chile travel itinerary 2 weeks

The Ultimate Chile Itinerary For Ten Days and Two Weeks

By Author Steph Dyson

Posted on Last updated: 8th April 2024

With the piercing peaks of the Andes prominent in the north, glacier-riddled national parks of the south, and fertile, wine-growing valleys of the center, it’s fair to say that Chile has jaw-dropping geographical diversity oozing from every pore.

It’s for this very reason why planning a Chile itinerary for ten days or more of travel might seem a bit of a headache. However, I’ve got plenty of ideas about how to organize a showstopping tour of this truly incredible country – and even wrote a guidebook about it .

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How to use this Chile itinerary

Luckily, Chile has one of the best plane networks and road connectivity in South America, meaning you can – and should – zip between its diverse regions if you’re on a short trip.

Staying here longer? Even better; you’ve got plenty of time to really get under the skin of a country I came to love over the three and a half years I was based here. You can also get inspired by my list of the 31 best places to visit in Chile – which includes not just the “must-sees” but those under-the-radar destinations that few other websites mention.

This Chile itinerary focuses on the things to do in Chile broadly, but you’ll find plenty more details about where to go in Patagonia in the following:

• Four itineraries for one and two weeks of travel in Patagonia
• An itinerary for three or more weeks in Patagonia and free e-book download )

Looking for guidance about what to take with you on a trip to Chile? Check out our detailed Patagonia packing list , as well as our guide to what to pack for South America more generally.

Recommendations for travel in Chile and using this Chile itinerary:

• As a vast, sprawling country, there are plenty of things to do in Chile; it’s always better to slim down your travel itinerary, take it slow and really dig deep into a place than scratch the surface with a whistle-stop tour of all the top attractions. In the latter, you’ll also spend too much time traveling between places which, let’s face it, is not the main idea of a holiday or even longer-term travel.
• Travel in Chile is expensive and while this post doesn’t delve too deeply into how you can travel Chile on a budget, consider booking cheaper types of accommodation, such as local alojamientos or hospedajes (cheap B&Bs) or cabañas (cabins) if you’re in a group, many of which aren’t available to book via hotel booking websites.
• Chile is a safe place to visit. Since the pandemic, parts of Santiago and Valparaiso have become less safe than they used to be (for example, avoid Downtown at night) and the use of Uber or official taxis firm is highly recommended, but once you get out of the city, you’ll find Chile a safe and welcoming place to travel . Patagonia, and pretty much any rural area, is incredibly safe.
• There is a wealth of good hotels and guesthouses across the country. Some of the best had a profound impact on my trips around the country, which is why I’ve pulled together my absolute favorites into this guide to the best hotels in Chile (just 31 of them!!).
• Plenty of hostels and the previously mentioned accommodation types also have kitchens, making it easy to self-cater. Bear in mind that Chile has some excellent restaurants and some surprisingly good local cuisine (even if it might not seem like it at first glance) so make sure to factor in some time and money for eating out!
• Alternatively, camping is relatively easy throughout the country , so pack camping and cooking equipment (see my recommendations in this post about packing for Patagonia ) and use that as a way of seeing Chile on the cheap.
• These Chile itineraries for ten days and two weeks rely on the fact that you will take some long-distance transport to travel between the regions. Yes, flights can be expensive, but if you plan ahead, you can get a good deal with Sky Airline (the low-cost airline) and LATAM (the more upmarket airline). I generally compare prices on Skyscanner and then book directly through the companies themselves.
• Additionally, Jet Smart is Chile’s answer to Easyjet in Europe and has some extraordinarily low fares, although, they don’t yet offer flights to all of the cities and they’re often at slightly more awkward hours. However, they’re definitely worth checking out, particularly as they’re starting to offer direct flights between cities in Chile without having to go through Santiago, which can significantly reduce your flight time (you can see their full list of destinations here ). Be aware that you always have to pay an extra fee for both hold baggage and cabin baggage and they will charge you if you go over the weight limit for either. 
• Buses are also an inexpensive and reliable way of traveling through Chile, with long-distance, overnight buses making it easy enough to travel from Puerto Montt to Santiago or Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama in reasonable comfort (although prices of flights, if booked a few weeks in advance, are generally as cheap as bus tickets for these routes). Aim to book a couple of days in advance; websites such as Bus Bud , Viaje en Bus , and Recorrido are really helpful, while you can book off the cuff at the bus terminals in all towns and cities.
• Renting a car is also a great way of traveling. I’ve personally driven through a lot of Chile and it’s much faster than taking buses and gives you the freedom to explore beyond the main tourist destinations. Driving in Santiago is somewhat terrifying and you find drivers don’t pay a lot of attention in most cities and even in rural areas, so you’ll want to keep your wits about you. However, of all the countries in South America, Chile (and Argentina) is definitely the safest place to rent a car. There are lots of tolls on the highways, so make sure you’ve always got cash and download Maps.me for maps available without internet. I always book using Rental Cars , as I find they have the best prices (even better than going directly with companies generally) and have insurance documents in English. Always double-check your insurance documents to ensure your insurance is valid for driving on unpaved roads if you plan on exploring the Carretera Austral , as this is not always guaranteed.
• Uber works in Chile. Uber used to be illegal, but now isn’t. Uber is generally a reliable and safe way of traveling around cities (and better than hailing a cab, which will often try and rip you off or scam you).
• Oh, and I lived in Santiago for close to three years and wrote a guidebook about Chile (you can learn about the project here and buy the book here ), so rest assured that these itineraries stem from some pretty extensive exploration and travel.

Planning Your Trip to Chile?

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FAQs about visiting Chile

Chile is a vast country, extending 4,270 km (2,653 mi) from tip to toe and packed with superlative natural landscapes, world-renowned wineries, and remarkable cultural destinations. As a result, the minimum amount of time you want to spend in Chile to truly get a feel for the country is ten days.

Seven days isn’t much time to see this huge country. However, with just seven days, you could spend one in Santiago enjoying the city’s fine restaurants and exploring its museums and street art , before heading out to the Casablanca wine valley to sample the country’s tastiest white wines or to the historic coastal city of Valparaíso . 

From there, you can fly three hours south to Punta Arenas, the southernmost settlement in continental South America, where you can see penguins and whales.

Afterward, continue to Puerto Natales (three hours north by vehicle), the gateway town to Torres del Paine National Park . Spend three days in this beautiful protected area kayaking to glaciers, hiking to lofty mountain peaks, and even catching sight of pumas. Then, fly back to Santiago and then home.

January and February mark the hot summer months in Chile, but also the busiest times for tourism. If you want to explore the sights of Patagonia and other popular places around the country without the crowds, the months of November and March are the best times to visit Chile . Expect slightly cooler temperatures but quieter attractions!

Yes I can! While there will be tour agencies operating wherever you’re based in the world, I suggest booking through local company EcoChile Travel , a leading tour operator based out of Santiago.

Because they’re local, they’re far better acquainted with what’s going on in the country and the new, exciting places that should form part of your itinerary than international companies and will also get you the best price.

All of EcoChile Travel’s itineraries can be custom designed and they’ll organize all the logistics of booking your trip, plus set you up with an interactive app with all your travel reservations, and dining recommendations.

If any of the itineraries below tickle your fancy, they you they should be able to turn it into reality for you!

Chile Itinerary for ten days of travel 

Day one: santiago.

Arrive at Aeropuerto Internacional Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) in Santiago and take either a transfer ($7,000 with Delfos or TransVIP ; no need to book in advance), Uber or the Turbus airport bus (get off either at Terminal Pajaritos (better if it’s rush hour) or Terminal Alameda and take the metro Line 1 to the centre of town).

Spend your afternoon trotting around Downtown. Visit the Plaza de Armas to see the oldest buildings in the city, some of which date back to the 18th century.

Pop into the Museo Histórico Natural (Natural History Museum) to learn about Chilean history and, more importantly, to take their free tour up to the Reloj de la Torre , the Clock Tower, for incredible panoramas of the entire Plaza de Armas.

Visit the nearby Museo Chileno de Artes Precolombino (Chilean Museum of Pre-Colombian Art), with its incredible collection of pottery, textiles, and artwork covering the pre-Colombian civilizations across Latin America.

You could also spend an afternoon learning about another side of Chile at the Museo de Memoria y los Derechos Humanos (Museum of Memory and Human Rights), which explores the darkest days of Chile’s history: the Pinochet dictatorship.

Finally, read this article about the best things to do in Santiago , this piece about day trips you can’t miss from Santiago , and then listen to my interview on the We Travel There podcast to learn more about my recommendations for visiting Chile’s capital city.

For dinner, you’ve got various options:

• Head to Barrio Bellavista to experience unique, indigenous cuisine at Peumayen or go for gourmet Chilean dishes paired with some of the best Chilean wines at Bocanariz .
• Barrio Lastarria (a couple of blocks west of Plaza Baquedano) is also a good shout for dinner. Learn about Chilean pisco at Chipe Libre or go for traditional Chilean dishes at Liguria , a restaurant popular among local Santiaguinos and even Kate Moss.
• For meat lovers keen to learn about the Chilean art of the asado (barbecue), make sure you head east along Line 1 of the metro for a steak (cooked a punto (medium rare) at Eladio .

Where to stay in Santiago: Stay overnight in Santiago’s first ‘ecoHotel’,  Carménère Eco Hotel  (Santander 292, double room $155,000 CLP ($196 USD)), which is equally appealing to environmentally conscious travelers and those seeking an authentic Chilean wine experience from their own hotel. It’s in the heart of the hip Barrio Italia, surrounded by a wealth of bars and restaurants and excellent transport links.

Alternatively, read my complete guide to Santiago’s best hotels and hostels for every budget, ordered by neighborhood. 

Days Two to Five: San Pedro de Atacama

Head back to Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) , from where domestic flights leave from a separate terminal. Take a two-hour flight to Calama .

Transfer services at the airport are timed to leave after flights arrive, so hop on one (one hour 30 minutes) to San Pedro de Atacama , one of Chile’s top tourist attractions.

While I explored the region by hire car a few years ago, this isn’t something to do lightly. Elevations are really high and altitude sickness is no joke (trust me, I’ve had it twice), while driving conditions on roads, many of which are unpaved and practically just sand, can be lethal if taken too fast. If you’re in any way unsure, opt instead for a tour.

Spend the next two days exploring the region’s top sites, including Piedras Rojas, the Lagunas Altiplanicas and Geisers del Tatio, and spend an evening stargazing and learning what ancient Andean cultures believed lay in the night sky.

I highly recommend taking a tour of the Geisers del Tatio with Trekana , whose guides are borderline obsessed with the wildlife that you can see en route, including two species of flamingoes, a whole host of bird species, beautiful vicunas (the wild cousin of the alpaca), and if you’re lucky, vizcachas (a type of chinchilla with extremely big ears and a penchant for sunbathing).

For more detailed information and inspiration for San Pedro de Atacama read this post on adventurous places to visit in and around San Pedro de Atacama .

Where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama: If you’ve got a bigger budget or are traveling in a couple, stay at Ckuri Atacama   (double $63,000 CLP/$80 USD; minimum two-night stay); it’s definitely the nicest accommodation you’ll find in San Pedro. Their three double rooms include private bathrooms, large double beds, a small breakfast area with fridge, cutlery, and plates (breakfast isn’t included – so go and check out Pananderia Franchuteria (Calle Gustavo Le Paige) in town for Chile’s best croissants and other delicious French pastries!).

Where to stay on a budget in San Pedro de Atacama: For smaller budgets,   Hostal Lackuntur (dorm $30 USD, $90 USD double) is ideal. It’s got a decent kitchen, loads of hammocks, and a very welcome swimming pool. Its location a few blocks north of the town also ensures it’s nice and quiet during the evenings.

Days Six and Seven: Valparaíso

Return to Calama and take a flight to Santiago. Buses leave from the Terminal Alameda (Av. Alameda 3750) and the Terminal San Borja (San Borja 235) in the city center for Valparaíso (two hours, $3,000 CLP/$4 USD), a historic harbor city set across 42 hills and home to a wealth of street art.

This includes La Sebastiana, the beautiful ship-inspired house of Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda (well, one of his three), elderly acensores (which are also UNESCO heritage monuments), and a colourful skyline of brightly-painted houses, cobbled streets, and vivid graffiti.

Read all about our favorite things to do in Valparaíso for more information about the city.

If visiting over the summer (be warned: it gets rammed full of Chilean holidaymakers), be sure to hop on a local  micro ( bus) and head around the coast towards Viña del Mar where the best beaches are.

The easiest to access is Playa Caleta Abarca as it’s right on the main road that passes through the city, while nearby Reñaca also has a pretty beach.

Viña del Mar is also home to the brilliant Museo de Arqueología e Historia Natural Francisco Fonk , which houses a collection of artifacts from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) – including a 2.9-meter tall moai statue – and is well worth a visit.

Valparaíso has a reputation for being unsafe, with Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción the safest areas to explore during the day, and practically the only areas I would recommend staying at night.

Avoid the bus station where possible (if arriving here, call an Uber to pick you up or arrange a taxi with your hotel) and the area around the harbor. Always stick to areas with plenty of street lights and don’t carry valuables with you.

If driving, look out for your tyres being punctured; it’s a clever trick by thieves, who come and offer to assist you change the type but manage to relieve you of your belongings while they do.

Where to stay in Valparaíso: Winebox (Baquedano 763, $99,000 CLP/$125 USD double) is a truly unique hotel, built entirely from 25 recycled shipping containers. What’s more, they have an urban winery in the basement and a wine bar cum restaurant on the roof (which is open to the public). It’s actually on Cerro Mariposa, so you’ll need to take local colectivos (shared taxis) or taxis to get into the centre at night.

Where to stay on a budget in Valparaíso: For smaller budgets, the pint-sized Puerta Escondida (Templeman 549, $79,000 CLP/$100 USD double room) is a welcoming B&B in the heart of Cerro Concepción. It gets booked up fast, so be sure to reserve in advance.

Days Eight and Nine: Santiago and Colchagua

Return by bus to Santiago and you’ve got two options for exploring another of Chile’s top attractions: vineyards (which, in our opinion, make Chile the best country in South America for wine ).

• For bigger budgets: rent a car and drive to winery Casa Silva, just north of San Fernando.
• For smaller budgets: take the bus from the Terminal Santiago ( Av. Alameda 3850) operated by Nilahue to Santa Cruz (3 hours, $7,000 CLP),

1. For bigger budgets

One of the most awarded wineries in the country and on the northern tip of the Colchagua Valley, Casa Silva not only has a wonderful setting (think rolling hills covered with neat rows of vines and a colonial-style bodega overlooking their polo field) but also an excellent restaurant.

Where to stay: I stayed in their gorgeous accommodation, Hotel Casa Silva  (double $181,000 CLP/$210 USD) and spent a day eating in their two fine restaurants, wine tasting in their wine shop, and wandering their vineyards.

You can stay one day at Casa Silva, and then on the next, drive to Santa Cruz, the main town for the Colchagua wine valley, and spend an afternoon exploring some of Chile’s top vineyards (see below).

2. For smaller budgets

Take a bus to Santa Cruz where you can rent mountain bikes, complete with panniers, from Casa Suiza ($40,000 CLP/$51 USD double, $19,000 CLP/$24 USD dorm) to explore the local vineyards of the surrounding Colchagua Valley at your leisure.

For all budgets

All of the wineries in the Colchagua Valley offer tastings, tours and many even have fine-dining restaurants (in beautiful settings, surrounded by vines), so I strongly suggest you aim to have lunch at one of the restaurants.

The valley is also known for its carménère wine , a grape similar, and for a long time, confused with Merlot, so make sure you sample plenty while you’re here.

My favorite is Montes , which lies ten kilometers north of Santa Cruz. It’s a renowned winery (they age their wine to the sound of Gregorian chant in an amphitheater-shaped cellar) with tours (from $10,000 CLP/$14 USD), tasting (from $2,000 CLP/$3 USD per glass) and the truly sensational Fuegos de Apalta restaurant.

I had the best steak of my life in their dining room, which surrounds a circular iron grill where you can watch the chefs at work. It doesn’t come cheap (expect to pay $20,000-$24,000 CLP/$28 USD-$34 USD per main) but their lomo liso (sirloin) and entraña (skirt steak), washed down with a Cabernet Sauvignon is an experience you’ll never forget.

Other wineries to visit from Santa Cruz include:

• Boutique winery Laura Hartwig , which you can easily walk to for a tasting as it’s on the outskirts of Santa Cruz. They produce very small quantities of wine each year and while it can sometimes be hit-and-miss, they often strike gold. You can sample glasses for just $1,000 CLP/$1.5 USD).
• Eight kilometers east of Santa Cruz, Viu Manent is a winery set within a beautiful old hacienda. Their star grapes are Carménère and Malbec and they have tours of the vineyard via horse-drawn carriages (from $15,000 CLP/$21 USD) as well as tastings (from $12,000 CLP/$17 USD) and great food in their restaurant Rayuela Wine & Grill ($9,000-$14,000 CLP/$13-$20 USD mains).

Where to stay in Santa Cruz: Hotel TerraViña (Camino a los Boldos, $166,000 CLP/$210 USD double) has a charming location overlooking rows of vines from cast-iron balconies and a swimming pool. The added benefit is they’re a short walk through the vines to the Laura Hartwig winery, which can be reached by a short vine-lined path.

Where to stay on a budget in Santa Cruz: Small budgets will enjoy staying overnight in Casa Suiza (Los Libertadores 199, $40,000 CLP/$51 USD double, $19,000 CLP/$24 USD dorm). There are plenty of places for unwinding, including a grassy garden, plus kitchen access, and owners who run cycling tours to tiny boutique wineries.

Day Ten: Santiago

Spend a final day in Santiago. Dedicate at least three hours to exploring the Museo de Memoria y los Derechos Humanos (Museum of Memory and Human Rights), an excellent museum dealing with a grizzly topic: the Pinochet dictatorship that lasted from 1973 to 1990.

If you want to learn first-hand about the Chilean love of the sanguche , head to La Fuente Alemana for a traditional churrasco (beef or pork sandwich) – just ask them to go easy on the mayo. Alternatively, sample some other key Chilean dishes in Santiago with the help of this guide to Chilean food .

Head over to nearby Barrio Lastarria ( barrio means neighborhood) and take the short hike up to Cerro Santa Lucia for views across the city and the omnipresent Andes Mountains beyond.

For even more impressive cityscape views, take the funicular up to Cerro San Cristóbal in Parque Metropolitano (don’t walk; there have been reports of muggings of people hiking up the hill and those straying from the trails).

Finally, listen to my interview on the We Travel There podcast to learn more about my recommendations for visiting Chile’s capital city.

Return to the airport and fly home.

Chile itinerary for two weeks of travel : Santiago and the Lakes District

In this itinerary, I talk you through how you can organize it yourself. However, if you want someone to take care of the logistics and plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip, then reach out to my recommended local tour operator, EcoChile Travel . They’re experts in planning trips in Chile and can custom design the itinerary to suit you and your budget. Their Chilean Lakes District itinerary follows a similar route to this itinerary. Mention Worldly Adventurer to get a 5% discount off this trip.

Arrive at Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) in Santiago and take either a transfer ($7,000 with Delfos or TransVIP; no need to book in advance, Uber, or the Turbus airport bus (get off either at Terminal Pajaritos (better if it’s rush hour) or Terminal Alameda and take the metro Line 1 to the center of town).

For more inspiration, read this article about tourist attractions you can’t miss in Santiago .

Where to stay: Splurge on your hotel and stay overnight at the foot of Cerro Santo Lucia in  Hotel Magnolia  (Huérfanos 539, $276,000 CLP ($350 USD) double) in the heart of the Barrio Lastarria and surrounded by a wealth of bars and restaurants, plus excellent transport links.

Alternatively, read my complete guide to Santiago’s best hotels and hostels for every budget (including much more affordable than Hotel Magnolina), ordered by neighborhood or learn about other things to do in Santiago .

Days Two to Five: Chiloé

The fastest way to reach Chiloé is with a direct flight between the domestic terminal of Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) and Aeródromo Mocopulli (MHC; just outside of Castro).

This cuts your travel time down considerably, as flying to Puerto Montt means a four-hour journey (including a 30-minute ferry across the Canal de Chaco).

It’s not the most scenic of journeys, either, and you’ll be doing it on the way to Puerto Varas, so save yourself time by flying directly to Chiloé. There are far fewer daily flights to this airport, however, so book early.

From the airport, it’s a short taxi ride to Castro, where you can organize to pick up a hire car .

Chiloé is a small island, however rural public transport – like in most of Chile – isn’t the most frequent nor the most reliable. As a result, I would highly recommend hiring a car for your time here, giving you the freedom of seeing multiple parts of the island in one day – and also handy if you want to stay at one of the more remote lodges (which I highly recommend!). 

Driving in Chiloé is straightforward and easy; roads are generally one two lanes and other drivers are relaxed (unlike those in Santiago). There are also no toll booths that require cash to contend with, although I do recomend having Chilean pesos on hand for dining at more rural restaurants and for entering the national parks and reserves.

Need more inspiration?

You’ll find even more detailed itineraries, off-the-beaten-path gems, hiking routes and accommodation, restaurant and tour recommendations to suit your travel style in my brand-new guidebook, Moon Chile.

Alternatively: Fly from the domestic terminal in Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) to Aeropuerto El Tepual (PMC) (one hour 40 mins), the airport just outside of Puerto Montt . Rent a car from the agencies at Aeropuerto El Tepual and drive to Chiloé Island. Puerto Montt airport has some of the cheapest car rents in Chile (from $30 USD per day) and you can book using Rental Cars , who provide insurance documents and all contracts in English.

Castro , the capital of Chiloé is famed for its vibrant  palafitos:  colorful, traditional fishermen’s houses on stilts that line the harbor overlook the bay at two places, just off Calle Ernesto Riquelme and another accessed by Calle Puerto Montt.

However, the best place to appreciate them in all their colorful glory is across the river from Calle Ernesto Riquelme at Mirador Gamboa .

Another unmissable stop in Castro is at the Feria Artesanal (Lillo s/n, just before the harbor), a craft market where you can find both local woolen crafts to buy and a cheap lunch of empanadas  (stuffed with seafood or cheese and prawns) or huge plates of fish.

Nip out the back to meet the resident sea lion population, who’ll also be fighting over their lunch – scraps of fish thrown into the sea by the fishermen.

Where to stay in Castro: If you fancy finding out what it’s like inside a palafito, stay at the brown-shingled Palafito 1326 (Ernesto Riquelme 1326, $79,000 CLP/$100 USD double). Rooms are spacious, with crisp white linens and those overlooking the water have a balcony from which you can watch the ocean.

Alternatively, I can’t sing the praises of Refugio Pullao ($185 USD double) enough. Run by its Santiaguino owners, this tiny hotel is located on the Peninsula Rilan, across the bay from Castro, and has astounding views east out towards the ocean. Tierra Chiloé , a five-star hotel a little further around the shore, charges four times the price for the same view (although, admittedly, this includes tours and all-inclusive (and exceptional) dining). The latter is beautiful, but definitely only for those with a very large budget. 

Where to stay on a budget in Castro: La Minga Hostel (dorm $16,000 CLP/$20 USD, $25,000 CLP/$40 USD double) is a proper backpacking hostel (run by the wonderful Camila, a Brazilian and former backpacker herself) that is small but perfectly-formed. Rooms are fairly tiny and there aren’t that many bathrooms to go around, but it’s got a really sociable atmosphere without being a party hostel. Camilia also has great local knowledge and can help with suggestions for local things to do.

Spend the rest of your time on Chiloé exploring the churches; my favorite was definitely Tenuan , which you could reach by bus from the terminal in Castro (one hour 10 mins, $1,600 CLP/$2 USD).

If there’s a group of you, take a wander along the shore and you can try negotiating a small boat to take you to Isla Mechuque, which also has its own church and a small museum and is supposed to be stunning.

Cucao, a one-hour bus journey (again from the local bus terminal in Castro), is one of my favorite places on the island and has the mind-blowingly beautiful Palafito Cucao   ($55,000 CLP/$130 USD double).

Not only is this place hugely comfortable (it has lovely double rooms), it’s the living room area and outdoor terrace with views across Lago Cucao that make this place one of the most sensational places I’ve ever stayed in Chile. I even saw a giant otter swimming past one day.

Palafito Cucao is close to the Muelle de las Almas , a destination that has shot to fame in Chile in recent years.

While it is beautiful – it’s an art installation shaped like a pier that appears to jut out over the cliff edge and into the ocean on a desolate hillside – it’s now so overrun that much of the magic is lost.

If you do want to go, make sure you get here as early as possible in the morning, as 45-minute queues for photos with the muelle are unfortunately common.

Another option, instead, is to visit the Muelle de la Luz near Chepu, another of the artist’s sculptures. Again, this can get very busy with tour groups and, for the boats to run to the muelle, it requires at least 10 people.

There’s not a huge amount there, just the muelle and beautiful views across the beach below – which admittedly ranks among the most beautiful on the island.

Insider tip: Muelles have sprung up all over Chiloé, after the original Muelle de las Almas was constructed by Santiago sculptor Marcelo Orellana Rivera. Note that there are only three original muelles : Muelle de las Almas, Muella de la Luz, and Muelle del Tiempo. All the rest are imitations, designed by local people to capitalize on the craze for selfies on them. 

Days Five and Six: Puerto Varas

Drop the car back in Castro and then take the bus to the terminal in Puerto Montt and then take a small micro (a blue local bus) from the terminal to Puerto Varas (20 mins, $1,000 CLP/$1 USD).

Hiring a car for this part of the itinerary: Alternatively, I recommend hiring a car from Puerto Montt; some of the most interesting things to do in the Lakes Region are served by fairly infrequent public transport, so it can really help to have your own vehicle. Book a one-way rental from Puerto Montt to Temuco; this is surprisingly affordable (Puerto Montt is the cheapest place in the country to rent a car) and the one-way free doesn’t add much to the overall rental price.

Known locally as the City of Roses for its abundant blooms in summer, this lovely lakeside town sits beneath the shadow of Volcán Osorno, a volcano that, thankfully, hasn’t erupted since 1869.

There’s not a whole lot to do in the town; the main attractions lie in the activities in the surrounding national parks, lakes and rivers.

If you’ve just got an afternoon here, the somewhat eccentric collection of artwork and accumulated bric-a-brac in Museo de Pablo Fierro , run by enthusiastic owner and artist Pablo Fierro is definitely worth an hour of your time,

I’d also suggest heading to La Mesa Tropera for a pizza and locally brewed beer plus the best views of the lake and the volcano, or, if you’re a wine lover, La Vinoteca has a brilliant selection of wine by the glass, a range of Chilean dishes, and an excellent attached wine shop. 

For hikers, you’ve got plenty of options nearby. Alerce Andino National Park has a range of different hikes, including one to a 3,000-year-old alerce tree, and can be reached without 4WD (although bear in mind that both routes include a gravel section of the road (and the southern entrance is in particularly poor condition). 

The Llanquihue National Reserve is another beautiful protected area, with a mix of Valdivian temperate rainforest and lava floes from Volcan Calbuco, which erupted in 2015 and closed the reserve until just last year.

Again, this park is accessible without 4WD, but with roads in a similarly poor condition, so drive slowly and carefully. 

Another option is to head to Petrohué on the banks of Lago Todos los Santos where there are a handful of treks.

The most interesting is  Paso Desolación , which goes around the edge of the volcano, taking you above the tree line with beautiful views of the Osorno volcano and Lago Llanquihue below, over an around eight-hour return hike (23km/14.2mi).

A shorter, 11km (6.8mi) route takes a path along the edge of the lake before heading back in a loop and offering views of the volcano and the valley, with a walking time of around three hours.

Don’t miss the Museo Pioneros Petrohué ($2,000 CLP/$3 USD), which is run by Petrohué Lodge and details the various “pioneers” who ventured to this once remote part of the Chilean lakes district across history, including explorers and German settlers.

If it’s not open (which it probably won’t be), nip into the Expeditions Office next door to ask to be allowed in.

Another popular attraction here is the Saltos de Petrohué ($4,000 CLP/$6 USD) where the raging, crystalline waters of the Río Petrohué churn over the rocks in a series of waterfalls, with a stunning backdrop of the Osorno volcano.

There are a handful of worthwhile trails to different viewpoints here but be warned: they are absolutely crammed throughout the season (even in October they were busy), so get here early doors. The entrance opens at 9am.

You can also get here by cycling. Lago Llanquihue has a cycling trail that extends from Puerto Varas north. You can hire bikes in Puerto Varas itself or, if you don’t want to have to drive back, Birds of Chile offers an e-biking tour, which can be combined with a half-day hike along the El Solitario trail through Valdivian temperate rainforest and volcanic ash.

Their guides have plenty of fascinating information about the flora and fauna of the region, which contains some of the final remaining tracts of Valdivian temperate rainforest on the planet.

Watersports are another part of Puerto Varas’ adventure offerings. You can also raft down the class II and IV rapids of the Río Petrohué with AlSur Expediciones , a local kayaking and rafting specialist operator.

Alternatively, book a sea kayaking tour out into the Chilean fjords for dramatic, volcano-studded landscapes (AlSur also specialize in epic, multi-day sea kayaking adventures into Pumalin National Park at the northern tip of the Carretera Austral – a must-do tour if you’re a keen kayaker!).

For a more relaxed afternoon, hop on a bus to Fruitillar (from the same place in Puerto Varas) to try locally baked kuchen , a German dessert brought, and cooked, by the German descendants who started this town.

There’s also a really good museum, the Museo Colonial Alemán , with its collection of artifacts brought over from Germany with the settlers and the history of founding the different towns around the lake.

There’s also Frutillar’s elegant, lakeside theatre, Teatro del Lago (they have performances from all across the globe and the building is renowned for its acoustics).

Where to stay in Puerto Varas: It’s definitely pricey, but the location right on the shores of Lago Llanquihue of AWA ($350 USD double) makes this a truly remarkable place to stay. Bedrooms are huge, while the restaurant serves up delicate dishes showcasing local ingredients – all with a serving of volcano views. I’ve stayed here twice now and it’s definitely my favorite hotel. Bear in mind, you’ll need a car – or to organize tours with a local operator – due to it being a 20-minute drive from Puerto Varas. FYI don’t do your laundry here. I almost wept when they gave me the $50 USD bill.

Where to stay on a budget in Puerto Varas: The wonderful Compass del Sur (camping $17,000 CLP/$21 USD, $24,000 CLP/$30 USD dorm, $54,000 CLP/$68 USD double), with its cozy sitting room with wood fire, breakfast room, and huge new kitchen, it’s my personal favorite when I’m in town. Their owners are very knowledgeable about activities to do in the local area and bedrooms are large, most of which now have their own private bathrooms after extensive renovations in 2017.

Days Seven to Ten: Pucón

Drive four hours or take a bus to Pucón (five hours, $17,500 CLP/$22 USD) from the bus terminal for Buses Jac in Puerto Varas.

Pucón is one of Chile’s best-known adventure destinations thanks to a range of highlights, including an active volcano that you can hike up, accessible national parks, and a whole host of other activities to get your pulse racing.

One of the best day trips you can take from Pucón is to nearby Parque Nacional Huerquehue , a one-hour bus ride or drive from the town with Buses Caburgua (they have their bus station at Uruguay 540).

There are five trails in the park, the most exciting being the  Sendero Los Lagos , which goes past a pair of impressive waterfalls and ends with glorious views across the lakes at the top of the mountain.

The most challenging (and with the best vistas ) is Sendero San Sebastian , where you’ll see not one, not two but NINE volcanoes and 14 lakes from the top. Uh, yes please!

You can also stay within the park, either camping (there are various places, including Camping Olga ($18,000 CLP/$23 USD for two people, minimum two-night stay) or at the basic Cabañas Tinquilco ($50,000 CLP/$63 USD per night; minimum stay four nights between December and March.

It’s also impossible to visit Pucón without hiking up Volcán Villarrica , the snow-topped volcano that dominates the landscapes surrounding the town and is easily one of the top Chile attractions for visitors.

It’s a tough climb (you start around 6-7am from Pucón and are at the crater by lunchtime), but not one that requires technical expertise; you will need to go with a guide unless you have all of your own equipment (ice axes, crampons etc.). Bear in mind, this trail is packed with other tourists, so can feel like you’re queuing up the side of the mountain, rather than hiking it.

Patagonia Experience  is the most recommended of all the agencies in the town. Expect to pay upwards of $80,000/$132 USD.

And don’t miss Termas Geometricas , some really beautiful hot springs located on the southern flanks of the volcano. Unless you’ve got a car, you’ll need to take a tour ($35,000/$58 USD) – but it’s worth the cost as you get to spend an afternoon relaxing in these stunning pools.

Where to stay in Pucón: Another personal favorite, if you’re willing to splash some cash, is the Maison Nomade B&B (double $90,000/$120 USD – but email them as they can offer cheaper prices), which is a few kilometers away from Pucón but has glorious views of the volcano from their huge garden, a swimming pool, beautiful modern rooms decorated with the handicrafts that Carolina, one of the owners, makes, plus a kitchen for guests. Alain, the other owner, also runs an orientation meeting to help you decide what you plan to do during your stay (and he knows the region like the back of his hand).

Where to stay on a budget in Pucón: Having visited this place as part of my research for Moon Chile , I can back up the general consensus that Chili Kiwi (dorm $20,000 CLP/$25 USD, $49,000 CLP/$67 USD hobbit hole) is one of the best hostels in Latin America. I stayed in both a hobbit hole and a treehouse (the hobbit hole was a bit roomier and had its own tiny private terrace, which was a nice touch), but they’ve genuinely thought of everything here: from their private bar to their three kitchens, huge lockers for people who’ve checked out but need somewhere to store their bags and just the enthusiasm of the owners and the staff who can answer practically any question you have about travel in the region (and beyond). It’s not a party hostel, but it does attract a youngish crowd.

Days Eleven to Thirteen: Parque Nacional Conguillio

From Pucón, start early for the three-hour drive to Parque Nacional Conguillio .

Alternatively, get an early bus to Temuco (one hour forty minutes) and catch the 10.30am Nar Bus to Parque Nacional Conguillio (leaves from the Terminal Rural de Temuco only in January and February, two and a half hours). It’ll drop you off right at the campsite and main ranger office for the park.

From here, there are a number of different day hikes that pass through the park’s incredible ancient scenery of thousand-year-old Araucania trees, black lava flows from looming Volcán Llaima, and gloriously blue lakes.

It’s one of my top three national parks in Chile (Patagonia National Park and Torres del Paine National Park take the other two spots) and one I highly, highly recommend.

Travel tip: The park is actually quieter and more beautiful to visit in November and December, when the weather’s warming up, or in April, to see the forests turn shades of autumn yellows and golds. The easiest way to get here in these months (or a faster means than taking the bus in high season) is hiring a car from the rental agencies in the arrivals terminal of Aeropuerto Araucanía (ZCO) in Temuco. You can get to the airport with a taxi (around $15,000 CLP/$21 USD from the bus terminal in Temuco).

You can get hold of maps from the ranger station here. The bus returns back to Temuco at 1pm (soon after it arrives).

Out of season, your only options are to take a taxi from nearby Curacuatin or rent a car in Temuco .

There’s a small shop at the campsite, but otherwise, you’ll need to bring food with you (unless staying at La Baita , who can prepare meals for you).

Where to stay in Parque Nacional Conguillio:  There are a number of campsites run by  Sendas Conguillio . The best of these, if you’re traveling in a pair or alone, is Camping El Estero ($6,500 CLP/$11 USD pp), which you cannot book (but there is normally space). If you’ve got a vehicle,  La Baita  (double $90,000 CLP/$150 USD) is spectacular, with stylish, wooden bedrooms, cozy communal living room with wood fire, and hot tubs. Outside of the summer, the prices are cheaper (but they’re closed in June).

Drive back to Temuco to return the car or hop the bus back to the city. Fly from Temuco airport to Santiago or take the bus overnight (eight hours).

Chile itinerary for two weeks of travel : The highlights

Days Two and Three: Valparaíso and the Casablanca Valley

Either hire a car or hop on a bus from the Terminal Alameda (Av. Alameda 3750) and the Terminal San Borja (San Borja 235) in the city center to Valparaíso (two hours, $3,000 CLP/$4 USD), a historic harbor city set across 42 hills and home to a wealth of street art.

This includes La Sebastiana , the beautiful ship-inspired house of Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda (well, one of his three), elderly acensores (which are also UNESCO heritage monuments), and a colorful skyline of brightly-painted houses, cobbled streets, and vivid graffiti.

If visiting over the summer (be warned: it gets rammed full of Chilean holidaymakers), be sure to hop on a local micro ( bus) and head around the coast towards Viña del Mar where the best beaches are.

The easiest to access is Playa Caleta Abarca as it’s right on the main road that passes through the city, while nearby Reñaca also has a pretty beach. Alternatively, you can drive further north to the pretty beaches of surf-town Maitencillo , secluded and beautiful Cachagua , or exclusive Zapallar . 

The following day, head out to the Casablanca Valley , Chile’s premier white wine-producing region. A bus to Casablanca and then a taxi can take you around some of the best wineries, including Casas del Bosque (which has a brilliant restaurant), Viña Mar (which is known for its sparkling wines, Bodegas RE (which produces unusual blends), and Emiliana (an organic, sustainable winery).

Alternatively, drive south via Isla Negra (the prettiest of poet Pablo Neruda’s houses) to reach the Valle de San Antonio , where first-rate wineries offer outstanding wines and stunningly-located accommodations. 

The best are Matetic and Casa Marin , the latter of which produces delicious sauvignon gris. 

Where to stay in Valparaíso/nearby: Winebox (Baquedano 763, $99,000 CLP/$125 USD double) is a truly unique hotel, built entirely from 25 recycled shipping containers. What’s more, they have an urban winery in the basement and a wine bar cum restaurant on the roof (which is open to the public). It’s actually on Cerro Mariposa, so you’ll need to take local colectivos (shared taxis) or taxis to get into the centre at night. Alternatively, stay in La Casona ($774 USD double) Matetic winery’s stylish 10-bed hotel, set within the vineyard and with a welcome swimming pool or at the more affordable Bungalow Miramar ($167 USD one-bedroom bungalow) that has sweeping views across the vineyards of equally brilliant Casa Marin.

Days Four to Seven: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

Head back to Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) and take a six-hour flight west across the Pacific Ocean to Rapa Nui (Easter Island).  

Having captivated archaeologists and tourists alike for decades, Rapa Nui – while still being part of Chile – lives and breaths the Polynesian culture of its inhabitants: the Rapanui. 

After landing on the runway of Matavari International Airport (IPC) , take a transfer with your hotel into Hanga Roa, the island’s only town and the location of most lodgings. 

Spend the afternoon snorkeling off Playa Pea on the lookout for Green Pacific, leatherback, and hawksbill turtles, before catching the sunset at Ahu Tahai, where various ceremonial platforms known as ahu play host to the angular stone heads (moai) for which the island is famed. 

The following day, head out to Parque Nacional Rapa Nui , where the majority of the moai are located. New rules mean you’ll need a guide, who can show you around key locations across the island. 

Don’t miss Rano Raraku , the volcanic crater and quarry where the moai were carved, or nearby Ahu Tongariki . With 15 moai statues, it’s the largest of the platforms and ideal for sunrise. 

Read our guide to visiting Rapa Nui for more detailed information about getting to the island, as well as recommendations for what to do and where to stay , and the best time to visit Easter Island .  

Where to stay in Rapa Nui: The stunning sea views from certain suites and bungalows make  Hotel Boutique La Perouse  ($210 USD suite; $288 bungalow) an excellent choice for accommodation on Easter Island. Situated right at the heart of Hanga Roa, but with a tranquil setting, this is a great place to relax after a day of touring the island, while a delicious breakfast will ensure you’ve got the fuel you need.   

Where to stay on a budget in Rapa Nui:  If price is your number one factor when it comes to finding accommodation on Easter Island then look no further than  Camping y Hostal Tipanie Moana  ($57 USD double room with shared bathroom, $14 USD camping). Offering private rooms (some with shared bathrooms), it’s hard to quibble over the price here, which grants you clean and spacious bedrooms – some with mini-fridges – and a sociable atmosphere among the other guests staying here. 

Days Eight to Nine: Punta Arenas 

Fly back to Santiago’s Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) and then hop on a flight to Punta Arenas, a three-hour flight south. 

The gateway to Patagonia, Punta Arenas is where the first colonizers landed in southern Chilean Patagonia and is home to some of the best wildlife-watching opportunities. 

You’ll have time for at least one tour. Head out to Isla Magdalena for a half-day visit to the 120,000-strong Magallenic penguin colony that resides on this island. 

Alternatively, take a tour with Solo Expediciones to Parque Marino Francisco Coloane (Francisco Coloane Marine Park) to catch a glimpse of the many species of whales that come here to breed, including humpbacks and sei whales. 

Want a custom-made Chile itinerary, but without the effort of planning it?

Get it planned by an expert (me!) with my travel itinerary planning service ; you’ll give me an overview of your ideal once-in-a-lifetime trip to Chile and/or Patagonia, and I’ll put together a custom itinerary just for you using my expert knowledge of the destination.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a local operator to plan and book your trip, I recommend our trusted partner EcoChile Travel. They design and book tours throughout the country, such as this 12-day highlights of Southern Patagonia itinerary – and offer Worldly Adventurer readers a 5% discount on their services!

Book here to claim your discount.

At the end of your second day, hop on a public bus to Puerto Natales (three hours). 

Where to stay in Punta Arenas:  Easily the smartest choice in Punta Arenas is the luxurious La Yegua Loca ($160 USD double), where antique wooden furniture rubs shoulders with superb views of the Strait of Magellan. Don’t miss the restaurant on the ground floor, which specialises in local specialties such as king crab.

Where to stay on a budget in Punta Arenas:  Budget digs don’t get much better than the family-run Hostal Aventura Austral ($57 USD double), which has small but comfortable rooms and brilliant hosts.

Days Ten to Fourteen: Torres del Paine National Park 

Unless you’re planning on hiking the W or the O Circuit , the best way to explore Torres del Paine National Park is with a rental car . 

From Puerto Natales, head north along Ruta 9 and then northwest along the Y-290 to enter Torres del Paine National Park from its southern entrance, where you’ll get the best views of the Los Cuernos mountains that dominate the park. 

Over the next few days, you’ve got time to hike the park’s ubiquitous route up to Mirador Las Torres where you’ll stand beneath the three sky-spearing shards of granite after which the park is named. 

Day hikes and shorter routes to viewpoints abound in the national park, with the steep climb up to Mirador Ferrier for 180-degree views across the park and the short meander along Sendero Mirador Cuernos for dazzling views of Los Cuernos among the best. 

Read our guide to day hikes in Torres del Paine National Park for detailed route information. 

There’s plenty more to do in Torres del Paine, including tracking pumas , with the park believed to be home to the highest concentration of these big cats in the world. 

The best way is on a two-day tour with Chile Nativo (use the referral code “Worldly Adventurer” for a 5% discount), which takes you along some of the paths most frequented by the cats and has a close to 100% success rate for seeing them.

Return to Puerto Natales and then fly back to Santiago.

Where to stay in Torres del Paine National Park: With its cluster of 20 deluxe yurts, Patagonia Camp  ($2,160 USD double all-inclusive for two nights) sits pretty on the southern shore of Lago Toro as a top luxury accommodation option just 15 kilometres from the park entrance. There’s no TV or internet connection in the rooms, but who needs WIFI when you’ve got a private terrace with panoramic views, and even a jacuzzi in the suites?

Where to stay in Torres del Paine National Park on a budget: Restaurant costs within Torres del Paine have skyrocketed with the park’s popularity. Stock up on food in Puerto Natales and head to Cabañas Lago Tyndall ($110,000 CLP ($160 USD) four-person cabin), which is situated on a bend in the Río Serrano and a short drive from the southern entrance to the park.

Our complete guide to what to do in Torres del Paine National Park is packed with plenty more information about how to visit this incredible place, while our detailed Patagonia itineraries contain recommendations for exploring Southern Patagonia, plus how to combine a trip to Torres del Paine National Park with Argentine Patagonia, including the Perito Moreno glacier and hiking capital, El Chaltén. 

How to amend this two-week itinerary

Rather than heading to Rapa Nui, you could spend three days in the Atacama Desert. San Pedro de Atacama is the region’s main hub and jumping-off point for Mars-like scenery and wildlife-packed protected areas, such as the Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos.

We’ve got a full guide to what to do in San Pedro de Atacama , while, if you want to avoid the hassle of organizing your trip, EcoChile Travel can help you plan a four-day trip to the region , including visits to local indigenous communities to learn more about the unique culture of the region. Mention Worldly Adventurer for a 5% discount on the tour.

Itinerary for one or two weeks in Patagonia (Chilean and Argentine)

I’ve written a whole guide to where to go and what to do in Patagonia, so head over to this one- and two-week Patagonia itinerary or these three- and four-week itineraries .

Tuesday 23rd of July 2019

Great article. I love this piece of writing. Thanks

Thursday 13th of June 2019

Hello Steph,

Thank you for your detail guide and the itineraries of 10 and 14 days. My husband and I are planning to go to Chile 10/11 days on late October or early November. I had planned to go to Ecuador but considering the high altitude that we probably couldn't stand.

There are so many blogs on Pinterest just telling me how great the attractions there but very few itineraries provided. So happy that I found yours

Here I have a few questions for the 10 days itinerary: 1) Any tours around the hostels to the attractions @ San Pedro de Atacama (my husband hates driving on vacation and I don't have a license)? 2) any other suggestions for the day 8 to 9 if not going to the vineyard? Thank you in advance!

Steph Dyson

Friday 21st of June 2019

Hi Sarah, yes you can find tour companies for destinations around San Pedro de Atacama on the main drag in the town - there are loads of them! Try and negotiate several tours with one company as this will help you get a discount. Whipala Expedition and 123 Andes Chile Conectado (both have websites) are recommended companies. There are plenty of other destinations to visit in San Pedro. Check out this article for more ideas! Enjoy your trip :)

• Destinations

Wild Junket

The Perfect 2-Week Chile Itinerary

Last Updated on May 17, 2024

Explore the best of South America with an adventure-packed 2-week Chile itinerary from Chile expert, Steph Dyson . 

It feels like the traveling community is only just waking up to the possibilities of Chile. A country that, until recently, was a mere footnote in most trips around South America. Although the high cost of travel here has put off many potential visitors, it’s become increasingly hard to ignore the allure of this diverse country.

With everything from ochre-colored deserts in the north, stark mountain landscapes of the Andes south and mysterious moai statues on Easter Island , it’s fair to say that there’s a whole lot to see on a trip to Chile.  

Table of Contents

How to Travel to Chile

By rental car, stay at: solace santiago, see the moai of easter island, catch sunset at ahu tahai, stay at: hareswiss easter island bungalows, see sunrise at ahu togariki, relax on anakena beach and ahu nau nau, explore the volcanic rano raraku, visit the o’rongo ceremonial village, visit the sebastián englert anthropological museum, stay at: hotel manquehue aeropuerto santiago, fly to calama in the atacama desert, rent a car or book day tours, see sunset at laguna tebinquinche, stay at: ckuri atacama, explore el tatio geysers, visit lagunas miscanti and miñiques, explore valle de la luna and valle de la muerte, go star gazing at space, stay at: hotel tierra del fuego, stay at: yagan house.

• Stay at: EcoCamp Patagonia

Stay at: Vinnhaus

Chile itinerary day 14: santiago, further reading on chile, inspired pin it, my 2-week chile itinerary.

Let’s start with the obvious: Chile is a big country. If you flip it horizontally, Chile just about covers the entire width of the United States and you could fit three United Kingdoms inside its terrain.

If you’ve got limited time, it’s essential to plan your trip in advance. Before we look at our two-week Chile itinerary, here’s a short guide to give you an overview of travel in Chile. 

Most nationalities can travel to Chile without a visa, including citizens from US, Canada, UK and the EU. Citizens of Australia and Mexico must pay a reciprocity fee on their first entry to Chile by air. Citizens of most other countries, such as the UK or the US, do not have to pay a fee. It’s best to check your country’s ministry of foreign affairs website for updated info on visa requirements.

The most common entry point for travelers is the  Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport,  commonly referred to simply as Santiago Airport), 15km (9.3 miles) north-west of downtown Santiago. The domestic and international are the same terminal, with the international on the left and domestic on the right.

Santiago Airport is served by several non-stop international service, mainly from Europe, the Americas and Oceania. LATAM Airlines is the largest carrier and has flights from the several cities in the Americas, Sydney, Auckland, Papeete, Frankfurt and Madrid. Here’s a look at all the airlines that fly to Chile .

You can also cross overland to Chile from Argentina by bus. For example, you can easily take a bus from Punta Arena, Chile, to El Calafate in Argentina. Here’s a useful 2-week Argentina itinerary if you’re planning to travel there as well!

Book your flight to Santiago here!

How to Get Around Chile

Luckily, domestic flights are cheaper than in most other South American countries and this is often the fastest and easiest way of getting between destinations. Check out Jetsmart and Sky Airline for the cheapest fares; LATAM is more expensive but is the only company that flies to Easter Island. Search for domestic flights in Chile here. 

Bus travel is another means of exploring Chile, although distances can be long and if you’re only here for two weeks, it’s probably better to spend a little bit more on flights than spend 24 hours+ traveling between destinations.  

If you’ve got a bit more time up your sleeve, consider hiring a camper van. Soul Vans have fully-equipped campers that start from 40,000 CLP (US$60) per day and you can often get a deal if you’re travelling slightly out of peak season (December through February).

For those planning to drive, I recommend getting a local SIM card in Chile or use an international SIM card to go online and use your GPS. I used GoSim which cost me $26 for 1GB of data and it worked really well in Chile.

Book your car rental here!

Chile Itinerary Day 1: Santiago

It’s likely that you’ll arrive into Chile at the international airport in Santiago. Although this city has often found itself in the shadow of other capitals in South America (Buenos Aires, Lima and Quito mainly), Santiago is actually a really lively, European city and there’s plenty to see.

Your first stop should be the cable car up to Cerro San Cristobal (1,500 CLP = US$2.26) where beautiful views across the city await. There’s also a hiking trail that you can take up instead, although this isn’t recommended; lots of robberies have been reported on this route, so stick to the funicular.

Back in the centre of town, other top places to visit include the Plaza de Armas (the main square), a central feature of practically all South American towns and a good place to sit back and soak up santiaguino daily life, from the shoe shiners hawking business to the old men playing chess beneath the trees.

This stylish modern hotel is located right near a metro stop in the Providencia district of Santiago. It’s just steps away from an array of restaurants and shops. Providencia is an excellent spot for those who love good food and wine. Solace Santiago also has a beautiful rooftop outdoor pool with stunning  views  of the city.

Check for the latest rates.

Chile Itinerary Day 2: Easter Island

Take a transfer or taxi back to the airport for an early morning flight to Easter Island. This 163 km² island sits over 3,000 miles off the coast of Chile, but still is considered part of their territory, although the two places couldn’t feel more different.

The flight from Santiago to Easter Island takes between five and six hours each way and costs around US$500 return. When you do, you’ll be struck by the tropical heat (this is Polynesia, after all) and the sense of being almost unimaginably far from any other piece of land. This is because Easter Island is one of the most isolated places on the planet.

Many travellers are put off by the price of getting here, however, it is possible to visit Easter Island more cheaply than you might think . Renting a hire car or a bike (although the latter can be sweat-inducing) can also grant you more flexibility to explore the sites at your own pace.

Book your domestic flight to Easter Island

There’s plenty to see on this island of 887 moai , statues carved from volcanic stone that were erected on ceremonial platforms known as ahu along the coasts and, contrary to popular belief, stare back in and across the island.

The reason for this is that the statues were built to honour important community members or leaders and it was believed that when they died, their spirit would continue to watch over and protect their descendants. Read my guide on how to visit Easter Island .

The only town on the island, Hanga Roa, is surrounded by moai statues. The most famous nearby is the Ahu Tahai, a set of three restored platforms containing differently-sized statues, one of which even has “eyes” made from coral and rock and that were believed to be used during ceremonies and special festivities.

This spot is also excellent for sunset, as the sun drops below the horizon almost directly behind the largest ahu , Ahu Vai Ure, which contains five moai in varying stages of erosion.

If visiting during summer, consider heading to another ahu nearby along the coast if you want good photos; this place gets jam-packed with tourists and you might find it loses the magic a little as a result.

There are plenty of options of places to stay here, however many are very expensive, particularly if you’re travelling in January or February when it’s high season. My favourite place on the island was Hareswiss Bungalows , a set of cabins run by a Swiss expat who knows loads about the history of Rapa Nui and even runs tours. Cabins have kitchen areas and little terraces overlooking the sea; it’s about a 25-minute walk from Hanga Roa (or a short taxi journey), which makes it feel even more special and tucked away.

Check for the latest rates

Chile Itinerary Day 3: Easter Island

Wake up early the next morning and drive out to Ahu Togariki, the island’s largest set of restored moai . Numbering 15, these statues are spectacular at sunrise, when the dawn breaks right behind them (although this only happens in summer – in winter, the sun rises a little further north).

From here, head over to Anakena, a picturesque beach surrounded by coconut trees and lapped by warm waters, making it a great place to swim or sunbathe. It’s also the location of Ahu Nau Nau, a seven- moai platform, many of which are in an excellent state of preservation, meaning you can see the detailed carving of their faces and even on their backs.

There are plenty of other sites to stop at along the northern coast, although many contain moai that still lie on the floor. No one knows exactly why, but some time in the mid-1800s, the villagers began to topple the statues, leaving them face down in the earth.  

Back around towards Ahu Tongariki lies perhaps the island’s most fascinating spot: Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater that was the location of the moai quarry. It was here that the statues were carved out of the rock and you can still see many still attached to the rock and left unfinished.

There’s thought to be almost 400 moai still here and many stand upright on the flanks of the volcano, with a path winding between. You can also climb up to the edge of the crater and see even more inside. For photography, the afternoon is the best time to go.

Chile Itinerary Day 4: Easter Island

The southern coast of the island is full of fascinating destinations, the most notable of which is the O’rongo ceremonial village . To get here, you can either hike from Hanga Roa (two hours), take a tour or go by car.

O’rongo is a series of restored stone houses, half buried in the ground as a way of protecting them from the fierce winds that swirl around this headland. It was here that the Birdman Cult, a religious belief system that came into play after the toppling of the moai and the disintegration of the worship of the ancestors.

Each tribe would compete for their chief to become the tangata manu or spiritual leader of the island for the coming year and this would involve a competitor from the tribe being nominated to swim out through the surging waters to reach the islets that you can see from the village. There, they would be tasked with collecting the first-laid egg of the sooty tern, a bird that once nested here. If he successfully brought it back to the village – in one piece, of course – then his chief would win.

Just next to the village, you’ll also find Rano Kau, another volcanic crater. A number of viewpoints allow you to appreciate this impressive evidence of how Easter Island was formed – by eruptions from the three volcanoes that provided its rugged terrain.

Chile Itinerary Day 5: Easter Island

Most flights to mainland Chile depart in the early afternoon, which means you still have plenty of time to visit the P. Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum , which has a great collection of items from across the island and explains in detail the social structure and religious belief of the Rapa Nui people and how on earth they carved and then moved the huge moai – a subject that continues to inspire debate among archaeologists and anthropologists.

Fly back to Santiago in the afternoon.

I would recommend staying near the Santiago Airport since you’ll be flying again the next morning. Hotel Manquehue Aeropuerto Santiago is the best hotel near the airport, with modern and comfortable rooms and free airport shuttles. Breakfast is included in your booking and it starts as early as 4.30am.

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Chile Itinerary Day 6: Atacama Desert

The next morning, it’s back to the airport (you’ll know it pretty well by now!) for a flight from Santiago to Calama , an unsightly mining city in the Atacama Desert, and the springboard for trips to San Pedro de Atacama. Transfer services leave directly from the arrivals hall of the airport and take you the one and a half hours east to the town. Book your domestic flight here.

San Pedro de Atacama is best known for its picture-perfect, high-altitude landscapes. Bear in mind that it’s situated at 2,408m above sea-level and so it’s worth taking it easy for the first day or two as you get acclimatized. Many of the most interesting sights in Atacama are situated at even high altitudes.

Tours are easy enough to organise to all of the following places; the main street through the town is bursting with agencies who run pretty much the same trips for similar prices. For significant savings, visit a couple of agencies and ask for quotes for a package of tours – you’ll get money off for booking more than one from a company.

An alternative way of exploring the region – and one I personally preferred when I visited – is by hiring a car. Rental is cheapest from Calama and the added flexibility allows you to explore even the region even more easily.

Book your car rental in Chile!

On your first night in San Pedro, you should have time to hop on a tour or drive out to Laguna Tebinquinche. This salt-lined lake is a prime spot for sunset, as the fading light hues its edges with shades of pastel pink and the undulating mountains and volcanos east afford a spectacular backdrop for photos.

San Pedro has plenty of accommodation options. My favourite is by far Ckuri Atacama , a tiny little B&B built in adobe (mud bricks) and with beautiful textiles on the wall, large bathrooms and even a small, private dining space for each room. The straw roofs and terracotta-colored walls create a rustic atmosphere. Breakfast isn’t included but it comes with a fridge, plates and cutlery, so you can just prepare your own.

Book your stay here!

Chile Itinerary Day 7: Atacama Desert

Officially the highest geyser field on earth, the El Tatio Geysers are best visited at dawn. Driving here can be a little challenging (the roads aren’t well marked, so get hold of a good map or use maps.me on your phone) but it’s worth it to see the spirals of steam unfurling from the ground in the cold light of the morning.

You can walk between the different pools of boiling hot water but watch your step; a number of tourists have died or received life-threatening burns by getting too close and stepping through flimsy earth and into the water.

There are hot springs in the complex but they’re actually quite cold, as only pockets of thermal waters exist. You’re better off heading to the Termas de Puritima (Entrance is 19,500 Chilean Peso = US$29) on your way back and spending the day luxuriating in these gorgeously warm waters, which are also alleged to have healing properties.

Chile Itinerary Day 8: Atacama Desert

South east of San Pedro de Atacama and reached by an hour and a half’s drive, the pastel-blue lagoons, Miscanti and Miñiques are a pair of pretty, saline lakes where, in the surrounding puna, you’ll likely spot guanaco (wild alpaca), vizcachas (chinchilla-like rodents) and even foxes.

On the way back to San Pedro and accessed by a turn off just before the village of Toconao, Laguna Chaxa is another stunning saline lake, this time filled with flamingos. Home to all three of the species found in South America, James’s, Chilean and Andean, the lake is an important breeding ground for the birds. There’s also blinding views of the Salar de Atacama, a large salt flat.

Chile Itinerary Day 9: Atacama Desert

Just about eight kilometres west of San Pedro, Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) is perhaps one of the region’s most famous sights. You can get there easily by bike (just remember to pack plenty of water, a sun hat and sunscreen – this is the desert after all) and, if you want the tumbling ridges of red-coloured sand dunes all to yourself, aim to get there mid-morning or early afternoon.

The tour groups arrive for sunrise and sunset, as the views of the sun plummeting behind the dunes are particularly striking.

Some five kilometres northeast and Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley) is another set of plunging sand banks, but this time a good place for sandboarding or even horse riding. Both activities you organize with agencies in town.

Celestial conditions in the skies above San Pedro are considered the best in the world, making it an ideal spot for star gazing. You can organize your own tour (just head out into the desert one night and stare up) or go with one of the professionals.

Space star tours  are considered the best, as they have the largest public observatory in South America and will talk you through the history of the different constellations. They book up fast, so make sure you reserve at least a week in advance.

From San Pedro de Atacama, take the transfer service back to Calama and fly to Santiago. If possible, have another flight lined up directly to Punta Arenas to avoid having to return into Santiago and back to the airport the following morning.  

Book your star tour here

Chile Itinerary Day 10: Punta Arenas

The next part of this Chile itinerary takes you to Patagonia, the southern tip of Chile! The flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas takes around three hours and transfer services from just outside the airport in Punta Arenas can you drop you off at your hotel for around 5,000 CLP (US$8.50).

Punta Arenas is often overlooked by travellers who head straight on to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine National Park. However, this city was formerly inhabited by rich wool barrens, who left European architecture in their wake.

You’ll want to visit Museo Regional de Magallanes , which has an interesting collection of 19 th -century furniture and information about the Spanish arrival to this southern edge of Chile, as well as the indigenous people who once lived here and who navigated through the freezing waters in canoes carved from tree trunks.

If you have time and visit between November and March, organise a half-day trip out to Isla Magdalena , a 120,000-strong Magellanic penguin colony a few hours’ boat journey from the city. Beware that the waters can be powerful –seasickness pills are recommended.

Hotel Tierra del Fuego is an elegant European-style hotel right in downtown Punta Arenas, one block away from the Magellan Museum. If you’re looking for some comfort after trekking, this is a great place to unwind and chill out.

Hostal Pardo & Shackleton is a good budget choice in Punta Arenas, with a kitchen and spacious communal area, a good breakfast and really friendly staff. The rooms are fairly basic but comfortable enough.

Book your hotel here!

Chile Itinerary Day 11: Punta Arenas

The next day, catch a bus to Puerto Natales, a town three-hours north and the gateway for the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. Read my detailed guide to Torres del Paine Chile .

If you’ve got more than two weeks, then consider hiking the acclaimed Torres del Paine W trek , a four or five-day walk through splendid, wild Patagonian scenery. There’s not loads to do in town, but you should take a walk along the sound (the town is built on the edge of fjord) where you can often spot aquatic birds and the occasional dolphin playing in the water.

Yagan House is a stylish hostel-cum-hotel in Puerto Natales, with really cosy, comfortable and clean bedrooms and a huge common area with kitchen and sofas. They’re well located in the centre of the town and really knowledgeable about the park. You can book excursions from their tour office as well as massages from the reception.

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Chile Itinerary Day 12: Torres del Paine

The night before, rent a car for two days (from 40,000 CLP daily) and leave as early as possible to get there (it’s a two-hour drive). Although there is plenty of public transport into Torres del Paine , it’s hard to move between the trailheads unless you’re hiking the full W trek. For shorter trips when you don’t have time to do the full walk, it’s significantly easy to have your own wheels. Make sure you bring cash to pay the 21,000 CLP (US$31) entrance fee.

Leave the car parked outside one of the two accommodations below and hike the nine kilometres to reach the mirador for the towers or torres after which the park is named. It’s a steep, continually climbing hike, so make sure you have good hiking boots and plenty of food and water. It’s about four hours up and three down.

Stay at:  EcoCamp Patagonia

Stay the night at EcoCamp Patagonia , a charming eco-friendly camp with geodesic domes  inspired by the ancient dwellings of the region. The sustainable domes are all fitted with private or shared bathrooms, wood stoves and private terraces.

A complimentary buffet breakfast is served in the dining room while drinks can be enjoyed at the bar, lounge or outdoor terrace. Guests travelling with all inclusive rates are served a complimentary lunch and dinner, otherwise these are available for an extra fee.

Another alternative is the more luxurious Hotel Las Torres Patagonia , which starts at 300,000 CLP (US$450) per night for a double room, and has a restaurant on site. Both are overpriced – but so is everything in the park!

Chile Itinerary Day 13: Torres del Paine

Drive over to the Pudeto catamaran dock where you can park the car and board the 9am boat across Lago Pehoé ($18,000 single, $28,000 return, cash only) to reach Paine Grande, where the trail for Glacier Grey starts.

It’s a four-hour hike to reach a mirador situated about a kilometre from the snout of the glacier; expect impressive views and lots of ice crashing into the water below.

You can also join a kayaking tour that gets even closer to the ice or a day’s trekking on its surface, although you’ll need another day in the park to fit this in. Big Foot Patagonia Adventure are the only company that offer these.

Trek back to Paine Grande, get on the final catamaran of the day (6.35pm) and bid farewell to Torres del Paine .

Another option in Puerto Natales is the trendy Vinnhaus , a place offering hotel style and comfort, but with hostel prices and atmosphere. All bedrooms are dressed with antique-style furniture, there are international plug sockets on the wall and a lovely little attached café where you can chat away to other guests.

You’ll need a full day to get back to Santiago, with the return journey to Punta Arenas from Puerto Natales taking three hours and then a further three hours on the plane from Punta Arenas to Santiago.

That’s the end of your Chile adventure! With this two-week Chile itinerary, you would have seen the best of the country at a quick but exciting pace. I hope by the end of the journey, you would have fallen in love with Chile like I have.

Phew! Thanks for reading all the way to the end. I hope this Chile itinerary will help you plan a trip of a lifetime.

 Check out other articles I’ve written on Chile and other parts of South America:

• How to Visit Easter Island
• My Complete Guide to Torres del Paine
• How to Visit the Galapagos Islands
• Galapagos Islands with Kids
• Colombia Itinerary: A Detailed Guide for 10 Days in Colombia
• 22 Things to Do in Medellin, Colombia
• Bogota Travel Guide
• 2-Week Brazil Itinerary
• 10-Day Peru Itinerary
• How to Get to Machu Picchu in Peru
• Best Things to Do in the Sacred Valley, Peru

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links i.e. if you book a stay through one of my links, I get a small commission at NO EXTRA COST to you. Thank you for your support!

About the Author: Steph Dyson

Steph Dyson is a bilingual freelance travel writer, guidebook author and blogger originally from the UK and now based in Santiago, Chile. She’s been published by World Nomads and Time Out and contributed to the Rough Guide to Peru and South America on a Budget . Her latest project is a full update of the guidebook, Moon Chile . Get more travel tips for South America at Worldly Adventurer , on Facebook and Instagram .

Steph Dyson

Steph Dyson is a bilingual freelance travel writer, guidebook author and blogger originally from the UK and now based in Santiago, Chile. Having travelled and volunteered across South America since 2014, she writes about beyond-the-beaten-trail adventures, using her extensive experience of exploring (and getting lost in) this continent. She’s been published by World Nomads and Time Out and contributed to the Rough Guide to Peru and South America on a Budget. Her latest project is a full update of the guidebook, Moon Chile. Get more travel tips for South America at Worldly Adventurer .

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The Comments

Juan Ovalle

Would love to visit Chile one day and would definitely go back to your post when planning! This was so helpful!

Are you taking people with you on this trip, or is this just your own private trip, because I would be interested in joining. Laura

Nellie Huang

hi Laura, the author of this post is my friend Steph and she went on her own private trip. She does live in Chile though, so if you have any questions for her please feel free to reach out to her through her website (link in the first sentence of the post).

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The Perfect Two Week Chile Itinerary

• September 23, 2023

If Chile has ever been on your radar and you are planning a trip to Chile, then this perfect two week Chile Itinerary is exactly what you need for your extraordinary journey to Chile. Get ready to uncover the country’s best-kept secrets as we take you on an adventure filled with hidden gems and offbeat activities. We advise you to use Chile Travel agents based in Santiago or join an adventurous Chile Travel Tour from the UK. 

Chile is best explored in a group trip due to the cost of having a private trip. If you opt for a private trip, this two week Chile itinerary is perfect for you to map out the best things to see in Chile and where to stay in Chile. Believe that Chile is a destination where you will experience unique cultural experiences and natural wonders, this Chile itinerary will ensure that your trip to Chile is nothing short of unforgettable. So, grab your passport and get ready to explore the secret spots of Chile, because this is a journey you won’t want to miss.

How to travel to Chile from the UK

Your passport has to be valid for at least 3 months from your return date. British travellers holding a British passport can visit Chile for up to 90 days without a visa. The Chilean immigration authorities will give you a tourist card, take a picture of this card immediately and keep it safe because you will give it back to immigration when you leave the country. Suppose you plan to visit Esther Island as prescribed in this two week Chile itinerary. In that case, you need to complete a Rapa Nui (Esther Island) entry form , show a return ticket and a reservation registered with the national tourism service .

Flights from the UK to Chile.

British Airways flies directly from London Heathrow to Santiago, Chile. The flight takes around 14 hours and 35 minutes non-stop. If you wish to break your trip, you can fly an Air France flight from Paris, it takes about 17 hours and 15 minutes or opt for flights from Spain. Iberia Airlines has a connecting flight in Madrid. You might wish to take other connecting flights, like LATAM, Turkish Airlines, Air Canada and KLM flights . 

How to travel to Chile from the US.

Most US nationalities can travel to Chile without a visa. Citizens of Australia and Mexico must pay a reciprocity fee on their first entry to Chile by air.  The most common entry point for travellers is the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, commonly referred to as Santiago Airport), 15km (9.3 miles) northwest of downtown Santiago. The domestic and international are the same terminal, with the international on the left and the domestic on the right. Santiago Airport is served by several non-stop international services, mainly from Europe, the Americas and Oceania. LATAM Airlines is the largest carrier and has flights from several cities in America.

How to get around Chile.

Travelling by air is the quickest and stress-free way to get around Chile. The domestic flights are cheaper than what you might find in other South American countries. While LATAM airlines are the most reliable, Jetsmart and Sky Airlines offer the most affordable option. For your visit to Easter Island, LATAM Airline is the only flight you would get from Santiago Airport. 

Bus travel is another means of exploring Chile, although distances can be long and if you’re only here for two weeks, it’s probably better to spend a little bit more on flights than spend 24 hours travelling between destinations.  

By Rental Car

Rental cars are available in Chile. If you are more adventurous and enjoy exploring on your own, renting a camper van might be an option. Soul Vans has fully-equipped campers that start from 40,000 CLP (US$60) per day and you can often get a deal if you’re travelling slightly out of peak season (December through February).

For those planning to drive, I recommend getting a local SIM card in Chile or using an international SIM card to go online and use your GPS. I used GoSim which cost me $26 for 1GB of data and it worked well in Chile.

My Two week Chile Itinerary

Chile itinerary day 1 – 5: santiago.

The 14-hour British Airways Flight from London Heathrow to Santiago arrived at the Santiago International Airport. The first impression of Santiago is the similarity between a city in Spain. The language spoken in Chile is Spanish. After a quick pass through the security, you should pre-arrange an airport transfer to your hotel. We stayed at the W Hotel, Santiago . Make Santiago your base and follow this 5-day Itinerary for Santiago Chile. 

5-Day Itinerary for Santiago, Chile

While you can follow this itinerary and explore Santiago yourself, I would advise you to book a tour here.

Day 1 in Santiago, Chile: Explore Central Santiago. 

• Morning: – Plaza de Armas: Start your day at the historic heart of Santiago. Visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, a stunning architectural landmark. – La Moneda Palace: Take a guided tour of the presidential palace and learn about Chile’s political history.
• Afternoon: – Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino: Discover fascinating pre-Columbian artefacts from across Latin America. – Lunch at Mercado Central: Enjoy fresh seafood at one of the bustling market’s many restaurants.
• Evening : – Barrio Lastarria: Stroll through this bohemian neighbourhood, known for its vibrant street art, boutique shops, and charming cafes. Enjoy dinner at one of the trendy restaurants here.

Day 2 in Santiago, Chile: Day Trip to Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Casablanca, and Reñaca

• Morning: – Casablanca Valley: Start with a wine tour in this renowned wine region. Visit a vineyard such as Viña Casas del Bosque or Viña Emiliana for wine tasting and a tour of the vineyard.
• Midday: – Viña del Mar: Explore the “Garden City” with its beautiful parks, gardens, and the famous Flower Clock (Reloj de Flores). Enjoy lunch at a seaside restaurant.
• Afternoon: – Valparaíso: Wander through this UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its colourful hills, funiculars, and vibrant street art. Visit the house of poet Pablo Neruda, La Sebastiana.
• Evening: – **Reñaca:** Relax at Reñaca Beach, a popular spot with great views. Enjoy a seafood dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants before heading back to Santiago.

Day 3: Cultural and Historical Tour

• Morning: – Museo Nacional de Historia Natural: Visit this museum in Quinta Normal Park to explore Chile’s natural history. – Parque Quinta Normal: Enjoy a leisurely walk in this large urban park, home to several museums and beautiful gardens.
• Afternoon : – Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos: Learn about Chile’s recent history and human rights during the Pinochet dictatorship. – Lunch in Barrio Yungay: This historic neighbourhood offers a variety of local dining options.
• Evening: – Sky Costanera: Head to the observation deck of the tallest building in Latin America for panoramic views of Santiago at sunset. Enjoy dinner in the adjacent Costanera Center mall.

Day 4: Nature and Adventure

• Morning: – Cerro San Cristóbal: Take a funicular or hike up to the summit for a spectacular view of Santiago. Visit the statue of the Virgin Mary and the beautiful Japanese Garden. – La Chascona: Another house of Pablo Neruda, located at the foot of Cerro San Cristóbal, showcasing his eclectic collections.
• Afternoon: – **Lunch in Bellavista: Enjoy the bohemian atmosphere and dine at one of the many eclectic restaurants in this lively neighbourhood. – Parque Bicentenario: Relax in this modern park with its beautiful landscaping, lagoons, and abundant birdlife.
• Evening: – Dinner in Vitacura: Explore this upscale neighbourhood known for its fine dining and chic bars. Try one of the renowned restaurants like Boragó or Mestizo.

Day 5: Observatory Stargazing Tour

• Morning: – Barrio Italia: Spend the morning exploring this trendy neighbourhood, known for its antique shops, art galleries, and cafes. Enjoy brunch at one of the many stylish eateries.
• Afternoon: – Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC): Visit the MAC in Parque Forestal to see contemporary Chilean and international art. – Parque Forestal: Take a relaxing walk through this beautiful park that runs alongside the Mapocho River.
• Evening: – Stargazing Tour: In the evening, embark on an observatory stargazing tour. Travel to a nearby observatory (such as Cerro Calán or Mamalluca) to experience Chile’s renowned clear skies and observe stars, planets, and other celestial wonders. Return to Santiago late at night.

Chile Itinerary Day 5 – 10: Easter Island

I encourage everyone to visit Easter Island, known as the most inhabited, remote island in the world. It’s a 5.5-hour flight from Santiago, and I recommend a minimum of 4 nights for visitors to stay. The rugged, volcanic landscape (including a massive volcanic crater, enchanting beaches, vast underground cave system), the culture and community of the beautiful Rapa Nui people, and the clear night sky, combined with the enigmatic, colossal Moai structures, definitely have me captivated.

5-Day Itinerary for Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

While you can follow this itinerary and explore Rapa Nui yourself, I would advise you to book a tour here.

Day 1: Arrival and Introduction to Easter Island

• Morning: – Arrival in Hanga Roa: Check into your hotel and freshen up. – Ahu Tahai: Start your visit with the archaeological site of Ahu Tahai, near Hanga Roa. This site features restored moai statues and offers a beautiful introduction to the island’s history.
• Afternoon: – Hanga Roa Town: Explore the main town of Easter Island. Visit the local shops, cafes, and the artisan market for unique souvenirs. – Lunch in Hanga Roa: Enjoy local cuisine at a restaurant in town.
• Evening: – Sunset at Ahu Tahai: Return to Ahu Tahai to witness a stunning sunset over the moai statues.

Day 2: Exploring the Moai and Rano Raraku

• Morning: – Rano Raraku: Visit the volcanic crater that served as the quarry for nearly all the island’s moai statues. Hike around the site to see the hundreds of moai in various stages of completion. – Ahu Tongariki: Just a short drive from Rano Raraku, this is the largest ahu on the island, featuring 15 restored moai. It’s an impressive sight with the ocean in the background.
• Afternoon: – Lunch near Rano Raraku: Enjoy a picnic lunch or eat at a nearby restaurant. – Ahu Akivi: Visit this inland site featuring seven moai statues that face the ocean, unlike most others on the island.
• Evening: – Dinner in Hanga Roa: Return to town for dinner at one of the local restaurants.

 Day 3: Rano Kau and Orongo

• Morning: – Rano Kau: Head to this extinct volcano with a crater lake and breathtaking views. The hike up to the rim provides a panoramic vista of the island and the Pacific Ocean. – Orongo Ceremonial Village: Explore this ancient village located on the edge of the Rano Kau crater. Learn about the Birdman cult and see the stone houses and petroglyphs.
• Afternoon: – Lunch with a View: Enjoy lunch at a scenic spot overlooking the ocean or back in Hanga Roa. – Ahu Vinapu: Visit this archaeological site known for its unique stonework that resembles Inca construction.
• Evening: – Rapa Nui Stargazing: Join a stargazing tour in the evening to observe the clear night skies of Rapa Nui. Learn about the constellations and the significance of the stars to the island’s ancient inhabitants.

Day 4: Beaches and Petroglyphs

• Morning: – Anakena Beach: Spend the morning relaxing at this beautiful white sand beach, known for its turquoise waters and palm trees. Explore the nearby Ahu Nau Nau, a restored platform with moai statues. – Ahu Ature Huki: Another moai near Anakena Beach, notable for its solitary statue.
• Afternoon: – Lunch at Anakena Beach: Enjoy a picnic or eat at one of the beachside food stalls. – Papa Vaka: Visit this site to see ancient petroglyphs depicting marine life, canoes, and other important cultural symbols.
• Evening: – Sunset at Ahu Tongariki: For a different perspective, visit Ahu Tongariki again to see the sunset casting shadows over the moai.

Day 5: Rapa Nui Culture and Relaxation

• Morning: – Ahu Akahanga: Explore this coastal site with multiple fallen moai and learn about the island’s history and the reasons behind the toppling of the statues. – Ana Te Pahu Cave: Visit this large lava tube cave with its lush interior and historical significance.
• Afternoon: – Lunch in Hanga Roa: Enjoy your last meal on the island at a local restaurant. – Rapa Nui Museum: Spend time at the island’s museum to deepen your understanding of the Rapa Nui culture and history through its exhibits.
• Evening: – Traditional Rapa Nui Dance Show: End your trip with a cultural experience. Attend a traditional dance show to see vibrant performances showcasing the island’s music and dance heritage. – Dinner in Hanga Roa: Enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, savouring the flavours of Rapa Nui one last time.

After exploring the Easther Island for 5 days, you have two days to get back to Santiago for your return flight.

Chile is a big country and while we focused on two areas on this visit, there are other places you can explore in Chile if you prefer to venture off the beaten path and discover the country’s lesser-known destinations. While popular attractions are undoubtedly worth visiting, these hidden gems offer a unique and authentic glimpse into the heart and soul of Chile. So immerse yourself in the undiscovered corners of this diverse country and create memories that few travellers can boast of.

One such hidden gem is the picturesque town of Valdivia. Nestled along the banks of the Calle-Calle River, Valdivia is known for its charming mix of German architecture and beautiful riverside promenades. Take a stroll through the town’s historic centre, admiring the colourful facades and enjoying the tranquil atmosphere. Don’t forget to visit the Valdivia Market, where you can sample some of the region’s most delicious seafood and fresh produce.

If you’re seeking a truly remote and untouched destination, look no further than the Aysén Region. This remote corner of Chile is home to mesmerizing fjords, towering glaciers, and pristine lakes. Journey to the Laguna San Rafael National Park and witness the colossal San Rafael Glacier, a magnificent natural wonder that will leave you in awe. Explore the surrounding area by boat, marvelling at the rugged beauty and keeping an eye out for seals and dolphins that call these icy waters home.

Venturing off the beaten path in Chile allows you to discover hidden treasures that will enrich your journey. Whether it’s the charming town of Valdivia, the enchanting Chiloé Archipelago, or the remote Aysén Region, these lesser-known destinations promise to offer a truly unforgettable experience. So, go ahead and step away from the tourist crowds, immerse yourself in the local culture, and create memories that will last a lifetime.,

Embrace the Local Culture on Your Two Week Chile Itinerary

Immersing oneself in the local culture of a destination adds a whole new layer of richness to any travel experience. And when it comes to exploring the secret spots of Chile, embracing the local culture becomes even more essential. These unique experiences not only offer a glimpse into the heart and soul of the country but also allow travellers to connect with the people and traditions that make Chile so captivating.

In the charming town of Valdivia, nestled along the banks of the Calle-Calle River, you’ll find an abundance of opportunities to embrace the local culture. Take a stroll through the bustling markets, where vendors proudly display their traditional crafts and fresh produce. Dive into the vibrant culinary scene and savour mouthwatering dishes that merge indigenous flavours with European influences. And don’t miss the chance to sample the local brews at one of Valdivia’s many breweries, where beer-making has become an art form deeply ingrained in the culture.

Venturing further south, the enchanting Chiloé Archipelago welcomes travellers with its distinct identity and rich folklore. Here, you can witness the unique palafitos, colourful houses perched on stilts above the water, which have become an iconic symbol of the region. Immerse yourself in Chilote mythology and storytelling by visiting one of the many mythical churches, such as the UNESCO World Heritage site of Iglesia San Francisco in Castro. And be sure to indulge in the island’s culinary delights, such as the renowned curanto, a traditional feast cooked in earth ovens, where you’ll get a taste of the ancient traditions that have shaped the local culture.

For those seeking a truly remote and untouched destination, the Aysén Region beckons with its rugged landscapes and serene beauty. Here, you can embrace the local culture by joining a traditional fishing excursion with the locals, learning their time-honored methods and hearing their stories of life on the water. Immerse yourself in the warmth and hospitality of the local communities, and perhaps even participate in a traditional folk dance or festival, where the vibrant music and colorful costumes will transport you to another world.

Embracing the local culture in Chile’s secret spots not only offers unique experiences but also sets the stage for discovering the natural wonders that lie hidden within these remarkable destinations. From mesmerizing fjords to towering glaciers, the next section will take you on a journey through the breathtaking landscapes that await., Embracing the local culture in Chile’s secret spots not only offers unique experiences but also sets the stage for discovering the natural wonders that lie hidden within these remarkable destinations. For those seeking a truly remote and untouched destination, the Aysén Region beckons with its rugged landscapes and serene beauty. Here, you can embrace the local culture by joining a traditional fishing excursion with the locals, learning their time-honored methods, and hearing their stories of life on the water. Immerse yourself in the warmth and hospitality of the local communities, and perhaps even participate in a traditional folk dance or festival, where the vibrant music and colorful costumes will transport you to another world.

Discover the Natural Wonders on Your Two Week Chile Itinerary: Hidden Treasures

As you venture deeper into these secret spots, be prepared to be awestruck by Chile’s mesmerizing fjords and towering glaciers. Picture yourself cruising through the narrow channels of the Chonos Archipelago, with its labyrinth of islands covered in dense forests. As you navigate through this secluded paradise, you’ll witness the sheer power and majesty of nature as massive glaciers calve into the sea, creating a symphony of ice that will leave you breathless.

One of the hidden treasures you’ll encounter is the San Rafael Glacier, a mammoth wall of ice that seems to defy gravity as it cascades down into the turquoise waters below. Take a boat tour and get up close to this awe-inspiring spectacle, listening to the soundtrack of cracking ice and thunderous booms that resonate through the air. It’s a humbling experience that reminds you of the Earth’s immense beauty and strength.

Continuing your exploration, you’ll stumble upon the Marble Caves, an ethereal wonder that seems straight out of a fairytale. Located on Lake General Carrera, these smooth and sculpted formations have been meticulously carved by the hands of time and the gentle caress of the water. Step inside these caverns and marvel at the kaleidoscope of colours that dance across the walls, reflecting the sunlight in shades of blue, green, and gold. It’s a magical sight that will make you feel like you’ve entered a different realm altogether.

As you traverse Chile’s secret spots, each turn reveals a new natural wonder, a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. These landscapes are not only breathtaking but also serve as a testament to the power of nature and the importance of preserving our planet for future generations. So, get ready to uncover the secrets that Chile holds and prepare your taste buds for the culinary delights that await in the next section.

Culinary Delights: Taste the Authentic Flavours on Your Two-Week Chile Itinerary

Continuing your exploration of Chile’s secret spots, another aspect that contributes to the country’s allure is its delectable cuisine. Just as the landscapes enchant, the culinary delights of Chile will captivate your taste buds and leave you craving for more. From traditional dishes passed down through generations to innovative fusion creations, the authentic flavours of Chile are a feast for the senses.

In every corner of this remarkable country, you’ll find a variety of traditional dishes that showcase the rich culinary heritage of Chilean culture. One such dish is the beloved empanadas, which are savoury pastries filled with a tantalizing mix of meat, cheese, and vegetables. Savour each bite and let the blend of flavours transport you to the heart of Chilean gastronomy.

Seafood lovers will rejoice in the abundance of fresh delights that can be found along Chile’s extensive coastline. Indulge in a plate of ceviche, a traditional dish that combines the delicate flavors of raw fish or shellfish marinated in citrus juices and spices. With every forkful, you’ll experience a burst of vibrant flavors that perfectly complement the coastal surroundings.

For a taste of the country’s vibrant street food scene, head to Santiago’s bustling markets where you can find a cornucopia of culinary treasures. Sink your teeth into a completo, a mouthwatering Chilean hot dog adorned with a variety of toppings like sauerkraut, avocado, and mayonnaise. It’s a simple yet satisfying treat that showcases the Chilean passion for flavour.

As you savour the authentic flavours of Chile, be sure to pair your meals with a glass of the country’s renowned wines. Chile’s vineyards produce some of the world’s finest wines, including robust reds and crisp whites. Take a tour of a vineyard and learn about the winemaking process while enjoying a tasting that will transport you on a sensory journey.

With your taste buds tantalized and a newfound appreciation for Chilean cuisine, you’ll be ready to capture the moments that lie ahead. Get your camera ready, as the next section will guide you to the photography hotspots that will truly capture the essence of Chile’s secret spots.,

Capture the Moments on Your Two Week Chile Itinerary: Photography Hotspots

With your taste buds tantalized and a newfound appreciation for Chilean cuisine, you’ll be ready to capture the moments that lie ahead. As you embark on your journey through Chile’s secret spots, make sure to bring your camera along to document the awe-inspiring landscapes and unique experiences that await you. From rugged mountains to pristine lakes, Chile offers a plethora of photography hotspots that will truly capture the essence of this breathtaking country.

One of the must-visit photography hotspots in Chile is the Torres del Paine National Park. Located in the southern part of the country, this national park boasts towering granite peaks, immense glaciers, and crystal-clear lakes. The iconic Torres del Paine mountains, with their jagged peaks, are a favourite subject for many photographers. Whether you’re a professional or an amateur, this national park will provide you with endless opportunities to snap postcard-worthy shots.

As you travel throughout Chile, keep your eyes peeled for unexpected photography opportunities. From picturesque coastal villages to bustling local markets, the country is full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Be sure to explore the off-the-beaten-path locations, as they often offer the most authentic and enchanting experiences.

With your camera in hand, you have the power to freeze time and capture the beauty and charm of Chile’s secret spots. These photography hotspots will provide you with the perfect settings to unleash your creativity and create visual memories that will last a lifetime. So, get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey, where every click of the shutter reveals the true essence of Chile.,

In conclusion, this two week Chile Itinerary gives you an idea of how best to explore Chile and all the remarkable journey that goes beyond the ordinary. By venturing off the beaten path, embracing the local culture, and discovering hidden natural wonders, you will unlock a world of unique experiences. From tasting the authentic flavours of Chile to capturing unforgettable moments at photography hotspots, this country has something for every traveller. So, pack your bags and embark on an adventure that will create memories lasting a lifetime. As explorer Paul Theroux once said, “Travel is glamorous only in retrospect,” so don’t wait any longer. Experience Chile’s secrets firsthand and let the magic unfold. Your unforgettable journey starts now.

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Ultimate 2 Week Chile Itinerary for the Adventurer

Stunning diverse landscapes cover Chile all the way from the North to the South. Our 2 week Chile itinerary takes you through four regions: the wild south of Patagonia in Torres Del Paine National Park, the bohemian port city of Valparaiso, the mystical Elqui Valley where mountains are covered in cacti, and lastly to the Atacama Desert, considered one of the best places in the world for stargazing. Your 2 weeks in Chile will be filled with adventure!

Ultimate 2 Week Chile Itinerary

Day 1: Santiago

We stayed in Santiago for two nights but were underwhelmed by the capital city and recommend saving days for other exciting parts of Chile. Once you arrive in Chile get a good nights rest in a hotel close to the airport to prepare for your flight to Patagonia the next day.

Day 2: Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales is the main hub and closest city to Torres Del Paine National Park. It's just a 2 hour drive away from the park entrance. We loved the cute port city and were surprised by the variety of quirky restaurants, bars and cafes in the area. The first day in the city will be your preparation day before going into the park.

To get to Puerto Natales from Santiago, you will have to take a 3-hour flight. Our flight left at 11 AM and we had no problem preparing everything for our trek the next day. Make sure you book your flight far in advance, as it books up fast.

You don't have to do a multi-day hike to see the famous three towers in Torres Del Paine National Park. You can do a day hike and camp or stay at a hotel at the base of the park. You will need to purchase your bus tickets and any hiking snacks in Puerto Natales the day before you leave, as well as pick up your camping equipment if you're renting anything such as a tent, sleeping bags etc.

Where to stay in Puerto Natales

Hostal treehouse.

Toore Patagonia

Where to eat in Puerto Natales

Best for lunch: Cafe Artimana

Cafe Artimana offers hearty Chilean cuisine. They have stellar reviews, with a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor. I ordered the homemade vegetable gnocchi and Ari the salmon salad. Both did not disappoint. The environment was warm with a cozy artistic decor and great music.

Best for an intimate dinner: Aldea

Aldea has delicious local food, which changes frequently on their blackboard. The high quality dishes, wine selection and intimate setting make for a fabulous evening. We ordered the ceviche and lamb with a glass of red Chilean wine. The owner had great wine recommendations.

Best value dinner: La Guanaca

If you want something easy to have back your hotel, pick up a delicious wood-fired oven pizza at La Guanaca.

Days 3-4: Torres Del Paine National Park

Today you will arrive in the beautiful and rugged Torres Del Paine National Park, where you can hike up to the famous Three Towers of Paine. Once you ascend 750 m to the Towers Lookout, you are rewarded with spectacular views of the three granite towers behind a blue glacial pool.

Prepare for the weather, as it's extremely windy and you could have a blizzard come through at any moment. The best time to hike in Torres Del Paine is from November-March when it's summertime.

To hike to the Three Towers, there are three ways to go about your itinerary:

Option 1: camp in Torres Del Paine National Park

• Take the 7 AM bus to the Amarga entrance at Torres Del Paine National Park.
• There is a shuttle that leaves from Amarga to Las Torres Hotel where you start your hike.
• Hike up to the Towers Lookout and drop off your camping gear at the Chileno refugio along the way. We rented our gear from Rental Natales.
• Hike back down to Chileno and camp there over night. Chileno has a lodge you can eat at. The total hike for the day is about 13 km with a 750m ascent and 400m descent. It will take you around 7 hours.
• The next day hike the 5 km back down to Los Torres Hotel. From there, take the shuttle to Amarga and the bus back to Puerto Natales for the night.

Option 2: stay in a hotel in Torres Del Paine National Park

• Organize transfer with your hotel to get from Puerto Natales to the hotel.
• Spend the rest of the day relaxing and taking in the views at the hotel.
• Do the day hike to the Towers Lookout early the next morning. Your hotel will shuttle you to the start of the hike. The total hike is about 18km (750 m ascent, 750 m descent) and will take you 8-9 hours.
• Spend another night at your hotel and arrange transfer to the airport the next day.

Option 3: organize a day trip with a guided tour

If you don't want to stress about logistics like transportation or hiking directions, organize a day trip with a guided tour.

Extension options: If you're able to extend your 2 weeks in Chile we recommend doing the 5 day W Trek in Patagonia. Read our comprehensive 5 Day W Trek itinerary for more info.

Days 5-7: Valparaiso

You don't want to miss seeing the less travelled city of Valparaiso. The bohemian city was a thriving port and "Jewel of the Pacific" in the late 19th century, until a massive earthquake struck in 1906 and the Panama Canal was completed in 1914. Wealthy families abandoned the city and it underwent 100 years of decline.

Valparaiso became the Berlin of Chile attracting artists, creatives, writers, and poets. It's filled with street art, contemporary art galleries, fascinating architecture and quirky hillside cafes and bars.

Located an hour west of Santiago, it is an easy drive from the Santiago airport. Renting cars in Chile is easy and the roads are great to drive on.

Where to stay in Valparaiso

Breakfast was included and had a good spread with banana smoothies and avocado toast. We enjoyed sitting in chairs made out of old free-standing bathtubs for breakfast and drinking wine with the owner up on the rooftop patio in the evening. The hotel doesn't accept check in past 10 PM, so plan your flight accordingly!

Fun things to do in Valparaiso

• Take the funicular up the hills and walk down to explore different neighbourhoods
• Explore Concepcion neighbourhood, filled with quirky cafes, restaurants and art galleries. It was our favourite area.
• Walk up Cumming street, starting from the bottom. This is where you can find tons of live music bars and restaurants - pick your choice of music and enjoy! Most restaurants open late in the evening at 8:00 PM.
• Cook your own private dinner on the balcony of your room at the Winebox Hotel
• Have cocktails up on the rooftop of Winebox hotel

Day 8-10: Elqui Valley

Road trip time! If you have a rental car you can either drive 6.5 hours to Pisco, Elqui from Valparaiso or you can drive back to Santiago, take a quick 1 hour flight to La Serena and pick up another rental car for the 1.5 hour drive into the Elqui Valley. We chose the latter to limit our driving time.

The relaxed and sunny drive from La Serena Airport to Pisco Elqui was one of the most beautiful drives we've ever done. We had never seen so many cacti or rather, mountains covered in cacti in our lives. It was exciting driving through the "route of the stars" to the quaint town of Pisco Elqui. The area is famous for its astro tourism and production of Pisco, a type of brandy used to make one of our favourite cocktails, the Pisco Sour.

Where to stay in Pisco Elqui

It's worth splurging for the Aire cabana. It sits at the very top of the hill and has a large terrace overlooking the mountains with sunbeds for star gazing. It felt very private. The cabana is spacious with high ceilings and four large skylights. Service was impeccable and we were welcomed with a refreshing Pisco Sour on arrival. Each morning the hotel staff brought breakfast to our patio outside, which included eggs, fresh fruit juice, cold cuts meats, cheese, bread, avocado, and five different types of sliced fruit!

Pisco is the perfect place for relaxation and introspection. We spent our time admiring the view and stargazing on our terrace, swimming in the pool and cooking on our private BBQ. It was a wonderful place to connect with nature. The town of San Pedro has a couple small grocery stores and a cute market where you can shop for local goodies. I bought a pair of earrings.

Pisco Tours

When one is in Pisco, one must go on a Pisco tasting tour! We went on a Pisco tour at the Mistral Pisco Distillery , which cost 6,000 CLP per person ($9 USD). It included a tour of their vineyard and how they produce Pisco, two tastings, and a monogramed Pisco glass. We enjoyed drinking Pisco Sours afterwards on their large outdoor terrace and eating fresh ceviche.

Day 11-14: Atacama Desert

The mountainous landscape of the Atacama Desert was like nothing we had ever seen before. It felt like we were on Mars. It was completely barren with not even one tree or cactus. We can see why NASA tests rovers here!

The night sky was what we were the most excited for. The arid desert conditions and altitude make it arguably the best place in the world to see the stars and galaxies. The stars seemed closer, almost like you could touch them, and they were vibrant in colour and brightness.

When we were flying in, we noticed it was raining and thought that was strange since the area only gets 15 mm of rain each year! We soon learned there was a rare flash flood blocking the only road to San Pedro de Atacama and flooding the town! San Pedro de Atacama is the main hub for tourist attractions, so everything was closed for the next week.

Amazing things to do in the Atacama Desert

Visit the paranal obervatory to see the very large telescope.

We were fortunately still able to visit one of our 'most excited to see' attractions located in the southwest: The Very Large Telescope. We had a childhood dream come true by visiting the Paranal Observatory , home of the largest telescope on earth.

Not only did we get to see the telescope and where the astronomers work, we got to see their famous residence featured in the movie, James Bond Quantum Solace! Even better, the tour is free. Space is limited since they only run tours on Saturdays. Make sure to book well in advance!

Visit The Hand of the Desert at sunset

The Hand of the Desert is a 11 meter high sculpture on the way to the Paranal Observatory and is worth a visit. It was created by the awarded Chilean artist, Mario Irarrázabal in 1992 and is free!

Take day trips from San Pedro De Atacama to see incredible landscapes

Go on a stargazing tour.

Don't forget to add a stargazing tour to your itinerary. We booked a stargazing tour with Atacama Desert Stargazing by Jorge , a LuxuryTravelGuide award winner for Unique Experience of the Year in 2016 that we had to sadly cancel due to the flooding. We were sad to miss out on seeing the night sky with a telescope. Make sure you plan your visit around the new moon, so you have the best view of the stars possible. A lot of stargazing tours don't open during a certain period around the full moon due to the visibility of the stars.

Enjoy an incredible 2 weeks in Chile!

Get started on booking your trip to Chile

• 🌃 Book your accommodation: Booking.com is our go-to for finding places to stay. Sort by top reviewed.
• 🚗 Reserve your car rental: see Rentalcars.com to compare car rental prices across different companies.
• 🤠 Guided tours: browse fun outings through Viator or GetYourGuide .
• 🛫 Book your flight: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).

Planning a trip to South America? Check out our travel guides to Argentina, Peru and Rio De Janeiro!

• Argentina: one week itinerary for the foodie and wine lover
• Brazil: 10 non-touristy things to do in Rio De Janeiro
• Peru: hiking the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu

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Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out our list of Fun Adventure Ideas and list of Cultural Travel Experiences to inspire your next trip.

Are you a food lover? Don't miss our list of Outstanding Culinary Experiences Around the World .

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A Two-Week Chile Travel Itinerary

¡Bienvenido! Two weeks in Chile should give you sufficient time to see the highlights, from the busy metropolis of Santiago , the quirky and colourful streets of Valparaíso , traditional life on Chiloé for both penguins and Chilotes, the jagged peaks of the Andes side by side the stretching glaciers in Patagonia and the dry dusty Atacama , where the formidable sunsets give way to the celestial skies.

Santiago: days 1–2.

Day 1: Santiago

Awaken in your chic hotel and enjoy a hearty breakfast before setting off on a walking tour of the city. Begin with the stunning neoclassical La Moneda, then onto the Plaza de Armas, where you should visit the Catedral Metropolitana before investigating the many varieties of fish at Mercado Central. Walk east towards Parque Forestal, where you will find the Bellas Artes Museum, either grab a bite to eat or a coffee in the quaint Lastarria neighbourhood, before walking through Parque Forestal to Bellavista . Here you will find famous Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda’s house La Chascona. Discover the neighbourhood’s street art, then visit the zoo or take the funicular to the top of Cerro San Cristobal to watch the sunset. Enjoy a typical Chilean meal and pisco sour in the buzzing Bellavista.

Day 2: Santiago & a vineyard

History enthusiasts should visit the Museum of Human Rights in Quinta Normal—although it is very shocking, the history is extremely interesting. After that you can visit Calle Londres or Villa Grimaldi, which gives another perspective of the despicable things that happened under the Pinochet dictatorship. For a lighter afternoon, visit one of Santiago’s surrounding vineyards , whether it’s Concha Y Toro, Santa Rita or Cousiño Macul, taste the Syrahs and Carménères.

Valparaíso: Day 3

Day 3: Valparaíso day trip

Hop on a bus towards the coastal city of Valparaíso , known for its incredible street art and bohemian vibe. Stroll around Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion and you’ll be sure to spot the colourful murals stretching up the sides of buildings. Here there are a number of restaurants and cafés to re-energize at after walking up and down the steep hills! After lunch, visit La Sebastiana, Neruda’s second house which overlooks the bay. If you are here on a weekend, the city has a wild nightlife !

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Chiloé: Days 4–6

Day 4: Santiago–Castro

Fly from Santiago to Puerto Montt; from there you can take a bus to Castro where the colourful wooden palafitos will be awaiting you! Spend the afternoon spotting penguins on the Monumento Natural Islotes de Puñihuil —it is the only place in the world where you can see Magallanic and Humboldt penguins in the same place. For your evening meal, you absolutely must have a curanto, the local dish of Chiloé, consisting of meat, fish, potatoes and vegetables.

Day 5: Castro–Puerto Montt

Discover Castro’s artisan craft market, where you will see many wool-knitted items, handmade jewelry and much more, making the perfect presents. After which, the impressive Chiloé churches are beckoning you; the Churches of San Francisco and Rilán are both in Castro, while the Iglesia Nercón isn’t far. Make your journey back to Puerto Montt for your morning flight to Patagonia.

Patagonia: Days 6–10

Day 6: Puerto Montt–Punta Arenas–Torres del Paine

Although it will take the best part of a day to get to the Torres del Paine , it’ll be worth it when you get there. Take a morning flight from Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas, which takes just over two hours, then drive to the Torres del Paine National Park via Puerto Natales. Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing, preparing for a big day tomorrow. There are a number of stunning hotels with incredible views over the national park, or if you’re on a budget you can stay either in the rustic refugios, or camp in one of the many campsites.

Day 7: Torres del Paine

If you are a keen hiker and wanted to conquer the W-trek, you will need more time in Torres del Paine as it takes four to five days. You can, however, trek to the base of the Torres in one day, which we recommend you do today after an early night, weather dependant. Take a picnic with you and hike up to the stunning glacial lake that sits underneath the towering peaks of the Torres. After that you definitely would’ve earned some spa time!

Day 8: Torres del Paine

Wake up to incredible views of the national park and get ready for another epic day in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Your morning will consist of an easy three-hour walk around Las Cornisas, seeing the peaks from another angle, the rugged landscape and the stunning turquoise Lake Pehoé. For the afternoon, take a boat trip out to the Grey Glacier and see this looming mass of ice up close, or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can go on a five-hour ice hike across the top of it.

Day 9: Torres del Paine–Punta Arenas

Watch the stunning views as you drive back down to Punta Arenas. This is not a journey to nap on: there’s a high chance there will be a number of photo stops ! Once you have arrived Punta Arenas, take an afternoon tour to Isla Magdalena where 60,000 breeding pairs of Magellanic penguins rule the island.

Day 10: Punta Arenas–Santiago

Your last day in Patagonia should be spent at Parque Pinguino Rey, where eight king penguins live—the only colony outside Antarctica. The owner found them, ironically, in Bahia Inútil (Useless Bay) and has been preserving the area ever since, opening the park in 2011 for tourists. Take an evening flight back to Santiago and spend the night near to the airport for an early flight up to San Pedro de Atacama.

Atacama: Days 10–14

Day 11: Santiago–Calama

Take an early flight out of the capital to Calama, which is the nearest airport to San Pedro de Atacama. Once you’ve arrived in the dusty village, check in to your hotel or hostel and book yourself onto an afternoon tour of Valle de la Luna , where you will see an epic sunset over the incredible landscape. Have a quiet night, and treat yourself to some delicious Chilean cuisine before an early start.

Day 12: San Pedro de Atacama

Rise and shine! Tours for Geysers el Tatio tend to leave Atacama bright and early at 4am. Don’t forget to wrap up warm and take some coca leaf tea, which helps with the altitude as the Geysers are at 4,320 meters (14,175 feet), making them the highest in the world. After you’ve learned about the history of the geysers, you can jump into one of the hot springs—just be warned: it’s freezing when you get out! After an early morning, the only way to spend your afternoon is at the Termas Puritama, a collection of eight natural hot pools among the vegetation and the steep valley.

Day 13: San Pedro de Atacama

Today’s the day to discover the incredible Lagunas Altiplánicas, Piedras Rojas and the Salar de Atacama, which again are at high altitude. It’s impossible not to be blown away by these views. Equally, it’s hard to take a bad photo, with stretching azure blue lakes magnifying the snow-capped peaks of the Andes, followed by the volcanic red rocks against the green lake. And finally, the rugged salt flats where flamingoes linger in the crystal clear blue lakes. Romantics and stargazers will love looking at the celestial sky and trying to spot the milky way.

Day 14: Calama—Santiago

Unfortunately the time has come to leave, after a whirlwind two weeks of a jam-packed itinerary, it’s time to relax and reflect on all the wonderful views and vistas. Have a tranquil afternoon perusing the interior design shops and antique markets of Barrio Italia before treating yourself to one of Santiago’s finest restaurants , which of course, must be complemented with Chilean wine .

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Chile Itinerary: The best of Chile in 2 weeks

This itinerary offers the best of Chile in 2 weeks. Start in the capital, Santiago, where you’ll enjoy elegant colonial architecture, bustling markets and the infamous lomito sandwich. Zip over to Valparaiso, Chile’s main port city and get lost in its colorful hilltop neighborhoods. Visit the expansive beach of Viña del Mar, also known as the “Garden City” for its lush green spaces. Then take on a variety of outdoor adventures in Pucon, from hiking to volcano climbing. Enjoy your wanders in Chile!

Santiago : 4 days + 1 travel day Valparaiso : 3 days Viña del Mar : 1 day Pucon : 3 days + 1 travel day

Days 1-5: Santiago

Santiago is an energetic, yet manageable capital that’s easy to walk around and fun to explore. In the Plaza de Armas , the city’s main social hub, get a feel for everyday life. Check out the frenetic markets of Mercado Central and  La Vega . Spend an afternoon visiting   Cerro Santa Lucia , a lovely hilltop park, or see pre-Colombian artworks and artifacts at the  Museo Chilean de Arte Precolombino . Don’t leave without trying the iconic “lomito,” an authentic Chilean sandwich. And for a memorable outing, make the scenic hike through  Parque Metropolitano de Santiago  to the top of  Cerro San Cristobal . For more details, visit our post on  Santiago, Chile .

Days 6-8: Valparaiso

From Santiago, take the short, two hour bus ride to reach Valparaiso (“Valpo.”) In “El Plan,” take in the exquisite heritage buildings and lively cafés of Plaza Sotomayor, the town’s main square. Enjoy fresh seafood at a local eatery like Restaurant Montserrat near the waterfront. Passing the walls of graffiti and the town’s infamous street art, climb up into the hills of the residential neighborhoods. Marvel at the different colored homes on picturesque streets like Pasaje Templeman and Paseo Atkinson . And enjoy a ride on one of the town’s many funiculars . For more details, visit our post on Valparaiso, Chile .

Day 9: Viña del Mar

From Valparaiso, it’s just a 15-minute bus ride to the beach city of Viña del Mar. Start off by walking through the picturesque neighborhoods up in the cerro (“hills”) before making your way to el Plan (“downtown”). Visit Museo Fonck , an archeology and history museum or just see its Moai statue on display outside the entrance. Pass by art deco landmark, Hotel O’Higgins , the oldest hotel in the city, and wander through the manicured gardens of Plaza Vergara. At the beach, walk along the boardwalk and take in the sights of sunbathers, strollers and wandering gypsies. For more details, visit our post on Viña del Mar, Argentina .

Days 10-13: Pucon

From Viña del Mar, head back to Valparaiso to take an overnight bus ride to the tiny resort town of Pucon. Arrange for an outdoor activity such as skiing, white water rafting or volcano climbing. Alternatively, take a more  Cheap and Charming approach by taking advantage of sights in and near town. Visit  La Poza , a vast woodland park along beautiful  Villarica Lake featuring a black beach made of volcanic sand. Or take a short local bus ride to Huerquehue National Park offering multiple hiking trails. For more details, visit our post on Pucon, Chile , or join us on our wanders in Uruguay:  The best of Uruguay in 2 weeks

EVERGIB Wanders

Rachel Scott Everett and Brian Gibson believe travel is an extraordinary way to feel alive. After they spent a combined 2 years backpacking around the world, they continue to seek out new adventures, ever mindful that there's always more to learn, appreciate and experience. When not wandering, Rachel and Brian are Co-Founders and Creative Directors at EVERGIB, a nomadic creative studio specializing in strategically-led advertising and branding. #WorkWanderRepeat

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Two-Week Best of Chile Itinerary

Chile’s sinewy length is matched by a wealth of places to visit. It’s no mean feat to pack in the country’s highlights in a two-week trip. Stand in awe of some of its most jaw-dropping landscapes and remotest national parks while soaking up history and culture. This itinerary is selective and fast-paced. It requires a number of domestic flights to cover the necessary long distances between attractions.

Arrive in the morning into Santiago’s Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Merino Benítez and take a taxi to the city center. Drop your luggage at the stylish boutique hotel The Aubrey, in the heart of Barrio Bellavista.

In the vibrant Barrio Lastarria, take the paved path to the top of Cerro Santa Lucía for dazzling panoramas across the city to the mountains beyond.

Head to the Plaza de Armas, Santiago’s main square. Visit the 18th-century Catedral Metropolitana before spending an hour or so in the superb Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, exploring the underground room dedicated to pre-Colombian Chilean textiles, ceramics, and religious artifacts.

For dinner, get acquainted with the country’s diverse organic wines and creatively plated Chilean dishes at Polvo Bar de Vinos.

Valparaíso and Valle de Casablanca

Take the 1.5-hour bus ride west to the wine region of Valle de Casablanca and rent a taxi to take you around the nearby wineries. Drop in for a tasting and vineyard tour at Viñamar and Emiliana, then have lunch at Tanino, the on-site restaurant at Casas del Bosque.

Hop back on the public bus; it’s an hour-long journey to Valparaíso, where you can stay the night in Winebox, a hotel owned by the former winemaker of Casas del Bosque.

Start early for the 1.5-hour bus ride to Casa Museo Isla Negra, the sea-inspired home of poet Pablo Neruda, south of the city. Dine on baked parmesan razor clams at the museum’s restaurant, El Rincón del Poeta, before returning to Valparaíso.

Spend the afternoon visiting viewpoints in the graffiti-daubed hills of Cerro Alegre. Pop into the Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes for a history lesson about the city. Be sure to ride on a couple of the creaky ascensores, historic funiculars that transport passengers up the city’s steep hills.

Southern Patagonia

Catch the bus to the Santiago airport and take an early-morning flight to Aeropuerto Internacional Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (3.5 hours), the main airport in Patagonia. From the airport, a bus (3.25 hours) runs north to Puerto Natales, where you can wander among historic weatherworn buildings and watch birds from the banks of the mountain-fringed sound on which the town is situated. Note that it’s possible to fly directly to Puerto Natales from Santiago during high season. This will allow enough time for a half-day horseback tour at a nearby ranch.

Rent a car for the following day’s drive. Have dinner at the innovative Lenga (make a reservation ahead of time) before getting a good night’s sleep in elegant VinnHaus.

Leave early for the 2.5-hour drive to the southern entrance of Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. Take a three-hour boat tour with Turismo Lago Grey to the snout of the dazzling Glaciar Grey.

Have dinner at Hotel Lago Grey, where you’ll get views of bobbing icebergs on the lake. This is also a good spot to spend the night.

From your hotel, take the road through the national park to the Centro de Bienvenida. From here, take the trail to Mirador Las Torres (15km round-trip, 4 hours), a viewpoint of the park’s eponymous towers. It’s a steep climb up a rocky valley to reach the lake and granite peaks. Return the way you came.

Drive back to Puerto Natales. Treat yourself with a night in the gorgeous fjord-side hotel Simple Patagonia. Dine next door in The Singular Patagonia, with its lavish wine menu and gourmet Patagonian-inspired cuisine.

It’s time to visit Argentinean Patagonia. Board a bus (5hr) for El Calafate, Argentina. Continue on to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, 1.5 hours by bus from El Calafate. In this park of extreme contrasts, you can get within a few hundred meters of Glaciar Perito Moreno, one of only three glaciers in the world that’s growing.

When you get back to El Calafate, dine on steak and sip malbec at classy La Zaina before spending the night at the quirky Patagonia Rebelde or the friendly midrange Kau Yatún.

Return to Puerto Natales by bus (5-8 hours). Transfer to a Punta Arenas-bound bus (3.25 hours). Once you arrive in Punta Arenas, try the king crab at the beautifully situated La Yegua Loca, which is also an inn. Spend the night here or at the affordable Hotel Lacolet.

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From Punta Arenas, it’s possible to take a day tour of two different penguin colonies. The closer of the two is the Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos on Isla Magdalena. After a ferry or speedboat ride, you’ll disembark on an island occupied by thousands of chattering Magellanic penguins.

The other option is to take a tour from Punta Arenas to the Parque Pingüino Rey, in Tierra del Fuego. This private reserve protects a small colony of king penguins—the only colony in the Americas.

Visit the Museo Regional de Magallanes to learn about a prominent Punta Arenas wool merchant family. Wander the promenade that parallels the Strait of Magellan for potential dolphin sightings.

Take an afternoon flight to Puerto Montt (2.25hr), then transfer from the airport to lakeside Puerto Varas, just 20 minutes away. Dine at La Olla for a feast of traditional Chilean seafood and stay overnight at hostel Compass del Sur to best appreciate the town’s homespun charm.

Lakes District

Rent a car in Puerto Varas and drive an hour to Lago Todos Los Santos in Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales. Check out the superb on-site museum, then take a short wander along the lake’s black-sand beach. On your way out of the park, stop to take in views of the majestic Saltos del Petrohué waterfalls.

On the road back to Puerto Varas, stop at the boutique hotel AWA and treat yourself with gourmet dining and a luxurious stay on the shores of Lago Llanquihue.

Rise early and return to Puerto Varas, where you can either drive or rent a bike and pedal north around the lake to quaint Frutillar. Catch a show at the glorious Teatro del Lago followed by afternoon tea overlooking the lavender fields at Lavanda Casa de Té.

Back in Puerto Varas, enjoy Patagonian craft beer and pizza with exquisite lake views at La Mesa Tropera. Check into a lodging in town and get a good night’s rest.

Catch a bus north to Pucón (5hr) and spend the afternoon sunbathing on the black volcanic sand of Playa Grande or relaxing in the hot spring water of the Japanese-inspired Termas Geométricas. You may feel like you’re in Europe thanks to the authentic Italian dishes at Andiamo. Bed down for an early night in one of the cozy hobbit holes at Chili Kiwi.

Wake before dawn for the challenging full-day ascent of Volcán Villarrica. Alternatively, catch a bus to Parque Nacional Huerquehue for a gentler hike along one of the park’s trails.

Return to Pucón and toast your Chilean adventures with Mapuche-inspired dishes at La Fleur de Sel and a night at Maison Nomade B&B, with its startling volcano views. In the morning, you’ll fly to Santiago, then back home.

Steph Dyson

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A 2-Week Chile Itinerary

By: Author Laura Bronner

Posted on Last updated: April 30, 2020

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A 2-week Chile itinerary will allow you to cover lots of ground while getting a real sense of the country. There are so many amazing things to do in Chile and you want to give yourself enough time to see a few of them.

Chile is an incredible country with spectacular nature attractions, diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife.

From the driest place in the world the Atacama desert to the snowy peaks of the Andes, from the sandy beaches of Viña del Mar to the massive glaciers of Patagonia, every corner of the country has something unique to impress travelers from all over the world.

Best Season for Traveling Chile

Summer, from November to March, is the best time to travel to Chile especially if you’re planning to visit the Patagonia region.

If you want to skip the crowds and enjoy the good weather I’d suggest traveling in November or March when it’s still nice and warm but there are significantly fewer people.

January and February, the summer holiday in Chile and Argentina, are the busiest months for traveling.

Many locals spend the summer holiday exploring their own country, thousands of people head to places like Atacama, Patagonia, and the coast.

The border season, September-October and April-May, is, in general, a good time for traveling due to the reduced number of tourists and cheaper accommodation prices.

It’s however not a very good time for visiting Patagonia or hiking in Torres del Paine , since it gets rainy and quite cold there.

Best Ways of Traveling Around Chile

Flying is the fastest way of moving between the places that are far apart like Santiago de Chile, Atacama Desert and Patagonia.

Some places like Easter Island can be reached only by air.

Buses work great for middle distance traveling e.g. from Santiago to the Lake District. There are many long-distance overnight buses from the capital to the different parts of the country including Atacama and Patagonia.

It’ll take much longer to get there by bus but it’s cheaper than flying.

Renting a car is a good option if you’re a couple of people sharing it.

Having a car is great for traveling through Patagonia or exploring the Atacama desert where the attractions are quite far apart and there is no public transport that can be used to reach them.

The best way to visit many places and to spend as little time as possible commuting between them is to combine flying and renting a car.

You can fly from Santiago to Atacama or Puerto Natales and rent a car there.

Day 1 Chile Itinerary: Santiago de Chile

Morning/afternoon.

If you arrive in Santiago in the morning or afternoon you’ll still have some time to do some sightseeing in the city.

Start your day in Santiago visiting San Cristobal Hill, one of the hills within the city with great views of the historical center.

The area around the hill is very green and beautiful; Japanese Garden, open-air sculpture museum, Metropolitan Park and a funicular. One can spend a couple of hours walking around San Cristobal Hill.

From there head to the Central Market, about 1,5km away from the Hill.

The market is huge with a great variety of local products from fresh seafood and vegetables to empanadas, cheeses, and sweets. The market is open every day from 6am to 5pm. You can have lunch here; there are several restaurants and take-away places.

From the Mercado it’s just 400m to Plaza de Armas the main square in Santiago. There are several beautiful historical buildings in the Plaza.

Barrio Bellavista the area next to San Cristobal Hill is the best area to go out in Santiago.

Many bars and restaurants open here till early morning. The main party street here is Pio Nono. On Friday and Saturday night the barrio gets very busy.

If you arrive in the evening you can go out for dinner or a couple of drinks in Bellavista. It’s not recommended to visit any park or Cerros at night time in Santiago.

Read : 1 Week Colombia Itinerary

Days 2-4: The Atacama desert

There is a lot to see in the driest desert in the world besides sand and dunes.

Atacama has enough to keep you busy for a week or two. The best place to be based to explore the area is the small town of San Pedro de Atacama located in the heart of the desert.

San Pedro is a very nice place with many hotels, hostels, restaurants and tour agencies. It’s easy to find accommodation or arrange a tour here.

December – January is the busiest time in Atacama with many international and local tourists coming here for holiday. If you’re planning your trip for that time it’s better to book accommodation and activities in advance.

Day 2. Laguna Cejar, Death Valley, Moon Valley

Regardless if you fly or take a night bus from Santiago it’ll take you some time to get to your hotel, check-in, etc. Don’t schedule any activities for the morning.

Later in the day you can start exploring the Atacama desert by visiting one of the famous lagoons and valleys.

Most of the attractions in Atacama are accessible only by car; there is no public transport going there and they’re too far to cycle from San Pedro. Whether you decide to rent a car or to join a tour; it’ll take at least a couple of hours to visit a lagoon or a valley.

Laguna Cejar is one of the main attractions to visit in the desert.

It’s a beautiful blue color lake with a very high concentration of salt in its water. Swimming in Laguna Cejar is like swimming in the Dead Sea, you just float on the surface. 

You can take a tour like this one that will allow you to see all of this without having to make your own way to this famous lagoon. 

After visiting Laguna Cejar it’s time to see other highlights of the Atacama desert; the Moon Valley and the Death Valley.

Both are located close enough to the town for cycling, it is about 7km one way.

There are many bicycle rental places in San Pedro you can rent a bicycle for a couple of hours to get to the valleys and back. Sunset is the best time to visit both Valleys.

Massive sand dunes, bizarre shaped rocks of different shades of red and orange look especially impressive at sundown. The best views of the area you can get from one of the view-points e.g. Mirador Piedra del Coyote.

Day 3. Salar de Atacama, Laguna Chaxa, Lagunas Altiplanicas, stargazing in the desert.

Prepare for a very busy day with a lot to see and experience.

You can start by visiting Salar de Atacama and the stunning Laguna Chaxa.

The Salar is the biggest salt flat in Chile, the landscape there is spectacular; bare land covered in a thin layer of salt, rugged rocks, colorful lakes and lagoons surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Andes. Salar de Atacama is a great place for photos.

Laguna Chaxa is located within the Salar, it is famous for flamingos feeding in its waters.

The Laguna is one of the best places in Chile to see these birds from closeby.

From Laguna Chaxa head to another group of lakes called Lagunas Altiplanicas.

There are two lakes that form the group; Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques. The lakes are famous for their turquoise color water. On a sunny and not windy day the surfaces of the lakes look like two gigantic mirrors with a perfect reflection of the nearby mountains, clouds and the sky.

It’ll take pretty much the whole day to visit all these attractions, you can expect to be back in San Pedro by the evening.

This Get Your Guide Tour of the salt flats has several great reviews and includes tons of stops throughout the Atacama Desert.

The Atacama desert is one of the best places in the world for stargazing.

To see the incredible night sky with millions of stars you can just walk out of the town into the desert.

If you want to get an ultimate stargazing experience consider doing an astronomical tour during which you’ll learn a lot about stars and constellations, and get a chance to observe the night sky through a telescope. 

This night tour is absolutely incredible if this is something that interests you. 

Day 4. El Tatio geyser field

Visiting El Tatio geyser field is a must-do in the Atacama desert.

The field is located high in the Andes, at about 4300m above sea level, it’s the highest geyser field in the world and the largest of its kind in the Southern hemisphere.

There are more than 80 geysers and a hundred small fumaroles in the area.

Joining a tour is probably the easiest and the cheapest way of getting there.

Most tours leave very early in the morning to make it in time for the sunrise.

You can watch a beautiful sunrise in the desert while soaking in the hot water of one of the thermal pools. It gets quite cold at night and early morning sitting in a hot pool when the outside temperature is below 0 º C is a real pleasure.

The tour takes 6-7 hours, make sure to book a flight or buy a bus ticket for late afternoon/evening to have enough time to get back. Alternatively, you can take a tour like this one so that you don’t want to worry about the bus network picking you up in time. 

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Day 5-6. Valparaíso/Viña del Mar

Both cities are sort of merged together, it’s very easy to commute between them.

Valparaiso is the art capital of Chile while Viña del Mar is a popular beach destination. Where to stay is up to you. If you want to be close to the beach, choose a hotel near Playa Blanca or Playa de los Cañones in Viña.

If you prefer staying in a vibrant neighborhood with many bars and restaurants, Concepcion or Bellavista in Valparaiso are great areas to stay.

Day 5 Chile Itinerary: Valparaiso

Spend a day exploring the artistic neighborhoods of Valparaiso.

Valparaiso has many Cerros (hills); the colorful narrow streets of the historical center climbing up and down create a feeling of walking through a maze. Luckily there are several old funiculars that can take you up or down, using them is very cheap.

Start your day in the Cerro Bellavista neighborhood.

To get there take Espiritu Santo Ascensor, an old funicular that will take you to the top of the hill. One of the must-see places in Valparaiso is Museo a Cielo Abierto, an open-air museum with dozens of stunning murals painted on the walls of the houses by Chilean artists.

The Museum was opened 30 years ago and till now it is one of the most interesting places to visit in the city.

All three main Cerros; Cerro Bellavista, Cerro Concepcion and La Sebastiana, are full of murals and street art.

Wandering along the narrow cobbled streets of these neighborhoods you can discover many beautiful corners e.g. stairs painted like a rainbow or a piano keyboard. One can spend hours exploring the streets of Bellavista or Concepcion. There are a couple of great look-outs in the area with some stunning views of the coast and the city.

Riding an old tram through the city is another fun thing to do in Valparaiso. The tram line goes past the main tourist attractions in downtown; it’s a good way to see the city.

Valparaiso is an amazing place to come for New Year’s Eve. The city is famous for fireworks and all-night street parties.

Whether you want to have a romantic dinner or go out for a beer there are plenty of places in Valparaiso to choose from.

Day 6. Viña del Mar

Chilling on the beach in Viña del Mar after the previous days filled with activities is a great way to recharge and prepare for the second half of the trip.

There are a couple of nice beaches in Viña e.g. Playa El Sol, Las Salinas, Los Marineros, etc. If you like being active you can rent a bodyboard or a paddleboard on the beach.

If you get tired of the beach you can visit Viña del Mar Botanical Garden. It’s quite big and beautiful; ponds and streams, wooden bridges, big trees, flower beds, etc.

Day 7-9 of the Chile Itinerary: Lake District

There are a couple of very nice towns in the Lake District to choose from. Pucon and Puerto Varas are probably the most scenic towns where you can practice several outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, climbing, swimming, etc.

Day 7-8. Pucon

Pucon is a small town about 800km south from Santiago. It’s located in the heart of the Lake District on the shore of Lake Villarrica.

Despite its small size, there are many things to do around Pucon; hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, parasailing, paddleboarding, skiing and snowboarding in winter. Pucon is often called the adventure capital of Chile.

Recommended activities in Pucon

• Hiking to El Mirador Los Crateres – stunning views of the area and the volcano
• Walking to the top of the Villarrica Volcano (only with a tour)
• Hiking to El Claro Waterfall – a short hike through the forest to a beautiful hidden waterfall with a small pool
• Pichillancahue Glacier Hike – a hike to the most accessible glacier in the region
• Renting a kayak and rowing around the beautiful Villarrica Lake
• Tandem parasailing on the lake
• Chilling on one of the sandy beaches at the lake

Day 9 Chile Itinerary Puerto Varas

You can stay for 3 days in Pucon and do different activities in the area or spend 1 or 2 days there and move to Puerto Varas, another popular tourist place in the Lake District.

The town is located on the shore of Lake Llanquihue. It offers great views of the perfect cone peak of the Osorno Volcano, the most active volcano in Chile.

There are several hiking trails around Puerto Varas e.g. Osorno Volcano, Petrohue Falls. Water activities like kayaking, parasailing, paddleboarding, etc. can be practiced on the lake.

Days 10-13. Torres del Paine National Park

This is without a doubt one of the most popular and famous things to do in Chile, and for good reason.

If you enjoy hiking, this will be a paradise for you. Here are a few things to do and hikes to enjoy while you’re there.

Option 1. Day 10-13 hiking the W-trek

Torres del Paine is a must-visit place in Chile. It’s a real hiking paradise. The highlights of the area are Mirador Los Torres, Grey Glacier, Pehoe Lake, Nordenskjold Lake, and Skottsberg Lake. You can see these attractions on one of the multi-day treks or by doing day hikes.

There are several trails inside the park including two long-distance treks, the O-Circuit and the W-trek, and multiple day-hikes.

For those who want to spend a couple of days hiking in Torres, the W-trek is a perfect route.

It takes 4-5 days to complete. Trekkers can carry their own gear and food and camp along the way or stay in refugios with full board.

Option 2. Day 10-13 Torres del Paine, day hikes

If a multi-day hike is not your cup of tea you can stay at one of the hotels inside the park and do shorter day hikes to see the main attractions.

The best way will be to stay for a day or two at Hotel/campsite Las Torres (eastern part of the park) and from there hike to Mirador Las Torres and Nordenskjold Lake, then move to Refugio/campsite Paine Grande (western part of the park). From here you can access Grey Glacier, Pehoe and Skottsberg Lakes as well as Frances and Britanico view-points.

Option 3. Days 10-11 Torres del Paine, day hikes. Day 12-13 El Calafate, Perito Moreno Glacier

As an alternative, you can spend half of the time (2-3 days) exploring Torres del Paine and do a 2-day trip to El Calafate to see Perito Moreno Glacier. El Calafate is a small town in Argentina not far from the border with Chile, about 270km from Puerto Natales.

The town is a gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. There are many hotels, hostels, restaurants and souvenir shops in El Calafate. It’s possible to visit Perito Moreno Glacier as a day trip from Puerto Natales. 

This tour is a great option if you don’t feel that you are a very experienced hiker and you want to have a guide with you. It’s fully guided and includes food and drink along the way. 

I always think taking a guided hike is a great way to learn more about the national park in a new country. Even though I have a lot of hiking experience, I don’t know this new place at all and there’s always something new to learn.

Day 14 – The last day of your Chile Itinerary: Santiago de Chile

You can spend some time sightseeing, buying souvenirs and trying the local food at the Central Market.

If you have enough time you can do a day tour from Santiago to Maipo Valley and visit a couple of wine farms to do some wine tasting. Chile has some great wines and the Valley is one of the best wine areas in the country.

Visiting Maipo Valley is a great way to finish your holiday and to enjoy a day out in the wine region of Chile.

Is there a better way to finish a trip than a tour of a wine region ? This will ensure that you don’t get behind the wheel and you can enjoy all of the samplings that you want. 

This tour is one of the best , especially if you want to book before you arrive in Santiago.

If you have 3 weeks to spend in Chile you can extend this itinerary by adding to it two Chilean islands; Easter Island and Chiloe.

Easter Island, 2-3 days

Easter Island is one of the most famous islands in the world. Flying from Santiago is the only way of getting there. The Island is 3500km away from the mainland. Easter Island is famous for its rock statues called moai, there are about 1000 of them spread around the island. It’s believed that they were built by the Polynesian tribes that arrived on the island in 1200AD.

A couple of days are enough to visit the island, its surface is only 163 square kilometers.

The must-visit places on the island

• Ahu Tongariki, the sunrise is the best time to visit this place
• Ahu Akivi, the sacred site known as a celestial observatory
• Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater with a couple of moai statues around
• Anakena Beach with Ahu Nau Nau, the best-preserved platform with moai statues on the island.

Chiloe Island, 2-3 days

Chiloe Island is another interesting island in Chile. Unlike Easter Island, Chiloe is easy to access from the mainland by a 15-minute ferry ride.

Chiloe is a beautiful place with a couple of small towns, unique cultures, and untouched nature.

The highlights of the island are; small fishermen’s villages of Castro and Ancud with their colorful wooden houses, Chiloe National Park with several hiking trails, Tepuhueico Park with a fantastic indigenous forest, many birds and deer.

Food on Chiloe is another highlight; a traditional dish called Curanto is a must-try here.

It consists of seafood, meat, potatoes, and vegetables.

The unique thing about the Curanto is the way it’s prepared. Each layer of ingredients is wrapped in fig or cabbage leaves and put into a hole that is dug in the ground.

The bottom of the hole is covered with hot stones heated on a bonfire. The top of the hole is covered with wet sacks and grass. Cooking in this pit creates an effect similar to cooking in a pressure cooker. It takes about 1 hour to cook.

About the Authors

Campbell & Alya from Stingy Nomads are a n adventurous travel couple based in Cape Town where they spend three to four months every year. The rest of the time they travel the world seeking new adventures. Hiking, long-distance walking, and diving are their favorite activities.

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Chile is one of the most diverse, interesting, and beautiful countries in South America. It has breathtaking landscapes from the Atacama Desert to the Andes Mountain Range, ancient historic sites such as Easter Island, and a rich culture combining its indigenous heritage with Spanish colonial influences.

As such, the country has something for everyone, including exciting outdoor adventures, delicious food, fascinating stories, and untouched beauty. But with so many things to see and do in Chile, it can be hard to decide what to prioritize as a first-time visitor. 

To help narrow it down, here is the ultimate 2-week itinerary for your first-time visiting Chile, to ensure you see and experience as many highlights of this incredible country as possible in one trip.

Day 1-2: Explore Santiago

The best way to begin (and end) your trip is in Chile’s capital and largest city, Santiago. Not only is Santiago a bustling and fascinating city, but it’s also the easiest place to get to in Chile, with the country’s only major international airport and direct flights from North America, Europe , and Australia. 

Ideally, you really do need at least 2 full days to properly see the city’s key attractions and explore its vibrant neighbourhoods. As a first stop, you should visit the ‘ Plaza de Armas ’ which is the city’s central historic square, dating back to 1541, and serves as the reference point for measuring the distances to all other parts of Chile. 

The square also features some of Chile’s most architecturally significant buildings, including the Central Post Office (formerly the Governor’s Palace), the Metropolitan Cathedral , and the Natural History Museum of Chile (formerly the Royal Court of Justice). Another key landmark to visit nearby is the ‘ Palacio de La Moneda’ , which houses Chile’s presidential offices and was the country’s official mint.

In addition to seeing Santiago’s historical downtown area, there are also several must-see neighbourhoods to explore. Lastarria is a hub for art and culture, with cobblestone streets, art deco buildings and street vendors. Bellavista is the bohemian quarter, known for its colourful buildings and lively music and nightlife scene. And Barrio Italia is a picturesque neighbourhood home to plenty of boutique stores and some of the city’s best restaurants. This is a great place to go to try some authentic Chilean food and sip on a Pisco Sour, Chile’s national drink!

Next, for the best view in Santiago, head to the top of Cerro San Cristobal (San Cristobal Hill). The hill is the centre of South America’s largest urban park and has unobstructed panoramic views of the city below and surrounding Andes Mountain range. Plus, on its peak, you will find one of Chile’s most important religious sites and an icon of Santiago – the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception and a 14-metre-high statue of the Virgin Mary. There are two ways to get to the top of Cerro San Cristobal – either by hiking or by riding the Santiago Cable Car.

Finally, if you have time, Santiago is also home to some of Chile’s most interesting museums. In particular, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights will teach you about Chile’s controversial history and politics. And the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts houses more than 5,000 Chilean and international works and is South America’s oldest museum!

Day 3: Day Trip to the Beach

One of the best things about Santiago is its proximity to some of Chile’s other popular destinations making it a great base to take day trips from. In particular, it’s only a 2-hour drive from the beach and the beautiful coastal towns of Valpara i so and Vina del Mar. You can either rent a car and drive here yourself, take the bus, or book yourself onto a day tour.

Although these towns are within close proximity of each other, they each offer completely different experiences and are both worth visiting. Vina del Mar is a resort-style town and the most popular domestic tourism destination. And with good reason! It has a lively promenade along a huge stretch of sandy beach, and plenty of attractions including street vendors, performers, open-air markets and a casino.

In addition to the beach, there are several other sights to see in Vina del Mar, including the historic German-built Wulff Castle , the Flower Clock – which is fully functioning and made from Swiss machinery and red flowers, and the National Botanical Garden .

Valpara i so on the other hand doesn’t have many beaches, but it’s brimming with culture and charm. The town was once a thriving shipping port which is made up of late 19 th -century European buildings, charming hillside funiculars and vibrant neighbourhoods. In particular, Cerro Concepcion and Cerro Alegre are the two most iconic areas in Valpara i so , full of colourful graffiti, charming boutiques and cute cafes. Interestingly, there’s also a strong British and German influence here, dating back to settlers from the 19 th century. 

Day 4: Experience Chile’s Wine Country

By day 4 you’re probably ready to take a break from sightseeing. Luckily, next on the agenda is to enjoy some downtime by savouring Chilean wine at some of the country’s best vineyards. 

Santiago is conveniently located in the middle of several of Chile’s most renowned wine-producing regions, so you can easily visit one or more of them on a day trip from the city. 

To the north you have the Aconcagua Valley which has a long tradition of producing red wines. Northwest from the city is the Casablanca Valley which is known for having Chile’s best white wine. And south you will find the Maipo Valley , famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Colchagua Valley , which is one of Chile’s most promising wine regions.

If you have rented a car, you can plan your own trip to wine country, based on the wineries which interest you most and type of wines you want to sample. However, for an easier option, there are several different tours which you can book, departing from Santiago, which take you on a full-day excursion to multiple wineries, complete with tastings. 

Days 5-6: Visit the Atacama Desert

Departing Santiago, your next stop will be San Pedro de Atacama . Here, you will get to explore the unique Atacama Desert landscapes, made up of mountains, volcanos, salt flats, lagoons, and hot springs.

To get there, you will need to take a 2-hour flight north to Calama Airport, ideally departing early in the morning. Upon arrival in Calama, there are free airport shuttles to San Pedro de Atacama, which is about a 1-hour drive away. 

The altitude here is quite high, at 7,982 feet (2,433 metres) above sea level, so it’s best to take it easy on your first day while you acclimatize. A great way to do this is by visiting the Meteorite Museum , which houses a collection of over 3,200 meteorites found in the surrounding desert, including some dating back as far as 4.5 million years ago. 

In the evening, you’ll want to watch the mesmerizing sunset above the Atacama Desert. The best place to do this is over the wind-sculpted sand dunes of the Moon Valley . Located, 11 miles (17 kilometres) from town, you will need to book either a guided tour or a taxi to get here, but it’s well worth the effort!

Once you return to town, enjoy some traditional Chilean cuisine at one San Pedro de Atacama’s local restaurants. Adobe is one of the most popular restaurants in town, with excellent food and a huge bonfire in the middle of the restaurant. Or, if you want to enjoy dinner accompanied by some live music, La Casona is a traditional restaurant with three differently themed rooms, where local artics play a range of musical styles every day. 

The next day, have an early start to visit the Salt Flats. Doing this excursion as part of a tour really is the easiest and best way to see as much as possible and learn about the fascinating landscape. Most tours will pick you up from your hotel room and take you to several stops throughout the day, including the Licancabur Volcano , the Aguada de Quepiaco wetland , and of course the Tara Salt Flats , where you will see unique landscapes, lagoons, giant rock formations, and a range of wildlife including flamingoes.

Once you return to town, enjoy some downtown and dinner before joining a stargazing tour. The Atacama Desert is one of the best places in the world to see the night sky, thanks to high altitudes, low humidity, and almost non-existent light pollution. You will get to observe the constellations both with the naked eye and through a telescope while learning more about astronomy, for a memorable last night in the desert.

Day 7: Fly to Punta Arenas

After a busy first week in Chile, day 7 will be a travel and rest day. Departing from Calama Airport, you will have a 5-hour flight (via Santiago) to Punta Arenas in southern Chile. Upon arrival in Punta Arenas, take some time to relax at your hotel and explore the small city on foot, to see its monuments, street art and varied architecture. There are also plenty of restaurants in the city offering local and international cuisines, so you will easily be able to find somewhere to grab some dinner. 

Day 8: See the Penguins on Magdalena Island

Today you will get to experience the playfulness of thousands of penguins in their natural habitat by taking a tour to Magdalena Island . Departing early in the morning, the tour takes you on a scenic cruise through the Strait of Magellan before arriving at Magdalena Island where the boat docks and you get to see this cute colony of birds up close. Weather permitting, the cruise will also pass by Isla Marta where you can see sea lions and seals lounging on the rocky shores.

Upon your return to Punta Arenas, catch an afternoon bus to your next destination, Puerto Natales , the gateway to Chilean Patagonia. The ride takes about 2 hours and once you get there you will be ready to check-in to your hotel and head into town for some dinner at one of the many local bars or restaurants.

Day 9: Spend the Day at an ‘Estancia’

Estancias (ranches) are the heart of the Patagonian lifestyle and culture. Departing from Puerto Natales, take a full-day tour to Estancia La Peninsula, a 19.000-hectare family-owned ranch, where you will get to experience the Gaucho lifestyle for yourself. Plus, you’ll get to see the breathtaking Patagonian Fjords on your way, as the tour begins and ends with a boat ride through the Last Hope Fjord , taking you to and from the estancia. 

Upon arrival, you will have the option between going on a 2-hour trek or horseback ride, to explore the ranch’s grounds. Then, you’ll get to refuel with a traditional lamb barbeque lunch before learning more about the work and life on the ranch with a herding dog and sheep shearing demonstration. You will then get some time to explore on your own or enjoy a glass of Chilean wine before getting the boat back to Puerto Natales for the evening.

Day 10-12: Explore Torres del Paine National Park

Saving the best for last, the final destination on your Chilean adventure is Torres del Paine National Park, the crown jewel of Patagonia. The park has some of Chile’s best hikes and adventure activities and is arguably the most scenic destination in the country.

Torres del Paine is best known for its three distinctive granite peaks (after which the park is named) and the surrounding valley landscapes full of dramatic mountain peaks, huge glaciers, bright blue lakes, unique ecological zones, and rugged hiking trails. The park really is a hiker’s paradise! 

To truly experience Torres del Paine, you should book to stay inside the park. Fortunately, there are a range of different accommodation options to suit all types of travelers, including hotels, ‘refugios’ (more basic style mountain hostels) and camping. 

With 2-3 days to spend in the park, you can tailor your itinerary to suit your level of fitness, hiking experience and interests. Some of the key sites to see include the Britanico Lookout, the French Valley, Lake Pehoe, the Grey Glacier, and the lookout at the base of the Torres del Paine peaks. You can also book activities such as a cruise or kayaking at the base of the Grey Glacier, or ice hiking on the glacier!

With 2 nights to spend in the park, the best spot to base yourself will be either the Refugio Paine Grande on Lake Pehoe, or Hotel Grey near the Grey Glacier. Paine Grande is actually located at one of two entrances to the park, which is reached by Catamaran. And the Catamaran also operates between Paine Grande and Hotel Grey.

Alternatively, you can spend one night at Paine Grande or Grey, and then travel by Catamaran and bus to the park’s other entrance, Laguna Amarga, where you can spend a night at the Refugio or Hotel las Torres and hike up to the Torres del Paine lookout to see the iconic three peaks.

If you can allow a bit of extra time in your itinerary, then the absolute best way to explore Torres del Paine is actually by doing one of the park’s multi-day hikes, the W Trek or O Circuit . These treks take between 3 to 9 days to complete and will take you to all the highlights of the park, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in this breathtaking environment. 

Day 13-14: Travel back home via Santiago

Once your Patagonia experience comes to an end, it will be time to travel back home via Santiago. It’s a short flight back to Santiago from either Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas, where you can either get a connecting flight or spend a final night in Santiago before flying out the following day.

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🇨🇱 [Itinerary] 2 or 3 Weeks in Chile

Chile, the inconceivable land. A stretch of land that patches together the most diverse and unique landscapes. If you’re a city animal, you’ll love to live the life in and around the capital; nature lovers are certainly split between the dry deserts in the north, and the rugged icy mountains in the south. Our itinerary for 2 and 3 weeks in Chile isn’t a promise for everything – you’ll have to make a choice. But whichever direction you decide, we’re sure you will love the country. When you’re hundreds of kilometres and a dozen of bus rides older, everything will find its meaning on the horizon.

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Jump to: 2 week list & map   |  2 week detailed itinerary 3 week list & map   |  3 week detailed itinerary   Budget   |  Packing list

2 weeks in Chile without taking the plane

Well, no. Getting yourself a return ticket to Chile doesn’t mean you’ll be able to see all of the country’s attractions. Especially in such a short time, and even more so if you only have 10 days in Chile; if you had 2 months in Chile, then maybe.

Let’s just consider 2 of the main highlights: Patagonia and the Atacama desert. They’re more than 2,500 km away (1,600 mi). In Europe, that’s the equivalent of a journey from Lisbon to Prague, crossing 5 different countries and 2 time zones. How long would it take you to visit Portugal, Spain, France, Germany and maybe Switzerland, before reaching the Czech Republic? Hopefully a tad longer than 3 weeks.

What we want to say is that visiting a place shouldn’t be based on borders, but on distances. In other words, we shouldn’t be visiting countries, but regions. Some say that’s the idea behind slow travel – for us it just makes sense.

In this situation, it means that visiting Mendoza from Santiago –which are less than 400 km apart– makes more sense than jumping to the other side of the country.

Therefore, your 2-week itinerary as a first-timer in that part of the world could perfectly look like this:

• 5 days in and around Santiago: also exploring the wine region and Maipo Canyon
• 4 days on the coast and at the beach, in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar
• 4 days in Argentina: Mendoza and its vineyards, the mountain town of Uspallata and a day hike at the Aconcagua

But if you’re ready to spend a few nights on the bus, our itineraries below will bring you to different latitudes…

For more practical travel tips, read our guide to backpacking Chile

Chile itinerary 2 weeks

This itinerary brings you to the central region around Santiago, and to the north of the country: Valle del Elqui the stargazer’s paradise, and Atacama , the famous otherworldly land. Considering its location, Atacama can be perfectly combined to a salt flats Bolivia Chile itinerary.

Depending on your travel mood, you can spend your time soaking in the urban life of Santiago either at the beginning or at the end of this loop circuit; or you could also split it.

2 weeks in Chile itinerary

As usual, we imagine that you fly to Santiago and from there again. This overland itinerary is therefore built as a loop.

This route involves 2 long bus rides to and from the distant Atacama. Don’t worry though, buses in Chile are very comfortable and the semi-reclining seats allow you to spend decent nights for an affordable price. In a way, the long distance increases the feeling of getting to a different planet.

But if you plan on travelling north, you end up very close to the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia ; or to the Northwest of Argentina , part of our Argentina itinerary .

3 days in Santiago

Santiago de Chile is a large and modern metropolis. It’s full of museums, street art, neoclassical buildings, crowds, street food, and everything a large and modern metropolis can offer. 

Our favourite districts for a stroll, a cake or a drink are:

• Bellavista , for the chilled vibes, the colourful streets and the many going-out options
• Brazil , for the street art and the local life on Plaza Brazil
• Bellas Artes , for all the trendy shops and bars, and the lively street life in the evenings

If you’re interested in museums, we highly recommend the fascinating Museum of Pre-Columbian art , near the main square. It’s a comprehensive display of the many Indigenous groups all around Chile and Latin America in general. It explains their traditions, beliefs and customs in such words that it makes it all seem pretty much alive today. Ah, it’s free on the first Sunday of the month by the way.

Cerro Santa Lucía gives a bucolic view on the city; but for a longer (and of course more rewarding) hike, climb up Cerro San Cristóbal , the city’s lung, with its infamous Madonna at the top.

Santiago is very widespread, so wherever you dwell there, you’re bound to take the metro. It runs smoothly and efficiently, but you’ll need to buy a Bip! top-up card, available at any station.

Read more: Things to do in Santiago

3 days in Valparaíso

We warn you straight away: we fell in love with Valparaíso. And if you’re anything like us and like what is not precisely clean and tidy, you will too. This harbour and university town, a 2-hour bus ride from the capital, is the vibrant city par excellence .

Full of cultural events, alternative venues, street art, re-purposed abandoned factories, vegan or community-run cafes, historical buildings… there’s enough life here to keep you busy for a week. Set it across a handful of hills and along the Pacific shoreline. Sprinkle it with a series of exquisite viewpoints. Add in some lazy sea lions and a couple of nearby beaches. And you get Valparaíso –or Valpo as Chileans call it– a UNESCO world heritage site that is Chile’s cultural capital.

Read more: Things to do in Valparaíso

Viña del Mar is as different from Valparaíso as it is near. They literally touch but seem like worlds apart. Cleaner, tidier, less of a labyrinth, it’s a very enjoyable day trip; there are buses connecting the two cities all day. A bit further still, Concón offers a better beach, a surfing spot and cool dunes for sand-boarding and sunset-watching.

Then steal swap a book at your hostel and take a night bus.

3 days in La Serena & Valle del Elqui

La Serena, with a long promenade along the ocean but the town centre 2 km inland, is not particularly attractive. Except maybe for a night out. We might be biased though: we were there with friends and had the craziest night of our trip. Or so we gathered from our very blurry memories…

Anyway, the centre is small but rather lively and there’s a cool food truck place somewhere. We’re sure you’ll stumble upon it sooner or later.

The real attraction lies even more inland, deep within what is called Valle del Elqui . If you manage to rent a car for a few days, that will give you valuable freedom. Otherwise, take a bus to the main town of Vicuña (a large village, really), or further to Pisco Elqui .

Elqui Valley is famous for 4 things: one of the purest skies in the country, a real paradise for stargazers; a strong energetic place with a deep meaning for ancient tribes and modern mystics; the birthplace of Gabriela Mistral , the 1st Latin-American woman to win a Nobel Prize for literature; and the production of pisco , a national brandy made of grapes.

You can therefore visit an observatory or go on an astrophotography tour; see ancient petroglyphs or visit for free a remote Buddhist temple ( Estupa de la Iluminación ) outside Cochiguaz; visit Mistral’s home in Vicuña or her school in Montegrande; or do a guided tour of a pisco factory and learn how to prepare pisco sour .

3 days in the Atacama

You’ve made it. After a 15-hour bus ride from La Serena, with probable change in Calama, you made it to the nondescript visitors’ hub that is San Pedro de Atacama . A hamlet you know for sure would be completely empty if it wasn’t for the tourist dollars flowing all year.

Visiting the Atacama is stressful because there’s a lot to see; and expensive because, for the great majority of the places, you need to book a tour . But hell is it worth it! It gathers the most unique landscapes: salt flats and salt lakes, geysers and natural hot pools, deserts, colourful lakes… These places remind of the vastness of some national parks in North America.

Among the highlights on the Atacama planet, we recommend Valle de la Luna , Geysers del Tatio and the Lagunas escondidas .

We advise you to prepare well before getting there, so you know what you want to see. Take a bus that arrives in the morning of the next day, so you can already go on a tour in the afternoon. Agencies will tell you to start off with a tour that’s in low altitude, so you acclimatise on the 1st day ; follow their advice.

It would be a bad idea to visit the Atacama in high season, from December to February. It gets ridiculously crowded and prices await you with a nasty grin, if you see what I mean. But if you’re set on doing so, book your accommodation beforehand. During the rest of the year, there’s no need for that.

Start planning: What to see in the Atacama region

Last day in or near Santiago

There are many pretty places around Santiago that are perfect for a day trip:

• do a wine tour in one of the several wine regions: the Maipo valley, the Aconcagua valley, the Casablanca valley
• spend a day out in the nature, hiking, rafting or horse riding at the Maipo Canyon (“ Cajón del Maipo “)
• trek to the mountain through the Altos de Cantillana nature reserve

Read more day getaways around Santiago , on The Lost Passport

Or just rest your tired legs from the very long bus ride back from the Atacama; and your eyes from the manifold impressions of your 2 weeks in Chile!

Chile itinerary 3 weeks

This 3-week itinerary brings you from Santiago to the southern part of Chile, halfway down through picturesque Patagonia. It’s going crescendo into the adventure, leaving the cities behind to dive slowly into wild and unspoiled nature.

If you wanted to go down the whole way, you would need at least one more week of travel; or maybe come back for a standalone Patagonia itinerary in both Chile and Argentina.

3 weeks in Chile itinerary

We did our best to break down the long bus rides which cover no less than 1,700 km (1,600 mi). The longest journey you’ll have is 10h, including several changes, to come back from Coyhaique to Puerto Varas.

See the 2 week Chile itinerary above.

3 days Valparaiso & Vina del Mar

If you’ve already been to Valparaíso before, or if the description above doesn’t hook you, there is a whole list of natural places to explore near the city. Read about them in this post , then hop on a 6-hour day bus journey to Chile’s best wine region.

2 days in Santa Cruz

There are several wine regions in Chile, one of the most recognised being the Colchagua Valley , between Rancagua and Talca. It’s home to many wineries that open their doors to visitors, as long as they pay.

You could easily choose San Fernando as a base for your wine tour; but the small Santa Cruz is prettier, more rural and closer to the uncorking action. There’s also a Wine Train (“ Tren del Vino “) going around several wineries –but that seems exceedingly touristic to us.

Once you’ve tasted all the varietals of the terroir (or shortly before), lie down on a night bus to Temuco.

2 days in Temuco

This Chile trip itinerary is smoothly pushing you, step by step, into the wildest of the country’s natural landscapes. Departing from the urban life and after visiting a wine valley, you’re now getting introduced to the beautiful Araucanía region. Here starts the country’s Lake District, a rugged land of high-altitude lakes and volcanoes.

The Conguillío National Park lies less than 2 hours away from Temuco, at the foot of the Andes. It’s a photogenic landscape of volcanoes and lakes (of course) that offers a perfect setting for all levels of hikers. The most adventurous can climb up Volcan Llaima , or roam the area on mountain bikes.

Hike to your heart’s content before taking a direct night bus to the town of Castro.

3 days on the Chiloé Islands

The Chiloé archipelago is in the Los Lagos region of Patagonia . It was certainly one of our highlights while we were backpacking Chile and Argentina. Imagine a rainy scenery of hilly islands connected by ferries and home to some of the smallest fishermen villages. Add UNESCO-listed wooden churches , colourful boats and probably the friendliest people in the whole country.

Castro is the main town and a perfect central base to discover the splash of islands. To the west, the Chiloé National Park offers several hikes through different types of vegetation. You could even trek through the dense park and spend a night alone on a beach.

To the north near Ancud , you can take a half-a-day tour to see penguins lazying on the cliffs. Dalcahue is also a pretty little town with a crafts market. For the smaller islands, the best is to follow your nose, the wind, or whatever is the most random at the moment.

And to go from one point to the other, nothing easier than holding your thumb on the side of the road. Unless a tsunami takes you (and they’re frequent here), you’ll love your time on Chiloé!

2 days in Chaitén

From Castro to Chaitén, you can either plan to cross on the 5-hour direct ferry , but that’s only on Sundays and subject to weather conditions; or take a more frequent 4-hour bus.

And there you are, at last. In mythical Patagonia , the land of fjords and glaciers, the land of imposing mountains and millennial forests. Adventure travel at its best.

Chaitén, which was covered in volcanic ashes in 2008, is a perfect base for many hikes in the region; most of them go through the Parque Nacional Pumalín and can be done in a day; for example, the short adventure hike to the volcano crater.

Honestly, you could cut this Chile itinerary short and revel in this wonderful area without travelling further south; we wouldn’t blame you! Otherwise, face the wilderness of the Carretera Austral , that dives into the remotest of places you’ll ever find while backpacking through Chile.

Anna traveled the Carretera Austral in April 2022. Check out our post about her hiking-filled road trip in Patagonia

3 days in Coyhaique

From Chaitén, there’s a night bus driving only twice a week to Coyhaique. This mere fact already puts a tint of adventure to any Patagonia travel. The more South you venture, the trickier transportation becomes and the wilder and more impressive Nature gets.

There are several playgrounds for nature lovers around Coyhaique; and it’s possible to simply hike out of town and be mesmerised in less than an hour. But the main landmark lies 1 hour by bus to the South, under the name of Cerro Castillo national reserve . It gets a bit busy in summer (although not nearly as much as Torres del Paine National Park) so book your bus seat in advance.

The reserve’s 50-km (30-mi) trail goes through enchanted forests with a constant mountain background that could perfectly fit the wildest scenes in Lord of the Rings. Enough said. It’s possible to camp inside, in designated areas. Make sure you bring enough food and layers of clothing!

If you manage to make it that far South, visit the fantastic Marble Caves (“ Cuevas de Mármol “), on Lago Carrera General. 

Are you in for more trekking in the region? Read our post about the best multi-day hikes in Chilean Patagonia .

2 days in Puerto Varas

This is the most demanding journey in these 3 weeks in Chile itinerary, lasting 10h with 3 or 4 changes. But when you finally get to Puerto Varas, the peacefulness of Lake Llanquihue will soothe your soul. From many aspects, Puerto Varas is a much better place to stay than Puerto Montt, too big and ugly.

This Swiss-looking little town is the epitome of what the Lake District is: rustic, appeasing. With a wind of old-time Europe blowing in its streets and across the waters of the placid lake. In the near distance, a couple of volcanoes stand guard.

Volcan Osorno seems like a stone’s throw away and is indeed perfectly accessible; there are a few buses, but hitchhiking is also fairly easy. So is the climb up, on foot or by chairlift, rewarding with a beautiful view of the lake. There again, the words that come to mind are ‘peaceful’ and ‘appeasing’. You will see for yourself.

If you prefer, go around the lake, stopping at small villages and secluded beaches on the way. In the evening, indulge in a hot chocolate or a craft beer, both local specialities.

Start dreaming: Our stay in Puerto Varas and our hike up Volcano Osorno

Finally, finish your three weeks in Chile with a night bus back to Santiago for your flight home.

More best places to visit in Chile

Looking for more? There are still many attractions that didn’t fit in this overland Chile travel itinerary. Can you imagine that some visitors want to travel Chile in 9 days?

Here’s a list of places you should consider, depending on how many days in Chile you’re ready to spend. Let’s add more destinations to your Chile bucket list!

• Cerro La Campana
• Lauca National Park
• Humberstone & Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
• Easter Island
• Isla Robinson Crusoe
• Pichilemu & Punta de Lobos
• Pucón & Volcano Villarica
• Parque Nacional Torres del Paine
• Punta Arenas & Isla Magdalena
• Puerto Natales

2 or 3 weeks in Chile budget

Going out in Chile can be expensive but bus transportation is affordable and the entrance to most sites is either free or cheap. It’s also fairly easy to couchsurf and hitchhike, bringing down the overall cost of travel in Chile.

You can check departures times and prices for all bus journeys on Recorrido.cl .

Therefore, the cost for 2 weeks of travel in Chile , including cheap accommodation (hostels, hotels or camping), bus transportation between destinations, your ticket to Santiago’s Museo de Arte Precolombino , a guided tour of an Elqui observatory, a tour of El Tatio Geysers & Lagunas Escondidas  and renting a bike to Valle de la Luna  could be around:

200,000 Chilean pesos ($ 260 USD / 235 €)

For our 3 weeks in Chile itinerary including accommodation and bus transportation, your ticket to Santiago’s Museo de Arte Precolombino , entrance to Conguillío & Chiloé national parks in high season and to Cerro Castillo national reserve without camping, and a penguin watching tour on Chiloé, count with an estimated budget per person of:

300,000 Chilean pesos ($ 385 USD / 350 €)

These amounts don’t include food , drinks, city transportation or any souvenir you should decide to bring back.

Weather and what to pack for 2 or 3 weeks in Chile

What to wear in Chile depends firstly on which part you decide to take on.

Unsurprisingly, the north of Chile remains mild all year , with day temperatures between 21ºC and 24ºC. You’ll need shorts and short sleeves but also a very thick jumper for potential early starts. The temps in Patagonia, on the other end, oscillate more, between -2ºC in Winter and 22ºC in Summer; they can get even colder at high altitudes . You’ll require a good wind blocker anyway, a hat and probably a scarf.

The rest of the country, known as the Central Valley, is of mild Mediterranean-style temperatures. They go between 15ºC (especially on the coast) and 30ºC (especially in Santiago) throughout the year.

Wherever you go, make sure you bring sun-blockers (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen).

Other things not to forget:

• your usual  responsible traveller’s kit : foldaway bag, reuse cup, water filter, lunch box, cutlery
• a water bottle for the many hikes
• a camera , how could you forget it?!
• useful phrases and words in Spanish
• entertainment for long bus travel: book or podcast
• a  sleeping bag – also for Couchsurfing
• a tent if you go camping

Read how we went wild camping in Argentina without a tent

Back in Santiago for your final night, you keep wondering whether all you’ve seen on your Chile vacation is true. Whether you’ve followed the 2-week itinerary to the north or the 3 weeks in the south of Chile, you’ve experienced unique landscapes that you didn’t know existed. It was demanding –both on your body and on your soul– but you know those memories will never leave you. And already, acting like cocaine on your nervous system, you’re craving for more of Chile, the inconceivable land.

Are you planning a trip to Chile? Are you looking for other types of destinations? Contact us for a personalised Chile itinerary!

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Anthony fell in love with the world, and more particularly with South America. He wants to offer inspirational guides to the curious backpacker, travel stories to the online generation, and incentives for a more responsible and greener way-of-travel for everyone.

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I appreciate your creativity and the effort you put into every post. Keep up the great work!

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10 Days in Chile: The Perfect Chile Itinerary Where Stunning Landscapes and Adventures Await

Ready to plan the perfect Chile itinerary? From the stunning Torres del Paine to the Atacama – plan an epic Chile trip with this guide. 

There are a lot of amazing locations in South America , but Chile ranks right up at the top as my favourite. Why? Oh, just the combination of dramatic natural landscapes giving way to some of the best stargazing, hiking and wine-tasting anywhere in the world. Then there’s the capital city of Santiago , with its rich history and culture that makes it a perfect city break. Colonial architecture and a thriving arts scene make a nice contrast when you’re preparing for an epic trek or trip to the desert.

I’ve just come back from my fourth trip to Chile and – as ever – it blew my mind. I spent nights slack jawed as the Milky Way lit up the night sky, freezing mornings as geysers erupted into life right before my eyes, feasted on delicious food and even better wine – it was nothing short of incredible. 

So with everything that Chile offers, how can you plan an itinerary that puts together the best things to do and places to stay in a tidy 10-day package? Not to worry.

I got you covered with the ultimate Chile itinerary. So sit back, relax, and start making your travel plans to this incredible country.

Handy Tips for Planning Your Chile Itinerary 

Group Tour or Independent Travel? 

You can absolutely do everything on this Chile 10-day itinerary while travelling solo . Going by yourself allows you to enjoy stargazing, hiking, and sightseeing at your own leisure. But if you don’t want to handle the logistics, a group tour may be more your speed. G Adventures offers some excellent Chile itineraries, including one to Patagonia on The W Trek.

What to Pack for Your Chile Itinerary

Your 10 days in Chile will involve hiking and sightseeing across the sprawling South American country, so you’ll need to pack for any type of weather. Going to the Atacama Desert? You’ll need to bring your sunglasses, lightweight trainers , and plenty of suntan lotion. A travel backpack with a water bottle, first aid kit, and power bank for your tech gadgets is always a good call. Patagonia can be a bit less predictable, especially in the Spring and Autumn, but carrying warm layers (and a windbreaker or heavy coat) is a great start. No matter when I plan a trip to Torres del Paine, I bring a lightweight daypack , a refillable water bottle , and high-quality hiking boots like these . For a full list of what to pack for Torres del Painne in Patagonia, read this .

Useful Resources 

Skyscanner – The top flight search site. It makes booking flights from anywhere in the world more convenient and affordable.

Booking.com – A reliable website for finding the best rates on hotels in Chile.

Guide to Camping in Torres del Paine – If you decide to do the W Trek (you should), this guide breaks down everything you’ll need to know.

Viator – Excellent resource for scheduling tours for your Chile travel itinerary.

Getting Around 

Believe it or not, if you measure Chile from top to bottom, it’s nearly as long as the USA is from coast to coast. So if you’re planning a holiday in more than one region (like this 10-day Chile itinerary), you’ll want to fly to one of the airports near your destination, and then hire a car or book a tour. If you’re staying in Santiago, use Uber. Petty crime is currently rife in Chile, especially in the Centro district, and taxis may ask you to negotiate fares or straight up rip you off, which can get awkward and expensive.

Chile Itinerary 

Chile itinerary days 1-2: santiago /i.

Santiago is a fascinating place to visit (I’ve been there several times), and every time I return, I discover new things to see and do. There’s a slight edge to the city, but most locals are friendly and willing to talk to you about the complex history and thriving art scene. Street art is most prominent in the neighbourhoods of Bellavista and Barrie Yungay. You’ll also have plenty of historic sites to visit, like Museum Arte Precolombino and the truly stunning Gothic and Baroque architecture at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago de Chile.

Remember; you’re in Chile. Arrive hungry and thirsty. Restaurants like Liguria and Bocanáriz offer hearty Chilean fare and house Carmenere that puts the best bottle back home in London to shame.

Things to do in Santiago 

Spend an afternoon in barrio lastarria (and visit santa lucia hill).

Start your 10-day trip to Chile in Barrio Lastarria at the 19th-century Hidalgo Castle. It’s perched high up near the beautiful gardens and fountains of Santa Lucia Hill. After you enjoy the city views, walk down to Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes for the largest (and free) collection of South American and international artwork.

Tour La Chascona

Another area you’ll want to explore on your Chile trip itinerary is Bellavista. Stop by La Chascona, where you’ll see the home of celebrated poet and politician Pablo Neruda. Tickets are CLP $8,000 (around £7) and include a guided audio tour to explore the unique art and architecture of the home Neruda built for his lover (and eventually 3rd wife) Matilde Urrutia.

Lunch at Galindo

This no-frills bar and grill offers delicious and filling traditional Chilean cooking to help soak up a couple of local beers.

Arrive with a voracious appetite for the Pichanga (two cuts of pork with goat cheese and olives) and Pastel de Choclo (a rich combo of creamed corn, meat, veggies, and olives).

San Cristóbal Hill

Want the best views on your Chile itinerary idea in Santiago? Head to the base of San Cristóbal Hill (near Estacionamiento Pedro De Valdivia Norte) and ride the nearly 100-year-old Funicular de Santiago Up to enjoy unmatched vistas from about 3,000 metres high. Grab a refreshing mote con huesillo (a non-alcoholic drink with barley and peaches) before taking a ride on the cable car to admire the views from above.

Head to Centro for Sightseeing Opportunities 

Santiago’s Centro neighbourhood might not have the hipster chic of areas like Lastarria, but it is home to some of the city’s most important sights.

Be sure to head to the Plaza de Armas and into Santiago’s glorious Cathedral. It might not look like much from the outside, but inside it’s a Gothic meets Baroque extravaganza. 

After, make a beeline for the nearby Chile Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, which is hands-down my favourite museum in the city. Spread out over several levels, the museum takes you on a journey through the Pre-Columbian peoples of South America. 

Getting to Santiago 

Starting your Chile itinerary of 10 days in Santiago is easy. Fly into Santiago International Airport (SCL) and take a rideshare to your hotel.

Suggested Stay for Santiago on your 10 Days in Chile Itinerary 

The Singular Santiago is a luxury five-star property with reasonable hotel rates in the heart of my favourite neighbourhood to stay in Santiago – Lastarria.

Super comfy rooms, a nice spa, and outdoor patio that’s perfect for chilling outside in the warmer summer months are a few reasons I love choosing this as my landing spot in Santiago.

Check prices and availability for The Singular Santiago on Booking.com Alternatively, check all accommodations in Chile on Booking.com 

Chile Itinerary Days 3-6: Torres del Paine 

The rich green plains and hills moving slowly from the rivers and lakes to the dramatic Paine Massif mountains makes Torres del Paine a memorable stop on your Chile itinerary. 

If you want to experience Patagonia on your trip to Chile, spend a few days hiking the glaciers, mountains, and valleys below and have chances to see wildlife like Andean condors, guanaco, pumas, and rheas.

You can rest up at a luxury hotel between sightseeing or take on the W Trek if you’re up for the challenge of hiking 100 km over several days.

If you choose to do the W Trek, make sure you pack the right gear . I learned quickly that the weather can change from pleasant to downright terrifying in a matter of hours.

If that all sounds a bit too epic, don’t worry. You can choose from many great tour guides to show you around on a day hike.

Things to do in Torres del Paine  

W trek hike.

Hike some of the most iconic landmarks in Torres del Paine, including Lake Pehoé, Paine Grande, and the towering cliffs at Los Cuernos. I recommend booking a guided group tour like this one if you want to do the W Trek in four days, as it includes lodging for three nights.

Lake Pehoé 

For one of the most dramatic scenes anywhere in Chile, head to Lake Pehoé. You’ll see the deep blue waters projecting an image of the Cuernos del Paine so unique, you’d better hope you brought a backup memory card.

Grey Glacier 

Grey Glacier is the most famous glacier in Torres del Paine. You’ll know why when you catch glimpses of it around the national park. I recommend walking on the east side of Lago Grey, which allows you to get an up-close look to really take in the enormity of it all.

Frances Valley Viewpoint

The tallest of the mountains in this national park, Paine Grande, towers over you at more than 3,000 metres high. Frances Valley is the best place to see it. I like this vantage point because you can also see Lago Nordenskjöld, which looks magnificent near the base of the massive mountains.

Getting to Torres del Paine  

You’ll fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas Airport (PUQ), where you will then make your way to Torres del Paine. I’m not going to lie; it’s kind of a small nightmare. You’ll need to buy a bus ticket for the 7 am bus and show up around 6:30 am so you’re not late to the park. Once there, be prepared for some long lines.

Suggested Stay for Torres del Paine on your 10 Days in Chile Itinerary 

This beautiful five-star resort allows you to have some much-deserved R&R after a day of hiking, horseback riding, or photographing the Chilean Patagonia. You’ll have first-rate views of the mountains, lakes, and rivers nearby. A heated outdoor pool, hot tubs, and luxury accommodations make this a perfect choice to bed down after a day full of adventure.

Check prices and availability for Explora en Torres del Paine – All Inclusive on Booking.com Alternatively, check all accommodations in Chile on Booking.com 

Chile Itinerary Days 7-10: Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert is home to over 10,000 years of human history in the expansive open space in Northern Chile. The Incas and indigenous cultures before them called what’s now the driest place in the world home. Visiting the entire region is impossible over a few days, but adding the Atacama during your 10-day Chile itinerary is a must for some of the most incredible scenery and stargazing you’ll see anywhere. I’ll paint you a quick picture. As you climb up from the basin, the landscapes change. Lava rivers, impossibly smooth from far away, are punctuated by rocks and occasional tufts of grass. As you get closer the colours reveal themselves as a kaleidoscopic world you’d bounce off if you fell from the sky.

Then as you continue to make your way up, you’ll see the Socaire village, with fields of rich agriculture (mainly quinoa and potatoes) watered through centuries-old irrigation channels that date back to the Incas. Welcome to the Atacama Desert.

Things to do in the Atacama Desert

Atacama basin.

The driest place in the world, the basin is full of surprisingly varied landscapes, especially where the forests of cacti, trees, foxes, and owls separate the desert from the salt flats and their blue lakes and pink flamingos.

El Tatio Geysers 

Be warned, your morning at El Tatio Geysers is going to be both early and cold. 

The geysers are most active at sunrise thanks to the rapidly changing temperatures – and it’s a 1.5 hour drive from San Pedro – all that translates to a very early start. It’s worth it though. 

Seeing the smoke belching from the fumaroles in the biggest geyser field in South America is an unforgettable experience you cannot miss during your trip to the Atacama. 

Valle de la Luna

Visit the famous landscape known for magnificent natural works of art like the towering Amphitheater and the Grand Dunes. Both are most brilliant when the sun sets, and paints the beige and off-white earth varying shades of pink, red, and purple. You’ll need to buy tickets in advance here . The secret is out on this one.

Piedras Rojas 

The mineral-rich lake, where the red rocks play off the blue-green waters, snow-capped mountains, and billowing white clouds in the deep blue skies, is Piedras Rojas. Go in the winter when the water levels are low (or if you’re lucky, the water is frozen) for the most visually stunning contrast of colours between the lake, rocks, and Volcano Capur nearby.

Float in Cejar Lagoon 

Floating in the salty environs of Cejar Lagoon is a one-off experience you shouldn’t miss. While most of the salt lagoons in the Atacama are strictly on a look but don’t touch basis, Cejar Lagoon is the exception. 

Strip down to your swimmers and hop in to experience the lagoon’s surreal buoyancy as you bob on its surface. Don’t get your face wet though, it stings if it gets in your eyes. 

Toconao Village 

The most ancient village in the Atacama region, you’ll want to stop before or after your trip to the desert to visit the mountain town known for having some of the highest elevation wineries in all of Chile, like Bodega Ayllu and Viña Santa Romina.

If you’re looking for a bit of a hidden gem, Ckamur is a relatively recent attraction in the mostly desolate Valle de la Muerte. If you recognize the stark rock formations casting shadows and blankets of colour over the dry desert landscape, you may remember them from The Mandalorian.

Getting to the Atacama Desert

Fly into El Loa Airport (CJC) in Calama before driving about 1 hour to San Pedro de Atacama.

Suggested Stay for the Atacama Desert on your 10 Days in Chile Itinerary 

Nayara Alto Atacama is the perfect choice for your 10 days in Chile itinerary. Why? You’ll enjoy low-key luxury accommodations in San Pedro, where you can book all-inclusive packages. I chose a package that included all meals, tours, and transportation, which was costly but a great value for convenience and quality.

Check prices and availability for Nayara Alto Atacama on Booking.com Alternatively, check all accommodations in Chile on Booking.com 

Other Chile Travel Itineraries

2-week chile itinerary.

Adding a trip to wine country on your Chile itinerary is never a bad idea, especially when you have two weeks in Chile. The Elqui Valley offers incredible wineries alongside some of the best stargazing in Chile.

Visit Cavas Del Valle, a family-owned winery offering award-winning wine and special releases like a late harvest syrah. You can also hike to see beaches and wildlife at Punta Choros or go stargazing in a vineyard at Centro Astronomico Alfa Aldea.

• Day 1: Santiago
• Day 2 – 6: Elqui Valley
• Day 7-10: Atacama
• Day 11 – 14: Torres del Paine

7-Day Itinerary Chile

If you have less time, you can still plan a week in Chile while still seeing many of my favourite locations over seven days. 

• Day 2-4: Torres del Paine
• Day 5-7: Atacama

Chile Itinerary – Map 

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Chile Itinerary: Read Next

• The Best Things to do in Chile  
• Hiking the Torres del Paine: What You Need to Know  
• Unmissable Things to do in Santiago  
• What to do in the Atacama Desert

I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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Destinations

Experiences.

• Photography

Plan Your Trip

Chile starts here.

Who wouldn’t want to spend 2 weeks in Chile? Indeed, I’m imagine that you probably want to spend longer, although my research has told me most of you lack the time off to do so.

Which is not to say that you should worry about only having a couple weeks to explore this huge country: I’ve put this Chile 2 week itinerary together in the most efficient way possible. Although you may have to sacrifice some sleep (and some downtime more generally) to actualize it, this will allow you to experience a cross-section of everything Chile has to offer in half a month or less.

The best part about this itinerary? It works not only if you’re planning an à la carte trip to Chile, but also if you’re trying to work it into a larger 2 months in South America (or longer) adventure. On that note, I think we should start!

Practical Matters

Where to stay in chile.

Chile has some of the better hotels and other lodging in South America, but you definitely get what you pay for—or, rather, you pay for what you get. On the other hand, while boutique properties such as Hotel Magnolia in Santiago are relatively pricey, simpler hotels such as Hotel Altiplanico Bellas Artes , also in the capital, and the rustic Hotel Jardin in the Atacama Desert reflect that you can have comfort, cleanliness and a convenient location without breaking the bank.

When to visit Chile

For the purposes of this guide to spending two weeks in Chile, I’ve assumed you will travel in or around the summer months. This doesn’t mean, of course, that you need to travel during the peak of the season, i.e. in December or January. While these months are increasingly ideal, the farther south you go, “shoulder” months like November and March, at the end of spring and the beginning of autumn, respectively, are beautiful and less-crowded times to visit Chile.

How to get around in Chile

As is the case in most of South America, the most practical way to travel long distances in Chile is by overnight sleeper buses. Onboard these vehicles, you can book full cama beds and enjoy delicious food of drink as you move around Chile. Alternatively, if you can score or a deal or you don’t mind paying a premium, then domestic flights are a great way to travel, although they aren’t as cheap or convenient (owing to a lack of local low-cost carriers) as you see in other parts of the world.

Money, costs and communication

Chile uses the Chilean peso , which has one of the most difficult conversion rates on the continent , compared to other currencies. However, in spite of how relatively un-valuable the CLP is compared to major currencies like the USD and EUR, Chile is one of the more expensive countries in South America. As a general rule, you can expect to a pay a minimum of 100 USD per person, per day to travel comfortably. While thrifty backpackers can get by on 50-75 USD per day, most travelers will pay closer to $150-200.

Communicating during your 2 weeks in Chile isn’t much of a challenge, literally or figuratively. Chilean Spanish is relatively easy to understand (at least compared to what you hear in nearby Argentina). Likewise, Chile has some of the fastest internet on the continent, whether you primarily use the plentiful and free WiFi, or buy a Chilean SIM card upon arrival at the airport in Santiago.

Chile visas

As is the case in Argentina , Chile has done away with the “reciprocity fees” it once required many foreign travelers to pay upon entry by air. Instead, you will receive a “tourist card” valid for between 30-180 days (it’s 90 for US citizens), depending on which passport you hold. Speaking of passports, it’s important to note that Chile not only requires six months of validity, but that you passport be in “good condition,” although it isn’t very specific on what that entails.

Where to Go With 2 Weeks in Chile

Your two-week Chile itinerary will begin in Santiago , and it may end in the capital as well. Take as much time as you can in South America’s most underrated capital. For some travelers, this will mean digging deep into city center districts such as Bellas Artes , Bellavista and Las Condes . Others will want to take day trips from Santiago, most likely to the colorful port city of Valparaíso just to the west.

The Atacama Desert

If you begin your 2 weeks in Chile with entry by land from the Uyuni Salt Flats of Bolivia , then San Pedro de Atacama and its surrounding landscape may in fact serve as your introduction to the country. Even if this doesn’t end up being the case, this lunar-looking desert deserves some time on your trip, whether you visit Chile’s own salt flats, or partake in some of the world’s best stargazing. 

The Chilean Wine Country

I’ll be honest: The Chilean Wine Country is far less famous and less often visited than the one over the Andes in Argentina, in spite of Chilean whites and reds being just as good as Argentina malbec . Let their loss—by “they,” I mean travelers who don’t devote anytime to Chile’s agricultural heartlands—be your gain. The Maipo and San Antonio Valleys , to be sure, are less rustic than the wineries you find near Argentina’s Mendoza city, but still provide a delicious experience.

Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine

It might sound strange to think that you can visit Patagonia with just 2 weeks in Chile, but it’s definitely possible. This is especially true if you prioritize. Even if you end up spending a day or two in the lake-district hub of Puerto Montt and nearby Chiloé  island, focus your energy (and your time) instead on Puerto Natales , the closest city to the famous Torres del Paine and the miles of trail that lead to it.

Easter Island

One thing many people don’t realize is that Easter Island is almost seven hours from Santiago, one-way, by plane. Which is to say that while you can visit Easter Island on a two-week trip to Chile, you will likely spend a significantly portion of your time there in transit to and from the island. To put it another way, if you want to stay longer than 2-3 days on Easter Island, you may need to expand your Chile itinerary (2 weeks) to three weeks or longer.

Is 2 Weeks in Chile Enough?

The topic of how long in Chile you should spend is really very simple: If you have the time and money to stay here for longer than two weeks, you should. Chile is an absolutely massive country, with an almost limitless array of destinations and experiences. Two weeks is enough time to scratch their surface, to get a cross section of the variety and richness of all there is to do in Chile. But it is absolutely not sufficient for a comprehensive trip.

Indeed, you should think of your 2 weeks in Chile as an appetizer. Some travelers will return to Chile in the future, and dig deeper into the places they enjoyed the most on their initial trips. For other travelers, their upcoming two-week itinerary is the “digging deep” one. They’ve done a proverbial sampling tour in the past, and maybe be coming back for two weeks in Chilean Patagonia, or to “live” in Santiago for a couple of weeks.

Other FAQ About Travel to Chile

What can you do in chile for 2 weeks.

With two weeks in Chile, you have two options. The first is to enjoy a cross-section of the country, following up a long weekend in Santiago with a few days in either the Atacama Desert or on Easter Island, followed by a week or so in Patagonia and the southern lakes district. Alternatively, if this isn’t your first time to Chile, you may choose to spend your two weeks digging deeper into a particular region.

How many days do you need in Chile?

Although I’ve written this post to specifically recommend ideas for spending 2 weeks in Chile, I think longer trips are a great idea if you have the time and money to take them. While two weeks in Chile is long enough to enjoy a fast-paced trip that touches each of Chile’s main tourism regions, have three weeks or even one month in Chile will allow you to take your time as you travel, from the Atacama Desert in the north, all the way down to Patagonia in the south.

What is the best month to visit Chile?

Chile’s summer season is the best one for travelers, with hot months like December and January especially conducive to exploring Patagonia and other destinations in the south. With this being said, I’m also a big fan of “shoulder” months such as November (the last month of spring) and March, when the heat of summer begins chilling to the crispness of autumn.

The Bottom Line

I recommend starting to plan your 2 weeks in Chile now, even if you aren’t certain when you’ll come. There’s so much to see and do in this long, larger-than-life country that you really can’t learn enough information before setting off. Some travelers will sample a bit of everything there is to do in all regions of the country, following up a long weekend in Santiago with a few days in the Atacama desert or on Easter Island, before ending with a whirlwind week in Patagonia. Others will dig into one or two destinations, traveling more deeply than broadly. Either way, I encourage you to hire to me to plan your trip to Chile , and let me sweat the details.

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The Best Patagonia 2 Week Itinerary: Epic Road Trip in Chile & Argentina

April 17, 2023.

If you’re planning an epic road trip in Patagonia, you’re in the right place! This region is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. From jagged mountain peaks to opportunities to see wildlife and a variety of excellent hiking trails, there are endless adventures to be had.

Not only is Patagonia an epic destination, but I found it to be very safe to explore. There are some remote areas that you’ll be traveling through, but with the proper preparation, it is very doable to navigate through the Patagonia region of Chile and Argentina on your own.

If a Patagonia trip is on your bucket list, keep reading to learn what I recommend for a 2 week itinerary and all of the tips that you’ll need to know along the way.

This Patagonia trip itinerary is based on visiting Patagonia in December 2022 and January 2023.

Table of Contents

How long should you spend in patagonia, when to visit patagonia, tips for a patagonia road trip, rental car vs bus, map of patagonia, itinerary overview, day 1 - travel to patagonia, day 2 - prepare for the w trek, days 3 - 7 - hike the w trek in torres del paine national park, day 8 - drive to argentina, day 9 - hike to laguna de los tres, day 10 - drive from el chaltén to el calafate, day 11 - visit perito moreno glacier, day 12 - drive back to punta arenas, day 13 - take a day trip to see penguins, day 14 - fly back to santiago or home, is patagonia expensive, is patagonia vegetarian friendly, is patagonia good for a solo trip.

How many days should you spend in Patagonia? This is always a hard question to answer because I believe you should travel with as much time as you are able. You could spend months exploring Patagonia and still not see everything. Or, you could visit for 3 days and still have a memorable trip.

However, if you’re flying all the way to the bottom of South America, you might as well allow for a good amount of time to properly explore a few different areas of Patagonia. If you would like to visit both Chile and Argentina, and do some epic hiking along the way, I think that 2 weeks is the right amount of time to see the highlights.

Since Patagonia is located in the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed from the Northern hemisphere. This means that their summer is December through February. This itinerary includes a lot of mountainous hiking, so you’ll want to visit during the summer months or close to it.

This trip is doable from October to the end of April, but you’ll likely have the best weather from November to March. I visited in December/January and thought it was the perfect time.

• Some areas of Patagonia are quite remote. Be sure to download Google offline maps so you’ll be able to navigate without service. I also recommend having an international phone plan or local SIM card.
• Prepare for all kinds of weather on your Patagonia trip - but especially wind. The wind can be very intense and even make it hard to drive. Dress in layers and be aware that you may have all 4 seasons in one day!
• If you are renting a car in Patagonia and plan to cross the border, you’ll need the rental company to provide a special permit. Make sure you ask about this ahead of time and be aware that it has an extra fee.
• If you’re traveling by car and headed into remote areas, be sure to fill up on gas whenever you can.
• I always recommend having some local currency when you travel. However, the vast majority of places in Patagonia took credit cards and in the few instances where we needed cash, they also took USD.
• You will likely see a lot of wildlife as you drive around the country! Be on the lookout for guanacas (similar to llamas) and rhea (similar to ostriches).
• Argentina and Chile use different types of power outlets. Coming from the US, you'll need an adaptor for each. I recommend getting a set of universal plug adapters . Chile uses Types C and L, while Argentina uses Types C and I. Both countries have a standard voltage of 220 V, so make sure your devices are compatible with 220 V.

Getting Around Patagonia

When it comes to transportation around Patagonia, most travelers will either rent a car or travel by bus. The bus is a great option if you’re visiting Patagonia on a budget, as it’s much cheaper than renting a car. But if you prefer to have the freedom to come and go when you please, renting a car is the best option.

Here are few things to keep in mind if you rent a car:

• Most of the rental cars are manual.
• You will need an additional permit from the rental car company if you plan to cross the border between Chile and Argentina.

I will be writing this itinerary from the perspective of renting a car, but will provide some information about bus options too when applicable.

Patagonia 2-Week Itinerary

This itinerary involves renting a car in Chile to drive yourself around Patagonia, hiking the W Trek in Torres Del Paine, crossing the border into Argentina and then returning to Chile. This is almost exactly what I did, and what I recommend for an epic trip. However, there are many opportunities to alter the itinerary if you have less time.

• Day 1: Fly into Punta Arenas, drive to Puerto Natales
• Day 2: Prepare for the W trek and visit Mylodon Cave National Monument
• Days 3 - 7: Hike the W Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park
• Day 8: Drive from Puerto Natales to El Chaltén
• Day 9: Hike to Laguna De Los Tres
• Day 10: Drive from El Chaltén to El Calafate
• Day 11: Visit the Perito Moreno Glacier
• Day 12: Drive from El Calafate to Punta Arenas
• Day 13: Take a penguin day trip
• Day 14: Fly back from Punta Arenas

Fly to Patagonia. Most likely, you will fly into Punta Arenas and then travel up to Puerto Natales.

To get to Patagonia, you’ll want to fly into either Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales. It is highly likely that you’ll be connecting through Chile’s capital city, Santiago, first.

Punta Arenas is a lot bigger than Puerto Natales, so there are many more flights and options for rental cars.

If you fly into Punta Arenas, you can either rent a car or take a bus to get to Puerto Natales. I opted to rent a car so that I would have it ready after the W Trek to drive directly into Argentina.

Check out my guide to renting a car in Patagonia for all of the details on car rental!

Either way, it is about 3 hours driving time between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales.

Tip: If you rent a car in Chile, make sure to ask for a border crossing permit to be able to take it into Argentina. This is an extra fee and not all companies allow it. Call the rental car company ahead of time to make sure, as their online information may not be up to date.

When you reach Puerto Natales, check into a local hotel and explore the town!

When it comes to hotels in Puerto Natales, there are many to pick from. I recommend Hotel Altiplanico Sur for a more peaceful and luxurious stay (at a mid-range budget). Each room has a view facing the water and they have a wonderful restaurant with refreshing cocktails. We also ordered packed lunches from this hotel to have our first day on the W Trek.

Another great hotel in town is Kau Lodge . It is right on the water and closer to town, so you’re an easy walking distance from restaurants. It has more of a social, hostel vibe but still offered private rooms and was quiet.

There are also several great restaurants in Puerto Natales. I recommend Café Artimaña, Cafe Kaiken and La Guanaca Pizza. Café Artimaña is a cozy restaurant and craft brewery that serves dishes full of flavor. I really enjoyed a mushroom risotto and a pisco sour. The staff was kind and welcoming.

Cafe Kaiken is another local Chilean restaurant that serves a variety of pastas, as well as other dishes and a selection of wine.

Finally, La Guanaca Pizza is a fun spot for comfort food with a variety of pizza options, cocktails and craft beer.

Tip: Try a Pisco Sour while you’re in Patagonia! It’s a cocktail that is typically made with brandy and blended with fresh juice, sugar and ice. The drink is generally regarded as originating in Peru, but is also very popular in Chile.

Make sure you’re ready for the W Trek and visit the Mylodon Cave National Monument.

This might not be necessary depending on what time your flight was and where you flew into, but I’m leaving an extra day in the itinerary to prepare for the W Trek!

Make sure you are completely packed and ready with any snacks or gear that you may need.

If you have time for an activity and have a rental car, go on a hike in Mylodon Cave National Monument! The park is just about 20 minutes from Puerto Natales and is home to a massive cave. It is a quick walk to see the Milodon Cave, which is the largest cave in the park. The cave is 200 meters/660 feet long and there is a trail around the rim to enjoy the cave up close.

On the short walk to the cave, you’ll also find signage to learn about the history of the cave and prehistoric animal life in the area.

There are many more trail options if you have time and energy. I recommend hiking to Cueva del Medio, a smaller cave that is really neat to explore.

If you don’t have a rental car, you can also visit via taxi.

Spend 5 days hiking the W Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park. Alternatively, spend a couple days here doing day hikes.

If you have the time to spare and you love hiking, I highly recommend hiking the W trek during your trip to Patagonia! The W Trek is a multi-day hike in Torres Del Paine National Park. Most hikers do the trek over 5 days and 4 nights.

If you’re an avid hiker, you’ll find the W Trek to be incredibly rewarding. The journey will lead you past serene turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, mighty glaciers and rugged mountain peaks. Not to mention the chance to spot the magnificent condor birds and the opportunity to get to know other hikers along the way.

One of the great things about the W trek is that you can stay at inns along the way. The inns provide shared dorm rooms, or they can provide tents for a lower cost. They also can provide all of your meals. Having a shower, a bed and your meals taken care of is certainly a luxury after spending your days hiking up and down mountains!

I hiked the trek from East to West and stayed in four different inns along the way. To start and end the trek, I took a bus from Puerto Natales.

For my full itinerary and everything you need to know to book the W Trek, check out my W Trek guide.

If you have less time OR hiking for 5 days doesn’t sound appealing to you, I still recommend spending one or two days in Torres Del Paine National Park.

One option for a shorter visit is to stay at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia and take a day hike to see Mirador Base Las Torres, which is arguably the most iconic view in the park. Another great option is to stay at Hotel Lago Grey and take their scenic boat ride to get a great view of Glacier Gray. No matter what you decide, make sure to spend some time in this incredible park.

Make your way from Puerto Natales to El Chaltén.

After exploring Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile, it’s time to head to Argentina! Take the bus or your rental car across the border into Argentina.

If you are driving a rental car across the border, here are some things you need to know:

• You must have a border crossing permit that will be provided by your rental car company.
• You’ll stop at the Chile border crossing first, then drive across the border and stop again on the Argentina side.
• If you cross at the border closest to Torres Del Paine, it is 8.5 km or a 10 minute drive between the two buildings. It feels a little strange to be in no-man’s land for that long, but keep going and you’ll see it! As soon as you reach Argentina, the road becomes unpaved.
• When you leave the Argentina border, the road is unpaved for a bit longer until you turn onto Route 40.
• Your map will likely try to take you on Route 40 between Estancia Tapi Aike and El Cerrito. This is a long section of unpaved road that you should avoid due to its remote nature and the strong possibility of a flat tire or other car trouble. Instead, take Route 7 to Esperanza and then turn onto Route 5.
• Due to the remote areas you’ll be driving through, be sure to get gas when you can and have a map.

If you are taking the bus, you may need to spend some time in El Calafate between Puerto Natales to El Chaltén.

The drive between Puerto Natales and El Chaltén takes about 5 - 6 hours, but this could be delayed if you have a long wait at the border crossing.

When you reach El Chaltén, check into your hotel and dine out.

My meal at Fuegia Bistro was my favorite meal of the entire trip. My partner and I both had vegetarian crepes and they were full of flavor. I had the crepe with spinach, and my partner had one with pumpkin and walnut filling, tomato sauce and blue cheese. They tasted like the ultimate elevated comfort food. Not only were the crepes fantastic, but the restaurant had a great wine selection and fabulous service. It’s a little bit of a nicer restaurant but still casual.

I also had a nice stay at Hostería Kau Si Aike . The lodging was basic but included breakfast and the host was so kind and helpful!

Tip: Cell service and wifi is unreliable in El Chaltén. There were some short periods of time where the entire town didn’t have internet. Make sure to be prepared so you’re not completely reliant on it.

Spend the day on an epic day hike to Laguna De Los Tres.

If you’re up for a long day hike, the trek up to Laguna De Los Tres is a must! This hike will rival the W trek in terms of epic views and stunning landscapes. You’ll be hiking to the destination that inspired the logo of the Patagonia brand and get to see a bright blue lake framed from incredible mountain peaks.

Tip: This trail gets super crowded so I recommend getting an early start.

There are a couple different starting points for this trail. The most popular trailhead is right on the edge of town and the town is small enough that you can walk there from any hotel. If you drive, there is a relatively large lot.

Another option is to start from the Senda El Pilar trailhead, which you can reach by bus or car. If you go there by bus, then you can hike back to the El Chalten trailhead and make it a point-to-point hike. This allows you to experience more scenery and hike a less crowded portion of the trail at the beginning of the day! The mileage for both routes is similar.

I hiked out and back from the main trailhead and logged 15 miles. The trail has gradual elevation for the first 2 miles, then is flat for the next 2.5 miles. During the flat part of the trail, there are several opportunities to see Mount Fitz Roy in the distance. The views are incredible the entire way!

The last 1.3 miles of the trail to reach the viewpoint are definitely the hardest. There is a lot of rock scrambling and some areas where you’ll be climbing up loose rock. During the day I was here, the wind was intense and it continued to get worse the higher I climbed.

When you reach the peak, you’ll be rewarded with an incredible view of Laguna De Los Tres with the backdrop of Mount Fitz Roy. The area at the top is very exposed, so there can be high winds (there were for me!). I also never saw the full mountain view due to cloud cover, but it was still one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen!

Spend the morning on a short hike in El Chaltén and then drive to El Calafate.

Do another short hike or two in El Chaltén before making your way to El Calafate (a 2-3 hour drive).

If you only have the morning, I recommend the Chorilla Waterfall and/or the Huemul Glacier.

Chorrillo del Salto is a short and easy trail that will lead you to a beautiful waterfall. If you are hiking in from town, it’s a little over 4 miles. But if you have a rental car, you can park very close and hike about 0.7 miles round trip to reach the falls. I recommend going early to see these falls because they get crowded.

A bit further from town, the Huemul Glacier hike is about 2 miles and includes a beautiful trek through a green forest and a great view of the glacier hanging up above a lake at the end.

Please note that to reach Huemul Glacier, it’s about 34 km on a dirt road. The dirt road should be doable for any car, but there may be some rocky and wet areas. Expect it to take a little longer than you expect, but the drive has many beautiful views!

If you are spending the entire day in El Chaltén, another iconic trail is Laguna Torre. This 10.9 mile (or more if you add on the Mirador Maestri viewpoint) hike leads to a lake that often has icebergs floating on the surface. I hope to hike this next time I visit the area!

After a morning of exploring, make your way to El Calafate to continue your trip.

Tip: If you’re driving, allow extra time to get gas in El Chaltén. There is one tiny gas station and one pump, so there are often long lines. You will also need to pay in cash.

Take a day trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier.

For your one full day in El Calafate, head to the Perito Moreno Glacier. I opted to take a day trip that includes transportation from El Calafate, time at the Glacial walkways, a boat ride and a hike ON the glacier.

The views of the glacier from the walkways are outstanding. There are 4.7 km of walkways and you can see the glacier from multiple angles. It’s truly a sight to behold. The glacier is 5 km wide, has an average height of 74 m above the water and has a total ice depth of 170 meters.

The glacier is also on the move. It flows about 2m each day further from its origin point. And you’re likely to see chunks of ice calving (breaking off) and falling into the water. It’s fascinating to watch!

Next to the walkways, there is also a cafe and gift shop where you can buy lunch.

After exploring the walkways, we took a boat ride in front of the Southeast side of the glacier. It was a quick ride and fascinating to see the tall glacier walls from the water.

We were dropped off on the other side of the waterway and hiked over to the foot of the glacier. From there, we geared up with some heavy duty spikes and helmets.

The glacier hike was so much fun! We got to explore a crevasse, sample glacier water and take in the stunning views. Glacier hiking is always such a special experience - I also got to enjoy it at the Matanuska Glacier in Alaska.

This tour was extra fun because it ended with whiskey served over glacier ice and chocolate enjoyed on the glacier. It was a memorable experience that was worth every penny!

A trip to Perito Moreno Glacier is something not to miss on your Patagonia itinerary.

Drive from El Calafate, Argentina to Punta Arenas, Chile.

Spend this day driving from El Calafate back to Punta Arenas. Keep in mind that you’ll have to cross the border again, so you should allow some extra time. In my experience, crossing into Chile took a lot longer than crossing into Argentina. They spend a lot more time searching your bags.

Tip: You cannot take any fresh fruit or vegetables into Chile, be sure to throw them out before you reach the border. Other foods such as nuts and meats can only be taken in with a declaration.

The drive between El Calafate to Punta Arenas will likely take between 5 and 6 hours.

When you reach Punta Arenas, spend some time exploring the city or relaxing after a long trip.

If you have some extra time in Punta Arenas, visit the Cemetery of Punta Arenas. The cemetery is quite large and impressive. It ranks in the top 10 of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. You’ll be able to explore tree-lined paths with perfectly manicured hedges and see the gravestones of ancient settlers and immigrants.

This is a small admission fee and you’ll be given a map with some information to learn more as you explore.

Another great stop in town is Cerro de la Cruz, an observation point that offers great views of the city. From here you’ll be able to see the Strait of Magellan and a large portion of the city. It’s located in a city park and you’ll also find some nice murals and benches. It’s a great place to watch the sunset.

Finally, if you’re looking to splurge on a nice hotel for your last stay in Patagonia, I highly recommend Hotel La Yegua Loca .

This boutique hotel is themed to honor the trades and traditions of Croatian pioneers, English and Chilotes that arrived in this area in the mid-1800s. Each of the 15 rooms has a different theme showcasing different jobs held by the early pioneers. I stayed in ‘The Warehouse’ which was equipped as a workshop. Details included tools on the walls, a soldering iron as a towel rack, and Chevy memorabilia adorning the walls. Maybe the best part was that the room had a large balcony with an amazing view looking out at the city.

In addition to the beautiful rooms, we ate breakfast and dinner at the hotel and the food was great. I enjoyed a Pisco Sour flight (there were 5 kinds to choose from!), falafel risotto and a chocolate mousse dessert.

This beautiful hotel is the perfect way to end an epic adventure traveling and hiking all over Patagonia.

See penguins near Punta Arenas.

On your final day in Patagonia, take a day trip from Punta Arenas to see penguins! This is something I ran out of time for but wish I had been able to do.

One of the closest places to see penguins is on Isla Magdalena. The island is home to Chile’s largest penguin colony and one of the largest rookeries in Patagonia. Along the way, you also may get to see elephant seals and sea lions!

It is about a 2 hour ferry ride to reach the island, or you can take a speed boat via a tour. Visitors are typically only able to spend about an hour on the island so as not to disturb the penguins too much.

You can book your visit to Isla Magdalena on Viator. This tour lasts 4-5 hours.

If you’re interested in a longer day's adventure to see penguins, you can also take a trip over to Parque Pingüino Rey located on Tierra del Fuego Island. This area is home to a colony of King Penguins and will include more travel in the Patagonia countryside. The tour lasts about 14 hours and can be booked on Viator.

Travel back to Santiago and/or home.

After an incredible two weeks exploring Patagonia, catch a flight from Punta Arenas. Depending on your flight options, you may want to spend a day exploring Santiago.

If you have a day or two to spend in Santiago, I recommend walking around Parque Forestal, taking the gondola or cable car to the top of Cerro San Cristobal, visiting the Central Market and eating some delicious food! If you have even more time, take a day trip to either the mountains or the coast. I had a great time visiting a winery, the Inca Lagoon and driving a road with 29 hairpin turns on this tour I booked on Viator.

I hope this itinerary helps you plan an epic trip to Patagonia! Keep reading to learn some FAQs and check out my ultimate guide to hiking the W Trek , my top tips for hiking the W Trek and my guide to renting a car in Patagonia to continue planning your trip.

FAQs about Patagonia Travel

Yes and no. Patagonia tends to be more affordable than traveling in the US, but it’s by no means cheap. As with any vacation, there are plenty of areas where you can choose between saving or splurging. One of my biggest costs was the rental car, but you can opt out of that and travel via bus instead. Hotels tended to be a bit expensive in the small, touristy towns, such as El Chaltén. And there is a large range of prices when it comes to food and activities. To see exactly what I paid to hike the W Trek, check out my cost breakdown.

As a vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised by how vegetarian friendly the region was! I ate a lot of risotto and also came across plenty of vegetarian pizza, pasta and sandwiches. Just about every restaurant I came across in Patagonia had vegetarian options.

While I did not visit solo myself, I absolutely would! I felt very safe traveling around this part of Chile and Argentina. There are also some great opportunities to meet other travelers by joining tours, staying in social hotels and hostels and getting out on the trails. Personally, I think Patagonia would be a great place to travel solo.

For more Patagonia guides, check out these blogs:

• The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the W Trek Self-Guided
• A Guide to Renting a Car and Driving in Patagonia
• 30 Tips for Hiking the W Trek
• A Detailed Packing List for the W Trek

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Chile Itinerary 2 Weeks in Boutique Hotels

By: Author Amanda OBrien

Posted on Last updated: 16/02/2024

Chile is a LONG thin country. The north of Chile is one of the driest places in the world with the Atacama Desert and Salt Flats. Down south is the stunning Patagonia which crosses into Argentina.

Along the way you can stay in some stunning boutique hotels in unique locations where you can have some amazing luxury adventures and culinary experiences along the way.

Here is my Chile Itinerary 2 Weeks in Boutique Hotels:

Chile Itinerary 2 Weeks: The Best time to Go

The best time to travel to Chile is between September and November when temperatures are pleasantly cool in the North. Santiago and the Central Valley have mild winters and warm to hot summers so they are great places to visit all year round.

Whenever and wherever you travel Chile you will notice there can be quite extreme changes in temperature from morning to night so layers are essential.

Finally, the peak season for Easter Island is January to March although temperatures make it an option across the rest of the year.

Best Time for Patagonia Travel

Further down south in Patagonia the weather is quite unpredictable and can be treacherous even in summer. The high season is January and February when the temperatures are a bit warmer.

October, November, March, and April are cooler but less crowded of course. Finally, winter is not a great time to go and you will be limited in your potential activities so it is best to adjust your Patagonia Itinerary to fit in with this.

Getting to and around Chile

International flights into and out of Chile arrive in Santiago, Chile’s modern airport. There are numerous flights to and from closer locations such as Lima and Buenos Aires daily.

Despite Chile’s long skinny formation it is easy to get around the country when it comes to heading north and south. There are loads of good deals on local airlines to get you around efficiently.

There are also loads of decent buses but of course, you need the time. Car hire can also be a good option, especially for Patagonia.

⇒ Flights to Chile

⇒ Car hire in Chile

Chile Itinerary 2 Weeks

Kick-off your Chile trip itinerary by arriving into the capital of  Santiago and transferring to Vik Chile Millahue Valley for three nights.

The stunning Millahue Valley is a two-hour transfer from Santiago. This wine region is bordered by the Andes mountains. The stunning Vik hotel is a luxury boutique hotel designed for relaxing retreats.

Floor to ceiling windows maximise the views of the stunning vineyards as does the infinity pool. Staying at Vik Chile is a bit like staying at an art gallery – the hotel and its 22 rooms are filled with art.

Dine at the stunning Milla Milla restaurant at the hotel and enjoy some barbequed seafood. Sit outside on the terrace if you can.

⇒ Read Reviews of Vik Chile Millahue Valley on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

After a fantastic breakfast at Milla Milla have a swim in the infinity pool and some relaxing time. Late morning it is time to start tasting some wine.

Head to Vik’s unique winery for a full tour to understand their unique winemaking process. Visit the agricultural backend and check out their ecological practices. Of course, the highlight is the tasting itself.

Spend the afternoon tasting more Chilean wine at the hotel’s tasting hall. Let their wine expert guide you through the tasting and help you understand how to really taste wine.

Have a late afternoon swim to sober up before heading for another delicious dinner at Milla Milla.

Time to sweat out all that wine tasting from the day before with a morning of horseback riding throughout the valley. Depending on your energy levels the afternoon presents 3 great options.

The highest energy is getting on one of the hotel’s mountain bikes and exploring. The next option is some valley trekking.

For both of these options take a pre-prepared picnic pack.

The final option is to head to the wonderfully named Wine Spa. This can be all afternoon or post your activity. Enjoy wine in a whole new way by having grapes put on your face and body with one of their signature treatments.

If you haven’t already make sure you try Vik’s signature red wine during your final dinner at Milla Milla.

⇒ Click here for Latest Prices and Availability for Vik Chile Millahue Valley

Leave the Millahue Valley and fly north to Calama and stay at Awasi Atacama for 3 nights Ah, the amazing Atacama Desert – a landscape like no other.

There is no better way to explore it than staying at the jaw-dropping Awasi Atacama. There are only 10 rooms and each is provided with a private guide and 4WD.

Explore the Atacama in your own way in your own time.

Room costs are all-inclusive as this is not an easy place to pop out to dinner. Make sure you enjoy a Pisco Sour after a day exploring and then try some of the carefully picked local wines. Try to get an early flight so you can do an afternoon excursion on your first day.

⇒ Read reviews of Awasi Atacama on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

Choose either a full day or two half-day tours. Just some of the amazing options available are the el Tatio geysers, an Astronomy tour, Salar de Atacama, the Altiplano Lagoons and many more options.

Spend some time with your guide for some travel tips and to plot out the perfect day for your interests.

Fly from Calama to Temuco. Stay at Hotel Vira Vira for 3 nights.

Hotel Vira Vira arranges transfers to the hotel, either by vehicle (90 mins) or helicopter (30 mins). You can also connect via Puerto Montt Airport (3-hour transfer south through the Lake District) or cross the border into San Martin de Los Andes in Argentina.

⇒ Read Reviews of Hotel Vira Vira on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

It’s been a busy week so far so have a bit more of a relaxing day today on your trip to Chile. Kick off with some yoga with a view.

Then do a tour of the on-site dairy and farm and learn about local techniques. In the afternoon take a flight by either helicopter or small plane around the Villarrica Volcano.

Finish off the day by visiting a Chilean rodeo.

Time to get active! Choose from horseback riding, trekking or cycling on land. On the water choose between kayaking, white water rafting, fly fishing or sailing.

Fly from Temuco to Puerto Natales Stay at Awasi Patagonia  for 3 nights The Awasi resort Chile is located in the stunning Torres Del Paine National Park.

There are only 14 villas and like the Atacama, each has its own private guide and 4WD. And each villa has a stunning view of Torres Del Paine.

Your amazing dinner at Awasi Patagonia will come from locally sourced ingredients. If you can face it you can try the local lama guanaco!

⇒ Read reviews of Awasi Patagonia on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

Explore the Awasi private reserve. You’ll see foxes, sheep, gauchos and much activity in the sky with eagles and condors.

In the afternoon become a gaucho and take on some horseback riding.

Trek to the base of Torres Del Paine. It will be a big physical effort but you will see some amazing scenery and experience fantastic views. Or head to Valle del Frances with its stunning glacier.

⇒ Fly Puerto Natales to Santiago

⇒ And check out this terrific post on The Best Things to do in Santiago Chile to plan your time

If you have time take the classic Santiago sightseeing tour on the day you arrive.

For a stylish hideaway stay at The Singular Santiago for your last 2 nights in Chile. This hotel has every mod-con and a stunning rooftop pool. The Singular Santiago Chile is also a wellness spa if you’re looking to relax.

⇒ Read Reviews of The Singular Santiago on Tripadvisor ⇒ Book Now

Day Thirteen

Visit Valparaiso and Vina del Mar and take in a few wine tastings.

Finish off an amazing trip with dinner at the stunning and sustainable Aqui Esta Coco.

Day Fourteen

Fly Home. Alas, most flights tend to leave during the day so you will have minimal time to explore on this last day.

Chile Itinerary 10 Days & Other Variations

To adjust the above from a 2-week itinerary to a 10-day option remove one day from each of the stays in all spots apart from Santiago. This will mean moving at a faster pace but will ensure that all of the major areas are covered during the visit.

Or check out these 10-day itineraries from Chile expert Steph at Worldly Adventurer.

You Might Enjoy Reading:

⇒ My Review of Iberia Airlines business class

⇒ Thing s to do in Medellin Colombia as well as the Best Restaurants in Medellin

⇒ Things to Do in Bogota

⇒ Things to do in Guatape

READ NEXT: COLOMBIA ITINERARY

Posts you might enjoy:

Brazil Landmarks

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Day Trip to Guatape

Like this post? Why Not Pin It?

If you click through on the links that appear on my blog posts around flights, accommodation, tours, travel insurance etc. I get a small commission if you end up buying on these sites. Just wanted to make sure you knew!

Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.

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Friday 1st of June 2018

Wow! Chile is the place to be! so many activities can be done. thank you for sharing this post. would love to visit Chile!

The Boutique Adventurer

Saturday 2nd of June 2018

Hi Sarene. Thanks for your comment. I know - so much to be done in Chile! what an amazing country!

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The ultimate 2 week northern chile itinerary.

Chile is a land of immense natural beauty. Stretching over 4,000 kilometres from the arid Atacama Desert in the north to the fjords and glaciers of Patagonia in the south, flanked the entire way by the Pacific Ocean and Andes mountains, few countries can boast such a diversity of landscapes. This two-week Chile itinerary focuses on the northern stretch between San Pedro de Atacama, a desert town close to the Bolivia border, and Santiago, the country’s boisterous capital. We’ve also included some ideas for exploring further south, from the lakes to Patagonia.

This article contains some links to products and services we love, from which we may make commission at no extra cost to you.

In this article:

How many days do you need in Chile?

Chile is such a vast country that there really isn’t a maximum amount of time to visit. You could spend a year exploring Chile and still only cover a fraction of its many different geographies and landscapes.

Given the distances involved in travelling across Chile, it’s a good idea to explore sections of the country in shorter, more manageable trips. We’ve made separate visits ourselves to northern Chile and to the southern Patagonia region, for example.

If you want to see the highlights of the whole country in one visit, we recommend spending at least a month in Chile. 

In this Chile itinerary we focus on the northern region of the country, from the border with Bolivia down to the capital Santiago. To see the highlights of this region, 2 weeks is a nice amount of time that lets you explore each place along the way without being too rushed.

Chile itinerary: two weeks

This northern Chile itinerary begins in San Pedro de Atacama, a town in the Atacama Desert close to the border with Bolivia. Many travellers arrive here at the end of tours to Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia , the world’s largest salt flat.

Our route travels via the Elqui Valley to the capital Santiago, and finally to the artistic port city Valparaíso before returning to Santiago.

Who is this Chile itinerary for?

This Chile itinerary is for all-round travellers who love to combine scenery-hunting with local cultural experiences. It features a mixture of city exploration and outdoor activity, and includes recommendations on where to stay and places to eat.

The itinerary is based on our own travels as a couple in Chile. We’ve spent time in all the places highlighted in this article. For information about us, read more here . 

Our route begins in San Pedro de Atacama, the most popular entry point to Chile for backpackers arriving from Bolivia. Our exit point is Santiago, the capital city, located in the country’s central region.

This route works well for anyone who is looking to fit some of the highlights of Chile into a longer trip through South America, which is what we did, or simply for a two-week vacation.

The itinerary has plenty of flexibility and is geared towards people who prefer not to rush from one destination to the next. For the faster traveller, it would be possible to squeeze this route into ten days, or even less. We like to take our time!

For anyone who is looking to explore further south than Santiago, I’ve included some additional ideas at the end of the article.

What is the budget for this Chile itinerary?

We travel on a mid-range budget, which is reflected in the composition of this itinerary. If you’re looking to get the most out of your time in Chile without spending a fortune, then you’re in the right place. We’ve also recommended some organised tours if you want to spend a bit more.

Based on our experiences, for this 14-day route I would recommend a budget of around GBP £1,600 / USD $2,000 for two people. This covers domestic transport (but not flights in/out), accommodation, food and drink, and activities. If you want to take some of the additional tours we suggest, then you may need to allow a little more.

Two-week Chile itinerary: the route in brief

Here is the route at-a-glance. Read on below for more details on how you can spend your time in each location:

• Days 1–4: San Pedro de Atacama. Cycling exploration, stargazing tour, Meteorite Museum, Valle de la Luna and relaxation.
• Days 5–7: Elqui Valley. Pisco tasting, hiking and stargazing.
• Days 8–10: Santiago. Walking tour, Cerro San Cristóbal, museums, wine tour.
• Days 11–13: Valparaíso. Walking tour, street art discovery, day trip to Viña del Mar.
• Day 14: return to Santiago.

Days 1–4: San Pedro de Atacama

The Atacama Desert is the world’s driest desert. The region is famous for its incredible night skies, and is ranked among the world’s premium locations for stargazing.

The town of San Pedro de Atacama is situated in one of the most scenic spots of the desert region. Volcanoes line the nearby horizon, and not far away you will find salt flats, geysers and riddles of ancient rocks.

We loved the town’s relaxed vibe. It’s a great place to stop for a few days and explore at a slow pace. Below are our ideas for a three-night stay at the beginning of this itinerary. For more, read our article on things to do in San Pedro de Atacama .

Day 1: arrive and unwind

If you are arriving in San Pedro de Atacama at the end of a multi-day tour of Salar de Uyuni from Bolivia, you’ll probably want to slow down for a while. Once you’re settled into your accommodation, take a stroll around the small town and get to know it.

Plaza de San Pedro de Atacama , a central park and gardens, is a useful navigation point for exploring. One block south of the plaza, the main road Calle Caracoles is lined with shops, restaurants and tour agencies.

Day 2: bicycle exploration and stargazing tour

One of the best and cheapest ways to explore the landscape around San Pedro de Atacama is to hire a bicycle. This option gave us an active and enjoyable day out on a budget. Bike hire in the town is around 7,000–8,000 Chilean pesos (8–9 US dollars).

There are several bicycle hire services around the town centre. We found a good one on Calle Toconao, a few metres down from its junction with Calle Caracoles. Remember to bring a pack-up of food and plenty of water.

A good place to head to first is Pukara de Quitor , an interesting archaeological site about three kilometres’ ride from the town centre. It’s located on a small hill that doubles up as a fantastic vantage point for seeing the surrounding desert. There is a small site entry fee of around 3,000 Chilean pesos / USD $3.

Next, make for Valle de la Muerte , a nearby valley of jagged rocks and gigantic sand dunes. After paying the entry fee (around 5,000 Chilean pesos / USD $6), follow the steady uphill track until you reach a bike rack. From here you can walk up to a stunning valley viewpoint. For adventure junkies, this is also a very popular spot to try sandboarding.

It would be a missed opportunity to visit San Pedro de Atacama without taking advantage of the amazing stargazing opportunities. Take time to browse the tour companies on Calle Caracoles for a good deal, and also check if your accommodation offers any. Alternatively, to make sure you get a space, you can book an astronomical tour in advance on GetYourGuide with free cancellation.

Make sure you check the moon phases before you visit – the stargazing tours don’t run during full moon. Moon Giant is a very useful tool for this.

Day 3: Meteorite Museum and Valle de la Luna

Allow yourself a morning lie-in after getting in late from your stargazing tour. After lunch, pay a visit to San Pedro de Atacama’s one-of-a-kind Meteorite Museum .

For an entry fee of around 4,000 Chilean pesos / USD $4.50, you can see and touch specimens of rock from outer space, some of which are billions of years old. The staff are a team of friendly astro-enthusiasts who will be happy to show you around and add some insights. In the museum shop, afterwards, you can buy meteorite gemstones.

Later in the day, take the chance to experience the sunset at Valle de la Luna . While it’s possible to reach by bicycle, we decided to take an organised tour .

Tours to the valley include exploration of ancient caves and famous local rock formations. For us, the highlight was the breathtaking reddened view across the desert at the fall of dusk. Wow!

Day 4: take it easy and set off for the Elqui Valley

The journey from San Pedro de Atacama to our next destination, the mountain village of Pisco Elqui, is a long one. First, you need to take a bus to the city of Calama , which takes around 90 minutes. 

From Calama, take the overnight bus to La Serena . This journey is approximately 15 hours. While services run several times a day, it’s a good option to leave Calama at around 6pm and arrive at La Serena around 9am the next day. From there, you can take a local bus to Pisco Elqui. Services leave every hour and take around 2.5 hours.

Before the journey, you will have a few spare hours to enjoy San Pedro and prepare for the overnight bus . 

To the north-east of the San Pedro de Atacama town centre, on the cross-section of Avenida del Inca and Las Parinas, there’s an excellent local market where you can grab some lunch and stock up for the journey. You’ll also find many small shops and bakeries around the town that sell delicious empanadas.

Where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama

We stayed at Backpackers San Pedro , an awesome little hostel on the outskirts of town. We loved this place so much we extended our stay by two nights. It has an outdoor bar, where the staff get a campfire going every night, creating a brilliant social atmosphere. The facilities in general were excellent too, with two large and fully equipped kitchens, hot showers, and an on-site laundry service.

You can find more ideas in our complete San Pedro accommodation guide , which includes hotels, hostels, B&Bs and lodges.

Our favourite place to eat in San Pedro de Atacama

For the most part, we made our own food in San Pedro de Atacama, shopping at the local markets and utilising the excellent kitchen facilities at our hostel. But we did treat ourselves to a meal one night at Pizza El Charrua . Not local cuisine of course, but we got a great pizza for a very reasonable price.

Days 5–7: Elqui Valley

The Elqui Valley in Chile’s Coquimbo region is another world-class spot for stargazing. In 2015, it was the first place on the planet to be designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. The region has plenty to offer in the daytime too, with luscious valley pathways to explore, and a legendary tradition for wine and pisco production.

The village of Pisco Elqui at the heart of the valley is the ideal base for exploring it. Read more in our article about Pisco Elqui and the Elqui Valley .

Day 5: get settled in Pisco Elqui and go pisco tasting

After the long overnight journey from San Pedro de Atacama, via Calama and La Serena, you should have several hours of the day left to relax and recharge.

We usually find that it helps to do something active after an overnighter like this. The village is very pleasant to walk around. At its centre you will find Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario , a church with green gardens and benches. There is a small handicraft fair and some other shops and restaurants on the main road that passes through.

Pisco Elqui was renamed in 1936 to reinforce Chile’s ownership rights to the national drink, pisco. In the village you can take a pisco tasting and discovery tour at Destileria Pisco Mistral . This might just be the perfect activity to welcome you to the valley.

Day 6: day hike and stargazing tour

With a full day at your disposal, hiking self-guided from Pisco Elqui is a cheap and fulfilling way to explore the valley. A fabulous viewpoint is reachable within a few kilometres to the west of the village, with the trail beginning at the end of Calle Baquedano.

If you are willing to part with some cash, there are other options for filling a free day in the Elqui Valley. Tour companies such as Turismo Migrantes offer horseback riding, guided mountain trekking in the Elqui Valley , observatory tours and other activities.

We took a stargazing tour at night with Turismo Migrantes , which was a bargain. Our knowledgeable guide took us to an elevated spot near the village, and  set up a campfire and a powerful telescope. We sipped pisco sour cocktails and marvelled at the blanket of stars in the sky as he gave insights into the celestial bodies and constellations.

Day 7: travel to Santiago

The journey from Pisco Elqui to the capital city Santiago takes a full day. After taking the local bus back down to La Serena, the bus onwards to Santiago takes six to seven hours. Several services cover this route every day; you can find the best value La Serena to Santiago bus services on Busbud .

Where to stay in Pisco Elqui

The ultimate way to experience the night skies of the Elqui Valley to the maximum is to go camping. The village has gained a reputation for its social, community atmosphere, and its campsites are an example of this. The two best options in Pisco Elqui are Camping Refugio Del Angel, a tranquil spot by the river, and Camping Rancho Rodriguez, more renowned for campfires and outdoor drinking.

We opted to stay in a hostel, and had a great experience at Hostal Doña Ema . It’s run by a man called Luis and his family, who are very welcoming and always happy to provide useful local information.

Our favourite place to eat in Pisco Elqui

Similarly to San Pedro de Atacama, we mostly made our own food in Pisco Elqui using the hostel kitchen facilities. One night, however, we did find a great local spot called Rustika Restobar . While the food wasn’t anything special, the atmosphere would bring us back to this place again and again. In a large outdoor section campfires burned late into the night as a local band played rock n’ roll tunes.

Days 8–10: Santiago

Santiago is one of the great cities of South America. Built in a valley basin at the foot of the Andes mountains, the city is a cauldron of activity. Its metropolitan area is home to 40% of Chile’s population.

Santiago is Chile’s commercial and political nucleus. In the 1970s and 1980s it was centre stage to the events of General Pinochet’s military dictatorship, a period that remains strongly divisive in the country. But the days of violence are gone, and replaced with a spirit of openness.

On the streets of Santiago you will find some of South America’s best museums, architecture, local markets and nightlife. For more inspiration, read our article on the best things to do in Santiago, Chile .

Day 8: take a walking tour and climb Cerro San Cristóbal

The phenomenon of free city walking tours has spread from Europe around the world. Chile, and in particular Santiago, has some of the best you will find anywhere.

We took the Santiago highlights tour with Tours 4 Tips , which covered the central city landmarks and gave us a background to the recent historical events. The guides are mostly local students who have grown up in the aftermath of the military dictatorship.

Santiago is outstandingly picturesque from above. The best spot to admire the view is at the top of Cerro San Cristóbal , a hill to the north of the city centre.

The 14-metre-high Virgin Mary Statue looks over the city from the summit, from where you can see the city skyline against a backdrop of mountains and valleys. It takes about an hour to walk up the hill from the city centre, with an elevation gain of 300 metres.

Day 9: explore the museums at Quinta Normal Park

Many of Santiago’s excellent museums are clustered together in a large park some three kilometres west of the main city square. Quinta Normal Park is located in the district of the same, and is easily reachable on the metro system.

The park itself is beautifully cultivated, filled with waterways, fountains and lush greenery. The museums in its grounds include the National Museum of Natural History , the Museum of Science and Technology , and the Railway Museum .

In our opinion, Santiago’s very best museum is to be found just outside the park. The Museum of Memory and Human Rights tells the story of the 1973 military coup and subsequent events, charting the path to the return of democracy. It’s a stirring story that is told through several floors of exhibits, media, artefacts and artwork.

Day 10: free day to explore the city / wine tour

For many people, one day is not enough to work through Santiago’s museums. Even if you explored Quinta Normal Park thoroughly in a day, there are many more museums around the city centre. These include the National Museum of History , the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art and the Museum of Fine Arts .

For a slice of history and a viewpoint that’s easier to reach than Cerro San Cristóbal, head to Cerro Santa Lucia in the city centre. This hill-park is free to enter and features the historic castle of Castillo Hidalgo .

If you’re suffering museum fatigue, another option is to take a tour out to the nearby Maipo Valley, one of the foremost wine regions of Chile. This article by Earth Trekkers explains how you can reach the Maipo Valley and visit wineries independently. If you’d rather cut out the logistics and hassle, you could instead book a Maipo Valley day trip from Santiago .

Where to stay in Santiago

We stayed at Ají Hostel in the Providencia district of Santiago, near the city centre. The facilities provided all we needed for our stay, and the location was ideal for exploring the city. A highlight here was free dinner served every night! 

Our favourite place to eat in Santiago

Santiago is home to the legendary Chilean eatery that is Fuente Alemana. Try one of the meaty sandwiches at lunchtime with locals huddled on seating around a sizzling kitchen area. It left us asking the question, is Fuente Alemana the world’s best sandwich?

Days 11–13: Valparaíso

It’s no exaggeration to say that Valparaíso is one of the world’s most colourful cities. Once a thriving Pacific port, in recent years it has reimagined itself as a hotbed of street art and creativity scattered across 43 separate hill neighbourhoods.

The street art scene in Valparaíso grew underground during the military dictatorship, when political expression was suppressed. Today, in stark contrast, the city is the only place in Chile where street art is legal. Read more in our articles on Valparaíso street art . and things to do in Valparaíso, Chile .

Days 11–12: walking tours and street art discovery

Valparaíso is easily accessible from Santiago via a bus journey of less than two hours, with several services running every day.

The Tours 4 Tips team run two tours in Valparaíso . The ‘highlights’ tour covers the city’s most famous landmarks, while the ‘offbeat’ tour takes a deeper look into politics, history and local art. Arriving midday from Santiago sets up the timing perfectly to take both tours: the highlights tour at 3pm, and then the offbeat tour at 10am the next day.

After taking the tours, you will have a clear sense of direction around the city to explore it on your own terms. Dazzling street art murals lurk around every corner. Take a camera around for an afternoon and see what you can find.

For a slightly different local flavour, check out Caleta Portales , a fish market on the seafront. From 7am each day you can compete with the crowds to buy the best fresh catches, or come back at lunch and try one of the restaurants.

Day 13: day trip to Viña del Mar

From Valparaíso you can take a bus nine kilometres up the coast to Viña del Mar, also known as ‘the Garden City’. It’s a far more polished city than Valparaíso, albeit most would say with less character. Still, it makes for a good day trip to visit its parks, beaches and grandiose buildings.

Tip: if you happen to be in Santiago on a Sunday, many kilometres of the city streets are closed to make way for cyclists. See Contact Chile for bicycle hire options in Santiago.

Where to stay in Valparaíso

Read our full guide to where to stay in Valparaíso for a range of different budget options.

We stayed at Casa Volante Hostal , superbly located close to the main square, Plaza Sotomayor. It was also an easy walk to the popular hills of Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre. The hostel itself was excellent, with a good kitchen and social space, spacious dorm rooms, strong wifi, good showers, and helpful, attentive staff.

Our favourite place to eat in Valparaíso

Cerro Alegre has a vast choice of restaurants to enjoy local cuisine with a scenic hill view. Our favourite was Almacén Nacional . Try the ceviche (made with fresh local fish) and a bottle of Chilean red.

Day 14: return to Santiago

On the final day, head back to Santiago on the bus from Valparaíso. Take the opportunity to check out any of the sights or attractions you might’ve missed a few days earlier.

More ideas for your Chile itinerary

This itinerary only covers the northern part of Chile. It would be impossible to witness all of the country’s beauty in just two weeks. If you have time to venture further south to the Chilean Lake District and beyond to Patagonia, you will witness the country’s most impressive natural spectacles. The following are a few examples.

Pucón is located at the heart of Chile’s Lake District. The town is distinguished by the iconic Villarrica Volcano that towers above it. This is a hotspot for outdoor activity, in particular watersports on Lake Villarrica, hiking in the surrounding terrains, and skiing and snowboarding in winter. You can even take a day hike to the top of the volcano .

Carretera Austral

Carretera Austral is one of the world’s greatest road trips. The road begins at Puerto Montt and journeys south into Patagonia, ending at Villa O’Higgins. The 1,600-kilometre route weaves through stunning landscapes of mountains, lakes, waterfalls, glaciers and much more besides.

Torres Del Paine

The W Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park is a world-famous multi-day hiking trail. We took on the route as hiking novices; check out our guide to see how you can do the same. The park is perhaps Chile’s most pictured location, featuring the famous towers of Las Torres and the gigantic Grey Glacier.

The Chilean fjords

Yet further south, Chilean Patagonia is a maze of fjords that are home to the country’s most untouched wilderness. Taking a cruise through this region doesn’t come cheap, but for many it would be the trip of a lifetime. From the southern port city of Punta Arenas, fjord cruises explore the hidden bays, capes and waterways at the end of the world.

Getting around Chile

Chile has a very well developed road network. For backpackers on a limited budget, long-distance buses are a great way to get around.

There are many bus companies that offer comfortable, safe and reliable services. Busbud is a very useful online platform for finding services and booking tickets.

Travelling by bus between destinations does involved some very long journeys, however. As an example, the journey between San Pedro de Atacama to La Serena in this itinerary takes around 17 hours.

Flying provides a quicker, albeit much more expensive, option. If you have limited time or plan to travel to the extreme ends of the country, than you may want to consider it. Skyscanner is a great tool for finding the cheapest flights available. If you book in advance, you can get flights between Santiago and La Serena for as little as USD $25.

FAQs about visiting Chile

Chile is a unique and intriguing country with many nuances about it – see these really cool facts about Chile and you’ll see what I mean! Like any country, Chile it has its quirks – and so here we have compiled some answers to common questions about travelling in the country.

Is Chile expensive?

Chile is one of the most expensive countries to visit in South America, relatively speaking. We spent more in Chile on average than in anywhere else in the region, but at the same time, it’s not as expensive as some destinations in Europe.

We kept a record of everything we spent in Chile, which you can read in our report on how much a Chile trip costs . We include breakdowns of what we spent on accommodation, food and drink, activities, transport and sundries. This should give you an idea of how much to budget, as well as some useful tools for that.

When is the best time to visit Chile?

Chile is a country of vast distances and geographic extremes, and so there is no definitive answer to the best time to visit. It depends greatly on the places in your itinerary.

Summer in Chile is between December and February, while winter falls between June and August. The further south you travel in the country, the more extreme the seasonal conditions become. Patagonia, in the far south, is not conducive for travel in winter, with most attractions closed (read our guide here on the best times to visit the region).

In the country’s central region, where cities like Santiago and Valparaíso are located, the seasonal weather is less pronounced. Summer is a very busy time, so if you prefer to avoid the crowds then spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are good options.

The Atacama Desert, where our itinerary begins, is great to visit all year round. The temperature stays very similar throughout the calendar.

Is Chile safe?

Chile is very welcoming to international travellers and is generally very safe and easy to get around. The Global Peace Index ranks Chile as the safest country in South America. This is consistent with our own experience; we never felt in danger when travelling in Chile.

As a traveller, however, it’s still important to be cautious. In particular, in Chile, you should be aware of petty crime that exists, with tourists often being a target.

Before you visit, we recommend reading up on the most common tourist scams in Chile .

Natural disasters can occur in Chile, although it is rare for them to happen at a large scale. The country is located along a major plate boundary, and so earthquakes are frequent throughout the country. Here’s some advice by Trip Savvy on what to do if you find yourself in an earthquake.

Do you need travel insurance for Chile?

While it’s not likely you will come to any harm in Chile, we highly recommend investing in some travel insurance. Having that peace of mind enables you to relax and enjoy the trip knowing you are covered if anything does happen to go wrong.

We recommend using SafetyWing for travel insurance. Their policies are geared towards medical cover and don’t include theft or loss of valuables, but that makes the pricing very competitive. We’ve found it works better overall to combine their medical cover with separate gadget insurance for electronics.

SafetyWing has a monthly subscription model, which is fantastic value for long-term travellers. You can also buy a policy for a one-off trip with specific dates. Read more in our SafetyWing insurance review .

What is the best currency to take to Chile?

Chile’s currency is the Chilean peso. Find the latest exchange rates at xe.com .

Most ATMs in Chile charge a withdrawal fee. During our visit pre-pandemic there were a small number of banks in major cities that gave no-fee withdrawals; however, our latest information is that this is no longer the case.

It’s a good idea to withdraw the maximum possible amount at ATMs (as long as you will spend it all during your trip) to minimise the impact of these charges.

Can you drink tap water in Chile?

Tap water is safe to drink in most of Chile. The northern region of the country is an exception, which includes San Pedro de Atacama. When travelling here it’s best to buy bottled water.

What documents do you need to enter Chile?

Citizens from the US, UK, and many other countries do not need a visa to enter Chile. You will just need a valid passport, which will enable you to travel visa-free for up to 90 days.

Check out the countries that are visa-exempt for travel in Chile .

It’s important to know that Chile has strict border control for agricultural products. When entering the country via a land border, make sure you are not carrying and fresh produce such as fruit or vegetables.

What language is spoken in Chile?

Spanish is the national language in Chile, and is spoken by over 99% of inhabitants. However, Chilean Spanish is known for being very difficult for non-natives to understand. It is spoken fast and with varying regional dialects.

Chilean Spanish has its own unique set of vocabulary. Here are a few words and phrases that you may find useful during your trip:

• Huevón/wéon : term of insult (stupid person), but can also be used as an affectionate term for a friend
• Bacán : awesome/great
• Luca : a thousand pesos
• Taco : traffic
• Chela : beer
• Pucho : cigarette
• Carrete : party
• Caña : hangover

For more resources, check out this helpful guide to common Spanish phrases by On My Canvas, created after the author Priyanka Gupta learned the language while travelling in Chile.

For organised experiences in the country, check out our guide to small group tours in Chile .

If you’re planning a trip to Patagonia, see our complete Patagonia itinerary and travel guide for detailed information.

Have you been to Chile and have a story to share? Let us know about your experiences in the comments below.

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Alex trembath.

Alex is the co-founder and lead content creator at Career Gappers. He is an award-winning communications leader with 20 years of leadership experience, a career that has taken him across the world working with international organisations. Alex has travelled to over 50 countries and is a passionate advocate for blending work and travel by taking career breaks, sabbaticals, workations and business trips.

11 thoughts on “ The ultimate 2 week northern Chile itinerary ”

Love this! So thorough, I’m definitely going to come back to it since I may be moving to Chile very soon!

Great itenrary for Chile. Although I have been S. America, I havent been to Chile. I will use your blog as a guide.

I love this post. I passed by San Pedro de Atacama to start an amazing adventure backpacking in Bolivia but I didn’t have time to explore more around San Pedro. I wish I’ll go back one day and see more, especially Valle de la Luna. It looks so magical!

This is a comprehensive itinerary. Chile is definitely on my to-go list because, as you’ve pointed out, it has a lot to offer from incredible scenery to unique local cultures. The Atacama Desert looks spectacular and I can’t wait to see the night sky there. I love colourful and quirky towns with plenty of street art, and Valparaíso has sparked my interest. I have heard of Inti, but yet to see any of his mural.

This is such a great, comprehensive guide! I love that you even included slang words. I’ve never been to South America, but my brother lives in Santiago and I’d really like to visit Torres del Paine! I didn’t know that Chile is the safest country in South America, that’s great for a solo female traveller like myself. ?

Ever since I’ve been to Peru, Chile is so high on my list – and your itinerary makes the itch even stronger. The places you are introducing all look just amazing and exactly what I’m expecting to see once I make it there. Gracias!

Chile is on top of my bucket list when it comes to South America. Your guide is awesome and I will surely use it when planning my trip. Pinning it for later 🙂

Chile is high on my list – I’ve never been to South America but I would love the combination of Patagonia and the amazing star gazing you showed here. Great tip btw on checking out travel scams before visiting!

Ok guys, you’re doing this travel blog job extremely good! Since I had just started my Carribean trip, I’m also looking for guides about South America and this is awesome! Thank you for your effort

This looks like a heavenly trip. I just haven’t made it to South America even though I have wanted to visit Chile and Argentina for ages.I love reading your posts and I have just added the Atacama Desert to my ever increasing bucket list. 🙂

This is such a detailed and perfect itinerary for visiting San Pedro and Santiago. The Star Gazing at Elqui Valley and the desert Atacama look really incredible. I so want to visit Chile after reading about your experiences. It’s great to know about this destination and I am looking forward to visit it.

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Suggested Itineraries in Chile

Chile is home to a staggering array of formidable landscapes, each beautiful in its own way and offering a broad spectrum of otherworldly attractions and adrenaline-infused activities that will live long in the memory.

Whatever your passions or desires, Chile has it all: glistening salt flats; gorgeous wine country framed by an Andean backdrop; wild whitewater rapids; sea kayaking; country lanes perfect for biking; trekking and skiing in the stunning Andean peaks; surreal cityscapes in poetic Valparaíso; and more. Of course, there are also plenty of relaxing destinations for travelers who just want to kick back with a good book on a chaise lounge or spend their afternoons taking long walks along the beach. Fly-fishermen seeking to spend their days reeling in trout might plan their entire journey to Chile around this sport. Multisport resorts with their own guides have been popping up around Chile, providing guests with a home base and a roster of activities as varied as hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. These resorts can be found in outdoors meccas such as Patagonia and San Pedro de Atacama, and are usually quite pricey. Your other option is to book a hotel and arrange day activities with local operators, or have a tour company put the whole thing together for you.

Whatever the amount of time you plan to spend in Chile, remember that this is one heck of a long country, and you'll lose half a day traveling from one destination to another, and in the case of Patagonia you'll lose a full day traveling from Santiago. Flying is simply the most logical, although expensive, way to get around the country; with three domestic airlines, there are plenty of daily flights to all major cities. Many travelers spend little or no time in Santiago, while others use it as a base for exploring the lush vineyards, coastal resorts, and national parks of the Central Region. I recommend you spend at least 1 night in Santiago to visit the handful of historical attractions, which can be easily seen in 1 or 2 days, and develop an understanding of the psychology of a country with a compelling history.

Driving is the ideal way to experience the wine country or the coast, since it allows you the freedom and flexibility that the region's sensorial pleasures implore. The Lake District also provides plenty of photo-worthy sightseeing drives. DIY travelers who are not planning to take long hikes can also rent a vehicle in Punta Arenas and explore southern Patagonia on their own. You'll never need a vehicle in Santiago.

These itineraries are blueprints for memorable vacations that can be adhered to explicitly, modified according to your desires and likes, or even expanded if you're lucky enough to have an extended vacation.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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