Easter Island Heads - Lina Stock
High Chilean Altiplano in South America
Valparaiso Chile

Ultimate CHILE Travel Guide

Chile is a country located in South America. Santiago is the capital and it is a country known for its culture, natural wonders, and diversity. Our Chile travel guide is here to help you see the best it offers.

Don’t let the skinny strip of Chile on the map fool you into thinking there isn’t much there. If you love adventure and wild landscapes, Chile delivers that and so much more.

The most famous area is Patagonia and if you like hiking, Torres del Paine is world-famous. Nearby Punta Arenas offers glaciers and penguins too.

For elevation, salt flats, flamingos, geysers and volcanoes, head north to the Atacama Desert. This area blew our minds and we couldn’t believe we had overlooked it on previous trips to South America.

Also, if you didn’t know, Easter Island is politically part of Chile. While we classify it as part of Oceania, the best way to access this intriguing place is from Santiago.

Destinations

ATACAMA DESERT
HIGH ALTIPLANO
PATAGONIA
EASTER ISLAND

CHILE TRAVEL: QUICK TIPS

Chile
  • Do you need a visa? US Citizens get a free 90 day Visa on Arrival
  • Currency: Chilean Peso (CLP)
  • Climate: Varies widely. The north sees a dry desert climate.  The far south is temperate but also dry. In between can be humid along the coast and temperate as you get closer to the Andes Mountains. 
  • Primary Religion: Catholic
  • Local Languages: Spanish, English is widely spoken. 
  • Etiquette Tips: Greet everyone in a group individually, do not point or click your fingers
  • WIFI: Available in most, if not all, accommodation throughout the state. Many restaurants and tourist offices offer free WIFI too.
  • SIM Cards: If you have an unlocked phone, it is possible to pick up a local SIM card at most Chile airports on arrival. This will enable you to have data like you would at home. Another alternative is a universal SIM card that works in multiple countries.
  • Travel Insurance: With all travel, we highly recommend you take out a travel insurance policy when you book your trip. This will cover your trip in case of any unforeseen events happen.

Don’t Visit CHILE Without:

UNIVERSAL TRAVEL ADAPTER

GET A GUIDEBOOK

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

START PLANNING YOUR TRIP!

BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN SOUTH AMERICA

WHERE TO STAY IN CHILE

Below you will find some of the places we have stayed during our travels in Chile. These are individual properties that we enjoyed and would recommend to other travelers.

HOW TO GET AROUND IN CHILE

Anyone looking to travel to Chile will likely fly into Santiago and connect to the other airports across the country. From any city connected by airplane, it is possible to use public transportation to see the city or take buses further afield.

Many people choose to engage in group tours or day tours to get around and see things in Chile. It is also possible to rent a car and plan a road trip that takes you further afield and out of the city.

TOP CHILE TOURS

Valparaiso Chile
HIGHLIGHTS OF CHILE

9 Days Santiago to Buenos Aires

Visits: Santiago, Valparaiso, Pucon, Bariloche & Estancia

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Best Packable Down Jacket
TORRES DEL PAINE – W TREK

6 Days from Puerto Natales

Visits: Fully catered trek on the famous W route in Patagonia

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EASTER ISLAND INDEPENDENT

4 Days from Hanga Roa

Visits: Hanga Roa & Rapa Nui National Park

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PLAN YOUR TRIP LIKE A SEASONED PRO!

ULTIMATE TRIP PLANNER

CHILE TRAVEL: BOOKING RESOURCES

  • Skyscanner – A fantastic flight search engine that searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that larger sites miss. Every single flight search we do starts here.
  • Hotel Seach Engine – Our custom-built hotel search engine allows you to search hotels all over the world and compare prices before booking. It pulls the best prices from all the major online travel agents, such as Expedia, Priceline, Booking, etc. to one place.
  • Discover Car Hire – Allows you to search car rentals across multiple rental agencies worldwide.
  • Viator – The best trips are made up of multiple smaller tours to really dig in and get to know the places you are visiting. Our preferred place to book day tours, day trips and shorter multi-day tours is Viator.
  • G Adventures – If you want to do a group tour around Chile, go with G Adventures. They offer great small group tours that use local operators and leave a small environmental footprint. If you go on a tour with anyone, go with them.
  • World Nomads – We don’t travel without insurance and you shouldn’t either!

CHILE TRAVEL GUIDE: RELATED ARTICLES

Looking for more info? Check out all the articles we’ve written on travel to Chile and start planning your dream trip.