South America
Chile
Chile stretches from the Atacama Desert in the north to the glaciers and fjords of Patagonia in the south, with the vineyards of the Central Valley, the cultural capital of Santiago and the extraordinary isolation of Easter Island in between. Few countries offer such geographic extremes across a single journey.
Elect's take
"Chile has a clarity of landscape and a quality of wine and food culture that I find genuinely compelling. The country runs the full length of a continent and every region delivers something that feels entirely distinct."
Santiago is a sophisticated and vibrant capital with outstanding restaurants, excellent museums and proximity to both the Andes ski resorts and the Pacific coast. The Atacama Desert provides extraordinary experiences around San Pedro de Atacama from salt flat sunrises to night sky stargazing of unparalleled quality. Chilean Patagonia centred on Torres del Paine offers some of the world's most spectacular hiking. Chilean wine particularly from the Colchagua and Casablanca valleys is world class.
Best time to visit
How to get there
What to expect
Torres del Paine
One of the world's most spectacular national parks in Chilean Patagonia.
Atacama Desert
The world's driest desert with extraordinary volcanic landscapes and stargazing.
Chilean Wine Valleys
World class Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Central Valley wine regions.
Santiago
A sophisticated capital with outstanding food, art and proximity to mountains and coast.
Easter Island
Home to the mysterious Moai statues in one of the world's most remote inhabited places.
Patagonian Glaciers
Extraordinary ice fields and glaciers accessible from Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas.
