understand the history of the island from locals.
How to go: You can fly to the Easter island from Santiago. Specific to Chile and Peru, Pisco is a liquor made of grapes. Pisco is one delicious drink and goes well with Chilean food. If you think you would want to make any of these back home, get into a cooking class and learn a few of these while sipping up some pisco.
This food tour in Santiago might interest you if you are a foodie. But if you start understanding Chilean Spanish, you can converse in any kind of Spanish. So give it a chance. If you are looking for a paid volunteer program to teach English while traveling, the English Open Doors program in Chile is the answer. The experience was challenging but well worth the efforts.
The program provides food and accommodation and a basic stipend for the entire duration. Read all about the application process and the program here. Chileans are the nicest people I have met who are ready to help out at any cost. Do accept when Chileans invite you to their homes, which they would. Oh, but do remember that Chileans are as punctual as Italian trains. Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links to products I love.
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Learn how your comment data is processed. Recommended Read: My fun guide to the culture of Chile. Recommended Read: Story of my Chilean host mother. Must Read: Chile visa for Indians- A complete guide. Do you know that I send an exclusive weekly newsletter every Friday? The newsletter is a collection of my latest articles and the best thoughts of the week. We are too! Chile is amongst the best adventure travel destinations in the world. But be careful when it comes to choosing your adventure!
Some of them are really demanding and require some previous training. The W Trek requires at least some regular trail walking. The terrain is irregular, hiking distances are long and include some steep uphill.
Chile is a land of extremes. While most people think there is no rain at all in northern Chile, there may be some occasional heavy rain fall in summer, especially between December to March. This is due to the Altiplanic winter, a phenomenon that can cause storms in the Arica and Parinacota and in the Atacama regions. In Patagonia, summer months from December to March are the busiest ones, but also the windiest. Best outdoor adventure weather: November to March.
Best time to avoid the crowds: April to October note: it may be difficult to find accommodation due to off-season from June to August. Best time to spot wildlife: April to November. Chile extends 4, km 2, miles from North to South, with an average of km mi from East to West.
Traveling from the Arica region to southern Patagonia would be the same as traveling from northern Scandinavia to Morocco! Besides the hours spent flying, you will also have to drive a lot, especially if you head to Patagonia. Getting to EcoCamp Patagonia from the Punta Arenas airport requires a 5 to 6-hour drive a beautiful one! Chileans may speak the most peculiar Spanish in the world. The Royal Spanish Academy recognizes 2, words and idioms exclusively or mainly produced in Chilean Spanish, in addition to lots of unrecognized slang expressions.
But no panic! Chile and Argentina are separated by a huge natural boundary : the Andes mountains. In Patagonia, the mountains get lower but the terrain is irregular, with lots of channels, ice fields and islands. In most places, the immigration offices between both countries are miles apart, but crossing is easy if you have your own transfer or vehicle. If you travel by yourself, you should consider that some parts of Patagonia have no public transport to go through the border.
No vaccinations are required to enter Chile, but it may change depending on the evolution of the COVID pandemic globally. Also, you must declare all products of plants and animal origin while entering into Chile non-compliance with this obligation can be expensive!
This is a true statement. It is also true that Chileans have some traditions, mannerisms and customs that may leave you confused. Some of the funniest facts? What does that mean? Everything stops for a football game , so streets may seem empty when Chile plays but wait for the celebration if Chile wins! Finally, Chile is a seismic country. But the spirit of Chile can be tried on the street. You should definitely try the empanada little puff pastry baked in the oven , the humita corn mixed with onion and basil, in a preparation that is wrapped in maize leaves and the completo a local version of the hot-dog, that includes avocado.
As for the beverages, Chile is worldwide famous for its delicious wine. You should also try the Pisco — a brandy produced in wine regions of Chile and Peru. And Chile also has some delicious beer! Many tourist attractions focus on the country's rich maritime heritage, including Lord Cochrane's Museum Museo Lord Cochrane , located in a lovely old colonial home built in Another must-visit tourist attraction is the superb Naval and Maritime Museum Museo Naval Y Maritimo with its displays dealing with the War of the Pacific of between Chile and allied Peru and Bolivia, with particular emphasis on the contributions of Chile's war heroes.
Talcahuano's beautiful harbor-home to Chile's navy-is the base for this immaculately restored historic vessel built in in Britain and one of the only surviving such battleships of her kind. Lauca National Park. Located in the far north of Chile, just kilometers east of the city of Arica, Lauca National Park Parque Nacional Lauca covers an area of 1, square kilometers and consists largely of high plains and mountain ranges, many of the latter comprised of large volcanoes.
Highlights include hiking around its many pristine mountain lakes, most notably Cotacotani and Chungara, which reflect the scenery around them to stunning effect. The park also features a number of important archaeological sites, as well as evidence of the early European settlers who left their mark in the region's many fine old colonial churches and buildings.
It's also especially popular for bird-watchers and is home to more than species, including Andean geese, crested ducks, Chilean flamingos, and the massive Andean condor. Covering a vast area of more than , acres stretching from the Andes to the Pacific, the area boasts some of the country's most pristine coastline and forests and is notable for being almost entirely untouched by human development. In addition to protecting the area's rich flora and fauna, including the Alerce, the world's oldest tree species, the park-owned and operated by the US-based Conservation Land Trust-is easily accessible to visitors and provides one of the country's best wilderness experiences.
In addition to its national parks, more of Chile's important conservation efforts can be seen in its many natural monuments.
Accessible only by guided boat tours, the islands are also home to large colonies of seals and sea lions. For more than 60 years from about , thousands of Chilean, Bolivian, and Peruvian workers toiled in the Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works Salitreras Humberstone y Santa Laura , a hostile environment that included some saltpeter mines. In the process, these workers formed a distinct culture and way of life that has been preserved here.
Although derelict since , the site offers a fascinating glimpse into the tough conditions faced by these "pampinos," with many of the site's larger structures still standing and able to be explored. Professional guides are recommended given the area's remoteness and harsh climate. In places, it looks not unlike the kind of rural topography you'd expect to find in parts of Europe-Germany immediately springs to mind-and it's a delight to explore.
In addition to the island's numerous old iconic wooden churches, remnants of the communities established by Jesuit missionaries who settled here in the s, you'll see plenty of attractive, colorful old homes known as "palafitos" snuggled along the shoreline in places, and raised out of the water on stilts.
Many of the island's old churches, too, are painted brightly and should be visited. Available adventures include sea kayaking, hiking, and eco-tourism. Valle Nevado ski resort. Once a well-kept secret, the fact that Chile is home to some of the world's best skiing is now common knowledge among skiers. By far the most popular ski area in South America, the Valle Nevado Snowy Valley resort region in the El Plomo foothills of the Andes is well-served by public transit from the country's capital of Santiago, located just 46 kilometers west of the slopes.
Established in , the ski resort covers a vast area and has grown rapidly in the time since. Boasting mostly clear skies and great snow thanks to its high elevation-it's 3, meters above sea level and is skiable days a year-the resort features 37 trails and 11 lifts, and is as popular with beginner families as it is with seasoned skiers and snowboarders.
In addition to its three hotels, a variety of rental chalets and condos are available, suitable for short and long stays, and the resort also features eight restaurants. A snow school is located on-site, along with a ski shop and a tour company featuring heli-skiing adventures.
Mylodon Cave National Monument. Highlights of this fascinating natural wonder-part of the popular End of the World scenic drive-include a number of easy-to-access caves set around a formidable rock formation known as the Devil's Chair Silla del Diablo.
This impressive cave is some meters deep, and it's fun to explore. If you've got time, take the marked trail that leads to the top of the cave, where you'll enjoy spectacular views over the nearby Eberhard fjord. Other fun things to do include exploring the park's many other hiking trails, which include a number of raised sections at tree height that are fun to walk.
Hikers, for their part, can choose from a variety of trails of varying degrees of difficulty, most of them taking you directly to popular sightseeing spots, including the many beautiful waterfalls that dot the region.
You'll definitely want to tackle the kilometer-long "Cowboy Trail," so named for its plus-year history as a cattle trail it was also used by the infamous bank robbers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, after fleeing the US.
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