{"id":7669,"date":"2018-07-24T19:52:53","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T17:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/?p=7669"},"modified":"2026-10-28T08:08:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T08:08:00","slug":"backpacking-chile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/","title":{"rendered":"Chile Travel Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chile is a really unusual country: from north to south it measures more than 4,000 km, and at its widest point it barely reaches 240 km. This means it spans at least 7 distinct climates, ranging from the driest desert in the world to the extreme cold of Chilean Patagonia, making it a truly unique country.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I spent 7 weeks backpacking from north to south through what is by far my favorite country of all the ones I&#8217;ve visited in South America. With this guide I want to help you plan your trip as best you can, as always with an eye on the budget.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<div id=\"quick-menu\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Quick menu<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#why\">Why visit Chile<\/a><\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#when\">When to visit Chile<\/a><\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#doc\">Documents and vaccinations to enter Chile<\/a><\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#what\">What to do and see in Chile<\/a>\r\n    <details>\r\n      <summary>Destinations<\/summary>\r\n      <ul>\r\n        <li>\r\n          <details>\r\n            <summary><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#central-north-chile\">Central and Northern Chile<\/a><\/summary>\r\n            <ul>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#santiago\">Santiago<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#valparaiso\">Valpara\u00edso<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#la-serena\">La Serena<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#san-pedro-de-atacama\">San Pedro de Atacama<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#iquique\">Iquique<\/a><\/li>\r\n            <\/ul>\r\n          <\/details>\r\n        <\/li>\r\n        <li>\r\n          <details>\r\n            <summary><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#southern-chile\">Southern Chile<\/a><\/summary>\r\n            <ul>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#pucon\">Pucon<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#puerto-varas\">Puerto Varas<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#puerto-montt\">Puerto Montt<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#chiloe\">Chilo\u00e9<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#carretera-austral\">La Carretera Austral<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#chaiten\">Chaiten<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#futaleufu\">Futaleufu<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#puyuhuapi\">Puyuhuapi<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#coyhaique\">Coyhaique<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#villa-cerro-castillo\">Villa Cerro Castillo<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#puerto-rio-tranquilo\">Puerto Rio Tranquilo<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#cochrane\">Cochrane<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#caleta-tortel\">Caleta Tortel<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#punta-arenas\">Punta Arenas<\/a><\/li>\r\n              <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#puerto-natales\">Puerto Natales<\/a><\/li>\r\n            <\/ul>\r\n          <\/details>\r\n        <\/li>\r\n      <\/ul>\r\n    <\/details>\r\n  <\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#iti\">Suggested itineraries in Chile<\/a><\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#how\">How to get around Chile<\/a><\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#cost\">Backpacking Chile: costs<\/a><\/li>\r\n  <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#safe\">Safety in Chile<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/#quick-menu\" style=\"position: fixed; right: 18px; bottom: 18px; z-index: 9999; padding: 8px 12px; border: 1px solid #999; border-radius: 6px; background: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 14px;\">\u2191 Menu<\/a>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/lago_pehoe_torres_del_paine.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Pehoe in Torres del Paine near the Mirador Britannico.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Peho\u00e9 Lake, Torres del Paine.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"why\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Why visit Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<ol style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n \t<li>From the wild, unspoiled nature of Patagonia, through the more than 2,000 volcanoes, 500 of which are still considered active, all the way to the best starry skies in the world in the Atacama Desert (the driest on the planet)&#8230; nature lovers certainly won&#8217;t get bored!<\/li>\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldtravelawards.com\/award-worlds-leading-adventure-tourism-destination-2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The world&#8217;s leading adventure tourism destination<\/a> for two years in a row (2016, 2017). It offers its visitors experiences that are nothing short of incredible. The Villarrica volcano with its wonderful lava lake and Easter Island, one of the most mysterious and remote places on Earth, are just some of the reasons behind this award.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Although Argentina was for years the undisputed queen of the best South American wine, in recent years Chile has started to make the world stage think again, managing to produce excellent-quality wine, which is increasingly making it a wine destination too.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Chile is probably the most stable country in South America, economically and socially speaking, with much higher living standards than its neighbors. This makes it extremely safe and easy to visit but, unfortunately, at the same time not exactly a budget destination either.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div id=\"when\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>When to visit Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the nature of the country, it&#8217;s really difficult to pin down the best time to visit, unless we&#8217;re talking about individual regions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Northern Chile and the Atacama Desert<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be visited throughout the year, with the summer period (December &#8211; March) slightly warmer, although nights are still cool thanks to the altitude. The little rain there is, in the form of thunderstorms, is concentrated in winter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Santiago and central Chile<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The climate here is Mediterranean, so very similar to ours in Italy, with temperatures ranging from 0 to 13 degrees in winter (June-August) and hot summers <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(December-March) <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with temperatures between 15 and 35 degrees. Basically, the entire area can be visited all year round.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Patagonia and the Lake Region<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We&#8217;re talking about a very large region where, obviously, the further south you go, the more extreme the climate gets. Some areas, especially in Patagonia, become completely inaccessible during the winter (June-August), and many tourism-related facilities and activities close. In general, the period from May to September is strongly discouraged, especially from Puerto Montt southward.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Summer (December-March) is by far the best time to visit southern Chile, but it&#8217;s also the time that draws the crowds: national parks like Torres del Paine get literally overrun by tourists, and reservations for campgrounds and refuges have to be made months in advance. The right compromise for visiting this area is probably October, November and April.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Easter Island<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Summer (December-March) is undoubtedly the most popular period. However, during the rest of the year, the climate remains temperate, ensuring that the island can still be visited.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In conclusion, if you&#8217;re planning a trip to Chile that also includes Chilean Patagonia, and the south of the country more generally, then for the right compromise between climate, places that aren&#8217;t too crowded and more reasonable prices, the best time to go to Chile is October-November and March-April.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/isola_di_pasqua.jpg\" alt=\"The statues of Easter Island\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Easter Island.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"doc\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Documents and vaccinations to enter Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Italian passport holders (with more than 6 months&#8217; validity left) receive a free 90-day tourist visa from the moment they enter the country (the rules change depending on your nationality, so check yours).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can renew the visa by leaving the country and coming back in, even on the same day; this process, known in travel jargon as a &#8220;visa run&#8221;, can theoretically be repeated indefinitely.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.extranjeria.gob.cl\/extranjeros-turistas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This is the official website.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chile requires no mandatory vaccinations, but vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B are recommended.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For up-to-date information on visas and so on, I recommend checking your own government&#8217;s official travel advice (for example, the UK&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/foreign-travel-advice\/chile\">Foreign travel advice<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"what\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&#8217;t let the distances scare you: domestic flights are fairly cheap, and the only real must-see destination north of Santiago is San Pedro de Atacama; for everything else, head south, where the real beauty of this country lies.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide expresses prices in the local currency called &#8220;Chilean Pesos,&#8221; often abbreviated as &#8220;CLP.&#8221; The exchange rate is about 1\u20ac = 1100 CLP. I suggest you look at<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xe.com\/currencyconverter\/convert\/?Amount=1&amp;From=EUR&amp;To=CLP\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this page to see the current exchange rate.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Cile_mappa_turistica.jpg\" alt=\"Where to go and what to see in Chile. Map of the tourist destinations.\" width=\"295\" height=\"1099\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>N.b. Several times throughout the guide you&#8217;ll find links to <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/\"><em>https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/<\/em><\/a><em>. If you want to use offline navigation directly from the Alltrails app, you need to upgrade to the pro version. However, you can get around this by downloading the coordinates from the desktop version of the site in &#8220;Google Earth KML&#8221; format and then uploading them to Organic Maps, which is by far one of my <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/app-travelling\/\"><em>favorite travel apps<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<div id=\"central-north-chile\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>CENTRAL AND NORTHERN CHILE<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"santiago\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Santiago<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Santiago de Chile, usually known simply as &#8220;Santiago,&#8221; is the country&#8217;s capital and cultural and economic center. The city is home to about a third of the entire population. Given its geographical location, it&#8217;s one of the few places in the world where you can go skiing in the nearby Andes and then dip in the ocean, all on the same day!<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in Santiago<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As always in a big city, I recommend joining a free walking tour, especially if you speak a bit of English or Spanish. Take a look<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/strawberrytours.com\/santiago?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvzZBRCbARIsACe8vyJCRuQcU4GnFiyw0ESNJSSd3VXfNA_fo70-QklwBaWzJdi4dK9zyW0aApAIEALw_wcB\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In any case, below, I list what I think are the most interesting things to do, aside from the classic downtown walk to Plaza de Armas (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/91RKh1cJUbvwLvNs8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and a visit to the Presidential Palace (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/qrwH7m4yVJjL8EQY9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This museum (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/r4245exK8712iMBWA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) collects testimonies, films, and documents regarding the period of dictatorship under General Pinochet. The visit is free and really interesting. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s about an hour&#8217;s walk from downtown, going through barrio Brasil (which is nice); alternatively, you can take the metro and get off at Quinta Normal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Across the street is a park with other museums, including the Natural History Museum (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/4hPJYPLm4JrdWkdk6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), which is free and not bad at all.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Cerro San Cristobal<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cerro San Cristobal (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/FfC72tUS9CjRtydW8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) is located within the &#8220;Parque San Cristobal,&#8221; and you have a great view of the city from the top. You can go up by cable car ($1500 one way, $2000 round trip) or walk for about 40 minutes. Inside the park there are a botanical garden, a zoo and two swimming pools.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other interesting parks are Parque Las Esculturas (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/8fabodZ4p9ytztfFA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and Parque Cerro Santa Lucia (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/wBnuhw6BgvqhK3Db9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), near downtown.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/cerro_san_cristobal_santiago.jpg\" alt=\"View of Santiago from Cerro San Cristobal.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Cerro San Cristobal.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Barrio Bellavista<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bellavista neighborhood, which lies roughly between Cerro San Cristobal and Parque Cerro Santa Lucia, is packed with bars, restaurants and graffiti. It&#8217;s considered the city&#8217;s hipster district and has a youthful, alternative vibe; it&#8217;s a great place to go out in the evening, but also just for a stroll in the afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These, obviously, are just a few of the many activities a city like Santiago offers, but they should keep you busy for a couple of days before you dedicate your time to more interesting destinations.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Where to sleep in Santiago?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/hostal-tamboverde.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eco-Hostal Tambo Verde<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is well located, offers a great breakfast included in the price and is among the cheapest options downtown. Also, as the name says, this hostel fully embraces the environmental cause with a series of really interesting initiatives, while <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/hostal-forestal.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostel Forestal<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is perfect for those looking for modestly priced hotel service in the center of town.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"valparaiso\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Valpara\u00edso<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often called Valpo, especially by locals, it&#8217;s located about 120 km west of Santiago. The city is mainly famous for its colorful houses and the numerous graffiti that cover it &#8211; garbage trucks included!<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in Valpara\u00edso<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city has no particular attraction that you absolutely have to see; the real attraction here is the city itself. My advice is to walk its streets and cerros (hills) &#8211; there are more than 40 of them. I recommend focusing above all on Cerro Alegre (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/cthXt6cQ9EcZpLnP7\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and Concepci\u00f3n (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/9qFEFi4L9WbNRcFG6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have fun unearthing the best graffiti, perhaps by joining the interesting<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.civitatis.com\/en\/valparaiso\/free-walking-tour\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> free walking tour<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or getting lost in its streets. Be sure to ride at least once one of its famous public elevators (300 pesos), which help with the ups and downs that characterize this city.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/graffiti_valparaiso.jpg\" alt=\"Mural by Inti Castro in Valparaiso.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Work by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/inti_cl\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Inti Castro<\/a> in Valpara\u00edso<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Where to sleep in Valpara\u00edso?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/casa-volante-hostal.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Casa Volante Hostal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is located in the heart of Cerro Concepci\u00f3n. It&#8217;s not among the cheapest options, but the location is perfect.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>How to reach Valpara\u00edso?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Santiago there are loads of buses leaving several times an hour. Just under 2 hours, about 3000 CLP. To reach the bus terminal, take the number 1 metro line and get off at the Pajaritos stop.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From La Serena, buses depart roughly every hour, and the journey takes about 7 hours, costing between 15000 and 20000 CLP.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"la-serena\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>La Serena<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city serves as an excellent midway point for travelers heading further north into Chile or southward. It&#8217;s an ideal base for exploring the nearby Elqui Valley, known for its many astronomical observatories due to optimal conditions for space observation. The valley also boasts numerous vineyards and wineries.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in La Serena<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city has as many as 29 churches, the most interesting of which include Iglesia Santo Domingo (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/mvVSEewEnEX197v26\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and Iglesia San Francisco (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/jpLRD8RgynGH5xmQ9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), which, built in the early 1600s, is the oldest in the city. Other notable sites include Plaza de Armas (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/vpFAupiMPFJRZdcC7\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), the archaeological museum (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/MxgejD4en11ohSPu8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) where you can see a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rapa nui moai (one of the Easter Island heads), and the Japanese Garden (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/AWLcnfQMy5BpRAoCA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Mamalluca Observatory<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several observatories, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/noirlab.edu\/public\/programs\/ctio\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cerro Tololo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, can be visited, but the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.observatoriomamalluca.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mamalluca Observatory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, specifically built to educate tourists and develop tourism in the area, is definitely the most popular. Any hostel or hotel organizes tours to the observatory, which typically last from 19:00 to 23:00 and are conducted in English or Spanish. Besides getting loads of information, you get the chance to take photos of celestial bodies observed through the telescope. The price of the tour ranges from 15000 to 20000 CLP.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you choose to stay overnight in Vicu\u00f1a, you can go directly to the observatory office to book your visit; in that case, the cost should be 5000 CLP.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Address: Gabriela Mistral 260, Vicu\u00f1a, Regi\u00f3n de Coquimbo, Chile.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Elqui Valley<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The valley is a really striking place; in addition to hosting many observatories, there&#8217;s a huge production of wine and pisco, with green vineyards contrasting against barren peaks on both sides. There are a couple of villages along the valley, with Vicu\u00f1a being the largest and where the Mamalluca Observatory is located. I had been recommended Pisco Elqui but found it a bit dull. I made a quick visit and then joined a tour of the<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fundolosnichos.cl\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Los Nichos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> distillery not far away, which, for 1,000 pesos, offers a guided tour (in Spanish) complete with a final tasting. Tours theoretically run every day at 11:00, 13:00, 16:00 and 17:00. Recommended.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buses from La Serena to the Elqui Valley leave every hour from under the pedestrian bridge that crosses the main road in front of the &#8220;Puerta del Mar&#8221; shopping center. The ticket costs between 2000 and 3000 CLP depending on the destination within the Valley.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/valle_del_elqui.jpg\" alt=\"The vineyards of the Elqui Valley.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Elqui Valley.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Where to sleep in La Serena?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/hostal-el-arbol-la-serena-chile.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">El Arbol Hostel<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is fantastic. Really clean and well maintained, with fantastic staff and a delicious breakfast. It&#8217;s hard to find any fault with this hostel!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach La Serena?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From San Pedro de Atacama, it&#8217;s 30000-40000 Pesos and about 16 hours of travel time, while from Santiago, it&#8217;s 10000-15000 Pesos, 6-7 hours.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"san-pedro-de-atacama\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>San Pedro de Atacama<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Pedro, along with Easter Island and Torres del Paine, is one of Chile&#8217;s three most popular tourist destinations. The city is an ideal base for exploring the wonders of the surrounding Atacama Desert and the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Los Flamencos <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Reserve.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in San Pedro de Atacama<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So many activities are offered in the city: archaeological sites, horseback riding tours, lagoons, geysers, volcanoes to climb, and much more. Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to avoid tours whenever possible and prefer the DIY\/budget approach. Unfortunately, all of these activities require joining a tour, because public transportation in the area is practically nonexistent. Below, I list some budget activities and others that, despite the price, I&#8217;d recommend.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>DIY Valley of the Moon<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cheapest way to visit these sites is to rent a bike from one of the many stores\/hostels offering the service (around 3,000 pesos for 6 hours seems pretty standard).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From downtown San Pedro to the Tres Mar\u00edas (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/tZoMquuSTjsdLpGe6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), where the Valley of the Moon &#8220;ends,&#8221; it&#8217;s about 17 km, mainly flat through surreal landscapes. Try to set off early in the morning to avoid the heat, and take plenty of water. If your legs are up to it, I recommend starting the DIY tour with a visit to the Mirador de Kari (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/kp7J9HfmRp37dd9k7\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), where you get a great view of the valley from above, and then go on to visit the valley.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Admission costs 2,500 pesos before noon and 3,000 pesos after noon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The alternative is to join a tour (about 12,000 pesos plus admission), which basically only provides transportation. Of course, I recommend the bike!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/valle_luna_san_pedro.jpg\" alt=\"The Valley of the Moon in San Pedro de Atacama seen from the Mirador de Kari - Piedra del Coyote\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>View of the Valley of the Moon from the Mirador de Kari &#8211; Piedra del Coyote.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Valle de la Muerte and sandboarding<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like many deserts, the Atacama Desert has its dunes. The most popular is in the Valle de la Muerte (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/VryVyxrJAcUqJq5f9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), where all the tours take people sandboarding.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The alternative is to rent a bike and board for 6,000 pesos and reach the site by bike (about 8 km). Going up the dune is tiring, so if you&#8217;re with someone or in a group, it&#8217;s definitely worth renting one board for every 2-3 people, so you can rest while the others go down.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Entrance to Valle de la Muerte costs 3,000 pesos.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>A few words about other tours available in San Pedro de Atacama<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned above, many activities and tours are offered in the city. I want to mention two tours briefly; the first is the so-called &#8220;star tour&#8221;, which I didn&#8217;t personally take part in but had been recommended to me by some friends. The tour starts with an explanation of the various constellations, how to recognize some stars\/planets, etc., and ends with the use of a telescope.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another extremely popular tour that I strongly recommend is the 3-day tour arriving in Uyuni, Bolivia.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The itinerary from the various agencies is pretty much standard and will take you to see some truly incredible sites: colorful lagoons filled with flamingos, geysers, snow-capped volcanoes, hot springs, curious rock formations and much more, all the way to the salt desert in Bolivia, where, if you wish, you can get off and <\/span><a title=\"Backpacking Bolivia\" href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/bolivia-en\/backpacking-bolivia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">continue your trip in Bolivia<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or stay aboard the jeep and return to San Pedro.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You travel in large 7-seater jeeps, sleeping in basic accommodations along the way, and everything is included in the price. Although I had heard some unpleasant stories about alcohol abuse by many drivers, I have to say that ours was really professional and friendly. The trip certainly can&#8217;t be called comfortable, but for those used to backpacking it&#8217;s no big deal, and in any case it&#8217;s absolutely worth it. The tour, in essence, is identical to what many do from Uyuni, only in reverse, and it&#8217;s 30\/40% more expensive.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to read what the 3-day tour includes in detail, then I suggest you check out<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lauratheexplorer.co.nz\/blog\/a-guide-to-uyuni-salt-flats\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> this article<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my opinion, one agency is as good as another, so take a walk around San Pedro and choose the cheapest one. The price should be around 90,000 CLP. To this price should be added 150 Bolivianos for the entrance to the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reserva Natural de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/gayse_deserto_atacama.jpg\" alt=\"El Tatio geysers, Atacama Desert.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Geyser del Tatio.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach San Pedro de Atacama?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Iquique, it&#8217;s a 6-7 hour journey, costing 15,000-20,000 CLP. From La Serena it&#8217;s 30,000-40,000 Pesos and about 16 hours of travel. There are also buses to Argentina that depart a couple of times a week and a daily connection to Uyuni. From Santiago, if you&#8217;re not planning to stop in La Serena, it&#8217;s absolutely better to fly; if booked in advance, you can pay even less than 20,000 CLP.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in San Pedro de Atacama?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/openhouse.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostal Open House<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is among the cheapest options downtown.<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/incanorth-hostal.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rey Lagarto Hostel<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is another option that&#8217;s a bit outside.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"iquique\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Iquique<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s a coastal city in northern Chile that isn&#8217;t part of the classic itinerary. It doesn&#8217;t have much to offer apart from a good climate all year round and its numerous beaches. It&#8217;s definitely worth considering as a stop if you&#8217;re arriving in or headed to Peru without going through Bolivia or even if you want to get to Bolivia without visiting the country&#8217;s south.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in Iquique<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned above, relaxing on the beach is the main attraction, but sandboarding and surfing are also possible. Another interesting aspect is a duty-free area where you can go shopping.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Iquique?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/aotea-hostel-iquique.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aotea Hostel Iquique<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a really great hostel, with helpful staff, a well-stocked kitchen and, all in all, a great atmosphere.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Iquique?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re arriving from or heading to <\/span><\/i><a title=\"Backpacking Peru\" href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/peru-en\/backapacking-peru\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i>Peru to continue your trip<\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the best way to reach Arequipa in Peru is to take a bus to Arica, a colectivo to cross the border and finally another bus to Arequipa. Connections are frequent. There are also departures for La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba in Bolivia.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Vista_di_Iquique_Chile.jpg\" alt=\"View of Iquique from above.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>View of Iquique from above.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"southern-chile\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>SOUTHERN CHILE<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"pucon\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Pucon<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pucon is a small town in the middle of the Lake Region. It&#8217;s an extremely popular destination for both local and foreign tourists. From the city, built on the shores of Lake Villarrica, there are fantastic views of the volcano of the same name, and for nature lovers, there&#8217;s certainly no shortage of activities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in Pucon<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned above, there are a lot of different activities and excursions to do\u2014fishing, rafting, kayaking, skiing from May to October, hiking, and much more. As always, I list only a few &#8220;must-do&#8221; and\/or budget activities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Villarrica Volcano<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s start with the attraction for which many travelers come to Pucon. Villarrica volcano is one of the few volcanoes in the world with an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lava_lake\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">active lava lake<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Basically, once you get to the top of the volcano, it&#8217;s highly likely that you&#8217;ll see the lava bubbling inside the crater.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ascent to the volcano is achievable for anyone in decent shape, especially if you take the ski lift for the first part (10,000 CLP). The only &#8220;issue&#8221; is that it&#8217;s mandatory to be accompanied by a guide, and a tour costs an average of 85,000 CLP, so it&#8217;s not exactly the typical low-cost activity for backpackers \u2014 so much so that, even though many had described it to me as a beautiful experience, I couldn&#8217;t justify the expense, knowing that I&#8217;d see the lava lake of Masaya volcano in Nicaragua a few months later.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information, please see<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.onmycanvas.com\/villarrica-volcano-hike-pucon-chile\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> this excellent article<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Salto El Claro Waterfall<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is definitely a budget activity. Salto El Claro (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/a8ocJEHhXcFqUWPDA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) is a really beautiful waterfall just 6 km from the center of Pucon, so it can easily be reached on foot (if you want, you can take a colectivo for a good part of the way).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many hostels provide a map like<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/laurenonlocation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Salto-del-Claro-Treasure-Map.png?resize=683%2C1024\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> one, which I recommend following because, oddly enough, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/organicmaps.app\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organic Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> doesn&#8217;t have the last part of the trail loaded, and you&#8217;d end up on the wrong side of the waterfall&#8230; just like I did!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In conclusion, visiting the El Claro waterfall is undoubtedly a nice way to spend the day without necessarily having to spend a fortune. Recommended.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/salto_el_claro_pucon.jpg\" alt=\"The Salto El Claro waterfall near Pucon, Chile\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Salto El Claro Waterfall.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Huerquehue National Park<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park is about an hour&#8217;s bus ride from Pucon, and admission costs 5000 CLP during the high season and 2500 CLP during the low season. There are several well-marked trails to follow here.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Los Lagos trail (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/trail\/chile\/araucania\/sendero-los-lagos-de-huerquehue?u=m&amp;sh=mxqbmj\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All Trails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) is the most popular and scenic, with a walking time of about 6-7 hours. If you wish, you can add a few more trails, but remember that, except for January and February when there&#8217;s a bus at 19:30, you absolutely have to catch the 17:10 bus. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/chilemochilero.cl\/routes-2\/south-routes\/huerquehue-en-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you&#8217;ll find a description of the various trails; in any case, many hostels have a park map with helpful information.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>El Ca\u00f1i Reserve<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reserve is located about 20 km from Pucon and is nothing short of spectacular. Admission costs 5000 CLP, and you&#8217;re given a really nice map, complete with an explanation of the flora and fauna present. The &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.santuariocani.cl\/visita_actividades_senderos.php\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sendero autoguiado<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8221; is doable in one day; it takes about 7 hours (round trip) and culminates with a spectacular viewpoint from where you can see 4 volcanoes (Villarrica, Quetrupill\u00e1n, Lan\u00edn and Llaima).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hike is highly recommended, and if you&#8217;re interested, it&#8217;s also possible to camp at the base of the viewpoint on the shores of one of the many lagoons, which is a truly incredible place.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can reach the reserve by public transportation from the rural transportation terminal. I&#8217;d still recommend asking your hostel\/hotel for confirmation, or going directly to the terminal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/mirador_riserva_cani.jpg\" alt=\"View from the Mirador of the El Ca\u00f1i reserve in Pucon, Chile\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Viewpoint of the El Ca\u00f1i Reserve, Villarrica volcano on the right.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Los Pozones Hot Springs<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After so much trekking, a visit to the hot springs is always welcome. It consists of 5 pools near a river in a really nice setting. The water is between 30 and 40 degrees, and they say a visit is especially pleasant in winter, for obvious reasons. Admission to the hot springs for up to 3 hours costs 8000 CLP, while the bus to get there costs 3000 CLP (round trip).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><b>Where to sleep in Pucon?<\/b><\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/chili-kiwi-lakefront.en.html?aid=1680713\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chili Kiwi Lakefront<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is by far the best hostel in Pucon. It has a well-stocked kitchen, fantastic staff and, all in all, a great atmosphere. It&#8217;s not a party hostel. During the high season, it pays to book in advance.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><b>How to reach Pucon?<\/b><\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Santiago and Valparaiso, to the north, there are several night buses starting from 15,000 &#8211; 20,000 pesos. From Valdivia, it&#8217;s about 3 hours.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"puerto-varas\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Varas<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Puerto Varas is another small town in the Lake Region that, in some ways, is much like Pucon but is less touristy and not part of the classic travelers&#8217; itinerary; still, it&#8217;s interesting and full of attractions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What to do and see in Puerto Varas<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several options for day trips: hiking, fishing, kayaking, rafting, and skiing on Osorno Volcano, which has a chairlift open year-round.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Vicente P\u00e9rez Rosales National Park<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Founded in 1926, Vicente P\u00e9rez Rosales is the oldest national park in Chile. Within it, we find Lago Todos los Santos, Saltos de Petrohu\u00e9, and as many as three volcanoes\u2014Osorno, Tronador, and Puntiagudo. Access to the park is free, and there are loads of one-day and multi-day hikes to do. The tourist office in downtown Puerto Varas provides a reasonably detailed map with the various trails and times; those with camping gear can spend much more time exploring the park. The following is my itinerary for a day hike.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are minibuses leaving downtown Puerto Varas for Petrohue every hour (starting from 9:00, 2000 CLP round trip). Once you reach the last stop, I recommend taking the &#8220;Sendero Paso Desolacion.&#8221; After a flat first part, you start climbing the slopes of Osorno Volcano, with incredible views of the lake below on your right and the volcano itself on your left. The trail is about 13 km long, but I recommend walking only the first 5-6 as you&#8217;ll be very tight on time (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/trail\/chile\/los-lagos\/mirador-cerro-la-picada?u=m&amp;sh=mxqbmj\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All Trails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Maybe in January and February, the buses leave earlier and return earlier, giving you more time; I was there in April.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In any case, after doing part of the trail, I recommend either going back to the parking lot and trying hitchhiking (extremely common in Chile) or waiting for the first minibus back to Puerto Varas and getting off after about 6 km at the Saltos de Petrohu\u00e9 (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/a8GxMjbKdnyunnXQ6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This is a series of really photogenic small waterfalls with the Osorno volcano in the background. The entrance fee is 5000 CLP, which is, in my opinion, a bit too much, but I&#8217;ll leave that for you to decide. The alternative is to return to Puerto Varas without making this stop.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/salto_petrohue_puerto_varas.jpg\" alt=\"The Salto de Petrohue waterfalls with the Osorno volcano in the background, Puerto Varas, Chile.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Saltos de Petrohu\u00e9, Osorno volcano in the background.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Frutillar<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a small town not far from Puerto Varas, founded by German immigrants in 1856, and the German influence is still very evident. Some buildings are really well preserved, so much so that you might feel like you&#8217;re in mid-nineteenth-century Germany.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I&#8217;ve just described is part of &#8220;Frutillar Bajo,&#8221; while &#8220;Frutillar Alto&#8221; is the new part of the town, so it&#8217;s not as pretty or as interesting for tourists. The town is easily explored on foot.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Numerous minibuses leave at all hours of the day from downtown Puerto Varas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Puerto Varas?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/casa-azul-puerto-varas.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Casa Azul<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a fantastic hostel. The interiors are super well kept, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the kitchen is spacious and well-stocked. This is one of the best hostels I&#8217;ve ever stayed in, and I can&#8217;t recommend it enough. There are also several private rooms. During the high season, it&#8217;s best to book in advance.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Puerto Varas?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Pucon, it&#8217;s about 5 hours, 10000 CLP with<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jac.cl\/wtbus\/indexCompra.jsf\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JAC<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. From Santiago, it&#8217;s 13-14 hours. To the south, there are frequent minibus connections with Puerto Montt (800 CLP).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/vulcano_osorno.jpg\" alt=\"Trail to the Paso de la Desolacion, Vicente P\u00e9rez Rosales National Park\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Sendero Paso Desolacion.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"puerto-montt\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Montt<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Puerto Montt is a not particularly pretty port city that, for most travelers, serves as a starting point for exploring the Carretera Austral to the south, the nearby island of Chiloe, taking a fjord cruise to Puerto Natales, or simply ending their adventure in Chile and crossing the border to Bariloche in Argentina.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding the Puerto Montt &#8211; Puerto Natales cruise, this is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.navimag.com\/en\/explore-patagonia-by-ferry-navimag\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reference site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; the trip lasts four days and three nights, and prices vary greatly depending on cabin type and time of year but start at a minimum of $400 for a dormitory bed during high season.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Puerto Montt to Bariloche it takes 6-7 hours by bus, costing 10,000-15,000 CLP.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for Chilo\u00e9 and the Carretera Austral, I talk about them in the next paragraphs.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Puerto Montt?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100l3LP6\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hostelworld.com%2Fhosteldetails.php%2FCasa-Perla%2FPuerto-Montt%2F5522%3FdateFrom%3D2018-07-25%26dateTo%3D2018-07-27%26number_of_guests%3D1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Casa Perla<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the cheapest option in town. The atmosphere is that of a family home in every sense, as the owners (extremely friendly) live in the house. It&#8217;s not the best of accommodations, but for spending a night, it&#8217;s just fine; the included breakfast is a bonus.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Puerto Montt?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Pucon, it&#8217;s about 6 hours, 10000 CLP with<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jac.cl\/wtbus\/indexCompra.jsf\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JAC<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. There are frequent minibus connections with Puerto Varas (800 CLP). From Santiago, if booked in advance, it&#8217;s cheaper to fly. Flights to and from Punta Arenas (near Puerto Natales &#8211; Torres del Paine) are also really cheap if booked in advance and if you want to skip the Carretera Austral entirely.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"chiloe\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Chilo\u00e9<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chilo\u00e9 is the largest island in Chile and a really popular tourist destination during the summer. I haven&#8217;t personally visited the island due to time constraints, but it&#8217;s said to have a really distinctive character, as confirmed by many other travelers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In any case, I&#8217;ll leave you with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/greenmochila.com\/chiloe-mystical-island\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this article<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which will give you an idea about the island.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Chilo\u00e9?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are buses leaving Puerto Montt practically at all hours of the day. It&#8217;s about 3 hours, 6000 CLP.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"carretera-austral\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>La Carretera Austral<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Carretera Austral is a 1240-kilometer-long road from Puerto Montt to Villa O&#8217;Higgins. Construction began in 1970 and is still a work in progress. Many sections are still unpaved and not in excellent condition. The road passes through landscapes that are nothing short of spectacular, across a sparsely populated area where the wilderness still reigns.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With this mini-guide, I want to cover the most popular destinations and provide helpful information to enjoy this fantastic adventure to the fullest, as always with an eye on the budget, as the whole area is extremely expensive compared to the rest of Chile, which isn&#8217;t a very budget-friendly country to begin with.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, I recommend stocking up on food in Puerto Montt, where there&#8217;s a big supermarket. Canned vegetables, tomato passata, rice, peanut butter and jam for breakfast, and freeze-dried soups are all great options.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also recommend withdrawing enough cash. In Puerto Montt there&#8217;s a Banco Security branch, which, along with Banco Internacional, is one of the only two Chilean banks that don&#8217;t charge any withdrawal fee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/carettera_austral.jpg\" alt=\"Puerto Bertrand along the Carretera Austral in Chile\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Puerto Bertrand.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>How to travel along the Carretera Austral?<\/b><\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are four ways to travel along the road:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hitchhiking is extremely popular, especially among backpackers. In Chile, hitchhiking is an extremely common practice, but especially during January and February the competition among hitchhikers is really high, with the risk of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s a good idea to bring a tent.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public transportation exists along the road, but it&#8217;s much more expensive than in the rest of the country and infrequent on some stretches, so it requires a good deal of planning. If you decide to rely on public transportation, I recommend getting information and buying your tickets for the next destination as soon as you arrive somewhere, because, especially during January &#8211; February, there&#8217;s a risk of being left without a seat.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Renting a car in Puerto Montt costs about 25-30\u20ac per day, which isn&#8217;t that bad if split with a couple of people.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By bike or on foot. It&#8217;s a very popular destination among bicycle tourists from all over the world, but some people even do it on foot.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personally, I used a combination of public transportation and hitchhiking. Below, I list the most popular stops along the way.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Planning your trip? If you still need travel insurance, you can find my <a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/safety\/travel-insurance\/\">guide to the best travel insurance<\/a> here. Purchasing through the links in the guide supports this site at no additional cost to you.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\r\n<div id=\"chaiten\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Chaiten<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s a small town at the beginning of the Carretera Austral that was partially destroyed by the eruption of the volcano of the same name in 2008.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main attraction here is Parque Pumalin, which came into existence in 1991 after Douglas Tompkins (founder of &#8220;The North Face&#8221; brand) acquired about 42,000 acres. In the following years, he purchased another 700,000 acres, creating a series of trails, campgrounds, and publicly accessible facilities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rutadelosparques.org\/en\/parque-nacional-pumalin-douglas-tompkins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you can find all available trails, campground information, park history, etc.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I only did the trail to Chaiten Volcano, which I recommend (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/trail\/chile\/los-lagos\/volcan-chaiten?u=m&amp;sh=mxqbmj\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All Trails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). It&#8217;s a 2-3 hour round trip to get to the smoking base of the volcano and then down the same trail. The scenery, given the recent eruption, is really striking.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I reached the beginning of the trail, a few kilometers north of Chaiten, by hitchhiking, really easily, but there&#8217;s also a day tour to the volcano that includes transportation and a guide; it should cost about 5,000 CLP.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/vulcano_chaiten.jpg\" alt=\"The trail leading to the base of Chaiten volcano.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The trail leading to the base of Chaiten volcano.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Chaiten?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Puerto Montt, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.kemelbus.cl\/carretera-austral-horarios.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i>Kemel bus<\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> leaves every morning at 7:00; the trip between fjords and snow-capped mountains is really scenic. It takes about 8 hours, including two ferry crossings, costing 14,000 CLP. There&#8217;s also a<\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.navieraustral.cl\/\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ferry<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that arrives weekly from Chilo\u00e9.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Chaiten?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I slept at <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/bBBeqFGwmshT3uDe8\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostel Las Nalcas<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which seems to be the cheapest option in town. The lady is friendly, and there&#8217;s access to the kitchen. The cost is 10,000 CLP per night in the dormitory. All in all, I recommend it.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"futaleufu\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Futaleufu<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s a small village surrounded by mountains, only 16 km from the border with Argentina. Many people visit this little village lost in the mountains just to go rafting; there are level 4 and 5 rapids along the beautiful river. The cost is about 45,000 CLP for a half-day tour.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to rafting, there are a couple of viewpoints around town and the nearby &#8220;Reserva Nacional Futaleufu,&#8221; which has a couple of marked trails (free admission). The tourist office (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/ef2mptevENLz4jES8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) near the plaza provides maps of the area&#8217;s trails.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Futaleufu?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two buses a day make the Chaiten-Futaleufu route. It takes about 4 hours, and the cost is only 2000 CLP (they&#8217;re subsidized by the state).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Esquel in Argentina, it&#8217;s about 3 hours, 4500 CLP.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Futaleufu?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/vYWvkJUAw7xQNpYC7\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostal y Cabanas Los Abuelos<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the only real hostel in the village, and it costs 10,000 CLP for a dormitory bed. There are, however, loads of hospedajes scattered around the village that offer private rooms for the same price.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/mirador_el_condor_futalefu.jpg\" alt=\"View from the Mirador El Condor in the Futaleufu reserve.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Mirador El Condor, Reserva Nacional Futaleufu.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"puyuhuapi\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puyuhuapi<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s a small German-influenced town overlooking one of the many fjords that characterize the region. There isn&#8217;t much to do in town except for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/nLgo7rC3wh3MBh4H8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">viewpoint<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (not too impressive either), but it&#8217;s a great base for exploring the nearby Queulat National Park (11,400 CLP for foreign adults, updated October 2026), where you can admire the majestic Ventisquero Colgante Glacier (hanging glacier), and the fascinating Bosque Encantado (3000 CLP) a little further south (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/inNUy12aMoiH1PvL6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). You have to book your visit to the park on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pasesparques.cl\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">official website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a bit of luck, it&#8217;s possible to hitchhike to both places on the same day, then return to Puyuhuapi to spend the night and depart for Coyhaique the following day. Theoretically, there&#8217;s even a private bus that leaves if there are enough people interested in the Puyuhuapi -&gt; Queulat -&gt; Bosque Encantado -&gt; Puyuhuapi &#8220;tour.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From what I remember, only two buses a week run the Puyuhuapi -&gt; Coyhaique route, but things may have changed, and it&#8217;s worth talking to locals as some of these companies don&#8217;t have websites.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Puyuhuapi?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the north by bus, as far as I know, there are only two buses a week that travel the Chaiten -&gt; Puyuhuapi route; the days should be Wednesday and Sunday during the summer. In any case, I recommend checking the<\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.busesbecker.com\/\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">website<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. I hitchhiked the stretch of road.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Puyuhuapi?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/cuK3RVibhfDndVcF7\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostel Evelyn<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the left along the main road toward the end of the village is the cheapest option, at 8000 CLP, but in all honesty, it&#8217;s not the best.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/ventisquero_colgante.jpg\" alt=\"The Ventisquero Colgante hanging glacier.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Ventisquero Colgante.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"coyhaique\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Coyhaique<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s the largest town along the Carretera Austral. There are two big supermarkets here with decent prices compared to the rest of the region, so I recommend stocking up. Coyhaique National Reserve isn&#8217;t far from town, but from what I&#8217;ve read, it doesn&#8217;t seem to be anything spectacular. My advice is to take advantage of the supermarket, spend the night, and move on the next day.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Coyhaique?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to the two Becker buses a week that run the Chaiten -&gt; Puyuhuapi route, there should be another minibus that only runs the Puyuhuapi &#8211; Coyhaique route once a week. I hitchhiked this stretch of road.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"villa-cerro-castillo\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Villa Cerro Castillo<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About 100 km south of Coyhaique, crossing the highest pass on the Carretera Austral at 1100 m, you\u2019ll find the small town of Villa Cerro Castillo. Here, the main attraction is the nature reserve of the same name, described by some as the new Torres del Paine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have camping gear, it&#8217;s possible to complete some multi-day treks. Otherwise, I recommend the day hike to the lagoon below Cerro Castillo (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/trail\/chile\/aysen\/laguna-cerro-castillo-via-estero-el-bosque?u=m&amp;sh=mxqbmj\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All trails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The hike is spectacular and highly recommended. At an average pace, it&#8217;s about 3-4 hours up and 2-3 hours down.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Entry to the reserve costs 5,000 CLP, but in early April, no one was there to collect the money.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/cerro_castillo.jpg\" alt=\"Cerro Castillo in Chile.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The majestic Cerro Castillo.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Villa Cerro Castillo?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/aysensenderospatagonia.com\/hostel-camping-cerro-castillo-senderos-patagonia\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sendero Patagonia<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is by far the best hostel along the Carretera Austral: hot water, a well-stocked kitchen, Wi-Fi and a great heated common area. Especially during the high season, I recommend booking in advance on their website. They also allow camping. The owners are really kind and know the area inside out, so they can give you all the information you need to spend one or more days trekking inside Cerro Castillo Reserve. Highly recommended.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Villa Cerro Castillo?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are minibuses running the Coyhaique &#8211; Cochrane route daily; one company is called Buses Don Carlos, with daily departures at 9:30. You can find the complete list of companies<\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wikiexplora.com\/Plantilla:Buses_de_coyhaique_al_sur\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (day abbreviations are in Spanish). I hitchhiked this stretch of road.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"puerto-rio-tranquilo\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Rio Tranquilo<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s located about three hours south of Villa Cerro Castillo. Here, a visit to the &#8220;Capillas de M\u00e1rmol&#8221; (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/sPiM7mJEx6uNNpPz9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), or marble caves in English, is highly recommended. The excursion costs between 5,000 and 10,000 CLP; the price is negotiable, as the many companies you find at the port compete with each other and are willing to drop their prices just to fill the boat. Tours start more or less at all hours of the day, so if possible, I recommend waiting for a sunny moment so that the colors of the caves and of the water itself look their best.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, many people end, or begin, their adventure on the Carretera Austral to cross the border into Argentina. To do it by public transport, you first need to head to Chile Chico; there&#8217;s a company that runs the route daily (17,000 CLP). From the border, there&#8217;s a minibus shuttling to Los Antiguos for 100 Argentine pesos; the alternative is to walk for about an hour and a half. Once in Los Antiguos, buses heading up or down Ruta 40 are frequent.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/grotte_di_marmo.jpg\" alt=\"The marble caves in Puerto Rio Tranquilo.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The marble caves.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Puerto Rio Tranquilo?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.campingbellavista.cl\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hospedaje y Camping Bellavista<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is really great. The place is clean, with a spacious common area, a well-stocked kitchen, hot water, and wifi. They have private rooms and dorms.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Puerto Rio Tranquilo?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Argentina, follow the instructions above. When coming from Villa Cerro Castillo, you can take any minibus that runs the Coyhaique &#8211; Cochrane route daily. For this stretch of the road, after attempting to hitchhike for a couple of hours in Villa Cerro Castillo, I boarded the second bus of the day, paying around 7000 CLP.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"cochrane\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Cochrane<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The journey to Cochrane, the second largest town after Coyhaique along the Carretera Austral, is really scenic. Once in town, there&#8217;s a fairly large supermarket by the main square, free wifi around the central park, and a bank. Here, I recommend stocking up on food if you need it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About 5 km from town is the Tamango National Reserve, which can be easily visited in a day and offers a couple of really nice, well-marked trails; roughly speaking, I did <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wikiloc.com\/hiking-trails\/sendero-los-carpinteros-tamango-national-reserve-116786407\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this trail<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the more adventurous and prepared, a trail network allows you to cross the entire Tamango Reserve, enter<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.patagoniapark.org\/index.htm\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parque Patagonia<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> further north, and reach Chile Chico in 3 to 5 days. Find a description of the hike <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wikiexplora.com\/ENG:Valle_Avil%C3%A9s\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/riserva_cochrane.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Cochrane in the Tamango National Reserve.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Lake Cochrane, Tamango National Reserve.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Cochrane?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several hospedajes and hostels scattered around the city. I was approached by a lady who offered me a private room for 8000 CLP while I was using the wifi in the plaza. The address should be <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">200 Teniente Merino. In any case, there&#8217;s no shortage of options.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Cochrane?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the same bus &#8220;line&#8221; that covers Villa Cerro Castillo and Puerto Rio Tranquilo, so you can take any minibus that runs the Coyhaique &#8211; Cochrane route daily. I started hitchhiking early in the morning (it&#8217;s worth it), planning to take the bus later if it didn&#8217;t work out; after 10 minutes, a couple of Chilean tourists headed to Caleta Tortel gave me a ride.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"caleta-tortel\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Caleta Tortel<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s an interesting, really picturesque little village, one of a kind, because there are no roads, only a system of boardwalks connecting the various points of the town. The village was first connected by land to the rest of Chile only in 2003 and immediately became an important tourist attraction.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to strolling along the boardwalks and savoring the magical atmosphere of this small village lost in the Chilean fjords, I recommend climbing to the Mirador Cerro Vijia (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/j5veMk9DUi3nmXeh6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Maps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), which overlooks the town on the left and the mouth of the Rio Cochrane on the right, with the mountains in the background.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/foce_fiume_baker.jpg\" alt=\"The Mirador Cerro Vijia in Caleta Tortel, Chile.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mirador Cerro Vijia.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From here, you basically have two options to continue your journey south, besides, of course, turning back to Chile Chico and crossing the border, or perhaps reaching Puerto Montt to fly to Punta Arenas (or whatever other route you have in mind!):<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reach Villa O&#8217;Higgins (where the Carretera Austral officially ends). Theoretically, there&#8217;s also a direct bus that covers the Caleta Tortel &#8211; Villa O&#8217;Higgins route, but I&#8217;m not sure. There isn&#8217;t much to do here, and getting there is simply a matter of principle for many. There is, however, the possibility of crossing the border into El Chalten in Argentina, but it&#8217;s not easy. In fact, there are no roads, and the only way to do it is by taking a ferry (plus an optional second one) that leaves only a couple of times a week during the summer season and then walking a minimum of 22km (plus another 12km if you don&#8217;t take the second ferry). The whole thing is generally done in two days and thus requires camping gear. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/stingynomads.com\/villa-ohiggins-el-chalten-how-to-get\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you&#8217;ll find an extremely detailed article with prices and a description of the route.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second option is a spectacular trip through the fjords aboard a ferry that covers the Puerto Yungay &#8211; Caleta Tortel &#8211; Puerto Natales (Torres del Paine) route in about two days. The trip costs 125,000 CLP, including food. Departures vary depending on the time of year, and booking in advance during peak season is highly advisable.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tabsa.cl\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the reference site.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Caleta Tortel?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Bb439zj9HVwQxnjf9\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hospedaje Giselle<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the cheapest option in the village; the common area where the kitchen is located is well heated, there&#8217;s a hot shower, and overall it&#8217;s a good place to stay, 10000 CLP. There&#8217;s a free municipal campground.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Caleta Tortel?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least 2-3 companies cover the Cochrane &#8211; Caleta Tortel route almost daily. During the high season, I recommend you inquire and buy your ticket when you arrive in Cochrane. I took the bus for fear of missing the ferry I had already paid for, but as always, hitchhiking is an option.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I&#8217;ve described so far are the most popular stops along the Carretera Austral; obviously they&#8217;re not the only ones, and if your budget allows, there are loads of tours, for example the one to the San Rafael Lagoon from Puerto Rio Tranquilo or to the O&#8217;Higgins Glacier, which seem to be spectacular.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/caleta_tortel_passerelle.jpg\" alt=\"The boardwalks of Caleta Tortel, Chile.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The &#8220;streets&#8221; of Caleta Tortel.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"punta-arenas\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Punta Arenas<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s the largest city in southern Chile. Many travelers use it solely as an arrival point to move on to Puerto Natales and visit nearby Torres del Paine National Park since flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt are fairly cheap.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I haven&#8217;t personally been to Punta Arenas, as my ferry from Caleta Tortel went directly to Puerto Natales, where I was to meet my sister flying in from Santiago. While waiting, she took the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tabsa.cl\/portal\/index.php\/es\/horarios\/11-horarios-p-arenas-porvenir\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ferry to Porvenir<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a small fishing village on the other side of the Strait of Magellan. Nothing exceptional, apparently, but definitely a good way to spend a day, perhaps while waiting to catch a plane.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another popular excursion from Punta Arenas is to Magdalena Island, which has a massive colony of penguins. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tabsa.cl\/portal\/index.php\/es\/horarios\/147-horarios-punta-arenas-isla-magdalena\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ferry<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is fairly expensive.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Punta Arenas?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are frequent buses to Puerto Natales, about 3 hours, 7000 CLP, while to Ushuaia it&#8217;s about 12 hours, 25,000 CLP. By plane from Santiago or Puerto Montt, prices aren&#8217;t bad at all; take a look at the <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyairline.com\/english\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i>Sky<\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> airline.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Punta Arenas?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/hostel-entre-vientos.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostel Entre Vientos<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a great hostel with breakfast included; my sister was happy with it.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"puerto-natales\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Natales<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to explore the famous Torres del Paine National Park, you&#8217;ll most likely have to go through Puerto Natales sooner or later. Here, you can find several stores that rent camping gear in case you need it, and a big supermarket (Unimarc) with decent prices where you can stock up.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a great guide for organizing your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/stingynomads.com\/the-w-trekking-torres-del-paine\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">trek to Torres del Paine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> independently.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/los_torres.jpg\" alt=\"The towers of Torres del Paine.\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The famous towers the park is named after.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those doing the W as described in the guide: on the last day, if you walk at a decent pace and still have some energy left, you can easily walk all the way to the bus stop without taking the shuttle (there&#8217;s even a trail that cuts across the dirt road in places). I want to stress that campsites\/refugios have to be booked VERY far in advance and, if possible, avoid January and February, when the park is literally overrun by tourists. Don&#8217;t worry about drinking water, as every stream away from the trails provides it. For everything else, check the guide I just mentioned.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park is truly stunning, and I strongly recommend doing at least the W circuit, but if for whatever reason you&#8217;re not able to (physical condition or full campsites\/refugios, for example), then there&#8217;s always the option of visiting the park on day trips and seeing at least Grey Glacier and the towers on two separate days, returning to Puerto Natales for the night.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>Where to sleep in Puerto Natales?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/cl\/hostel-53-sur.en.html?aid=1680713&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_adults=2\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hostel 53 Sur<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a great family-run hostel that, besides being extremely cheap, offers a delicious buffet breakfast.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>How to reach Puerto Natales?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Punta Arenas, buses are frequent, about 3 hours, 7000 CLP.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From El Calafate and El Chalten in Argentina, buses are frequent.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Caleta Tortel, along the Carretera Austral, by <\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tabsa.cl\/portal\/index.php\/es\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ferry<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"iti\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Suggested itineraries in Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To visit all the places I&#8217;ve mentioned so far requires at least 5-6 weeks. Below, I list possible itineraries of 2, 3, and 4 or more weeks. As with any country, there&#8217;s no perfect itinerary given a time frame, and it&#8217;s especially true here in Chile, where some may come to visit only Patagonia, while others explore only the north. So, take what follows as inspiration and modify or create the itinerary according to your interests\/budget!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NB. In case you haven&#8217;t read what I&#8217;ve written so far, each stop is described briefly in the itineraries section, but you can find much more information in the what to do and see in Chile section.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>15-day itinerary in Chile<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This itinerary is designed for a 15-day trip to Chile, including the famous W trek to Torres del Paine and the Atacama Desert, along with the 3-day tour to the Salar de Uyuni, probably Chile&#8217;s two most popular destinations\/activities. Given the distance between these two places and the short time, really long journeys and at least three flights are necessary.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my opinion, the following itinerary can be exhausting and requires excellent planning to fit in all the flights\/transfers; ideally, you should have a few extra days.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/itinerario_due_settimane_cile.jpg\" alt=\"Two-week itinerary in Chile, what to do, where to go.\" width=\"295\" height=\"1099\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Santiago (1 night)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 1:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recover from the jet lag and explore the city perhaps by joining the free walking tour. Head up to Cerro San Cristobal for the sunset.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Valpara\u00edso (1 night)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 2:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the morning, take the bus to Valpara\u00edso and spend the afternoon exploring the town, perhaps join the free walking tour.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>San Pedro de Atacama (5 nights)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 3:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spend the day in Valparaiso and then take an overnight bus to San Pedro, or return to Santiago and take a flight.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 4:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rent a bike, or join a tour to visit the Valley of the Moon. Book a 3-day tour of the Salar de Uyuni for the next day.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 5:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First day of the tour.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 6:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second day of the tour.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 7:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Third day of the tour. Return to San Pedro. Before returning to Santiago, you&#8217;ll probably have to spend the night in San Pedro.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Punta Arenas (1 night)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 8:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the tight schedule, I recommend booking a flight to Santiago and then flying to Punta Arenas. Spend the night here.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Natales (5 nights)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 9:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transfer from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales. Preparation for the next day&#8217;s trek.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 10:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Day one of the W trek to Torres del Paine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 11:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Day two of the W trek in Torres del Paine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 12:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Day three of the W trek in Torres del Paine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 13:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Day four of the W trek in Torres del Paine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 14:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Day five of the W trek in Torres del Paine. Return to Puerto Natales and, if possible, spend the night in Punta Arenas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 15:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flight to Santiago. Return home.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>3-week itinerary in Chile between North and South<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my opinion, three weeks is the ideal length to follow the two-week itinerary just described and perhaps spend a few more days at the various stops without necessarily rushing from place to place.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For this itinerary, as for the two-week itinerary, if you&#8217;re not interested in visiting Torres del Paine and want to avoid all the costs involved, once back in Santiago, you could head south and spend the saved time between Pucon, Puerto Varas, and Chilo\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>3-week itinerary in Chilean Patagonia<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This itinerary is dedicated only to southern Chile and includes the Carretera Austral and Torres del Paine. If you&#8217;re a lover of nature, trekking, and camping, then follow this itinerary.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5681\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Patagonia_cilena_mappa_itinerario.png\" alt=\"Map of a travel itinerary in Chilean Patagonia.\" width=\"340\" height=\"724\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Patagonia_cilena_mappa_itinerario.png 340w, https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Patagonia_cilena_mappa_itinerario-141x300.png 141w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Santiago (1 night)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 1:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recover from the jet lag and explore the city perhaps by joining the free walking tour. Head up to Cerro San Cristobal for the sunset.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Where to sleep: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100l3LP6\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hostelworld.com%2Fhosteldetails.php%2FEco-Hostel%2FSantiago%2F15124%3FdateFrom%3D2018-07-25%26dateTo%3D2018-07-26%26number_of_guests%3D1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><em>Eco Hostel<\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Pucon (3 nights)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 2:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spend the morning in Santiago, perhaps visiting the Museo de los Derechos Humanos. Take an overnight bus to Pucon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 3:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visit the El Ca\u00f1i Reserve or the Huerquehue National Park.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 4:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climb the Villarrica volcano if your budget\/strength allows, or visit the nearby Salto El Claro waterfall or Los Pozones hot springs.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Where to sleep: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100l3LP6\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hostelworld.com%2Fhosteldetails.php%2FChili-Kiwi-Lakefront%2FPucon%2F81970%3FdateFrom%3D2018-07-25%26dateTo%3D2018-07-27%26number_of_guests%3D1%26origin%3Dmicrosite\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Chili Kiwi Lakefront<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Montt (1 night)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Day 5:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a bus from Pucon to Puerto Montt. Stock up on food and money to prepare for the Carretera Austral.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Where to sleep: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100l3LP6\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hostelworld.com%2Fhosteldetails.php%2FCasa-Perla%2FPuerto-Montt%2F5522%3FdateFrom%3D2018-07-25%26dateTo%3D2018-07-27%26number_of_guests%3D1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><em>Casa Perla<\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Carretera Austral (10 &#8211; 15 days)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allow at least ten days or so to travel the entire road, starting with the Puerto Montt &#8211; Chait\u00e9n bus. If you also want to visit Chilo\u00e9, add at least two more days. From Chait\u00e9n, in my opinion, the must-see stops are Queulat Park, Bosque Encantado, Villa Cerro Castillo, and Puerto Rio Tranquilo. To continue south once you get to Cochrane without wasting too much time, see which appeals to you more: the Caleta Tortel &#8211; Puerto Natales ferry or the adventurous crossing from Villa O&#8217;Higgins.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Puerto Natales (5 nights)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you arrive in Puerto Natales, you need at least 5 nights (including the day you arrive in town) to complete the W trek in Torres del Paine.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finish with a bus to Punta Arenas and a flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I included Pucon in the itinerary to break up the bus trip, but if you prefer, you could take a Santiago &#8211; Puerto Montt flight. Doing so could save you some time, and perhaps you could spend a couple of days in El Chalt\u00e9n or El Calafate in Argentina before heading down to Puerto Natales. The same goes if you decide to cross the border at Chile Chico (which many people do).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Where to sleep: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100l3LP6\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hostelworld.com%2Fhosteldetails.php%2FHostel-la-Bitacora%2FPuerto-Natales%2F278825%3FdateFrom%3D2018-11-14%26dateTo%3D2018-11-15%26number_of_guests%3D1%26sc_pos%3D1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><em>Hostel la Bitacora.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Itinerary of 4 weeks or more in Chile<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a month or more to spare, I&#8217;d personally start with a round-trip flight to San Pedro de Atacama and then continue the 3-week itinerary that includes the Carretera Austral just described.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"how\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>How to get around Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Buses in Chile<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bus system is efficient and well connected; although it&#8217;s on average more expensive than in other South American countries, such as Bolivia and Peru, it&#8217;s significantly cheaper than in neighboring Argentina, and the service provided is of an excellent standard, with new, clean and on-time buses.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the entire country, except Patagonia, I strongly recommend<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.turbus.cl\/wtbus\/indexCompra.jsf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turbus<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They offer excellent service with frequent departures, often at a better price than their competitors.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other great companies are<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.condorbus.cl\/wtbus\/indexCompra.jsf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Condor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pullmanbus.cl\/portalWAR\/paginas\/index.jsf#header\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pullman<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webcds.cl\/es\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cruz del Sur<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jac.cl\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JAC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For long distances, there are different types of buses: &#8220;cama&#8221; buses are the most comfortable and have only three rows of seats instead of 4, so the seats are extremely spacious and recline up to 160 degrees. Double-decker buses often have cama seats on the first floor and semi-cama seats on the second, which, besides being narrower (the classic rows of 4), recline less.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/traghetto_chaiten.jpg\" alt=\"Ferry from Puerto Montt to Chaiten\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>When the bus trip includes a ferry ride too. (Puerto Montt &#8211; Chaiten)<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Taxis in Chile<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taxis are legally required to use a taximeter, although it&#8217;s always good to get an idea of how much a particular route should cost, perhaps by asking your hostel\/hotel. A helpful site to roughly determine the cost is<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.taximetro.cl\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">taximetro.cl<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Expect a flat rate for rides to and from the airport.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tourists fall prey to many tricks by taxi drivers, such as lengthening the route for no reason, using lower denomination bills that look alike, etc.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In big cities,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uber.com\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uber<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> works and is probably the cheapest and safest option.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Planes in Chile<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The three airlines that operate domestic flights in Chile are<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latamairlines.com\/us\/en\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LATAM<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyairline.com\/english\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sky Airline<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jetsmart.com\/cl\/es\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JetSMART<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Beware of prices shown by Latam, which are often for residents only.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The only airline to fly to Easter Island is<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latamairlines.com\/us\/en\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LATAM<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from Santiago.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flights, if booked in advance with Sky and JetSMART, are really cheap. So, if you have a well-defined itinerary, I recommend booking as early as possible, especially for flights to and from Punta Arenas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Hitchhiking<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chile is described by many as a hitchhiker&#8217;s paradise. It&#8217;s seen as something extremely normal by the locals, and especially along the main roads, it&#8217;s extremely easy. On two separate occasions, I was walking along the road without even hitchhiking, and a car stopped and asked if I needed a ride.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along the Carretera Austral, hitchhiking is extremely popular as a way of getting around, and since there isn&#8217;t a lot of traffic, you risk waiting longer, but it&#8217;s always just a matter of time before someone gives you a ride.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"cost\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Backpacking Chile: costs<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much does a trip to Chile cost?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">A flight from Europe to Chile, if booked in advance, costs around 600\/700 euros. The only airport it makes sense to fly into is Santiago. You might want to take a look at <a title=\"How to find cheap flights \u2013 the definitive guide\" href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/transport\/find-cheap-flights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">my guide to finding the best prices<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Transport<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned, although the cost of buses isn&#8217;t at the level of countries like Bolivia and Peru, it remains cheap. For example, the Santiago &#8211; Puerto Montt route (about 12 hours) in semi-cama with Turbus, booked a week before, costs about 15\u20ac, not bad.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For other countries, my advice is almost always to buy your ticket at the terminal and haggle, but from personal experience, this isn&#8217;t the case in Chile; here, a bit like in Europe, buying online in advance is often much more advantageous, especially with the two largest companies,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.turbus.cl\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turbus<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pullmanbus.cl\/portalWAR\/paginas\/index.jsf#header\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pullman<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The price at the bus terminal is rarely negotiable, although it&#8217;s always worth trying, especially for smaller companies.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same applies to domestic flights; they aren&#8217;t too expensive if booked in advance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Activities<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organized tours in Chile are certainly not cheap; in fact, the exact same tour to the Salar de Uyuni costs almost 50% more than in Bolivia. On the positive side, though, practically all the activities and places to visit that I&#8217;ve talked about can be done independently.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Entrance fees to parks and reserves usually range between 3,000 and 5,000 CLP, except for Torres del Paine, which costs 18,000 CLP for foreigners.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To wrap up the question of costs, Chile is certainly not one of the cheapest countries in South America, and the further south you go (especially south of Puerto Montt), the higher the prices, particularly for food and transportation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/valle_luna_bicicletta.jpg\" alt=\"The Valley of the Moon by bike\" width=\"1109\" height=\"624\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The Valley of the Moon by bike. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ilbackpacker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Food<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Food isn&#8217;t expensive by Italian standards, but it&#8217;s not cheap either compared to other South American countries; expect to pay at least 4000 CLP for a men\u00fa del d\u00eda.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a mid-to-upper-range restaurant, expect to pay at least 20,000 CLP.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For backpackers who don&#8217;t feel like cooking, I recommend the empanada diet; the most common ones are baked and cost 500-800 CLP, and two of them more or less make a meal.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Accommodation<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A dorm bed can cost anywhere between 6,500 and 10,000 CLP. A private room is approximately 15,000 to 20,000 CLP. Breakfast at hostels is very often included in the price, and almost all places provide a kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A budget hotel costs about 20,000 &#8211; 25,000 CLP per night for a double room.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those traveling with a tent, campsites cost a maximum of 5,000 CLP per night. Free camping is allowed outside the national parks, where, instead, you have to camp within the designated areas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NB: All payments in local currency are subject to VAT, which is 19%. Those visiting the country on a tourist visa, however, can pay in U.S. dollars or by card, thus avoiding VAT. Many places won&#8217;t point this out to you, and above all, the prices shown online often don&#8217;t include it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To reduce exchange and withdrawal fees, see my <a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/gear\/best-travel-cards\/\">guide to the best travel cards<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<div id=\"safe\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/div>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Safety in Chile<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Chile safe? The answer is yes. Chile is clearly one of the safest countries in all of Latin America (perhaps the safest).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its cities are no more dangerous than many large European cities, although, especially in Santiago, as in any large city, common sense is a must. Some neighborhoods are undoubtedly best avoided, but otherwise you should have no problem.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In any case, I recommend you read my <\/span><a title=\"How to travel safely\" href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/safety\/backpacking-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">list of tips for traveling safely.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chileans are generally extremely friendly and kind people; as I said, more than once I was offered a ride while walking down the road, and another time I was even offered lunch at a restaurant. If only these were always the dangers!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Are you planning a trip to Chile? Check out these posts:<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a title=\"Which travel backpack to choose?\" href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/gear\/travel-backpack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Which travel backpack to choose<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/gear\/packing-list\/\">What to bring on a trip to Chile<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Do you have any questions? Updated information? Feel free to leave a comment or message me on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ilbackpacker\/\">Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Since I no longer run ads, if you found this article helpful, please consider purchasing your <a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/start-here\/safety\/travel-insurance\/\">travel insurance<\/a> through one of the links on this site. Doing so supports my work at no additional cost to you. For EU and UK residents, I recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.truetraveller.com\/?tag=4486\">True Traveller<\/a>. For everyone else, I recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/heymondo.com\/?utm_medium=Afiliado&amp;utm_source=ILBACKPACKER&amp;utm_campaign=PRINCIPAL&amp;cod_descuento=ILBACKPACKER&amp;ag_campaign=INPUT&amp;agencia=3e3e0e90cc3ad100e738962ea2e0b0be8d69\">HeyMondo<\/a>, which offers a 5% discount. Thank you for your support!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=QTBBEQQCE37GA\">For donations\/pizzas and virtual beers<\/a> \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Did you like the post? Pin it!<\/h5>\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7569\" src=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/backpacking_chile.png\" alt=\"Travel guide to Chile. Where to go, what to see.\" width=\"330\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/backpacking_chile.png 330w, https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/backpacking_chile-200x300.png 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From north to south, Chile measures more than 4,000 km, and at its widest point it barely reaches 240 km. This means it spans at least 7 distinct climates, ranging from the driest desert in the world to the extreme cold of Chilean Patagonia, making it a truly unique country.","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chile"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.4 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Where to go, what to see, itineraries, costs, useful tips and more to plan your trip to Chile.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tr1nCa92\"\/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/destinations-en\/chile\/backpacking-chile\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta 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17:21:03","updated":"2026-10-28 09:07:47","seo_analyzer_scan_date":null,"focus_keyword":null,"additional_keywords":null,"truseo_locale":null},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/category\/destinations-en\/\" title=\"Destinations\">Destinations<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/en\/category\/destinations-en\/chile\/\" title=\"Chile\">Chile<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\tChile Travel 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