Incredible places to visit in Chile

RAPA NUI

Would you like to visit one of the most mysterious islands on the planet? Rapa Nui (Easter Island) holds a real charm. It's a place where you can become captivated by the ancestral culture, with its geological formations and the mythical moais scattered throughout the island. How did they get here? This is just one of the many questions that arise upon landing in Hanga Roa. Rapa Nui is one of the main tourist destinations in Chile, attracting thousands of visitors who come to discover the mysterious ancestral culture of the Rapanui people and to see the huge stone statues known as the moais. The history of Rapa Nui is filled with myths and legends, but historical research reveals that the island suffered from overpopulation between the 15th and 18th centuries, leading to wars and the destruction of ceremonial altars.

The Rapa Nui National Park covers a large part of the island territory with the purpose of preserving archaeological treasures, as well as the local flora and fauna. If you're a fan of geotourism, this is the place for you! Rapa Nui is formed by three major volcanoes: Terevaka, Po Ike, and Rano Kau. You can also find numerous caves and craters, such as Rano Raraku and the cinder cone of Puna Pau, which are worth visiting during your journey to Rapa Nui.

We recommend planning a stay of at least 4 days so that you can fully appreciate the historical richness of Rapa Nui. If you're into adventure, you can go diving; visibility reaches over 50 meters in depth! You can also enjoy horse rides, trekking, or rent motorbikes to explore the island. If you visit between January and February, you'll have the chance to experience the Tapati festival, an artistic and cultural event that lasts about two weeks, featuring sports competitions, dances, and a wide variety of ancestral ceremonies.

SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

Would you like to explore the wonders of the most arid desert on Earth? San Pedro de Atacama, often compared to the surface of Mars, awaits you with a variety of tourism options, offering visits to discover its Andean landscapes, native flora and fauna, lagoons, valleys, and salt flats. You can also be captivated by its archaeological sites and rich cultural heritage. San Pedro de Atacama was once the center of the Atacama culture and later became an Inca outpost. The richness of this ancient culture can be appreciated in fortresses and pucaras, pre-Columbian fortifications dating back to the 12th century.

Thanks to its unique geography and favorable local weather conditions, numerous astro tourism activities have developed, including stargazing tours and opportunities to learn more about the movement of the universe. Major astronomical observatories like Space and Ahlarkapin have been established in the vicinity of San Pedro de Atacama, in addition to the Astronomical Radio ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array), one of the most important scientific facilities in the world.

The urban center has preserved its local architecture, with the San Pedro de Atacama church standing out as a National Monument of Chile. The craft fair is another point of interest where visitors can find articles made from cactus, wood, and wool.

San Pedro de Atacama serves as the starting point for a variety of attractive tours, including visits to the Tatio Geysers, Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons, the Atacama salt flat, and the Moon Valley, among others.

PUERTO NATALES AND TORRES DEL PAINE

Puerto Natales, the capital city of the Province of Ultima Esperanza, is the entry point to visit the Torres del Paine National Park. This destination is visited by national and foreign tourists alike. It offers a variety of adventure activities, and tours to explore the most remote sites of Chilean Patagonia, and also to take a rest in Patagonian ranches. Puerto Natales and its surroundings display an indomitable geography of fiords, archipelagos, valleys and ice fields. With irregular climate conditions, this city offers numerous landscapes and attractions with a diversity of possible experiences like horse riding, trekking, hiking, sailing, fly fishing and a lot more! Would you like to enjoy one of the most exciting experiences in Chilean Patagonia? Puerto Natales is the starting point of the tour to Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most visited protected areas in Chile, outstanding for its incredible natural beauty in the Magallanes Region. Visiting Torres del Paine means discovering lakes, lagoons, large valleys and huge mountains, among which Cuernos del Paine (Paine Horns) and the Torres (Towers) stand out and can be seen from different sites in Patagonia. You will see the intensity of the Campos de Hielo Sur with its glaciers Pingo, Tyndall, Geikie and Grey, being the latter the most visited by local and international tourists. Plan a trip to Magellan Patagonia and visit this corner of the world located in the Southernmost part of Chile. This venue is a favorite site for trekking as it offers circuits like the "W" and the "O" that will take you to discover the Magallanes forests, the Patagonian steppe, and the protected animal species in the park, guanacos (Lama guanicoe), ñandues (Rhea), huemules (Andean deer) and pumas.

PUCON

Pucón (Meaning in Mapudungun, native language "entrance to the mountains") is located 780 km south of Santiago, on the eastern shore of Lake Villarrica, with Villarrica volcano roughly 17 km to the south, Pucón's location by a lake and volcano, along with its relatively stable climate, particularly in summer, makes it a popular tourist destination. It offers a variety of sports and activities for tourists, including water skiing, snow skiing, backpacking, white water rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, natural hot springs, zip line rides, skydiving, and guided ascents of Villarrica volcano.

ELQUI VALLEY

The Elqui Valley will always be one of those exceptional places to spend a holiday in Chile. Situated within the Andean Ridge, this basin contains one of the most emblematic rivers in the country's fluvial network. The name "Valle del Elqui" comes from the Quechua language and means “thin,” in reference to the way the smallest and weakest children in the community were named. This relates to the fact that the river flow is generally rather weak until spring, the time when snow melts in the mountains. Thanks to its proximity to the river waters and the mountains, the soil in the valley is extremely fertile and green. For this reason, visits necessarily involve exploring vineyards and papaya plantations. Walking or standing amidst these green plains in the heart of spring can be a charming experience. Further along the valley, as part of the tourism attractions in Chile, is the Elqui Valley Observatory, Where you can marvel at an astonishing view of the entire galaxy.

VALLE NEVADO

Winter in Chile is charming, and the best place to enjoy it is Valle Nevado, located at a distance of 40 minutes from the capital city. This holiday and winter sports resort is considered as one of the most modern in the country and in the continent. It offers 37 kilometers of tracks at a height of 3.000 meters above sea level, which are the site of competitions and sports practice and tourism. Valle Nevado is the venue of the FIS Snowboard World Cup. As a result, the area offers a wide range of exclusive and enjoyable restaurants and hotel accommodation, with options of walks in the snow, campfire evenings, rooms with fireplaces and other attractions. It is no surprise that it is frequently compared with the resorts and landscapes found in Aspen, Colorado, in the United States.

IQUIQUE

Is an excellent destination to enjoy flavors, entertainment, and beaches in a much quieter environment than the capital city of Santiago. Located over one thousand kilometers from Santiago, Iquique is one of the main maritime cities in the country. The local structure is constantly changing due to the impact of sea salt, demonstrating how its inhabitants have adapted to the ocean and its demands. Here lies one of the major Free Trade Zones on the continent, contributing to a highly dynamic commercial life. Visitors can enjoy nightlife around the beaches, wonderful foods in a wide variety of restaurants offering international cuisine, and numerous upscale stores. The city offers a coastline suitable for public use, and the climate is temperate most of the year, so regardless of your travel date, you can enjoy the beaches and sea. A special attraction is that in the surroundings, you can still visit buildings from the former saltpeter works.

VIÑA DEL MAR

Also known as “The Garden city”, relaxation and refinement are the perfect words to describe this city. Let your imagination soar as you enjoy its unique urban aesthetics, blending modern buildings with white sand beaches and expansive green spaces. You'll be delighted by innovative outdoor sports facilities, enticing activities, and gourmet cuisine. Don't miss the opportunity to bask in the sun, swim in the ocean, and witness the colorful sunsets from beaches like Reñaca, Concón, and Las Salinas. Take a stroll along its streets and journey back to the golden years of the last century. Here, you'll encounter castles and historic mansions once owned by wealthy families, now beautifully adorning the city and serving as elegant museums or cultural centers. At night, a visit to the glamorous Municipal Casino is a must. Experience the city's vibrant cultural and artistic scene, with a wide variety of concerts and prestigious music festivals. The iconic Viña del Mar International Song Festival, held every February, is an event that music lovers simply cannot afford to miss.

ISLA NEGRA

If you have an appreciation for poetry and a fondness for the writings of Pablo Neruda, you will surely fall in love with this coastal town, just as the Nobel Prize winner did. In Isla Negra, the constant sound of waves crashing against the rocks serves as eternal inspiration for artists of all disciplines. Come and visit the country house the poet built by the seashore and prepare to be amazed. Explore Neruda's playful imaginary world as you follow the trail of the eclectic objects he collected throughout his life. Ship figureheads, globes, boxes filled with curious insects, and masks of various shapes and origins are just some of the treasures that contribute to the magical atmosphere of this house, now transformed into a museum. Wander along the winding roads flanked by pine trees and admire the charming juxtaposition of houses built in the hippie style of the 1960s alongside contemporary modern architecture. If you find yourself enchanted by this tour, now is the perfect time to visit the Arts and Crafts Fair, with its sophisticated rustic style largely inspired by the omnipresent figure of Neruda

VALPARAÍSO

Bohemian and colorful, the labyrinthine hills of Valparaíso have been a source of inspiration for poets and writers for many years. At each stop, you'll discover something new—a gem of a building, a notable art gallery, or a unique gastronomic find. Enjoy the exceptional architecture of this city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander along its narrow streets, climb its endless staircases, ride its historic funicular lifts, and savor the panoramic views from the numerous viewpoints. Experience the excitement in the air during one of the city's several carnivals, or ring in the New Year with the spectacle of the bonfire feast on the seashore in Valparaíso. Don't forget to explore the harbor and the fishing piers, where you can get a real sense of Chile's distinctive maritime life. Purchase or sample fresh seafood in the market and engage in conversation with the fishermen and their jokes. Known as the "Jewel of the Pacific," Valparaíso is home to Chile's National Congress and the Navy's Headquarters. Take pleasure in exploring these historical buildings and immerse yourself in the maritime history of the country!

PICHILEMU

Meaning “small forest” in mapudungun, This beautiful natural area embellishes the central region of the country with a combination of landscapes and waves, making it one of the outstanding tourist attractions in Chile. Pichilemu receives the strongest Pacific currents; the waves are so high that bathing along its coasts is impossible. However, this does not deter visitors from enjoying wonderful views or having a picnic. The cliffs that surround the beach provide an excellent site for practicing sports such as trekking and climbing, with the added bonus that from the heights, one can marvel at the expansive view of the Pacific from the high viewpoints. Pichilemu is one of the favorite destinations for surfers, as the waves here are ideal for practice and training. For other tourists, it offers an opportunity to learn much more about Chilean culture and character through iconic buildings like the National Monument to Agustin Ross

GREATER ISLAND OF CHILOÉ

Part of the Lakes District, this island is ranked as the second largest on the continent and is also one of the few untouched coastlines in the country, with landscapes that remain unaffected by human intervention. This is one of the must-visit places in Chile. The island offers a picturesque landscape, combining forest, sea and native architecture. It is also an excellent location for practicing a wide variety of sports, including kayaking or trekking. Visitors can also enjoy the palafitos, rudimentary wooden constructions that perch on the water, along with chapels and churches dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. These structures have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site based on their age and historical significance.

HUILO HUILO

Nestled in the heart of the Chilean Patagonian Forest and crowned by the majestic Andes, the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve is a unique site in the world due to its commitment to the conservation of natural heritage and local culture. We invite you to embark on a fascinating tour of the marvels of our magical Reserve and to become acquainted with our dedication to Sustainable Tourism, Foundation, and Territory. The Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve is a privately protected area nestled in the Patagonian Andes of Southern Chile. Spanning 100,000 hectares, it boasts a remarkable biological diversity, with species of flora and fauna that are unique in the world. The Reserve, guided by its three pillars: conservation, community integration, and sustainable tourism, aims to preserve this cultural and natural wealth for future generations.

VALDIVIA

Valdivia, situated at the confluence of the rivers Calle-Calle, Cau-Cau, and Valdivia, was founded in 1552 by the conquistador Pedro de Valdivia under the name Santa Maria la Blanca de Valdivia. It stands as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in southern Chile. Often referred to as a piece of Germany in Chile due to its architecture strongly influenced by German styles, as well as local customs and flavors in the cuisine. However, the city also cherishes its love for national craftsmanship, offering the finest art pieces and cultural manifestations in the region. As tourism is the primary activity, Valdivia provides excellent alternatives for visitors, including monuments, parks, and numerous other attractions. Highlights include the Botanic Gardens of Chile Austral University, the Forts of Valdivia, the Fluvial Market, and the Navy Museum, among others.

GREY GLACIAR

This immense natural structure, 6 meters wide and stretching over a length of 19 kilometers, entirely composed of ice, is located within Torres del Paine National Park and forms the area known as the Southern Ice Fields. Rated as the third-largest water reserve on the planet, it has become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Chile. Here, visitors can enjoy walks through the ice forests, explore caves and other ice formations in the area, and witness some of its crevices, provided they are not afraid of enclosed spaces. As an unforgettable experience, visitors can taste the typical fruit of the region, the Calafate, a type of cherry found exclusively in this area of the world. This region is the source of the calafates used to prepare the famous cocktail Calafate Sour.