Chile, with one of the most diverse landscapes on the planet, has become an increasingly popular travel destination in recent years, particularly among nature lovers and adventure seekers. Here in this long, narrow nation on South America’s west coast, travelers will find an array of stunning landscapes, from the towering peaks of the Andes and endless beaches to lush forests, ancient volcanoes, and the dramatic coastline of Cape Horn. Chile is also blessed with an abundance of wonderful national parks and conservation areas, many of which are popular hiking and trekking destinations, as well as with travelers enjoying rock climbing, riverboating, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
1. Torres Del Paine Regional Park
One of Chile’s most spectacular natural areas and popular destinations is the Torres del Paine National Forest. More than 100 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Natales in southern Patagonia, this stunning region includes mountains, glaciers, and countless lakes and rivers. The most important area of the park is the Cordillera del Paine, an area that marks the transition from the Patagonian steppe to the subpolar forests of the north. Perhaps the most notable of its many magnificent features are the three 2,850-meter granite peaks of the Paine Massif, which dominate this already breathtaking landscape. Hiking is one of the park’s most popular activities, with many well-marked trails, many of which offer overnight shelters (refugios) with the essentials needed for longer trips around the mountains. Hot tip:If you’re planning more than a day hike, professional guides are recommended and, in some areas, mandatory.
2. The Valle de la Luna (The Valley of the Moon) and the Atacama Desert
Valle de la Luna, which means Moon Valley, is located 13 kilometers west of San Pedro de Atacama in the northern tip of the country near the border with Bolivia. This rugged, inhospitable landscape in the heart of the Atacama desert attracts many visitors for its eponymous resemblance to the surface of the moon, an effect caused by the erosion of its sand and stone features by wind and water over countless millennia. Despite its removal, this stunningly beautiful landscape has sustained life for centuries for both humans and numerous species of flora and fauna. Among the most interesting features are the dry lake beds (which are, after all, one of the driest places on the planet), which are white due to deposited salt and prone to producing exciting natural hens. Other notable features of the Atacama Desert are the area’s many caves, some of which contain evidence of early human iconography, and where some of the world’s oldest mummies have been found, preserved by the area’s drought (the best known of which, the Chinchorro mummies, are now in the archaeological museum in San Miguel de Azapa).
3. Easter Island
First visited by Europeans in 1722, the enchanting but remote Easter Island, named after a Dutch explorer who first laid eyes on it on Easter Sunday, has been inhabited for thousands of years by Polynesians. Despite being over 3,500 kilometers away from the Chilean peninsula, this fascinating island with its admirable stone carvings remains the country’s most recognizable attraction. In total, 887 of these statues, known as Moai, created by the island’s original Rapa Nui population, have been identified, most of which are now protected in the Rapa Nui National Park (the island itself has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The most impressive collection is at Ahu Tongariki, where 15 of them have been restored to the island’s largest Moai platform, or “ahu.” Also of interest are the many “hare paenga” ruins near Ahu, consisting of stones that once formed the foundations of boat hulls. Other highlights include Sebastian Englert’s Patera Anthropological Museum in Hanga Roa, the island’s main community, notable for its exhibits on the history of the Polynesian islands and their traditions. Hot tip: Visiting Easter Island is best done as part of a Chilean holiday, with regular flights from Santiago or Tahiti (flight times are around five hours, so expect to stay at least two days).
4. Santiago: Cultural capital of Chile
Santiago is not only the financial and business capital of Chile but also the cultural and entertainment center of the country. It is home to the best museums and galleries, as well as excellent shopping, dining, and hotel options. Centrally located and the country’s main transportation hub, Santiago is where most visitors start their travels in Chile before heading to the Andes or other areas of outstanding natural beauty. Smarter travelers, however, will allow time to get to know Santiago. Founded in 1541 and relatively popular, the city boasts shows such as the Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda, a state-of-the-art cultural center that occupies part of the impressive Palacio de la Moneda, and the National Museum of Fine Arts of Chile, founded in the 1880s with a focus on Chilean artists, which has a large permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, and photographs. Other must-sees are the excellent Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, with collections related to the country’s indigenous people, and the Museum of Remembrance and Human Rights, to honor those who suffered under the Pinochet regime. One of the highlights of any visit to Santiago is taking the San Cristóbal Hill Aerial Tram for stunning views of this most welcoming of cities.
5. The Chilean Andes
Stretching for more than 330 kilometers from Temuco to Puerto Montt and resembling the alpine regions of Europe, the Chilean Peninsula is worth exploring. Like its alpine cousin, this beautiful region of the foothills of the Andes boasts rich agricultural land at the base of several volcanoes that have snow-covered terrain, dense forests, and the kind of deep lakes that water sports enthusiasts overwhelm. And the connection with Europe does not end there. After the forced resettlement of the indigenous people of the region, the Mapuche and farmers from Switzerland, Austria, and Germany arrived, bringing with them aspects of their own culture that can still be seen in the architecture of towns such as Osorno and Valdivia, as well as in the customs and festivals of the region. For the adventurous, the area offers endless possibilities for hiking and biking, as well as other fun activities such as volcano climbing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, and, in winter, skiing.
6. Valparaíso
Chile’s third-largest city, Valparaíso, is nestled between the sea and the coastal mountain range, about 112 kilometers northwest of Santiago, and makes for an excellent day trip. As popular for its many old cobbled streets and unique architecture as it is for its lovely harbor and beaches, the city offers plenty to see and do. Many tourist attractions focus on the country’s rich maritime heritage, including The Lord Cochrane Museum, in a magnificent colonial house built in 1842, and the magnificent Naval and Maritime Museum, with displays dealing with the 1879 War of the Pacific between Chile and allied Peru and Bolivia, with special emphasis on the contribution of Chile’s war heroes. A related attraction is the Ironclad Huascar at Port Talcajuano, about 600 kilometers south of Santiago. The beautiful port of Talcahuano, the home of the Chilean navy, is the base for this immaculately restored historic vessel, built in 1865 in Britain and one of the only surviving battleships of its kind.
7. Lauca National Park
In the extreme north of Chile, just 140 kilometers east of the city of Arica, Lauca National Park covers an area of 1,300 square kilometers and consists mainly of high plains and mountain ranges, many of which are made up of large volcanoes. Attractions include the many pristine mountain lakes, most notably Cotacotani and Chungara, which reflect the landscape around them to spectacular effect. The park also has several important archaeological sites as well as evidence of the early European settlers who left their mark in the area’s numerous old colonial churches and buildings. It is also particularly popular with birdwatchers and is home to more than 140 species, including Andean geese, lamas, ducks, and Chilean flamingos.
8. Pumalín Park
Although established in 2005 as a nature reserve, Pumalín Park has become one of Chile’s most important and popular conservation areas. Covering a vast area of some 715,000 hectares that stretches from the Andes to the Pacific, the region features some of the country’s most pristine coastlines 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, the park, owned and operated by the US Conservation Land Trust, is easily accessible to visitors and provides one of the best wildlife experiences in the world.
9. The natural monument of Los Pingüinos
In addition to its national parks, more of Chile’s important conservation efforts can be seen in its many natural monuments. One of the most popular is the natural monument Los Pingüinos, just 35 kilometers northeast of the city of Punta Arenas at the southern end of the island, incorporating the beautiful Magdalena and Marta Islan. One of Chile’s largest penguin colonies, consisting of roughly 60,000 breeding pairs of Magellanic penguins, is housed at the monument, as suggested by its name (pingüinos is Spanish for penguins). The islands, which can only be reached by boat tours, are also home to sizable colonies of seals and sea lions. El Morado, which is accessible from Santiago and is home to the San Francisco glacier and the 4,674-meter Cerro El Morado mountain, is another of Chile’s significant natural landmarks.
10. The Humberstone and Saltpeter Works of Santa Laura
Near the northern port city of Iquique in the remote Pampa desert and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, this fascinating ghost town was once home to a bustling community. For more than 60 years, starting in 1880, thousands of workers from Chile, Bolivia, and Peru worked in this hostile environment in around 200 coal mines, forming a distinct culture and way of life that has been preserved. Even though it has been abandoned since 1960, the site provides an intriguing look into the challenging living conditions endured by these “paminis,” with many of the largest structures still standing and being explored. Because of the region’s isolation and unforgiving climate, experienced guides are advised.