Epic Chile - Atacama & Patagonia

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage at the country's southernmost tip. The Pacific forms the country's entire western border. Chile's unusual, ribbon-like shape — 4,300 km (2,672 mi) long and on average 175 km (109 mi) wide – has given it a hugely varied climate, ranging from the world's driest desert – the Atacama – in the north, through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, to a snow-prone Alpine climate in the south, with glaciers, fjords and lakes. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas, and islands. The Andes Mountains are located on the eastern border.

US Citizens

A Visa is not required for entry into Chile at this point in time.

Australian Citizens

A visa is required for entry into Chile. More information can be found at -

https://serviciosconsulares.cl/tramites/e-visa-para-australia

The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP; symbol CH$).

Visa, MasterCard and to a lesser extent American Express, are accepted in most large shops and hotels. Traveller's cheques, particularly in US dollars, are welcome in major towns where there are banks.

There are frequent services between main cities. The southern part of the country relies heavily on air links and reservations are essential. Flights are operated by LAN Express, a subsidiary of LAN (www.lan.com), and by Sky Airline (www.skyairline.cl), as well as a number of air taxi companies such as Aerovías Dap (www.aeroviasdap.cl) which flies around the Magallanes region and Antarctica.

Flights fill up quickly so it is essential to book in advance throughout the year.

Please consult your General Practitioner or nearest Travel Clinic for advice on medical issues relevant to your destination. For additional information refer to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website – wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list.htm

TRAVEL ADVICE & WARNINGS

We strongly recommend you review the current travel advice for your country/countries of destination before booking and ensure you remain up to date with this advice before travelling.

Australia: http://smartraveller.gov.au/countries/Pages/default.aspx

UK: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

USA: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html

REGISTER YOUR TRAVEL

We recommend that you register your travel with your local authority. These services are free and help locate you in case of an emergency. Updates to travel advice are also provided through the subscription service.

Australia - Smart Traveller service - https://orao.dfat.gov.au/pages/

USA - Smart Traveller service - https://step.state.gov/step/

Food and water safety: 

Can you drink the tap water: No 
Fresh fruit and veg: Yes 
Ice: Yes 
Meat: Yes 
Street food: Yes 

Local cuisine: 

Chilean cuisine is diverse, influenced by indigenous Mapuche, Spanish, and other European culinary traditions. Highlights include empanadas, pastel de choclo (corn pie), and cazuela (stew). Notable localdrinks include pisco, Chilean wine, and mote conhuesillo. 

Tipping: 10% 

Due to its long coastline, clearly Chile’s weather is extremely diverse and unpredictable although it is seasonal in much of the country. Summer runs from December to February, and winter from June to August.

It is difficult to pinpoint temperatures ranges for the country as a whole as they’re so variable. There’s the dry, arid Atacama desert in the north where temperatures reach a maximum of 32°C (90°F) and can drop to -2°C (28°F). Chile’s central region has a Mediterranean feel with a colder, wetter season (May to August), while it is usually cool and damp in the south. Easter Island has its own humid sub-tropical temperatures, while much of the south, from Region VII down has a very high annual rainfall.

In terms of visiting Patagonia and south, the summer months from December to March are ideal as it is warmer for trekking and other outdoor activities. November and April are quieter times in terms of tourism but the weather is less dependable. It isn’t advisable to visit the south from the end of autumn to the end of winter - May to September - as many trails close due to bad weather and strong winds and waterways ice over. However, places in the north, such as the Atacama, can be visited all year round.

When visiting the warmer areas of the country during the warmer months, bring lightweight, natural fabrics. During the wet season, you’ll need to bring waterproofs – aim for breathable materials so you don’t overheat. More substantial waterproofs and warm weather clothing are often needed in the south and at altitude.

Please see the attached gear list for specific packing suggestions.

MEDICAL & CANCELLATION INSURANCE

EPIC requires participants to be adequately covered by a medical insurance, including aero-medical evacuation from Antarctica, as well as adequate cover for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

For Australians

Should you require insurance cover, EPIC uses Aussie Travel Cover underwritten by Allianz Insurance. Please copy this link into your browser to make an on-line insurance application - AussieTravelCover - https://aussietravelcover.agaassistance.com.au/?AgencyId=13433

For all other nationalities

Epic has an affiliation with Travelex. Please copy this link into your browser to obtain a quote and process an application - Travelex Insurance -

http://www.travelex-insurance.com/index.asp?location=05-0733&go=bp

PHOTOGRAPHY

Digital cameras are the best for wildlife, with a good zoom up to 300mm or more. If you have an SLR it is a good idea to bring a point and shoot as back up. Remember to bring plenty of memory cards, spare batteries and battery chargers (Please check that you have all your chargers for cell phones, iPods, kindles, camera and video batteries).

BINOCULARS

Binoculars are very useful when looking at wildlife in the distance. We recommend 7 x 35mm or 8 x 32mm as these are a good size with great magnification. If size is an issue then 7 x 25mm or 8 x 25mm are compact and can be put into your pocket. Nikon & Canon are great options. Have a look at the following website for further ideas - www.consumersearch.com/binoculars