Attractions of Chile

Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine National Park is one of the most beautiful and spectacular landscapes in South America. The snow-capped jagged granite peaks, lush green valleys, blue and green lakes and great glaciers of ice contrast and complement each other to produce a stunning setting. The scenery and mountainous landscape make Torres del Paine one of the world's great trekking destinations - options range from extended circuits taking over a week to day hikes. The most popular (and must-do) day trek is an ascent along the beautiful valley of the Rio Asencio up to the viewpoint overlooking the Torres del Paine (Mirador Las Torres) - the three towers which are emblematic of the park. The final ascent over rough boulders is difficult but rewarded with the view of the granite peaks rising dramatically to the sky (often with their peaks shrouded in clouds) over a lagoon and landscape shaped by glacial ice and the elements. There are numerous other trekking options as well as the chance of a boat ride on Lago Grey to get close to the blue-tinged ice of the Grey Glacier (and enjoy a pisco sour with glacier ice when there), kayaking on the lake near some discarded glacier chunks or horse-riding through the stunning landscapes. The parks other attractions include the Salto Grande Waterfall, the breathtaking views from the Mirador Ferrier and the wildlife which inhabits the park including the ubiquitous guanaco, fox, rhea, condor and flamingo.

Peurto Varas

Puerto Varas is a town located on the shores on Lake Llanquihue which is a good base for exploring the beautiful landscapes of the Chilean Lake District. Known as the 'City of the Roses', the views along the shoreline of the lake in Puerto Varas are beautiful with the snow-capped cones of the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes in the background. Trekking on the lava fields of the Osorno Volcano provides excellent views of the region towards the Pacific on one side and the emerald Lago Todos Los Santos on the other. The Valdivian rainforest surrounding Osorno also provides an excellent hiking destination with lush green landscapes and a variety of wildlife. Lava from Osorno has formed an impressive series of waterfalls and rapids for the icy blue glacier water at the Saltos de Petrohue, complete with the volcanic cone as an impressive backdrop.

Crossing the Andes

The lake districts of Chile and Argentina are beautiful regions with mountain lakes, national parks and the peaks of the Andes mountains contributing to make it an area of outstanding natural beauty. One of the great ways of experiencing this is to take the trip from Bariloche in Argentina to Puerto Varas in Chile across the Andes. This journey comprises boat trips across three lakes and four road journeys connecting them and the destinations. From Bariloche, the first boat is boarded at Puerto Panuelo to sail along Lake Nahuel Huapi to Puerto Blest. A short drive takes you to Puerto Alegre for a short cruise on Lake Frias to Puerto Frias. Here you pass through Argentine customs and drive through the beautiful Perez Rosales National Park to Peulla, officially crossing the border en route. From Peulla, the final boat ride across Lake Todos los Santos takes you to Petrohue, where you drive to the destination of Puerto Varas on the shores of the stunning Lake Llanquihue. The trip also runs in reverse from Puerto Varas to Bariloche along the same route.

The Maipo Valley near Santiago is Chile's oldest and best wine-growing region. With vineyards dating back to the 18th century the estates, lying in the shadow of the Andes, are an excellent destination for a wine tour and are particularly renowned for their Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

San Pedro de Atacama

The oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama is a base for exploring the dramatic natural features of the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile. San Pedro itself is a charming little town of white-washed buildings, dusty streets, some great restaurants and bars and countless travel companies offering tours of the surrounding region. The Valley of the Moon is a bizarre, lunar-like landscape with strange rock formations. Even amongst the crowds, watching the sunset here is a magical experience. Elsewhere the Salar de Atacama is the world's largest salt lake, its rich mineral deposits attracting many flamingos and other birds. The Geysers of El Tatio, located at 4,500 metres and surrounded by volcanoes, are best visited in the morning to see the water and steam hurling up from the geysers, thermal wells and fumaroles, with the morning light producing a magical effect. Other options in the area include scaling up and sand boarding down the sand dunes of Death Valley, visiting the Puritama hot springs and hiking some of the nearby volcanoes.

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, is one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in the world and one of the most mysterious and isolated destinations in world travel. The island was settled between the 4th and 16th centuries by a Polynesian society, who developed a unique culture free from outside influences and left the distinctive monolithic stone statues, or moai, as a reminder of their culture. Of the 800 or so maoi originally built, some 400 remain today in various stages of completion and repair, ranging in size from 2 to 21 metres. The maoi were constructed from solidified lava at Rano Raraku and transported to their sites of erection on wooden rollers - this resulted in the deforestation of the island and the barren landscapes seen today. In addition to the maoi, there are ceremonial shrines or ahu, raised rectangular platforms some of which have associated maoi or tombs, and pictographic writings (rongo rongo) which are still undeciphered. After flying the 3,790km from Chile to Easter Island, you will arrive in Hanga Roa, a small town of less than 4,000 inhabitants but a good base from which to explore the island. Some of the main maoi sites include Ahu Tongariro with 15 restored moai right on the coastline, Ahu Vaihu with 8 toppled moai lying facedown on the ground and Anakena on the northern coast with a perfectly restored maoi overlooking the beach. The ceremonial village of Orongo in the south of the island is one of the most culturally important sites where the warriors of the Birdman Cult would swim to the nearby island of Motu Nui in search of the first of the eggs laid by the manutara, or sooty tern, each year. There are several important ruined buildings and petroglyphs at this site.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Rapa Nui National Park