Have you heard of a country with gigantic hanging glaciers, dust-dry deserts, wild primeval forests, active volcanoes and fairytale fjords with floating icebergs? No? Then it is high time to visit the South American Andean state of Chile. Only in Chile can you find exactly these different and at the same time fascinating natural beauties. A country couldn’t be more diverse! And best of all, Chile is the country for South America beginners. Because Chile has everything that makes a South American vacation complete. What’s more, it’s easy to travel to because it’s one of the safest countries in Latin America.
Experience nature as far as the eye can see
Boiling geysers blow up in the north. Bizarre lunar landscapes in the middle of the driest desert in the world want to be explored by horse, on foot or by bike. Pink flamingos adorn the landscape with the salt lakes pierced by turquoise lagoons. In the south, penguins and sea lions splash around together in the historic Strait of Magellan. National parks such as the Torres del Paine and the gigantic granite arrow Fitz Roy have magnetic attractions on adventurers and hikers. In the center of Chile, the big cities combine cultural diversity, modernity and tradition. And all of this in a pleasant Mediterranean climate, which also explains the successful cultivation of one of the world’s best wines. The spectacular Andean Cordillera runs through the whole country. Not only a paradise for the Andean condor, the llamas and vicuñas that live here, but also for winter sports enthusiasts who can hardly be closer to nature in the middle of the mountain range. That much is clear: Chile promises adventure, variety, relaxation, enjoyment and gigantic vacation photos!
Travel information in brief
Travel time
Chile can be visited all year round. Influenced by the dry climate of the Atacama Desert, it is mostly warm in northern Chile. Therefore, the north can be visited all year round. During the day temperatures between 15-25 ° C are reached. Central Chile is characterized by a Mediterranean climate. In summer this region is almost free of precipitation with an average of 18 ° C. In the winter months it rains a little more often and it is cooler at around 7 to 12 ° C. In the south, on the other hand, it is quite cold all year round, coupled with rough winds and a lot of rain. In summer the temperatures are around 10-15 ° C and in winter mostly below 10 ° C. The best travel time for central and southern Chile is therefore from October to April.
Currency / money
The official currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso (CLP). It is best to exchange the money in a so-called Casa de Cambio (exchange office), as the exchange rate is the cheapest here. But in general you can also change money at the airport, in banks and in hotels. Sometimes the euro is not accepted at all. That is why you should carry US dollars with you on trips outside of the big cities. Because US dollars can be exchanged anywhere in Chile without any problems. Please do not under any circumstances change money on the black market. Because here you can come across fraudsters. At the machines with the Redbanc symbol, you can easily withdraw money with your EC card or credit card.
Vaccinations
Before you leave, you should seek advice from your doctor about any travel vaccinations you may need. As a tour operator, we are not allowed to give any vaccination recommendations. From our own experience, vaccinations against hepatitis A and, in the case of long-term stays, against hepatitis B have proven effective. In addition, travel doctors advise to keep the vaccination calendar updated and to complete the standard vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, influenza, MMR and pneumococci or to refresh the vaccinations. According to the Foreign Office, a yellow fever vaccination is only required when entering the Easter Island, which belongs to Chile, if you are traveling from a country where yellow fever occurs.
Visa / entry
To enter Chile, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after entry. A visa does not have to be applied for in advance. Immediately after entering the country, you get a free tourist card, the Tarjeta de Turismo, which entitles you to stay for a maximum of 90 days. This applies to Germans, Austrians and Swiss. If you are traveling with a child under the age of 18, you will need a certified declaration of consent from both parents for entry and exit. Since the above-mentioned regulations change from time to time, it is best to find out about the current entry regulations on the website of the Federal Foreign Office before your vacation.
Chile – the land behind the seven mountains, as beautiful as Snow White with the seven dwarfs…
The Andes have more than just 7 mountains – but Chile is still fabulously beautiful. Located directly behind the longest mountain range in the world, one natural spectacle follows the next in Chile. The enormous north-south expansion of Chile explains the incredible variety in vegetation and climate. The 4,300 kilometers of the coast and the narrow average width of only 180 km make the country so unique. So there is something for every taste. From dry desert regions to sandy beaches and evergreen jungles. Up to sparkling icebergs in magical fjords and national parks with massive glaciers.
If you are looking for solitude, we will send you to the desert! In the great north of Chile is one of the most impressive landscapes in the country, the Atacama Desert. But loneliness does not mean monotony here. Around the oasis of San Pedro rise the ocher-colored desert mountains and the bizarre Valle de la Luna, the moon valley, with its strange formations of salt rock. Rugged salt lakes, lagoons, sometimes deep blue, sometimes bright turquoise, create an incredibly beautiful pastel picture. Especially in the evening sunshine and when pink flamingos waddle around. The native Andean people still lead a very primeval life here. And at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, the hot Tatio geysers bubble up into the air from the interior of the Andes. All of this can be explored on foot, on horseback or even by bike. A visit to Santiago de Chile is an essential part of a trip to the slender state of South America. The airport is also located here if you are arriving from Germany. The capital and metropolis in the center of the country offers a relatively modern contrast to the surrounding traditional villages. Idyllic wineries and wonderful landscapes dominate there. The nearby and so colorful Valparaíso is the cultural capital and even a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The little south has its very special charms. Along the famous Panamericana, the road runs parallel to the Andes. At the edge there are beautiful lakes lined up like pearls. There are also many volcanoes here, one of which is the Osorno. Always covered with a white snow cap, it attracts many visitors to explore on and around the volcano. Most of the Mapuche Indians live in the south of Chile. In Latin America, they were the only indigenous people to withstand the Spanish conquest during colonial times.
For car rental enthusiasts, the great adventure often begins in Puerto Montt. This is where the Carretera Austral starts, the 1,200 m long main connecting route across the wilderness of Chile to the south through the vast Patagonia. Glaciers, fjords, national parks covered in jungle and huge mountain ranges dominate this area. For unconditional nature lovers, hikers, cyclists and fishing enthusiasts, the real paradise! It can happen that on boat trips in the many fjords, in addition to salmon, an iceberg swims by. Then comes the huge barrier, the Patagonian Ice Sheet, followed by the historic Magellan region with the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. In addition, the gigantic rock peaks of the Fitz Roy Granite Mountain in the Argentine-Chilean Andes,
Far out in the south-east Pacific lies Easter Island, which belongs to Chile. It has little in common with the mainland. She became known for the large enigmatic stone figures, the Moai, which probably come from an ancient Polynesian culture. But one thing is noticeable. You don’t hear much about the beautiful Andean country of Chile in our media. We asked ourselves why is that? The answer is clear: Chile has hardly any conflicts and very rarely reports natural disasters. Chile is just magically beautiful, diverse and, above all, one of the safest countries in Latin America!
