Chile

When individuals consider planning a trip to South America the typical suspects are Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina in order to be more precise, Rio, the Inca trail, Salt Plains and Patagonia but only the Argentine part. These are all stunning places and certainly worth a visit at some point, but let's remember the long strip of land joined towards the west of Argentina known as Chile!

Often written off as boring, dull or expensive, america has recently exploded into life with lots of stunning sights that are not fully discovered because of your average Joe tourist on the South usa holiday.

Stretching over 2,700 miles from tip foot and averaging just 109 miles wide the environment contrasts dramatically while you descend in the driest desert in the world within the north to 1 of coldest and many desolate places to reside in the world in the south. The contrasts from end to finish are merely stunning and well worth touring in your Chile trip.

~San Pedro de Atacama is a small village you can base yourself at the beginning of your Chile trip. Even though town is fairly it doesn't offer a lot more than the usual attractions you realized. The USP for this town may be the location. You could head out in to the desert late one afternoon and climb to the top of the sand dune to watch the sunset and also the moon rise. This is stunning as you can watch the colour from the desert floor change as the sun drops and also the moon rise. The sky is beautifully clear meaning the heavens are incredibly visible. The Milky Way will have never appeared so clear or close!

Just to add incredible area you are able to take tours towards the Altiplano lakes where flamingos live, go to the Tatio geyser very first thing each morning to watch the sunrise as the geyser erupts or try taking some relaxation time on your Chile vacation in the many hot springs dotted round the area. Be cautious though, an abrupt increase in blood temperature will make you feel just a little dizzy at first but that is just area of the fun. San Pedro is another start/finish place for tours towards the Salt Plains and ties in nicely with Bolivia.

Heading south may be the Parque Nacional Nevado Tres Cruces which during the summer is the place to find flamingos, vicunas and guanacos but more to the point offers stunning hiking and climbing opportunities with the snow topped mountains and past the clear blue lagoons. On top of that though, this place is simply not around the tourist trail YET to get away from everything head here.

The next likely stop is going to be Santiago, capital of this vast country. Keeping it easy and to the stage you will find much better cities in the world than Santiago. However, it does have its draws and it is worth a couple of nights out of your holiday time to understand more about. Climb up of Cerro San Christobal (you can't miss it as there is a 14m high white marble statue from the Virgin Mary perched on its peak). Here you will see the town with the Andes mountain range within the background (assuming the smog is not too thick in your chosen day's visit), then take the cable car down which winds round the hillside. In the afternoon explore the centre and the following day head to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar coastal towns just a few hour's north-west from the capital. This in which the locals head for the weekend and holidays to swim, soak-up the sun's rays and party.

For people, the Casablanca Valley is where Chile's best Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot grapes are produced. For a small fee you are able to take a tour from the vineyards then sample the produce, surely a highlight of the Chile tour. If you fancy purchasing a few bottles this can be done and shipped home.

chile hotels

Continuing our windy way south is Pucon, the outdoor adventure capital of Chile. If you want adrenaline pumping through your veins and feeling alive by pushing the boundaries away from normal limits then Pucon is perfect for you. Set upon the beautiful Lago Villarrica having a volcano overlooking it truly is the perfect setting to take your lifetime into your own hands. Ride up it, jump off it, slip it etc. Pucon is the perfect Chile adventure holiday destination.

Continuing on the party's theme of chance and adrenaline, jump on a bus and keep on south a little more (you will probably notice the weather getting a little cooler now). There are numerous National Parks in Chile but a specific favourite includes a couple of 2,000m high granite towers that dominate heaven line, these gave the nation's Park its name Torres del Paine which translates to the awesome term 'Towers of Pain'!!

Torres is really a haven for those searching for Chile adventure holiday, for hikers, ramblers and climbers alike, even if you are not too in love with walking you are able to still head out together with your camera to consider photos from the look at the lakes, forests and of a stunning blue glacier which just adds to the diversity of the area.

San Pedro de Atacama accommodations

Torres is among the most popular parks so it can seem to be busy at times and the hostels do fill up quickly so always book in advance, however the place is so vast that to locate peace and quiet is simple.

Patagonia has become a area but the main place you will probably base yourself throughout the year is Punta Arena, which is a perfect point for continuing your Chile travel from our area with the main draw being the penguins along the Magellan Straight. The 2 main colonies that inhabit the region take presctiption Seno Otway as well as on Isla Magdalena. These aren't the huge penguins which are found in the Falklands but nether-the-less continue to be mighty impressive, even in just amount with 6,000 at Seno Otway and around 50,000 on Magdalena Isla. The only way to visit these places is to hire a car or have a tour as there are no public buses towards the area. Fom Punta Arenas if you are feeling adventurous and energetic then definitely keep heading south to Cabo Froward the most southerly point around the continent. The 2 day hike is going to be cold and windy because it is an exposed road to the tough natural elements, understandably when this close to Antarctica and can surely be considered a highlight of the Chile itinerary.

Easter Island accommodations

A pinnacle of any Chile tour would have to be Easter Island-a stunning isolated tropical island full of Moai statues is much more than 2,300 miles of the west coast of Chile. A simple island without the influx of tourism and gaudy hotels. Employ a car to drive the 50 odd km of anti-clockwise roads, some of them concrete, some gravel yet others simply dirt. No insurance is required, but then again there's barely any traffic so accidents should not happen and when they do often cash changing hands will sort the issue. The statues are simply magnificent, considering how subjected to the tough elements they've been for hundreds of years, they're incredibly well maintained and do not look dated or tired- ideal for you to definitely take pictures for the Chile holiday album. They all are over the island, 12 meters high, 2/3 meters wide and some have hats.

With only one town and that includes a few bars, restaurants and the odd souvenir shop you don't come here for luxury, just benefit from the simplicity and allow your mind wander concerning the good ways the statues were not only carved however moved, and ultimately what exactly are they are for, and will they represent something? After all, your guess is as good as anyone else's.

Hi everyone! I'm just getting started on Xanga... Drop me a comment if you've got some ideas on what to do first - or just to say, "Hi!"