Chile

Discover the wonders of Chile in our easy-to-read travel guide. Learn about Chile's weather patterns and find out the best times to plan your trip. Get practical tips on transportation options to help you move around the country smoothly. Explore top Chilean cities and must-see destinations, while sampling delicious local dishes we recommend. Find hidden gems that most tourists miss, making your Chilean adventure truly special.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Santiago & Central Valley: September to November and March to May offer mild temperatures, fewer crowds, and beautiful spring blooms or autumn colors.

Atacama Desert (North): Year-round destination with extremely stable weather. June to August provides clear night skies ideal for stargazing, while October to April offers warmer daytime temperatures.

Lakes District: December to March (summer) brings pleasant temperatures perfect for outdoor activities with less rainfall.

Patagonia & Torres del Paine: December to February is optimal with milder temperatures and longer daylight hours for hiking and exploring. Shoulder seasons (November and March) offer fewer crowds.

Easter Island: January to March provides the warmest temperatures for beach activities and exploring the moai statues with less rainfall.

Wine Regions: February to April coincides with harvest season, offering special vineyard experiences and pleasant weather.

How to Get to Chile

Santiago International Airport (SCL), officially named Arturo Merino Benítez Airport, is Chile's primary international gateway and the busiest airport in the country. Most international travelers enter Chile through this hub, which offers connections to destinations worldwide.

In northern Chile, Diego Aracena Airport serves the coastal city of Iquique, while further north, airports in Arica and Antofagasta provide access to the Atacama Desert region, known for its salt flats and exceptional stargazing opportunities.

Central Chile is served by airports in Concepción and near Valparaíso, connecting travelers to Chile's agricultural heartland and coastal communities.

In the south, El Tepual Airport connects visitors to Puerto Montt and the Lake District, while Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas serves as the main entry point to Chilean Patagonia.

How to Get Around

Chile stretches like a ribbon down South America, creating unique travel challenges and opportunities. When distances between points of interest span hundreds of miles, domestic flights become not just convenient but necessary. Planes connect Santiago with far-flung places like Punta Arenas in the south and Easter Island in the Pacific.

Buses form the backbone of Chilean travel. Companies operate modern coaches with reclining seats and often WiFi, making day and overnight journeys comfortable as you watch the Andes mountains or coastal scenery roll by.

In southern Patagonia, where roads end but the journey continues, ferry-bus combinations take travelers through waterways carved by ancient glaciers. Passengers stand on decks watching dolphins play in the wake while approaching harbors in tiny settlements.

Santiago's Metro moves efficiently beneath the capital's busy streets, with clear signage and regular service. In smaller towns, colectivos (shared taxis) following set routes zip through narrow streets, picking up and dropping off locals and visitors alike.

A rental car opens up the possibility of stopping at roadside fruit stands in the central valley or pulling over at viewpoints in the Lake District whenever the mood strikes. Minivans shuttle hikers and photographers to national parks, where conversations with fellow travelers often lead to shared adventures.

Island-hopping between the wooden churches of Chiloé happens aboard passenger ferries, where locals transport goods and visitors catch glimpses of life on the archipelago.

For reliable service across the country, operators like Bus Sur and Buses Atacama 2000 help travelers book their next leg through Chile's varied landscapes.

Local Food Scene

From north to south, Chile's kitchens tell stories through food that reflects the country's long, winding geography. 

In Santiago's Mercado Central, locals and visitors sit elbow to elbow at simple tables, breaking into golden-brown empanadas de pino as steam escapes from the meat filling inside. A few tables away, someone spoons up pastel de jaiba, where sweet crab meat hides under a crusty top.

Morning light streams through La Vega Market in Santiago, where vendors call out their specials while cooks prepare completos—hot dogs topped with avocado, mayonnaise, and tomato that somehow make perfect sense together. On rainy days in Mercado Cardonal in Valparaíso, people warm up with sopaipillas, the simple fried dough that tastes like comfort.

Each region keeps its own food traditions:

• -In Chiloé, families still gather around steaming pots of curanto, where seafood, meat, and potatoes cook together underground.
• -Central Chile serves lomo a lo pobre—a steak topped with fried eggs that satisfies after a long day.
• -In Patagonia, the scent of asado patagónico fills the air as lamb slowly roasts over open flames.

For special occasions, Boragó in Santiago puts Chilean ingredients on plates in ways that surprise and delight. Osaka blends Peruvian and Japanese techniques, while Espíritu Santo in Valparaíso serves dishes that taste like the nearby ocean.

The stories of Chile's original peoples live on at places like El Castillo del Mar in Viña del Mar and Peumayén in Santiago, where ancient cooking methods and ingredients show up in dishes that connect past to present.

Hidden Gems to Visit

1. Cuevas de Anzota

The Pacific Ocean has patiently sculpted these sea caves for thousands of years, creating a coastal landscape unlike any other. Wooden walkways wind along the cliffs, offering clear views of the deep blue waters below. Visitors often pause to watch sea lions lounging on rocky outcrops while pelicans dive for fish nearby. The caves tell silent stories of time and tide. 

Between March and May, the weather settles into a pleasant warmth, and the paths remain relatively quiet. Anyone staying in Arica can reach the caves with a quick 15-minute taxi ride; they're just 10 km/6 miles south of the city, waiting to be discovered.

2. Bahía Inglesa

This crescent-shaped bay holds water so clear and blue that first-time visitors often stop in their tracks at the sight. The protected cove creates calm waters that meet white sand shores. Small restaurants line the beach, where local fishermen bring their morning catch directly to the kitchen. 

While families fill the shore during January and February, those who come in November or March find warm sunshine and space to spread out. A 15-minute drive from Caldera is all it takes, or travelers can hop on one of the regular minibuses that make the 75 km/46 mile journey from Copiapó.

3. Parque Tagua Tagua

Ancient trees stand guard in this rainforest sanctuary, some over 3,000 years old. Walking the forest trails feels like stepping into another time, the air smells of earth and green growing things. Clear lagoons reflect the surrounding mountains, and waterfalls appear around trail bends when least expected. Wildlife moves quietly through the underbrush. 

The forest shows its best face from December through March, when rain pauses long enough for comfortable hiking. The journey begins with a boat ride from Puerto Varas to the Tagua Tagua dock, where guides wait to reveal the forest's secrets (though they do need advance booking).

Scenic Routes

Between mountains that touch the clouds and shores where waves crash against ancient rocks, Chile holds roads that tell stories. Five journeys stand out, each offering a window into landscapes that change with every mile:

• 
  

• Puerto Montt to Bariloche: The road cuts through the Andes, connecting Chile and Argentina. Lakes reflect the sky like mirrors while volcanoes wear white caps year-round. In summer (December-February), the mountain passes open fully. From bus windows, passengers reach for cameras as each turn reveals another postcard moment.

• 
  

• 
  

• Santiago to Valparaiso: The path from Chile's capital leads to a coast where houses painted in blues, reds, and yellows climb the hills. Green vineyards line the route. In spring, yellow and purple flowers dot the roadside. Buses climb gentle slopes, giving travelers high-up views of the land below.

• 
  

• 
  

• Puerto Montt to Chiloe: The ferry moves across waters that separate mainland Chile from an island where wooden houses stand on stilts above the tide. Penguins gather in colonies along the shore. December through February brings sunshine and clear skies. The boat ride itself becomes part of the story, with water spraying and seabirds following.

• 
  

• 
  

• La Serena to Valle del Elqui: This road leads to valleys where grape vines grow alongside telescopes pointed at the stars. Autumn brings the grape harvest. Winter offers the darkest, clearest nights for stargazing. Buses snake through valleys where the road narrows and widens with the terrain.

• 
  

• 
  

• Temuco to Pucon: The Lake District unfolds along this route, with Villarrica volcano standing watch over forests and water. From December to March, the weather invites swimming and hiking. Bus seats become front-row spots for nature's show, with lakes appearing and disappearing around each bend.

• 
  

Events, Festivals and Local Markets

Feria de Artes Visuales del Sur (FAVS): Southern Chile's artists gather in Valdivia each year, bringing their paintings, sculptures, and handmade creations. Visitors walk between colorful stalls, watch artists at work during demonstrations, and talk directly with creators about their techniques. Anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind souvenir can buy pieces straight from the artists who made them.

Feria Pinto: The sounds of bargaining and friendly conversation fill the air at this traditional market in Temuco. Farmers arrange pyramids of fruits and vegetables harvested that morning, while Mapuche vendors sell handwoven textiles in earth-toned patterns passed down through generations. The market runs year-round, giving a true picture of how locals shop, eat, and socialize.

Mercado Fluvial de Valdivia: Fishermen dock their boats directly at this riverside market in Valdivia, unloading the day's catch onto ice-covered tables. Sea lions often lounge nearby, hoping for scraps while shoppers select fresh fish, mussels, and seaweed. Local cheese, honey, and handmade wooden crafts fill the surrounding stalls, telling the story of this river-centered community.

Best Places to Visit

1. Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales sits at the edge of southern Patagonia, where travelers begin their journey to Torres del Paine National Park. The small port city rests alongside deep blue fjords, with snow-capped mountains rising in the distance. Hikers and outdoor enthusiasts gather here, planning routes over plates of fresh seafood in cozy restaurants.

The trails come alive between October and April when snow melts and wildflowers emerge. Those who visit in December through February find longer daylight hours but share the paths with more fellow travelers.

Boats depart daily in summer, carrying passengers across the waters to see the massive ice walls of Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers. On weekends, local artisans spread handwoven textiles and carved wood pieces across market tables, telling stories of Patagonian traditions through their crafts.

How to get to Puerto Natales

• -Fly to Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport in Punta Arenas, then take a 3-hour bus ride
• -Bus service from El Calafate, Argentina (5 hours)
• -Cruise ships dock seasonally at Puerto Natales port

2. Calama

The desert city of Calama rises from the rust-colored Atacama landscape, its streets busy with mining workers and travelers passing through. While industrial at first glance, this city serves as the doorway to some of Chile's most extraordinary landscapes, with mountains that change color at sunset.

Between April and September, pleasant days make exploring comfortable. The summer months of December through February bring intense heat that bakes the desert floor.

Visitors can descend into the vast open pit of Chuquicamata, where guides explain how copper extraction shaped Chile's history. As night falls, astronomers set up telescopes under some of Earth's clearest skies, pointing out stars and planets that seem close enough to touch.

How to get to Calama

• -Fly directly to El Loa Airport in Calama
• -Bus services from Santiago (24 hours)
• -Land transfers from San Pedro de Atacama (1 hour)

3. San Pedro de Atacama

In a valley surrounded by volcanoes, the mud-brick buildings of San Pedro de Atacama stand as they have for centuries. This desert town feels like stepping onto another planet. Salt crystals crunch underfoot at nearby lagoons while geysers send steam columns into the morning air. By night, stars crowd the sky so densely they cast shadows.

The weather treats visitors best during April-May or September-October, when days warm pleasantly and crowds thin out. Even in summer, nighttime temperatures drop quickly, creating perfect conditions for stargazing.

Astronomers set up powerful telescopes nightly, helping visitors spot southern constellations invisible from the northern hemisphere. Before dawn each morning, vehicles depart for El Tatio, where over 80 geysers perform their steaming dance as the first light breaks over the Andes.

• 
  
• How to get to San Pedro de Atacama
• -Fly to El Loa Airport in Calama, then take a 1-hour shuttle
• -Bus connections from Bolivia via Uyuni Salt Flats
• -Organized tours from Santiago with direct transportation
• 
  

Tips for Traveling to Chile

VISA & ENTRY

• US/EU citizens: Tourist Card (90 days) issued upon arrival
• Keep Tourist Card safe – required when departing

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Greetings include cheek kiss (men-women, women-women)
• Punctuality is less strict for social events
• Tipping: 10% standard in restaurants

MONEY MATTERS

• Currency: Chilean Peso (CLP)
• Credit cards are widely accepted in cities
• ATMs are available, but bring cash for remote areas

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency: 131 (ambulance), 133 (police)
• Recommended: Hepatitis A, Typhoid vaccines
• Travel insurance with evacuation coverage is essential

TRANSPORTATION

• Santiago Metro is efficient and clean
• Uber works in major cities
• Buses are excellent for intercity travel