How we spent four weeks in Chile
We spent four weeks travelling around Chile in March and April. I was already a huge fan of South America and this trip only cemented my love for the continent. In just one month we saw landscapes ranging from arid desert to tropical island, mountainous lake regions and metropolitan cities. Chile really is a country that has it all and I’m already thinking about when we can go back and see more of it.
Here’s everything you need to know about our four week Chile itinerary.
How to get to Chile
There are not many direct flights from London to Chile, and those that do exist are quite a lot more expensive than flights with connections. So we flew with Avianca from Heathrow to Bogotá, and then from Bogotá to Santiago. In total, this doesn’t take that much longer than the direct flight and cost us about £660 each. By comparison, direct flights on the date we wanted to fly were over £1,000 per person!
There are other options for layover airports, including Barcelona and Madrid, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires. We chose ours based on the best departure time for us, the shortest but also most realistic layover time, and the fact that we have flown with Avianca to Colombia before so knew what to expect from the flight to Bogotá! I also prefer to get the longest leg of the journey out of the way with the first flight, so wouldn’t tend to choose a European airport as our first stop.
Where to stay in Chile
We flew from Heathrow to Bogotá and connected to Santiago, where we stayed for four nights in the Solace Hotel. The Providencia neighbourhood was recommended to us as being fun and lively, but safe for tourists and popular with travellers.
We also spent another night in Santiago when we were flying to Easter Island, and we stayed at the NH Ciudad hotel which was also nice but the location wasn’t quite as good.
Read more about our time in Santiago here.
Our next stop was Puerto Natales, our first stop in Patagonia! We flew directly from Santiago and spent two nights in the Wild Hostel. We also stayed here again for another two nights at the end of our five-day W trek. In total, the four nights cost £234 – so less than £50 per night for a double room.
If you’re going into Torres del Paine National Park or generally exploring the Chilean side of Patagonia, Puerto Natales is one of the most popular towns to make your base. And once you’re in the park you will stay at various refugios depending on the route you take.
Read more about our time in Puerto Natales here.
If you travel to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) during your trip to Chile you’ll find that there’s quite a disparity in the accommodation available. Some of the cheaper hotels are very dated and on the other end of the spectrum there are very expensive luxury sites. We stayed at Hanga Roa Reka, a new and modern Airbnb that’s about 10 minute’s walk from the main area of the town. This was perfect for us and the hosts were incredibly friendly and helpful.
Find out more about our time in Rapa Nui here.
San Pedro de Atacama is the most popular base if you’re exploring the Atacama desert in Chile. It’s a small and charming town with lots of hostels as well as a good food and drink scene.
We stayed at Tulvak Hostal which was perfect for us. It is affordable, a good breakfast is included in the price, and the host is very friendly and welcoming. The hostel is about 10 minutes from the main strip and easily accessible on foot.
Find out more about our time in San Pedro de Atacama here.
What are the best things to do in Chile?
There are so many incredible things to do in Chile. These were our highlights:
Valparaiso
Wine tours
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
Other popular things to do when you’re visiting Chile include:
Carretera Austral
Chiloe and the Lake District
More of Patagonia
When is the best time to go to Chile?
Chile is a long, thin country that runs alongside Argentina, right down to the very southern point of the Patagonia region and even into part of Antarctica.
In the south, the seasons are basically the opposite of ours in Europe – what we consider summer months are winter and vice versa. And while the same is true in the northern regions of Chile, the climate in cities like Santiago isn’t quite as aligned with our perceptions of what the weather “should” be like in each season.
For example, we arrived in March which is considered autumn. The weather throughout our stay was around 30ºc. Even in mid-April (the equivalent of October) the weather was still in the mid-20°cs but did feel cooler in the evenings and there was some snow visible in the Andes.
June to August — European summer — is the coolest and wettest time of year in Chile making it popular for sports like skiing in the mountain regions, but probably not the best time to arrange a beach or hiking holiday. So when you’re planning the timing of your trip to Chile, consider the kind of temperature you want and the activities you want to do.
What is the best route to travel through Chile?
We didn’t take a direct route through Chile but did a circle that started in Chile and went through Argentina, Brazil, and then back into Chile.
If you’re going to Patagonia it’s fairly common to visit mainly Argentina or Chile as part of that trip, only crossing borders in the Patagonia region. But as we were travelling for eight weeks we had more time to explore both countries.
We flew into Santiago, travelled down into Chilean Patagonia, then explored some of Argentina before heading to Rio, then back into Chile to visit Easter Island and the Atacama desert.
Another popular route is to drive the stunning Carretera Austral which goes south through the middle of northern Chilean Patagonia.
Is Chile safe?
Like any country, and especially any capital city, there are areas of Chile that are probably unsafe for tourists. But we didn’t come across any. In the Providencia area of Santiago we always felt safe and the people were very friendly. Although being able to speak some Spanish did help.
We found other areas like Patagonia and Puerto Natales, Easter Island, and San Pedro de Atacama to be totally safe.
Is Chile cheap?
Overall we didn’t find Chile to be an especially cheap trip, but that’s mostly because of the activities we planned. Hiking in Patagonia is expensive because you need to pay for accommodation every night and we also opted to pay for all three meals each day plus renting hiking bags and other gear.
Santiago’s more touristic neighbourhoods like Providencia also aren’t super cheap but food and drink is mostly affordable and you can definitely choose to eat and drink in cheaper places if you need to make the holiday more affordable.
Easter Island is expensive because you have to hire a guide, and since resources are limited it isn’t cheap to find accommodation or to eat and drink in the town.
San Pedro de Atacama was affordable in terms of car hire, accommodation, and some food and drink. But eating out every day and paying for entry to many of the sites does add up.
Overall, Chile is nowhere near the most expensive place we’ve travelled to but isn’t a total budget trip either.
Do you need vaccines to travel to Chile?
Travellers heading to Chile should be up-to-date on all their routine vaccines – MMR, tetanus, diphtheria, and polio. It’s also recommended to get standard travel vaccines for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid though they are not essential. Rabies vaccines are also advised for long-term travel, especially if you’re going to rural areas.
Should I go to Chile?
I loved Chile and think it’s a country with something for everyone. If you like cities you’ll love Santiago. If you love hiking and the outdoors then Patagonia is basically the ultimate trip. For a truly unique holiday that many people may not get the chance to experience, Easter Island/Rapa Nui is an unforgettable place to visit. And for some of the most incredible landscapes you’ll ever see, the Atacama desert is unbeatable.
What to pack for four weeks in Chile
Because we travelled across so many areas of Chile my packing list was very varied, covering everything from lakes and mountains to deserts, tropical islands, and cities.
This is what I packed for four weeks in Chile:
Three vest tops
Three t-shirt
A halter top
Three sports bras
Two to four thermal tops
Two dresses
Two pairs of wide leg trousers
Two pair of shorts
A denim skirt
Two pairs of leggings
Light layers
Layers for hiking
Two pairs of trainers
A pair of sandals
Running gear
Two weeks of underwear
Three bags
Two bikinis
Sunglasses
A scarf or cap as head protection
A water bottle
A phone case with shoulder strap
A quick drying towel
An EU plug adapter and relevant chargers
An ebook
Daily toiletries including plenty of SPF
Wondering what to pack for a holiday in Chile? Check out my Chile packing list here.