14 www.lonelyplanet.

com G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • T o p Te n s 15
You can buy, download and
print individual chapters from
this guidebook.

Getting Started
Get Chile & Easter
TOP TENS
Island chapters>
Top Ten Adrenaline Rushes
Electing outdoor sports in Chile is like choosing favorite snowflakes in Antarctica; our picks
Chile has everything a traveler could hope for and more. But take a represent only the tip of the iceberg. See the Outdoors chapter for more options.
minute to juggle a map of its absurd string-bean proportions and you’ll

Ski your choice of pristine Andean peaks (p54)
realize that a trip here takes careful planning. Not only are traveling
distances exaggerated by the country’s length, but climate and seasonal
Burn bicycle rubber in the Lakes District (p276)
differences are vast. After all, this is a country with one foot in the tropics
Hike the ‘W’ in Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (p389)
and the other flirting with Antarctica.

River-run with the pros at Futaleufú (p347), Petrohué (p306) or Río Trancura (p276)
Travel here can be as hard-core or as pampered as you please. There
are accommodations and transport to suit most budgets, and tourist
Canter with huasos (Chilean cowboys) pretty much anywhere (p55)
infrastructure is fairly well developed, if narrowly focused on certain hot
Paraglide along Iquique’s coastal cliffs (p186)
spots. Vast areas of wilderness still beckon to free spirits while luxurious
Surf Arica’s towering breaks (p170)
resorts lay in wait for serious relaxation time.

Pack your crampons for Volcán Ojos del Salado (p229) or tackle the less technical Volcán
WHEN TO GO Villarica (p281)
Chile always has a region ripe for exploration whatever the season. But if
Dive deep off Easter Island (p433) or Archipiélago Juan Fernández (p420)
your heart is set on one part of the country, pick your dates carefully.
Sand-board dunes near San Pedro de Atacama (p205)
Chile’s southern charms, including Torres del Paine and the Lakes Dis-
trict, are best visited in summer (December through March) as some are
See Climate Charts all but impenetrable in winter (June through September). The summer’s Top Ten National Parks
(p448) for more long days boost outdoor fun, though the spring months of November and Seekers after spectacular scenery, nature and tranquility are positively spoiled for choice. See
information. December and fall months of March and April can be nearly as good. p47 for more information.
Meanwhile Chile in the winter can be a wonderland for skiers; the
Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (p387)
country’s resorts attract hordes from July through September. Middle
Parque Nacional Rapa Nui (p438)
Chile is best in the verdant spring (September through November) or

Parque Nacional Lauca (p178)
during the fall harvest (late February into April).
The Atacama Desert can be explored all year, but summer days sizzle
Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales (p306)
and nights are bitterly cold at higher altitudes throughout the year. In the
Parque Pumalín (p340)
northern altiplano, summer is the rainy season, which usually means an
Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos (p209)
afternoon downpour. Easter Island and the Juan Fernández archipelago
are cooler and quieter outside summer; March is an ideal time to visit.
Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael (p159)
High season is December through March.
Parque Nacional Conguillío (p268)

Parque Nacional Chiloé (p332)

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…
Reserva Nacional Pingüino de Humboldt (p231)

Warm waterproof gear – indispensable year-round in Patagonia

Kick-ass sunblock, Chap Stick and sun hat for high altitudes and the southerly ozone hole

Polarized dark sunglasses for glaciers, desert and the altiplano

Foldaway umbrella for showery Santiago and other southern cities from May through
September

A cozy sleeping bag in winter, even if you’re not camping

Camping gear – it’s available but expensive so best bring it from home

Essentials like a Swiss Army knife

Earplugs to combat onboard bus videos and noisy hotels

Extra memory cards for digital snaps – they’re hard to find outside cities
Top Ten Festivals & Events
Book your digs in advance and reap the rewards. See p452 for more information. The following
are our front-runners:

Semana Musical (p299), late January to February, Frutillar

Encuentro Folklórico (p326), first week in February, Chiloé

Fiesta de Candelaria (p227), early February, Copiapó

Festival Internacional de la Canción (p125), February, Viña del Mar

Carnaval (p178), February, Putre

National Rodeo Championship (p134), late March, Rancagua

Fiesta de San Pedro y San Pablo (p205), June 29, San Pedro de Atacama

Toilet paper, since many Chilean bathrooms lack it
Festival de la Virgen del Carmen (p193), mid-July, La Tirana

Zoom lens to capture Chile’s more bashful wildlife
Carnaval de Invierno (p372), late July, Punta Arenas

Medical items – see p474
New Year’s Eve (p119), Valparaíso

 16 G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • C o s t s & M o n e y www.lonelyplanet.com

COSTS & MONEY

Chile is not cheap by South American standards, but is more economi-
cal than Europe or North America. Prices can double during the late-
HOW MUCH? December to mid-March high season, but travel just before or after the
Local call per min US$0.20
official season and you’ll most likely score bargain accommodations.
Internal flights devour travel funds at any time of the year (see p466).
100km bus fare US$3 Shoestring travelers should budget around US$25 per day for food
350ml bottle of red wine and lodging, though with determination – camping or staying in hostels,
US$2.50 eating in markets – you could cut that to below US$20. Surprisingly
Set lunch US$3.50 cheap and ridiculously filling set lunch menus are served by most res-
taurants – even expensive eateries have very affordable lunchtime deals.
Internet per hr US$1 From about US$60 per day you can wine and dine well and sleep
See also Lonely Planet in cozy accommodations. Families can enjoy excellent deals in fully
Index, inside front cover equipped cabins wherever Chileans like to spend their summers. Spend
more than US$100 per day and you can enjoy luxuries that would com-
monly cost you double that in North America or Europe.

TRAVEL LITERATURE
Charles Darwin’s time-honored Voyage of the Beagle is a perfect com-
panion for trips around Chile, with descriptions as fresh as if he’d just
disembarked the Navimag ferry.
Ariel Dorfman’s Desert Memories is an evocative trawl through Chile’s
thirsty north, touching on its most ancient and recent past, written by
one of Chile’s top literary figures.
The most famous (some say infamous) Patagonian travelogue is Bruce
Chatwin’s classic In Patagonia (see p386), an inspirational, enigmatic, but
occasionally fictional, synthesis of Patagonian characters and landscape.
Against the Wall by Simon Yates (of Touching the Void fame) is a rip-
ping yarn for armchair mountaineers; a punishing expedition to climb
the world’s largest vertical rock face.
Sara Wheeler’s Travels in a Thin Country is a fun meander through
the country from tip to tail, without delving too deeply.
The young Che Guevara’s iconic Motorcycle Diaries charts his laddish
romp through Chile and beyond in the 1950s; to bring the story up to
date, try Patrick Symmes’ Chasing Che.
Part travelogue, part autobiography, Full Circle: A South American
Journey is a provocative journey through Chile by Luis Sepúlveda, who
was exiled for many years.
The Last Cowboys at the End of the World: The Story of the Gauchos of
Patagonia, by Nick Reding, is a fascinating account of the oft-overlooked
culture of Chile’s southern gauchos.
See p39 for Chilean literature.

INTERNET RESOURCES
Chile Information Project (www.chip.cl) Umbrella for English-language Santiago Times, and
discusses everything from human rights to souvenirs.
Chiloé (www.chiloeweb.com in Spanish) Terrific information on the island of Chiloé.
Go Chile (www.gochile.cl) General tourist information.
Interpatagonia (www.interpatagonia.com) All things touristy in Patagonia.
Latin American Network Information Center (www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/chile) Links to
Chilean government, politics, culture, environment and more.
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Has travel news and tips, and you can interrogate fellow
travelers on the Thorn Tree bulletin board.
Sernatur (www.visitchile.org or www.sernatur.cl) The national tourism organization in French,
Spanish or English.
 17

Itineraries
CLASSIC ROUTES
CHILEAN HIGHLIGHTS Four Weeks
When time is of the essence many visitors take a whirlwind tour of Chile’s
top spots. Starting in Santiago (p65), take a quick trip to Valparaíso (p112)
or shoot up into the Andes for some winter skiing fun – perhaps at Portillo
(p133). Hop on a bus or plane north to the tiny highland village of San Pedro
de Atacama (p201). Allow yourself several days to bounce around the sur-
rounding desert altiplano, catch the sun setting at moonlike Valle de la Luna
(p210), boil eggs for breakfast in the steaming El Tatio Geysers (p210) and spot
flamingos in Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos (p209). If you’ve got the energy
go mountain biking, horseback riding or volcano climbing here too.
Then haul ass south to Pucón (p274) in the scenic Lakes District for more
outdoor adventures and a smoldering volcano to peer into. From Puerto
Montt (p309) make a quick detour to the culturally unique island of Chiloé
(p317); or steam ahead on a four-day ferry ride past the islands, fjords and
ice fields of Patagonia, to Puerto Natales (p379). Take your time to explore
the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (p387) – one of the continent’s top hiking
destinations. Then barrel back to Santiago and hop on a plane to Easter
Island (p425) to puzzle over its archaeological treasures for a week.
Even with four
weeks you’ll need
El Tatio
your skates on
Valle de
la Luna
Geysers
San Pedro to cover all this
de Atacama
Reserva Nacional ground. Remember
Los Flamencos
you’ll lose whole
days in traveling
so it pays to be
Portillo selective and to
To Easter
VALPARAÍSO
SANTIAGO
take advantage
of speedy internal
Island

flights. If you have

Pucón less than three
PUERTO weeks, concentrate
on one or two
MONTT
Chiloé

regions to avoid
frantically hopping
between buses and
Parque Nacional
Torres del Paine
planes.
Puerto
Natales

Chilean Highlights
 18 I T I N E R A R I E S • • C l a s s i c R o u t e s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com I T I N E R A R I E S • • R o a d Le s s T r a v e l e d 19

FROM TIP TO TAIL Two Months/Arica to Patagonia

Chile’s beanpole shape lends itself to a straight shot north to south, a
journey from one climatic extreme to the other. Start in the Atacama –
ROAD LESS TRAVELED
the driest desert in the world – at seaside Arica (p167) and venture into
the idyllic Parque Nacional Lauca (p178). Loop down to the charming port PATAGONIAN ADVENTURE Two Weeks/Puerto Montt to Tierra del Fuego
of Iquique (p183) and check out eerie ghost towns in its hinterland. De- Head really far south and take in the stunning landscapes of Patagonia’s
tour to the gargantuan copper mine Chuquicamata (p199) before hitting final frontiers. As more tourists set foot in Patagonia each year, now is the
gringo honeypot San Pedro de Atacama (p201), with its weird and wonder- time to visit the mountains, glaciers and forests at the end of the world.
ful landscapes – including the steamy El Tatio Geysers (p210). Linger at La Cast off from the bustling port of Puerto Montt (p309) on the Navimag
Serena (p232) and pisco vineyards of the Elqui Valley (p248) before joining ferry (p315) and spend the next four (or so) days cruising through twist-
the Central Valley. ing Patagonian fjords lined with virgin forest. Rediscover your land legs
Don’t bypass the gorgeous tumbledown city of Valparaíso (p112) in your quickly in Puerto Natales (p379) before venturing into the nearby Parque
rush to wine and dine in and around fast-paced Santiago (p65). Check out Nacional Torres del Paine (p387) to hike around the rocky torres (towers) and
vineyards around Talca (p143) and frolic in the snow at Chillán (p148) on cuernos (horns) that made Patagonia famous. The park has world-class
your way further south. infrastructure and can simultaneously challenge the most experienced
Soak in thermal baths, burn energy volcano-climbing or mountain bik- hikers and pamper those who prefer to observe from a distance.
ing around Pucón (p274), then catch your breath in cultural waterfront Val- After the park, take a bus north across the Argentine border to El Cala-
divia (p285). Consider a lake-hopping boat trip to Argentinean Bariloche fate (p392), the departure point for Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (p395) and
(p305), or a ferry to explore the traditional villages of Chiloé (p317). its 15-story high Perito Moreno Glacier (p395). More adventurous travelers
Scoot back to Puerto Montt (p309) to catch a ferry into the heart of will want to spend a few more days exploring this permafrozen parkland.
Patagonia, perhaps riding the rapids at Futaleufú (p346) or visiting the Hop on an inexpensive flight from El Calafate to Argentina’s charming
pristine Parque Pumalín (p340) en route. Trek the ‘W’ at Parque Nacional southern outpost of Ushuaia (p405) on the legendary island of Tierra del
Torres del Paine (p387), then step into Argentina to the awe-inspiring Perito Fuego. Savor that end-of-the-world feeling by taking a short trip from
Moreno Glacier (p395). Venture south to Tierra del Fuego (p398) then skip Ushuaia by boat or plane to Chile’s Isla Navarino (p402) – home to the
across to Isla Navarino and Puerto Williams (p402), to say you’ve visited world’s southernmost city, Puerto Williams (p402) – or to the actual end of
the ‘end of the world.’ the Americas on the lonely islands of Cabo de Hornes (Cape Horn; p405).
Chile is 4300km Parque
PUERTO
You can discover the
Nacional
from head to toe. Arica
Lauca MONTT
wilds of Patagonia
This trip can be Iquique
El Tatio
in just two weeks,
completed in six Chuquicamata
Geysers
but it’s best to allow
San Pedro
weeks, but it’s de Atacama yourself more time
more rewarding to cover this nearly
to linger along 3500km route in
the way. Consider LA SERENA Elqui order to appreciate
a long-term car
Valley
the remoteness
rental, or a pur- VALPARAÍSO
SANTIAGO and local pace, and
chase, to give you TALCA to protect yourself
more freedom Chillán
Parque Nacional
against fickle
to explore off Valdivia Pucón
Los Glaciares &
Perito Moreno Glacier weather and ferry
the beaten track. PUERTO Bariloche
El Calafate
schedules.
MONTT Parque Nacional
Arriving in Chile Chiloé
Parque
Pumalín Torres del Paine
Puerto
from Peru can also Futaleufú Natales

be advantageous.
Perito
Moreno
Glacier
Parque Nacional
Torres del Paine USHUAIA
Isla Navarino &
Tierra del PUERTO WILLIAMS
Fuego
PUERTO Cabo de Hornos
WILLIAMS (Cape Horn)

From Tip to Tail Patagonian Adventure

 20 I T I N E R A R I E S • • Ta i l o re d T r i p s www.lonelyplanet.com

TAILORED TRIPS
WANDERING THE WINE COUNTRY
Start off in Santiago and sample the grand old vineyards around its out-
skirts – Viña Cousiño Macul and Viña Concha y Toro (p108) are two of the most
renowned. Just outside Santiago, in the Casablanca valley (p130), you can
do a wine tour and see how Chile’s most famous whites are produced.
In fact, wine tours are in vogue in Middle Chile at the moment – a new
valley seems to be launching their own version each week. Head to the
original, the Colchagua Valley wine tour (p139) at Santa Cruz, still one of
the best (and most expensive). You could even
Casablanca Viña catch the new wine-tour steam train.
Valley Cousiño
Macul Move down to the valley of Curicó (p140),
where you can take in vineyards that otherwise
Viña
Concha don’t open their doors to the public. You can
y Toro
also call in to the Bodega Miguel Torres (p141) –
the Spanish winemaking company that arrived
in Chile in the 1980s and revolutionized the
country’s approach to wine – just south of Cu-
Colchagua
Valley ricó. One of the most acclaimed wine tours is
Curicó
based in Talca (p143), where lovers of a fine
Bodega
Miguel
Valley vintage get a varied experience, including huge
Torres industrial set-ups, and small traditional outfits
TALCA maintained purely for the love of a good glass.
Bring your Alka-Seltzer!

CHASING CHE
Follow in the tire tracks of revolutionary icon Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara
through the route laid out in the cult movie Motorcycle Diaries. The
youthful Che – then a medical student bumming around South America
with his buddy Alberto Granado – crossed into Chile by lake-hopping
from Argentina through what is now Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales
(p306). This route is now popular with tourists so you won’t have to
secure ferry passage as Che and Alberto did – by operating the bilge
pumps. Arriving in Petrohué (p306), take the road skirting the enormous
Lago Llanquihue and past the huge Volcán Osorno (p306) – a good spot for
climbers and skiers. From there the adventurers
Arica revved their way to the lively, handsome port
Iquique
of Valdivia (p285), then courted press publicity
Chuquicamata and paid homage to Pablo Neruda in his na-
tive Temuco (p260). As their ancient motorbike
sighed its last before reaching Santiago (p65),
Che and Alberto rode a truck to the beautiful
colonial city of Valparaíso (p112). You could
also shoot up north to see the awesome copper
VALPARAÍSO SANTIAGO mine of Chuquicamata (p199), and poke your
nose into a few nitrate ghost towns around
the laid-back city of Iquique (p183), some of
Temuco
Valdivia which were still functioning when Che visited.
Parque Nacional
Volcán Osorno
Petrohué Vicente Pérez Then round off the Chilean leg of the journey
Rosales beachside at Arica (p167).
Chasing Che
 21

Snapshot
Chile is at a fascinating point in its history. This is a country undergo-
ing whirlwind change, facing up to a violent past and blossoming into
a respected regional force. Its economy is thriving, cultural barriers are
falling and Chileans have rediscovered their voice after a long period of
inhibition.
Hogging the headlines for almost a decade now is the ‘will he or won’t
he go on trial’ saga of Chile’s former dictator General Augusto Pinochet.
He first took power in a bloody coup in 1973, and more than 35,000
people were tortured or imprisoned and more than 3000 killed during FAST FACTS
the brutal 17-year dictatorship that followed. Pinochet was arrested for Population: 16 million
human rights abuses eight years after he left office, and an epic court- Percentage of population
room drama ensued: first struggling to extradite him from Britain, then below poverty line: 19%
to unpick his self-serving amnesty laws, to indict him for involvement
in myriad human rights cases and – as yet unsuccessfully at the time of Unemployment rate: 8%
press – to bring him to trial. Now over 90, Pinochet’s questionable men- Population growth rate:
tal and physical health have further complicated the legal labyrinth that 0.97%
activists hope will lead to a trial before it’s too late. Interestingly, Pinochet Adult literacy: 96.2%
retained staunch loyalty from many Chileans; at least until revelations
were made in 2005 of his tax evasion and overseas bank accounts worth Inflation (2005): 2.4%
around US$27 million. After that his claims of being a disinterested Growth rate (2005): 6%
public servant began to ring increasingly hollow, and his support has GDP: $64.2 billion
waned somewhat.
Meanwhile many former military and feared ex-DINA (National In- Pisco produced annually:
telligence Directorate) agents or secret police have also been charged or 50 million liters
jailed for human rights violations committed under the dictatorship. Produces 35% of world
High-profile arrests have included General Manuel Contreras, former copper (45% of national
head of DINA, and the disturbing case of Paul Schaefer (see boxed text, exports).
p147). Although many human-rights cases have been frustrated by the
state’s amnesty laws, each trial is bringing more awareness to the horrors
of the coup and the politics that protected its perpetrators. In the political
sphere too, crucial steps were taken in 2005 to change Pinochet’s overly
military-friendly constitution (p32).
Thus Chilean democracy was healthier than ever as the country ap-
proached the national election of December 2005. Voting is compulsory
and taken seriously in Chile, where memories of dictatorship are still
fresh. And the election proved an intriguing contest.
Michelle Bachelet, the moderate leftist candidate for the Concertación
coalition, was the country’s first female minister for health and then
defense. She went on to defy Chile’s male-dominated politics further by
leading the presidential polls throughout 2005. Her popularity speaks
volumes about the profound cultural changes taking place in Chile – a
country that, until recently, was considered one of Latin America’s most
conservative. The Roman Catholic Church still wields formidable moral
and political clout (p38) here and family values are paramount. Thus Chile
was the only democratic country in the world without a divorce law until
2004; and there were no sex-education programs in schools until late 2005
(see p39). But changes are now coming thick and fast, with more liberal
laws, recognition of women’s rights and freedom of expression.
Just a few short years ago it would have been almost unthinkable for
a woman, not to mention a single mother of three and self-declared
agnostic, to run for the Chilean presidency. But times are changing and
 22 S N A P S H OT www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com S N A P S H OT 23

Bachelet’s competent, charismatic style won her many votes. She had You can buy, download and
the advantage of following Ricardo Lagos, a popular president who had print individual chapters from
overseen a strongly performing economy. And her personal history also this guidebook.
won hearts: her father died after being tortured by secret police during Get Chile & Easter
Pinochet’s dictatorship and Bachelet herself suffered torture. Island chapters>
Her principal opponent in the election was right-wing billionaire busi-
nessman Sebastián Piñera, owner of Lan airlines and the TV station
Channel 11. © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
When Bachelet narrowly failed to secure 50% of the vote in Decem- restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
ber, a run-off vote took place in January 2006, which Bachelet won only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
comfortably. Her victory secured a fourth term for the Concertación,
which has been in power continuously since 1990. As well as being everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
Chile’s first female president, Bachelet is only the third democratically the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
elected female president in Latin America. It’s also expected that she
will dramatically increase the number of Chilean women in high-profile
political positions.
Bachelet inherited one of the strongest economies in Latin America,
thanks largely to record prices for its dominant export, copper, and
‘Life expect- crucial free-trade agreements with the US, China, the EU and Canada
ancy is on (see p34). Chile’s financial fortunes are evident throughout the country:
plazas are receiving face-lifts, and remote communities have been given
the up and new housing, increased infrastructure, education and healthcare. Life
poverty has expectancy is on the up and poverty has halved in the last 15 years.
halved in However it’s not all good news. The elite have profited far more than
the poor, income gaps are widening and unemployment remains high.
the last 15 Chile’s wealth also comes at some serious environmental costs, as the
years.’ country forges ahead with environmentally damaging mining, salmon
farming, forestry and hydroelectricity projects (see p49). Other casual-
ties include the country’s disenfranchised indigenous communities, who
have lost ancestral lands to energy projects, highways and logging.
Chile’s foreign affairs are also at an interesting point. Bachelet’s
predecessor, Ricardo Lagos, generally enjoyed enormous respect at home
and abroad. One exception was the Bush administration, which resented
Lagos’ opposition to the war in Iraq and was increasingly nervous about
the growing number of left-leaning governments in Latin America. In
this climate, Washington opposed Chile’s candidate for leadership of
the OAS (Organization of American States) in 2005. But for the first
time since 1948 the US-backed candidate did not triumph. Instead the
Chilean socialist interior minister José Miguel Insulza won – a palpable
blow to US political pride and many would say an indication of a more
united South America increasingly standing up to North American
hegemony (p33).
Although relations with neighboring Peru and Bolivia remain fragile,
Chile is riding high on the international stage. The country’s profile has
been further boosted by a sharp rise in tourism. International traffic to
Chile increased by an impressive 22% from 2004 to 2005, and foreign-
visitor numbers in the Lakes District were up a whopping 27% in sum-
mer. So all in all it would be a good decision to make your trip now!