Chile
BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES: Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile
Chile is the longest country in the world; a land of extremes and staggering beauty.
Bordered on the east by the Andes and on the west by the Pacific Ocean, it stretches from the Atacama Desert in the north to Cape Horn in the far south.
The most famous of its national parks is Torres del Paine in southern Patagonia, designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Vast granite towers drop down to a lavish valley full of lakes, waterfalls, glaciers and icebergs. Here you can spot more than 100 species of bird, armadillos, guanacos and the occasional puma.
Water and land merge seamlessly together in the majestically beautiful Chilean Lake District. Snow-capped volcanoes are reflected in the brilliant blue of the lakes, often fed by rivers that provide some of the best fishing in the southern hemisphere. In total contrast, head north to the Atacama Desert, an adventure playground of geysers, moon valleys and salt lakes.
Santiago is the capital as well as gateway to the ski areas and best beaches. Maipo Valley is just south of here and produces some of the new world’s finest wines.
Finally, for even greater drama, Easter Island lies some 2000 miles west off the coast of Chile. It is best known for its moai, more than 600 huge figures sculpted from volcanic-rock back in the mists of time. Nobody knows exactly how, why or when they were put there. The island is one of the most isolated and mysterious places on earth and is a fitting adjunct to the spectacle of Chile.
Flights & Facts:
Fly to: Santiago - Lan Chile daily via Madrid
Flying time: 16 hours
Time difference: GMT-4hrs
Visas: Not required for UK passport holders
Health requirements: Yellow fever certificate required if arriving from an infected area.
Best time to travel: Nov - Apr
Weather:
Chile always has a region to explore whatever the season. Santiago and its surrounds are best in spring (September to November) or during the autumn harvest (February to April), although the winter months are great for skiers. The southern national parks and Lake District are best in the summer (November to March). The Atacama Desert can be explored year-round, although summer days can be extremely hot. Easter Island is cooler outside the summer months.
A&K Recommends
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Central and South America | Chile | Chile
Duration: 11 days
Santiago (1nt) - Pucon, Lake District (3nts) - San Pedro de Atacama (4nts) - Santa Rita (1nt)
• Traditional Chile
• Breathtaking landscapes
• Outdoor excursions
Active | Culture
from £3,798 per person
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Central and South America | Chile | Easter Island
Duration: 5 days
Easter Island (4nts)
• Incredible moai statues
• Unique ‘open-air’ museum
• Unspoilt wilderness
Active | Culture
from £995 per person
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Central and South America | Chile
Duration: 15 days
Santiago (2 nts) - Puerto Varas (1 nt) - Villa La Angostura (1 nt) - Bariloche (3 nts) - Buenos Aires (2 nts) - Iguazu (1 nt) - Buenos Aires (1 nt)
• Cosmopolitan cities of Buenos Aires & Santiago
• Excellent Lake District vistas and activities
• Spectacular falls at Iguazu
Active | Culture
from £3,765 per person
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Central and South America | Chile
Duration: 13 days
Santiago (1nt) - Atacama - (3nts) - Wine Country (2nts) - Torres del Paine (4nts) - Santiago (1nt)
• Extreme scenery
• Fine wines and cuisine
• Outdoor adventures
Active | Culture | Wildlife
from £4,495 per person
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Central and South America | Peru
Duration: 22 days
Lima (2 nts) - Cusco (3 nts) - Machu Picchu (1 nt) - Cusco (1 nt) - Lima (1 nt) - Santiago (2 nts) - Puerto Varas (1 nt) - Bariloche (3 nts) - Buenos Aires (3 nts) - Iguazu (1 nt) - Rio de Janeiro (3 nts)
• Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas
• Stunning Andean scenery and Iguazu Falls
• Vibrant Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro
• Professional A&K escort
• A&K ‘& Moments’
Active | Culture
from £8,595 per person
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Central and South America | Chile | Atacama
8 rooms
Diverse, surprising, majestic and untouched, the Atacama Desert runs for over 600 miles between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains in northern Chile and is the world’s most arid ...
from £265 per person per night
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Central and South America | Chile | Torres del Paine National Park
50 rooms
Stunning, imposing and impressive, Torres Del Paine National Park is located in the heart of Patagonia, 250 miles north of Punta Arenas in southern Chile. The park encompasses 598,000 acres ...
Sporting Activities
from £328 per person per night
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Central and South America | Chile | Torres del Paine National Park
57 rooms
Only a few kilometres from the legendary Paine Towers, the hosteria’s ideal location allows visitors to thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the area. The hotel offers a cosy ‘lodge’ atmosphere ...
from £239 per person per night
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Central and South America | Chile | Atacama
50 rooms
Located close to San Pedro de Atacama village, Hotel de Larache, Explora Atacama is an ideal base for exploring the desert, salt plains and pre-Inca sites of the surrounding area. ...
from £300 per person per night
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Central and South America | Chile | Easter Island
30 rooms
Located on mythical Easter Island and overlooking the magnificent Pacific Ocean, A&K welcomes exploras new addition to their collection, Posada de Mike Rapu, Explora Rapa Nui. Located on top of ...
from £395 per person per night