Latin America, Chile

Overview

From salty desert top to glacier-crowded bottom, Chile is a gobsmacking reminder of nature's beauty and power. This narrow trickle of a country is jammed with enough geysers, mountains, beaches, forests and volcanoes to keep adventure nuts slavering for a lifetime.

When To Go

Chile always has a region or two ripe for exploration whatever the season. But if your heart is set on one part of the country, pick your trip dates carefully. Santiago and Middle Chile are best in the verdant spring September through November or during the fall harvest late February into April, while Chile's southern charms, Parque Nacional del Paine in Magallanes and the lakes region are best in summer December through March. The parched Atacama Desert can be explored year-round, although summer days sizzle and nights are bitterly cold at higher altitudes throughout the year. In the northern altiplano, summer is the rainy season, though this usually means only a brief afternoon downpour.Chile in the winter can be a wonderland for skiers; the country's resorts attract hordes from July through September. Easter Island is cooler, slightly cheaper and much less crowded outside the summer months. The same is true of the Juan Fernández archipelago, which can be inaccessible if winter rai

Visas

Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most Western European countries do not require a visa, although US citizens do pay a fairly hefty, cash-only 'reciprocity fee' around 100.00. Canadians pay around 135.00 and Australians about 60.00, while there is no fee for EU or New Zealand residents. This fee is good for the life of the holder's passport. A 90-day entry permit, renewable for another 90 days, is received on entering the country and must be presented to officials on leaving.

Weather

Chile's mountainous geography spanning over 30° of latitude makes for some strange climatic variation. Summer and winter in Chile's north are quite restrained with temperatures in the 15-25°C 63-77°F range throughout the year with only slight seasonal change. Rain is of no concern as this coast-to-desert landscape is one of the driest in the world, despite heavy cloud cover from April to December. Central Chile has far more pronounced seasonal change with average daily highs of 29°C 85°F from December to February and dropping to around 14°C 58°F in June. Rainfall is heaviest in the winter months but still only moderate and falling on a few days at this time. Down south rainfall increases dramatically, peaking in June with most days succumbing to the wet. Temperatures in this region are slightly cooler with low 20°C around 70°F summer highs and plunging into the single digits around 42°F in the middle of the year.

Getting There

Chile is linked by air to North America, Europe and Australasia with most international flights arriving in Santiago. Chilean departure tax for international flights is about 20.00.

Please Click Here for more information on Atacama & Patagonia

Please Click Here for more information on Bolivia & High Andes

Please Click Here for more information on Patagonia Explorer