Chile Itinerary

The length of this country allows for completely different landscapes within a few hours of travel. You get mountain, glaciers, lakes, deserts, beach towns, big cities – everything within Chile. It is a country where the recent political history is very much felt and there is a sense of unrestling in the air. We felt it was not as easy to travel as other South American countries, but it is worth the trouble (and the money) to deep dive into this rich country.

Our first stop in Chile was in Puerto Natales, where we stayed for 5 days to explore Torres del Paine National Park – a must.

After going back to Argentina for El Chaltén and El Calafate, we went back to Chile and started travelling north, spending 3 days in the lovely adventurous Pucón.

Continuing north, we spent 3 days in the calm Pichilemu, for surf vibes and an ocean break.

We took a bus up north to Valparaíso where we spent 3 days, followed by 2 days in Santiago de Chile, for food and culture.

Last stop in Chile was in San Pedro de Atacama, where we spent 5 days to explore the attractions of the desert, followed by a 3 day 2 night tour into Salar de Uyuni, moving on to Bolivia.

Moving around in Chile

Most destinations are connected by bus, and even if they are not, you can arrange dropoffs with the drivers if your destination is on the same direction. The journeys are quite long but the buses are comfortable, though a bit expensive, and the roads are in good conditions. Flights are also available and quite cheaper than in neighbouring countries – sometimes even cheaper than the bus!

Larger cities have ride-hailing apps such as Cabify, Uber or others. In Santiago and Vale Paraíso, the subway and public buses are super convenient, cheap and mostly safe. In smaller towns, taking a registered taxi is the best option, and you can even opt for a collective, sharing the ride with other passengers for a fraction of the price.

Hitch hiking is very common in Chile, though we did not experience it.

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