Looking at the map of Chile one cannot but feel to touch of amazement: what an exceedingly long, narrow strip of land,
stretching along the coast of southern South America. Tucked ace it is between the towering Andes mountains and the endless Pacific Ocean, it would not seem to have much room for anything.

You amazed, though. Its 4,300km-long, 180km-wide territory harbors some of the finest scenery in the Americas, to bewildering variety of climates - only the humid, hot tropical ones plows absent-and landscapes ranging from the world's most arid desert to the rainiest spot on the planet, including to the Sahara in the north, to California in the to center, an Alpine district in the midsouth and to Norway in the deep south, extra some you please that to bear not comparison, such ace Easter Island, Patagonia, Land of the Fire,Antarctica and the Atacama Desert.

Antarctica cruises, on the other end, start in Punta Arenas, offering a once-in-a-lifetime show of ice formations and floating icebergs over the icy waters of Drake pass and the Antarctic Ocean. Both routes offer an amazing wildlife with sperm whales, massive penguin colonies, sea wolves and elephants, cormorants and with a little luck the artic seagull, a bird that twice a year travels 20,000 kilometres from the North Pole in search of food.

Patagonia is the scene of the world's great adventures. Even if we know little of the place, the name itself inhabits our subconscious, whispering of an unknown finger of the earth, el fin del mundo. We picture large silent spaces, tempestuous seas, windblown solitude.

This is an ideal area for camping, hiking, and trekking because of its several national parks, mountains, and forests. Climbing mounts Tronador and Lanín and the upright walls of mounts Torre and Fitz Roy is a classical activity which represents a challenge even for expert mountain climbers.

There are many winter sport resorts and mountain retreats around this area, and golf courses in the city of Bariloche and its surroundings. Windsurfing may be practiced in Bahía Serena; and if you are properly dressed, you can trek on glaciers and mountains.

The fast flowing rivers of the Patagonia are ideal for rafting and canoeing.

The first Europeans to lay eyes on this landscape were led by Ferdinand Magellan, who pioneered passage through the treacherous strait that now bears his name. His expedition named the mainland 'Tierra de los Patagones,' unwittingly spawning the myth of a race of Patagonian giants. To the south, they saw the horizon darkened by smoke from the natives' fires, and named the great island Tierra Del Fuego. The legend of Patagonia was set in motion.

The indigenous groups who inhabited Tierra del Fuego deserved to be legends, as these were the world's first and greatest adventurers. In arriving on Tierra del Fuego they had completed the world's furthest human migration, arriving finally at the very end of the earth, where the Andes disappeared into the sea and glaciers flowed to the water's edge.

With nowhere else to wander, they stayed and fished the coast in canoes, collected shellfish, hunted guanaco and rheas on the pampa. Photos taken at the turn of the century depict a stone age culture where extremity had crystallized: the end of the road for the most restless wanders in history.

To the east of the Andes, the Patagonian pampa is an immense desert, by some accounts among the five largest deserts in the world.

West of the Andes is another world. Here both the Central Valley and the Coast Range have sunk into the Pacific; what were once glacial valleys are nowfjords, and what were once mountaintops are now islands. Hotsprings lay revealed by coastal erosion, while great glaciers further fragment the landscape, necessitating maritime or air travel. Great forests cloak the Andes from the Pacific shoreline to the continental divide, bisected by surging emerald rivers carrying glacial silt to the sea and providing habitat for fearless trout and salmon.

This immense territory is best understood as two separate regions, separated by the vast expanse of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

Northern Patagonia is one of the world's last great expanses of wilderness, accessed by a gravel highway known as the carreterra austral completed in 1988. Even today, road access to the region is not complete, and travelers on the Carretera Austral must hop ferries across the mouths of the great fjords.

Here the port of Chaité® provides access to the northernmost portions of the Carretera Austral, including truly world-class rafting and flyfishing, and cruises and island hotsprings.

Southern Patagonia, known as Magallanes, is a world apart, where the broad expanses of the pampa meet with the glacially sculpted spires of the Andes. Torres del Paine National Park and World Biosphere Reserve is the most famous of the vast protected areas in Magallanes, preserving habitat forguanacos, foxes, rheas and flamingos.

Punta Arenas is the capital of the Magallanes province. Facing the Straits of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego, Punta Arenas is the principal departure point for cruises and flights to Tierra del Fuego, to the Canal Beagle, Isla Navarino, Cape Horn and Antartica.

Central Chile is the cultural nucleus of the country. All of Chile's largest cities are located here, as are most of its universities and industries, its vinyards finest agricultural lands, colonial and early republican architecture. In fact, central Chile is something of a microcosm of the country, balanced between deserts to the north and forests to the south, with the capital poised between the highest peaks in the Americas and a host of premier beach resorts.
Santiago, the capital, is a focal point of Latin American commerce and the point of entry for nearly all international arrivals. Clean and modern, Santiago sits in a basin between the Coast Range to the west and the Andes to the east. World-class skii areas in the central Andes lie only forty-five minutes away, up steep switchbacks which climb over 7500 feet in twenty-six miles. Numerous vineyards surround the capital; hotsprings, seventeenth-century colonial haciendas and national parks in both the Andes and the Coast Range, all make easy day trips. At night, visitors may choose from a variety of restaurants serving all types of regional and Ethinc cuisines, and excellent hotels assure a good night's sleep for business or pleasure.

To the west, modern highways connect with the coastal cities of Vina del Mar, Valpariso, and San Antonio. Like Santiago, the central coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with short, mild winters and a sunny summer season lasting over eight months. Here a chain of white-sand beaches and coastal resorts offers something for every taste, from luxury hotels to secluded caba񡳬 picnics on the beach to fresh seafood in an open-air restaurant.

To the north, the climate grows gradually hotter and drier. The chain of beaches and resorts continues north to La Serina Chile's second-oldest city now known for its production of pisco a grape brandy which follows close behind wine on the list of Chile's preferred drinks.

To the south, the central valley comes into its own. These were the fertile lands first claimed by the Spanish conquistadores; here the Chilean huaso (cowboy) still spends his day astride his horse in the traditional manta (poncho) and sombrero, honing his skills for annual rodeo .

To the east, the Andes are an unforgettable presence, cloaked in white in winter and spring, storing melt water for the rivers which irrigate Chile's heartland. Beyond that first line of peaks, visible from anywhere in the Central Valley and from many places along the coast, lies a wilderness of glacially sculpted canyons, glaciers and microclimate forests, alpine lakes and thundering rivers. Lateral roads lead into the cordillera, providing access to numerous national parks and truly endless opportunities for skiing and hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking, horseback riding and rafting.

Ski in summer
Hate the sweltering summers in the States? Hit the ski slopes of Chile's Andes Mountain range! The seasons are reversed in South America, so July and August are prime times to play in the snow there. Once you're off the mountains, the weather is pleasant and mild, so don't fret about having to wear your snow parka for the whole visit. An added bonus: because our summer months are considered low season in Chile, it's easier to get availability at top hotels and there are fewer tourists then.

Enjoy the vino
The vineyards of the Maipo River Valley are an easy day trip from Santiago and are a recommended excursion for anyone interested in wine. In addition to the famous Concha y Toro are a few equally excellent but lesser-known wineries, including Santa Rita and the family-owned Cousino Macul. As part of a private tour, Absolute Travel routinely arranges visits to several of the best wineries to learn about the winemaking process and enjoy a gourmet tasting lunch (accompanied, of course, by local wines). 

Live it up at the Explora Lodges
In northern Chile lies the arid and starkly beautiful Atacama Desert and at its southern tip are the rocky glaciers of Patagonia. Visitors may argue about which offers more dramatic scenery but nearly everyone agrees that in both places, Explora's lovely lodges are the place to stay. Expertly guided small group activities are organized daily and both properties are designed to showcase (but not compete with) the magnificent landscape. Explora's properties are not the only luxury hotels in Chile, though -- see our other Preferred Properties. 

Visit Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
This remote island may be located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean but it belongs to Chile. We recommend at least 3 nights on Easter Island, which would give visitors enough time to properly inspect the ahus (platforms) and moai (statues) that are sprinkled across the island and marvel at the engineering and artistry involved in their construction. Many people have an intense, almost spiritual response to Easter Island -- and a pleasant year-round climate means it's always a good time to go! Check out our Wine and Roses tour, which features Easter Island.

Ride the Futaleufu River
Considered one of the most exciting rivers in the world for kayaking and rafting, the mighty Futaleufu will not disappoint whitewater buffs! The upper portion of the river is sedate enough for most levels while the frighteningly-named "Infierno Gorge" is a Class 5 thrill-ride for very experienced kayakers and rafters only. Whether you choose an easy or challenging section, you'll be rewarded with spectacular scenery and the time of your life.