Resting in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range, Chile’s vibrant, cosmopolitan, the capital city of Santiago is famous for its beautiful parks, a wealth of historical attractions, and exciting arts and music scenes. The Cerro San Cristobal Park, the largest green space in the city, lies on a hill and is reached by a funicular ride. It offers visitors stunning sweeping views of the city, as well as a picturesque botanical garden and two huge swimming pools. The colonial Plaza de Armas, in the old town centre, is a delight to explore with its numerous Neoclassical buildings and museums, most notably the home-turned-museum of renowned poet Pablo Neruda. Visitors can also look forward to wonderful live shows, concerts and exhibitions.
Set on the shores of the vast Llanquihue Lake in Chile, the picturesque Puerto Varas is known for its stunning natural scenery, traditional German-style architecture and excellent range of accommodation. The town offers incredible views of the snow-capped but active Osorno and Calbuco Volcanoes and magnificent waterfalls of the lake. The Alerce Andino National Park, in the Andes Mountains to the south, provides another world to explore nearby, featuring lush green forests perfect for hiking and turquoise blue waters ideal for canoeing. Many German families settled in this southern Chilean town at the end of the 19th century and their influences are still evident in the local architecture, cuisine and traditions today. Puerto Varas features an excellent range of guesthouses, hotels, and restaurants serving traditional German food.
Located in south-central Chile, the Hornopiren National Park (Parque Nacional Hornopiren) is one of the country’s most beautiful wilderness areas, offering supreme hiking experiences in the southern Andes Mountains. Featuring a rugged landscape of glacial mountains and two prominent active volcanoes (Yate and Hornopiren), the park makes for a perfect setting for adventure. It is also thickly forested with fitzroya trees - the second-oldest species on the planet - and provides refuge to several rare mammal species, including cougars and kodkods. In addition to two well-maintained trails, there are lakes (such as the scenic Pinto Concha) and hot springs (Banos Termales Pichicolo) to enjoy. The park is most easily accessed from the town of Hornopiren or the port-city of Puerto Montt.
Chaiten is a charming Chilean town, commune and former capital of the Palena Province in the Los Lagos Region. With its strategic location at the mouth of Yelcho River, on the east coast of the serene Gulf of Corcovado, Chaiten functions as the main transport centre in the province. It also serves as a base for travellers wishing to explore the wonders of Yelcho River, the Futaleufu River, the Carretera Austral, the Corcovado National Park and the Pumalin Park. A drawcard for many nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike is the mighty Chaiten Volcano, which with an ash column that rose to about 17 kilometres and lasted for six hours. Today, the resilience of nature can be explored during a challenging 5.5-kilometre hike to a viewpoint on the edge of the crater.
Situated in the mountainous Los Lagos Region of Chile’s Palena Province, Futaleufu is famous for its stunning natural scenery, turquoise river, and picturesque national park. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, dense, verdant forests and a variety of rivers and lakes, the town offers a wonderful escape from the city bustle. The river, which means ‘Big River’ in mapudungun, is one of the premier white-water rafting and kayaking destinations in the world. The area is also known for its excellent fishing, trekking, canyoning and mountain biking. The Futaleufu National Reserve is home to two important species, the Andean Cypress and the shy huemul, an endemic deer which is also Chile’s national animal. The pastel-painted village buildings are a short journey away from Argentina's Parque Nacional Los Alerces and towns of Esquel and Trevelin.
Aysen Region enjoys a beautiful location in Northern Patagonia, sandwiched between the Region of Magallanes and Chile's Lake District. Featuring deep fjords, magnificent aquamarine glaciers, and soaring snow-capped mountains, this remote and rugged region is an outdoor adventurers' paradise. Cycle past breathtakingly beautiful vistas and sea kayak around the coast, or enjoy a boat trip through the fjords to see the pale-blue San Rafael Glacier calving ice into San Rafael Lake. Visitors can explore magnificent lush rainforests in the Queulat National Park or road trip along the famous Carretera Austral. Some other highlights include the Marble Caves of General Carrera Lake and the Northern Patagonian Ice Field. Don't miss the opportunity to climb the 2675-metre-high peak in the Cerro Castillo National Reserve.
Resting at the confluence of the Coyhaique and Simpson rivers, Coyhaique is the capital and largest city in Chile's sparsely populated northern Aysen Region as well as a major stop on the iconic Carretera Austral highway. Known as a gateway to remote areas of Patagonia, this rapidly growing modern city is encircled by a crown of mountains and serves as a base for excursions into the picturesque surrounds; from wild forests, snow-tipped mountains and clear cascading rivers to turquoise lakes, vast glaciers and glacial rivers. Visitors can enjoy an array of activities including: rafting down the Simpson river, hiking through dense forest at the Coyhaique National Reserve or spotting a variety of wildlife, such as the elusive huemul deer, at the Simpson River National Reserve.
Resting on the shores of Lake General Carrera in the Aisen region of southern Chile, Puerto Rio Tranquilo is a popular tourist destination with some excellent natural attractions to enjoy. Begin by visiting the staggeringly beautiful Marble Caves, with numerous tour companies offering boat and kayak tours of these unique formations and waterways, including the fluted Catedral de Marmol and the unforgettable Colores del Lago. Puerto Rio Tranquilo also makes a good base for viewing glaciers in the nearby Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael, located just 50 kilometres away. This highly diverse area also includes swamps, jungles and sandy beaches.
As previously described
