Chile

Chile stretches impossibly thin down South America’s western edge from the Atacama Desert north to Patagonian fjords south spanning 4300 kilometers. The Andes mountains form the eastern border with the Pacific Ocean to the west creating dramatic landscapes compressed into narrow width. Santiago is the modern capital while Valparaíso brings bohemian port character. The country stays more developed and expensive than neighboring Peru and Bolivia. Two to three weeks covers highlights but the length requires choosing regions. Summer December to February brings warmth while winter June to August works for northern deserts and Santiago. The country shifted left politically after Pinochet’s dictatorship ended in 1990. Spanish is the language with distinct Chilean slang making it challenging even for Spanish speakers.

Santiago and Wine Valleys

Santiago sits in the central valley surrounded by snow-capped Andes with modern skyscrapers mixing with colonial buildings. The city sprawls large with distinct neighborhoods. Cerro San Cristóbal hill has the Virgin Mary statue and views across smog to mountains. The cable car and funicular reach the top. Bellavista neighborhood below has Pablo Neruda’s La Chascona house museum and restaurants along Pío Nono street. The centro has Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, and La Moneda presidential palace bombed during the 1973 coup. Museums show the dictatorship years honestly. Lastarria neighborhood brings cafes, galleries, and Santa Lucía hill with gardens. The Maipo and Colchagua valleys south produce wine with vineyards offering tastings of Carmenère and Cabernet. Concha y Toro is the biggest winery. The coastal towns Valparaíso and Viña del Mar sit an hour west.

Atacama Desert and North

San Pedro de Atacama sits in the driest desert on earth as the base for exploring salt flats, geysers, and surreal landscapes. The adobe village has hostels, tour agencies, and restaurants serving empanadas. Valle de la Luna has sand dunes and rock formations looking like the moon. The Tatio Geysers erupt at sunrise 4300 meters high requiring pre-dawn departures and warm clothes. The lagoons Lagunas Altiplánicas have flamingos and turquoise water. The salt flat Salar de Atacama stretches white with mountains reflecting. The desert skies rank among the clearest on earth with observatories open for stargazing tours. Arica far north near Peru has beaches and the Azapa Valley mummies. The coast has fishing villages and seafood. The desert landscapes look Martian with volcanic peaks and complete emptiness.

Patagonia and South

Chilean Patagonia has Torres del Paine National Park with granite towers, glaciers, and turquoise lakes drawing hikers worldwide. The W Trek takes four days camping and staying in refugios. The towers appear suddenly after hard climbs rewarding with dramatic views. Puerto Natales bases park visits with hostels and gear shops. Punta Arenas sits on the Magellan Strait with penguin colonies nearby. The Carretera Austral highway runs south through remote Patagonia with rainforests, glaciers, and marble caves. The road requires rugged vehicles and patience. Easter Island Rapa Nui sits 3700 kilometers west in the Pacific with moai stone statues standing mysterious. The island has Polynesian culture distinct from mainland Chile. The statues line the coast with theories about their purpose and transport.

Food is empanadas baked or fried, completo hot dog with avocado and mayo, pastel de choclo corn pie, cazuela stew, seafood fresh on coast, pisco sour, Chilean wine excellent and cheap, churrascos sandwiches.