Destination Guides

Where to go in Chile

Matching Chile's regions and cities to trip types — first-timers, beach weeks, food trips and family holidays.

6 min read · Updated 2026-08-01

Chile runs more than 4,000km down the Pacific edge of South America and is rarely more than 200km wide, so it contains the driest desert on Earth in the north, a Mediterranean-climate central valley around Santiago, temperate rainforest and volcanoes in the Lake District, and glaciers and steppe in Patagonia. No single season works everywhere: the far north is a year-round destination, the centre peaks in the austral summer, and Patagonia is effectively a November–March trip. Plan two or three regions per visit and fly between them.

The places worth building a trip around

Each of these has its own page with timing, budget and getting-around notes.

Santiago (City) — Andes-backed capital with strong food, museums and wine valleys within an hour.
San Pedro de Atacama (Region) — Desert village at 2,400m — geysers, salt flats, altiplano lagoons and world-class night skies.
Torres del Paine (Park) — Patagonia's signature park — granite towers, glaciers and the W and O treks.
Valparaíso & Viña del Mar (Coast) — UNESCO-listed port of painted hills and funiculars, next to a mainstream beach resort city.
Lake District & Pucón (Region) — Volcanoes, lakes and hot springs around Pucón, Villarrica and Puerto Varas.
Chiloé (Island) — Misty island of wooden churches, palafitos and its own food culture.
Carretera Austral (Region) — Remote southern road through fjords, rivers and Patagonian parks.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) (Island) — Remote Pacific island of moai statues, five hours by air from Santiago.
Elqui Valley (Region) — Pisco distilleries and observatories under famously clear northern skies.