Can any other country match the geographical diversity offered by South America's most intriguing segment? Some 2,800 miles long from top to tail, Chile is a little of everything: sparse and striking where the northerly Atacama Desert keeps its cool under skies ideal for star-gazing; cosmopolitan in capital Santiago; alive with fine wine in the vineyards which frame said city; wild and raw in the grasslands and glaciers of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego; a lonely full-stop in wave-lashed Cape Horn. A continent in a single package.
Must see: 80 miles north-west of Santiago, Valparaiso is a lost soul – a port that was deprived of (much of) its livelihood by the Panama Canal in 1914. But stand, as I did, at the window of La Sebastiana – the former home of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda – you appreciate why this city of brightly painted homes and steep slopes has inspired so many.
A thin ribbon of land stretching between the Andes and the Pacific. We visit the Atacama desert, the green lakes and mighty volcanoes of the Lake District and the glaciers of Torres del Paine.
A journey of a lifetime from Ecuador, Galapagos and Rainforest, following the Andres to Peru, Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca to La Paz in Bolivia, Atacama & Torres del Paine in Chile, and a 4-night Patagonia cruise to Argentina and Buenos Aires.
Hike the complete Torres del Paine Circuit in jaw-dropping Patagonia on this superb trekking holiday in Chile and Argentina.
The best day walks in the Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares National Parks.
5 night 'Stargazing in Chile' itinerary.
Prices from £960 per person (based on 2 sharing).
Includes return flights from the UK, Bed & Breakfast accommodation, transfers and a selection of excursions.
An epic, once-in-a-lifetime journey from Rio to Iguassu, Buenos Aires and Andean mountain landscapes to Patagonia and Cape Horn, A wonderful prelude to the breathtaking Antarctica wildernesses of towering glaciers, wildlife and incredible icescapes.
One of the greatest treks in the world, around the spectacular peaks and spires of the Paine massif.
An epic adventure avoiding long days at sea. Explore Santiago, hike in Patagonia, then fly to Antarctica for a memorable five night expedition cruise in the White Continent.
A cross-continent adventure with alpine and Andean scenery, tropical beaches, cosmopolitan cities, magnificent waterfalls and colonial and Inca heritage.
Fascinating contrast of the Atacama desert landscapes of salt flats, Tatio geysers and high mountains, with a cruise along the Chilean Fjords with lush forests, hot springs and massive glacier.
