Why Visit Chile - Because It's Awesome Chile
When individuals think about planning a trip to South America the usual suspects are Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina or to become more precise, Rio, the Inca trail, Salt Plains and Patagonia only the Argentine part. These are all stunning places and definitely worth a visit sooner or later, but let's remember the long strip of land joined towards the west of Argentina known as Chile!
Often written off as boring, dull or expensive, this country has recently exploded into life with lots of stunning sights that aren't fully discovered because of your average Joe tourist on a South America holiday.
Stretching over 2,700 miles from tip to toe and averaging just 109 miles wide the environment contrasts dramatically while you descend in the driest desert in the world in the north to 1 of coldest and many desolate places to live in the world in the south. The contrasts from end to finish are simply stunning and really worth touring in your Chile trip.
~San Pedro de Atacama is really a small village you could base yourself at the outset of your Chile trip. Although the town is pretty it does not offer much more than the usual tourist attractions you would expect. The USP with this town may be the location. You could go out to the desert late one afternoon and climb to the top of the sand dune to watch the sunset and the moon rise. This really is stunning as you can watch the colour of the desert floor change as the sun drops and also the moon rise. The sky is beautifully clear which means that the heavens are incredibly visible. The Milky Way may have never appeared so clear or close!
Simply to add incredible area you are able to take tours to the Altiplano lakes where flamingos live, head to the Tatio geyser very first thing each morning to watch the sunrise because the geyser erupts or take some relaxation time in your Chile holiday in the numerous hot springs dotted around the area. Be cautious though, an abrupt rise in blood temperature could make you feel a little dizzy at first but that is just part of the fun. San Pedro is also a start/finish place for tours to the Salt Plains and ties in nicely with Bolivia.
Heading south is the Parque Nacional Nevado Tres Cruces which throughout the summer is the place to find flamingos, vicunas and guanacos but more importantly offers stunning hiking and climbing opportunities through the snow topped mountains and past the clear blue lagoons. Best of all though, this place just isn't on the tourist trail YET to escape from everything head here.
Your next likely stop is going to be Santiago, capital of this vast country. Keeping it simple and to the stage you will find much better cities in the world than Santiago. However, it does have its draws and it is worth a couple of nights from your holiday time to explore. Climb to the top of Cerro San Christobal (you cannot miss it as there is a 14m high white marble statue from the Virgin Mary perched on its peak). Here you can view the city with the Andes mountain range within the background (assuming the smog is not too thick on your chosen day's visit), then take the cable car down which winds round the hillside. In the afternoon explore the centre and the overnight visit Valparaiso and Vina del Mar coastal towns just a few hour's north-west of the capital. This where the locals head for the weekend and holidays to swim, soak-up the sun's rays and party.
For wine lovers, the Casablanca Valley is where Chile's best Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot grapes are made. For a small fee you can have a tour from the vineyards then sample the produce, surely a highlight of the Chile tour. Should you fancy purchasing a few bottles you can do this and shipped home.
chile hotelsContinuing our windy way south is Pucon, the outdoor adventure capital of Chile. If you like adrenaline pumping through your veins and feeling alive by pushing the boundaries beyond your normal limits then Pucon is for you. Set upon the gorgeous Lago Villarrica having a volcano overlooking it truly is an ideal setting for taking your life into your own hands. Ride up it, jump off it, slip it etc. Pucon is the best Chile adventure holiday destination.
Continuing on the party's theme of chance and adrenaline, hop on a bus and keep on south a bit more (you will probably spot the weather obtaining a little cooler now). There are numerous National Parks in Chile but a specific favourite has a couple of 2,000m high granite towers that dominate heaven line, these gave the National Park its name Torres del Paine which means the awesome term 'Towers of Pain'!!
Torres is a haven for all those looking for Chile adventure holiday, for hikers, ramblers and climbers alike, even if you're not too in love with walking you are able to still go out with your camera to consider photos of the view of the lakes, forests and of a stunning blue glacier which just increases the diversity from the area.
San Pedro de Atacama hotelsTorres is one of the most popular parks therefore it can seem to be busy at times and the hostels do fill quickly so always book in advance, however the place is so vast that to find tranquility is not hard.
Patagonia is a huge area however the main place you will probably base yourself throughout every season is Punta Arena, that is an ideal point for continuing your Chile travel from our area using the main draw being the penguins across the Magellan Straight. The two main colonies that inhabit the area take presctiption Seno Otway and on Isla Magdalena. These aren't the large penguins that are based in the Falklands but nether-the-less continue to be mighty impressive, even in just amount with 6,000 at Seno Otway and around 50,000 on Magdalena Isla. The only method to visit these places is to hire a car or have a tour as there are no public buses towards the area. Fom Punta Arenas if you're feeling adventurous and energetic then definitely keep heading south to Cabo Froward which is the most southerly point on the continent. The 2 day hike will be cold and windy as it is an exposed path to the tough natural elements, as you would expect if this close to Antarctica and can surely be a highlight of the Chile itinerary.
Easter Island hotelsA pinnacle of any Chile tour would have to be Easter Island-a stunning isolated tropical island littered with Moai statues is more than 2,300 miles from the west coast of Chile. An easy island without the influx of tourism and gaudy hotels. Hire a car to drive the 50 odd km of anti-clockwise roads, a number of them concrete, some gravel yet others simply dirt. No insurance is required, but then again there is barely any traffic so accidents should not happen and when they are doing often cash changing hands will sort the issue. The statues are simply magnificent, considering how exposed to the harsh elements they have been for hundreds of years, they're incredibly well maintained and do not look dated or tired- perfect for you to definitely take pictures for the Chile holiday album. They are all over the island, 12 meters high, 2/3 meters wide and some have hats.
With just one town which includes a few bars, restaurants and also the odd souvenir shop you do not come for luxury, just enjoy the simplicity and let your mind wander about the possible ways the statues were not only carved but then moved, and ultimately what are they're for, and will they represent something? After all, your guess is really as good anyone else's.