RARE AND IMPOSING CONDORS OF THE ANDES CHILE
TO ADMIRE NATIONAL PARK TORRES DEL PAINE THE COUNTRY OF THE LAKES

Discovery

A travel to Chile passes by the town of Santiago and the palace of Moneda where seat presidency of the Republic of Chile. In North, fill with wonder owe the old church at San Pedro de Atacama, classified with the world heritage of UNESCO or in front of the salt and sand deserts of the desert of Atacama, most arid of planet. A travel to Chile it is also Patagonie, its forests, its national parks rich and varied, its fjords or the Easter Island known for its giant statues, enigmatic Moaïs.

Identity

The first thing which one notices by opening a guide of Chile, it is its so particular geography. Wedged between the Andean Pacific and tops (culminating with more than 6,000 meters!), Chile is a spit of land of 4,300 km length and only 180 km broad on average! This specificity marked the Chilean culture, which has the reputation to have an insular mentality, very independent. Chile, fatherland of Cape Horn and the Easter Island, carries well its nickname of “country of the end of the world”. For as much, Chile is far from being made only one block. In North, the desert of Atacama, most arid in the world, abounds in exceptional natural sites (volcanos, lagoons, geysers, sources of warm water, sand dunes, etc). In the center, the mild climate, the beaches without end and the vineyards green invite to idleness.

But in a few hour drives, you will be able to also fit your skis or your cramps to leave to the attack the Andean tops! In Patagonie, the granitic rains and strong winds, solid masses and the seas of ice give a wild charm to the area. Lastly, to several hundred kilometers of the coasts, the islands lost right in the middle of the Pacific like the Easter Island or the island Robinson Crusoé are rare pearls for the walkers as for the plungers. You understood it, the interest of Chile resides in its diversity, but whatever the place, the adventure is never very far! 

Culture & Traditions

THE EASTER ISLAND

After a flight from Santiago, you will reach a destination of dreamed with an intact kept nature, imposing “the Easter Island”! This island of the end of the world is famous for the “Moaïs”, these monumental statues enigmatic. As of your alarm clock, you will profit from an impregnable sight to the sunrise on the line of statues of Ahu Tongariki. Your stay will be marked by a visit of the volcanic career of Rano Raraku and cultural village of Orongo which ensures a splendid point of view.

WINE

Chile is famous to be the paradise of the vine growers. Indeed, this country is one of only not to know the problem of the phylloxera and of the mildew and its climate is perfect for the culture of the vines. Since the arrival of Christianity in Chile, the grape is present on the territory and made it possible this beautiful country to produce many Grands Cru. Leave to the conquest the wine trail the valley Colchagua and its 20 exploitations open to the public considered to produce some of the best wines of the country. An experiment not to miss!

WORLD HERITAGE OF UNESCO

Chile is a country which abounds in wealths and UNESCO understood it well. It is not less than 12 Chilean sites which are classified with the world heritage. You will find there in particular many reserves of biosphere where to admire nature in all quietude (that of Juan Fernandez, of Torres del Paine, Fray Jorge, Laguna San Rafael, Lauca, Cabo de Hornos, Campana-Penuelas and that of Araucaria). But will find there you also a splendid church, a mine as well as the emblematic city of Valparaiso. A multiplicity of wonders to be discovered!

NATURE

Chile is the ideal destination for in love ones with nature! From its size and its form, Chile has several climates different and thus an exceptional range from more impressive landscapes the ones than the others. You will be able to go to ski on skiable fields such as that of El Colorado, to go in the desert, to climb volcanos at the covered with snow tops, to make excursion in mountain, to admire geysers and cascades, to make surfing close to splendid beaches or to even surf between the icebergs and the glaciers in the south of Chile. As many reliefs and different landscapes in a single country.

Essential

On the coast of Chile, the climate is moderate, the temperature are mild the winter and heats the summer. The mountain climate as for him is cold and dry in the Andes cordillera and Patagonie. However in a large country like Chile, the temperatures strongly vary according to the areas.

 

20°-25°C SUMMER / 10°C WINTER
PESO CHILIAN
-5 SUMMER / -4 WINTER
SPANISH
SANTIAGO
EL CAZUELA / EL CHARQUICAN

Form your trip

The stages

SANTIAGO

Santiago, capital of exception of Chile east among the preferred destinations of the tourists. Located in a long valley between the Costa and Andes cordillera, this Chilean city is a fertile region which extends on a surface from 641 km ². With a Mediterranean climate, the summer is very dry there and hot, while in winter, the temperature remains mild and lets appear some precipitations. Today, Santiago counts more than 6 million inhabitants. Among the impossible to circumvent ones to visit: Plaza De Armas, Palacio Cousino, Moneda, the hill Cerro San Cristobal, Bellavista, the Museum San Miguel…

DESERT OF ATACAMA AND SAN PEDRO

Dominated by the Licancabur volcano, the small village of San Pedro de Atacama before is very snuffed for its exceptional geographical location and the many spectacular excursions which one can carry out at the beginning of the village: excursions with the geysers of El Tatio or in the lakes of Altiplano, walk on mountain bikes in the Valley of the Moon, sandboard on the dunes of the Valley of Death, or observation with the telescope of the starry sky. In spite of the many tourists who remain here, the calm and slackened atmosphere, the houses in adobe, the main square and the old church make the place completely charming and pleasant. Many restaurants and inns are open to accommodate the travellers.

NATIONAL PARK OF NEVADO TRES CRUCES

Fan of trekking or mountaineering? You will not be disappointed while returning to you with Parks Nacional Nevado Cruces from the mining city of Copiapo. Accessible population, lakes in altitude, salt desert, pink flamingos, vicunas…, it opens his territory with the landscapes coloured to you to ensure you an exceptional expatriation. Gone along by snow-covered tops of 4,300 m altitude, Salar de Maricunga is characterized by a particular vegetation and lagoons with the spellbinding colors. Also benefit from your passage au Parque Nacional Nevado Tres Cruces to admire the cerro Mulas Muertas (5 897 m), the refuge Santa Rosa, the frozen puma, the refuge and the natural thermal baths of Laguna Verde.

THE SERENA

Seaside resort of reputation of Chile, Serena invites you at one time of escape and expatriation under a blue sky with length of year. This destination books to you many surprised with its sandy beaches and its splits. The meetings there are many, human initially, but also faunistic. Indeed, it is an astonishing sanctuary of marine animal-life, energy of the pelicans to the seals, via the penguins and the dolphins. But in Serena, there is not only the sea, certainly, scintillating which deserves the turning. While sauntering in its lanes, you will be conquered by the beauty of its colonial houses. Your steps will carry out you instead of weapons where Iglesia Catedral and the church San Francisco are drawn up. To finish your stay by a cultural stage, a visit of the archaeological museum is essential. Pre-Columbian objects, but also of the mummies atacameñas expect you there!

EASTER ISLAND

Located right in the middle of the Pacific, to 3,700 km of the Chilean coasts, the Easter Island (Grated Harmed as a Polynesian) has airs of lost paradise. It knew to keep its authenticity thanks to limited and responsible tourism. Hikings or equestrian on the volcanos, snorkeling and plunged in virgin water of any pollution, or surfing on vaguenesses of the Pacific are the main activities of the island. But the Easter Island is especially known for its famous Moai, these gigantic statues of stone whose origin was still not established…

VALPARAISO

Mythical city, Valparaiso charms by the beauty of its lanes like its landscape. True masterpiece of nature, it invites you to unforgettable excursions through his 45 hills. With the freshness of the places and the tablecloth of fog which persists even in full summer, Valparaiso is the preferred destination of the artists, who they are poets or painters! For you to persuade some, you will be able to visit there the house Sebastiana, remains famous writer Pablo Neruda. The abrupt hills of Valparaiso, his houses in color and its legendary districts recall a past impassioning UNESCO understood all the value of the city well by classifying it with the World heritage of Humanity.

VALDIVIA

When it is evoked, it is especially its International festival of Cinema which comes to mind. Valvidia organizes a festival where it is possible for you to discover of exclusiveness best court-measurings, films and documentaries. If your stay does not coincide with this event which proceeds in October, Valvidia remains a charming peaceful city. Your steps will carry out you towards the quays where the fishermen affairent themselves the every day. This agitation continues in the downtown area, with its avenues bordered of museums, in particular in the zone of the Teja island. Among the impossible to circumvent ones appear in particular the house of sheltering Carlos Andwanter celebrates it historical museum Van de Maele as well as the Museum of Contemporary art, with a remarkable sight on the river with fallen the day. Between the afternoon on the beach, to surf on the river Fix, to see the sea lions, and to taste with the local specialties, Valdivia is a stage impossible to circumvent!

CHILOE

The island of Chiloé reveals you a single nature in its kind! After one strolls in ferry on the channel of Chacao, you will on the ground put foot on a dazzling and attaching island. You will be able then to carry out a walk on foot on the sea front and to benefit from its very beautiful beach. Arrived north of the island, you will fall surely nose to nose with a colony from penguins! With the lunch, you will have the opportunity of tasting dishes of local specialties containing seafood. You will be also brought to make Kayak in a flooded forest with Chepu. After a few hours of excursions in the national park, magic landscapes with rain forests are revealed. In this park, you will be able to ride a horse, to go to the meeting of the animals or to make canoe-kayak.

TORRES DEL PAINE

Located near the beautiful town of Puerto Native, the national park Torres del Paine brings happiness in love with nature. Many circuits of trekking cross the forests, the hills, the cascades and the lakes. Arrived at the top of the hills, you will profit from a sight privileged on the white coat of the Field of Southern Ice. You will be able to contemplate the spectacular beauty of this majestic mass of ice while surfing on the lake “Grey” where you can find yourselves between enormous ice floes, a great opportunity to make your photo meeting! This national park is also marked by a famous mountain range “Books Biosphere” and forests, which will satisfy all the fans with excursions! You can also, more closely, take in photograph the animals of the park such as the foxes, the rheas and much of others… A real adventure in the middle of an imposing nature!

GROUND OF FIRE

With his perfume of the end of the world, Ground of Fire will bewitch you by his preserved nature. Separated from Patagonie by the Magellan Strait, this large island has of many small islands and fjords. She will enable you to discover imposing cliffs of “Bahia Inutil” while crossing the roads and the desert landscapes of the back-country of Porvenir. You can also organize an exit in the kayak in the channel Beagle, accompanied by sea lions! With 2000 meter altitudes for rather sporting excursions, the amateurs of trekking will take five days to follow “Circuito Dientes de Navarino” around the peaks of Isla Navarin. The meeting of two oceans in Cape Horn in the sailing ship while profiting from a beautiful view on the sunset is also a stage impossible to circumvent not to miss!

VALLEY OF COLCHAGUA

 

With the valleys of Elqui and Lumari, the Valley of Colchagua is regarded as one of the pionniers in the history of the Chilean wine. Equipped with a good thermal amplitude and a warm climate, it produces a wine of high quality. The town of Santa Cruz bordered by the valley is most dynamic as regards oenological tourism in Chile. In order to be able to attend the festival of the grape harvest, it is necessary to go there at the beginning of March. The Valley of Colchagua is one of most fertile in production of red wines of excellent quality. For a pleasant visit tasting, you can explore celebrates it Bodega of Viña Santa Cruz. The type of vines which cover the splendid wine valley of Colchagua were exported of France at the 19th century. Many exploitations and cellars such as that of Go up, Emiliana, Casa Silva, Playa, Araucano Haciendums, Neyen, Fatty Mount, Casa Lapostolle-Close Apalta… 

Sewell

Who said that a phantom city must be in ruin? Certainly those which do not know Sewell! Indeed, you do not wait to find on the spot of rusted sheets, of the walls who are scaled and of the curtains corroded by the mites and who hang down on wobbly windows. Because in Sewell, the lanes are maintained perfectly and the frontages of the wooden houses coloured of let us tons sharp. And due, the city was the object of important restoration works. In this site classified world heritage of UNESCO, you will not be able whereas to revive the daily newspaper of the blue-collar workers who formerly, left their houses as of the dawn for the layers, constituting at the time the largest underground mine of copper in the world. And you will feel certainly their apprehensions with the approach of 1971, year when the city was definitively given up and where they were rehoused in Rancagua.

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