In-depth country guide

Chile

Desert light, Pacific stories and a southern world of lakes and mountains.

A country worth knowing

Make room for a different kind of journey.

Chile rewards choosing a few contrasting places and giving each enough time. Combine city life with the Pacific, settle into the Atacama’s changing light, or make a dedicated southern journey. Rapa Nui deserves its own chapter, while Chiloé and Valdivia invite a slower look beyond the classic circuit.

First-time highlights.

Central Chile · Capital

Santiago & Chile on film

Chile Travel’s campaign film opens a window onto the country’s landscapes. Use it for inspiration, then choose a realistic regional journey.

Explore Santiago Watch the introduction ↗

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Central coast · Pacific

Valparaíso

Hillside streets, harbor views and a city made for looking closely.

Explore Valparaíso

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

North · Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama

Desert light, wide horizons and days shaped by altitude.

Explore San Pedro de Atacama

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

South · Lake Llanquihue

Puerto Varas

A lakeside base with room to breathe.

Explore Puerto Varas

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Far south · Patagonia

Torres del Paine

Mountains and open country on a scale that changes the pace.

Explore Torres del Paine

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Pacific · Easter Island

Rapa Nui

An island whose heritage asks for time and attention.

Explore Rapa Nui

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

South · Island communities

Chiloé

Wooden churches, waterfront homes and the pleasure of a slower island day.

Explore Chiloé

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

South · Los Ríos

Valdivia

Rivers, leafy neighborhoods and a city worth lingering in.

Explore Valdivia

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Find your starting point

Choose the places that speak to you.

Orientation outline from Natural Earth. Not a route or access map. Mainland outline; Rapa Nui is a separate Pacific destination.

The journey is in the details.

Sources, credits & editorial notes

Reviewed 11 November 2026. Pacing and base suggestions are ATA editorial choices. Accommodation links are direct enquiry points, not inspected-property endorsements or claims of ATA membership. Confirm current services, access and terms. Photographs are credited beside the images and may show earlier conditions.

Overview photography credits

Torres del Paine National Park — ThartmannWiki · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.

Valparaíso — Julia Sumangil · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.

San Pedro de Atacama — Pierre cb · Public domain · Display crop.

Puerto Varas — Alexmrz · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.

Ahu Tongariki — Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Display crop.

Chiloé Archipelago — Michelle Maria · CC BY 3.0 · Display crop.

Valdivia — David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada · CC BY 2.0 · Display crop.