THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN CHILE TO VISIT
This post was written by Alya & Campbell from Stingy Nomads
Find out about the best places to visit in Chile – here are the most stunning, the most unique spots, the most beautiful places in Chile.
Traveling through Chile is like visiting a dozen of different countries, and it’s not an exaggeration – the diversity of Chile comes from its geographical location. The country stretches from the famous mountains of Torres del Paine Park in the South to the Atacama, the driest desert in the world in the North, so Chile has so much to explore and discover for any traveler.
After 3 months of traveling through this amazing country, we fell in love with it and even named our dog Chile.
Chile has an amazing and diverse nature: Atacama- the driest desert in the world, with more than 100 volcanoes some of which are still active, with massive glaciers, hundreds of waterfalls, and mountain rivers.
Adventure lovers will find plenty of activities here, from cycling along the Carretera Austral to paragliding in the desert and surfing in the Pacific Ocean.
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Important Travel Information for Chile
Before naming the best places in Chile, here is some important travel information for Chile.
General Tips for Chile
- Local currency CLP (Chilean peso) 1$ = 794 CLP (March 2022)
- Tourists from most countries can get 90 days visa-free on arrival
- Driving is on the right side of the road (like in the USA and Europe)
- Power outlets – majority Type C (European standard), 220V.
- Public transport – easy to get around in the cities and long distances, the average price for a 6-hour bus ride is 20$.
- Accommodation – hostels are very common all throughout the country. Prices start at 11 USD per bed. In the Southern part, camping is the most budget option, from 6USD per person, you can find campsites almost everywhere.
- For traveling and hiking in Patagonia, you’ll need warm clothes, a sleeping bag for 5C-0C, good water, and windproof tent (if planning to hike and camp), proper hiking boots, rain jacket. There are gear rental places in bigger towns, but the prices are quite high.
Best Time to Visit Chile
- As Chile is in the Northern Hemisphere, the best time to travel is between October and April, the local summer.
- If you consider going south to Patagonia and doing some hiking there, the best time for that specific area is November – the beginning of December and the end of February – March. Not because of the weather but due to the holiday season from the end of December to mid. February university students have a holiday, and many of them head to Patagonia. If you’re a budget traveler, it can be a problem. Many people compete for a hitchhike ride or budget accommodation.
- For the Northern areas like San Pedro de Atacama, December is the peak season, but most tourists here are foreigners. You still face the same problem of lack of budget accommodation and higher prices.
- Valparaiso is the most popular New Year´s Eve destination in the country. If you don’t book a place beforehand, you risk paying four times more or not finding a place at all.
Security Tips for Chile (Solo Female Traveler)
- Chile is one of the safest and wealthiest countries in South America and one of the few I’d venture to hitchhike on my own as a girl (though we did it together with my husband).
- The only place you need to take precautions is the capital Santiago de Chile. Like in any other big city, don’t walk late at night in dodgy areas, and don’t leave your belongings unattended.
Chilean People
People in Chile were a highlight of our trip. They are great, hospitable, generous, and extremely helpful.
You’re not a foreigner in this country. You’re a guest. Even if you get into trouble, you won’t be left without help. Hitch-hiking and couch surfing in Chile are amazing. We never spent more than an hour waiting for a ride and always got a place, even on New Year’s Eve when we started looking just two days before.
Book Tours in Chile
Book Tours in Chile: If you like to book tours in advance, you can use GetYourGuide – I (Arzo, the blog owner), use them regularly and totally love the booking system. Click here to find Chile tours.
They always have my back and a generous cancellation fee – so GYG is my site to book.
WHERE TO GO IN CHILE
Here are the best places to visit in Chile (I am sure you will not be disappointed!).
Torres del Paine in Patagonia
Torres del Paine is probably one of the most famous hikes in the world. Many tourists come to Chile just to do this hike, thus it can be overcrowded and too busy in the season. It’s an amazing place with stunning nature and fantastic landscapes – Patagonia is a place you must visit.
The best way to see it is to do an O circuit route, a week hike. The trail goes around the park the way you see all its sights. The highlights of Torres del Paine; Las Torres (The Towers) three sharp peaks at Mirador Las Torres, a famous sunrise spot with “towers” turning orange-red when the sun goes up.
Grey Glacier, a huge glacier, 270km² starts on the top of the Patagonian Andes and “slides” down to Grey Lake – you get the best view from John Gardner Pass.
Pehoe Lake is a stunning turquoise lake surrounded by ice-peak mountains.
If you like to start your day very early, you even have a chance to spot a puma here.
- The nearest town is Puerto Natales from where you can take a shuttle to the park.
The Atacama Desert on the Pacific Coast
The Atacama Desert is known as the driest place on Earth, with a different planet’s landscape.
The Atacama is more than just a lot of sand here. You can find lagoons with hundreds of flamingos, geysers, salt flats, wired rock formations, a natural labyrinth, and an incredible night sky… by the way, Atacama is one of the best places in the world for stargazing.
- A small town San Pedro de Atacama is a gateway to the desert. Buses from different cities, including Bolivia and Peru, go there.
- Click here to read about more amazing deserts in the world.
Carretera Austral
Carretera Austral is a road that goes through Chilean Patagonia, starting at Puerto Montt and finishing at Villa O’Higgins.
Carretera Austral has a total length of 1240 km. There are different ways of traveling – from renting a car (the most expensive though the easiest way) or moving by bus to hitchhiking or the most adventurous cycling.
Whichever way you choose, take your time, stop on the way, and explore some of the parks. Chilean Patagonia will surprise you with its incredible beauty and wilderness. One of the few places in the world where you can see so many turquoise lakes, hanging glaciers, waterfalls, and mountain rivers.
Easter Island
A trip to Easter Island is the most expensive trip you can do in the country – yet it is a must-see in Chile.
The island is located 3500 km away from the mainland. The nearest inhabitant place is Pitcairn Island, more than 2000 km away.
Just to get here is an expensive mission, especially in the season between December and February. The island got its world fame because of the stone statues moai built by the Rapa Nui people back in 700 – 1100AD.
First Europeans arrived here on 5th April 1722 on Easter Sunday. That’s why Easter Island got this name.
- You can only get there via plane – there are daily flights from Santiago.
Valparaiso
Valparaiso is the art capital of Chile and the best place in the country to spend New Year´s Eve.
The city sits between the hills by the ocean. To get to some barrios (neighborhoods), you need to take a cable car. Colorful and vibrant with endless stairs and houses climbing uphill, Valparaiso is an amazing place to explore on foot.
Best art areas of the city; Cerro Santo Domingo, Cerro Concepcion, Cerro Bellavista, Cerro Baron.
Not to miss in Valparaiso Museo a Cielo Abierto (Open Air Museum) with 20 murals by famous Chilean artists. There are several daily buses to Valparaiso from Santiago and other cities.
Of course, you have to eat your weigh in yummy food – and here you can find out about the best places to eat in Valparaiso.
- It’s a very popular destination for the end of the year and you must book accommodation far in advance.
Santiago de Chile
Santiago de Chile is the capital of Chile. Santiago de Chile may lose to Buenos Aires (the so-called Paris of South America) in its architectural beauty but it definitely, wins in the landscape – surrounded by the snow-peak mountains with several viewpoints from where you can observe the entire city.
Must-see sights in Santiago are: La Moneda Palace, San Cristobal Hill, Plaza de Armas, Pre-Columbian Art Museum, Metropolitan Park, and La Chascona (Pablo Neruda Museum).
Do not miss the Central Market there is always fresh stuff for good prices. Santiago has a good public transport system and is easy to navigate.
From here you can take a flight or bus to any other place in Chile.
Pucon
Pucon is a town in central Chile’s Lake District.
Pucon is a beautiful town with a stunning location at Villarrica Lake with the volcano in the background, a popular weekend/holiday place for Chileans. In summer you can enjoy swimming in the lake, kayaking or water skiing.
If you like hiking, there are many day hikes to the impressive waterfalls. More adventurous can climb to the top of the Villarrica Volcano, but you’ll need proper gear for walking in snow and ice. In winter, it’s a popular place for skiing/snowboarding.
- It is easy to get by bus from Santiago, but it takes between 9-10 hours.
Visit Some Hidden Gems in Chile
For a perfect mix, here are also some of the hidden places for your Chile itinerary.
Siete Tazas
Siete Tazas is a national park located in Curicó Province in central Chile.
Siete Tazas is an amazing surprise for foreign tourists. Locals know about it and often go there for weekends from Santiago.
Its name Siete Tazas (Seven Cups) comes from seven natural pools connected with each other with the ice-cold turquoise river passing through.
Not to miss Salto de Leona (Lioness’s waterfall) with a beautiful small sandy beach. There are several short hikes in the park that take you through the indigenous forest of stunning lookouts.
The best way to explore Siete Tazas is to stay here for a couple of days there are campsites and cabins, and if you stay there, you don’t pay an entrance fee.
- To get here first take a bus from Santiago to Molina (a small town) and from there take another bus to Parque Ingels.
Chiloe Island
Chiloe Island is located in Southern Chile and is another hidden gem of Chile.
Chiloe has a unique culture, cuisine, and UNESCO churches. There are two main towns Castro and Ancud. We liked the second more.
The best things on the island are nature-related; go to see the penguin colony, and hike in Chiloe National Park where you can spot dolphins in the water, seals chilling on the beach, or even pygmy blue whales.
- There is a ferry connecting the island with the mainland. They leave Pargua every day from 6.30 am to 11 pm.
O’Higgins Glacier
O’Higgins Glacier is located in Southern Patagonia – at the far end of Carretera Austral.
The only options to see it are to take a boat cruise from Villa O’Higgins or to do a 4-day hike.
Be one of the very few people who see the O’Higgins Glacier. If you decide to do a hike, you won’t regret it though sometimes it can be tough due to unpredictable Patagonian weather. As a reward, you get stunning views from the trail over turquoise O’Higgins Lake and the blue-grey glacier.
Unlike the famous Torres del Paine, very few people do this hike every year, though the trail is marked quite well, and there are no dangerous animals in the area.
Due to its remote location, you can get here by cruise boat or ferry both leave from Villa O’Higgins.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON BEST TOURIST SPOTS IN CHILE
Chile offers a diverse range of attractions for travelers, from the otherworldly landscapes of the Atacama Desert to the stunning beauty of Patagonia. Santiago, the capital city, boasts a vibrant culture and rich history, while Valparaiso offers colorful architecture and a bohemian vibe. Overall, Chile is a destination that offers something for every type of traveler, making it a must-visit country in South America.
About the Authors
We’re Campbell and Alya, an adventurous travel couple who met surfing in the Philippines. Four years later, married and still traveling. We’re based somewhere between Cape Town, South Africa, and St.Petersburg, Russia, chasing summer and nice weather on both continents. We’re camping addicts and road trippers and like exploring the world’s best hiking and diving destinations and, of course doing all the above on a tight budget.