Tailor Made Wildlife Holidays in Chile
If you look a map of the Americas is likely that a very long and narrow country will catch your eye. Chile is a geographical extravaganza in its own right - nearly 5,000 kilometres long but only 150 kilometres wide. Located on the western side of South America, Chile is flanked by the high Andes and the cold Pacific Ocean. In the north sits the driest desert in the world, the Atacama, while in the south the immense and contrasting landscape of Patagonia emerges between deep fjords, glaciers and vast steppes. At the base of this immense continent is the feared Cape Horn. This vastly contrasting landscape allows for the existence of a mosaic of habitats and ecosystems and correspondingly an amazingly diverse array of wildlife. Chile is politically and economically the most stable and safest country in South America, with a well earned reputation as a warm and friendly destination... and of course now also the producer of some of the world's finest wines.
Chile's capital, Santiago, is served by a number of airlines from the UK. Our passengers tend to fly into Chile on Lan Chile (the national airline which has good internal and regional connections) or on Iberia via Madrid. There are other ways of getting there, but these are the most common routes that we use. Chile, being long and thin, is quite difficult to travel round 'efficiently' and so a holiday to Chile does tend to require a occasional stop in Santiago especially if you want to see the north and the south of the country. Of course it combines well with Argentina, Peru, Ecuador and other countries in the region.
Read a Customer Review by the Parens that travelled to Chile in November 2007, includes their excellent photos.
Santiago
Chile's capital city is located in the central valley at an elevation of 600 metres and is flanked by the Andes to the east and the coastal range to the west. It has a population of nearly 6 million people and there are many interesting things to see in this lively and dynamic capital including several building in the historic downtown area. In a short 3-hour city tour you will be able to visit the Presidential Palace called 'La Moneda', the main square or Plaza de Armas and the imposing Metropolitan Cathedral as well as some of Santiago's residential neighbourhoods with such historic buildings as Barrio Concha y Toro. From the lookout of the San Cristobal Hill you will have commanding views of the historic and the financial districts of the city. In the neighborhoods of Bellavista and Providencia there are plenty of fantastic restaurants to explore serving high quality cuisine and excellent wines. If time permits, we recommend taking an afternoon trip into the Andes as an introduction to the to beautiful wildflowers and breath-taking scenery of the country. You may well see your first Andean Condor too!
Plaza San Francisco - Located a short distance from the heart of Santiago, this is a large but pleasant place to stay with all the facilities you would expect of a modern hotel.
The Galerias Hotel offers excellent services in a lovely historic setting in downtown Santiago. It has 162 spacious rooms, including six suites. Each room is airconditioned and the hotel has first-class facilities for your enjoyment.
The attractive Hotel Fundador located in the heart of the historical centre of Santiago was recently declared national monument due to its architectural features. It is located a short distance from the main commercial, financial, political, activities of the city.
Valparaiso
Valparaiso is one of the oldest cities in Chile and is currently one of its main ports. Located on a beautiful bay, a short distance from Santiago, this UNESCO World Heritage Site literally hangs from the steep coastal cliffs. It is an extraordinary setting providing a unique architectural and cultural feel to the city. It is a lovely city to explore and beautiful panoramic views can be enjoyed by using the picturesque lifts that connect the mosaiclike layout of the Valparaiso. A variety of seabirds including the stunning Inca Tern and Humboldt Penguins can be seen in the surrounding coastal areas of Valparaiso.
Wineries of the Casablanca and Colchagua valleys, Chile's wine valleys, are located a relatively a short distance from Santiago. Several of the highly acclaimed world-class Chilean wines are currently produced by the premium wine makers of this rural area. Whilst you are in Chile why not take the opportunity to visit the vineyards, experience the magnificent local cuisine accompanied by delicious wine tasting and perhaps to spend a few nights on a delightful hacienda. There are of course plenty of natural history highlights in this part of Chile too.
Atacama Desert & the Altiplano
Chile's Atacama Desert comprises the virtually lifeless coastal pampas, plains that are dissected by dramatic and deep river gorges. To the east this barren, lunar landscape, changes abruptly as it rises through the foothills of the Andes. This becomes the impressive altiplano, with its alluvial salt basins or salars, fabulous snow-capped volcanoes and a surprising variety of wildlife.
The Atacama Desert is by far the driest of the world - in some areas the rainfall is simply non-existent. However its abrupt coastline is constantly moistened by dense fog coming from the Pacific Ocean, which transforms this seemingly barren area into an extraordinarily rich hotspot for endemic cacti.
Lake Verde and the El Tatio geysers are well worth a visit. Surrounded by volcanoes, the beautiful emeraldgreen lake is home to flocks of Andean Flamingos as well ostrich-like Nandus, Guanacos and Vicunas. Andean Lapwing, Andean Goose, Mountain Caracara, White-winged Cinclodes and Red-backed Sierra Finch can all be seen here too.
Hotel Altiplanico is a thoughtfully constructed desert hotel on the outskirts of San Pedro. The hotel has 32 unique, beautifully designed and spacious rooms each with a private terrace and panoramic view of the Andes.
Explora Atacama to the south of the oasis town of San Pedro is a wonderful mix of new, innovative design and architecture of old. There are 50 spacious bedrooms a night-sky observatory, four swimming pools, lounge areas and of course an excellent bar and restaurant. Daily activities include excursions by horse-riding, walking trails, and jeep trips to the world's highest geysers at El Tatio.
Awasi is perhaps the newest of the properties in the Atacama. It has only eight rooms, each built from wood, adobe and stone and each has both indoor and outdoor showers, a verandah with beautiful views and spacious areas for relaxing and reading. The entire property is surrounded by an ancient wall. It is perhaps the perfect place for relaxation and reflection after some time in the desert.
Lauca National Park
Lauca in northern Chile is a wild and remote park with stunning scenery. A visit to the park is not necessarily straight forward due to the altitude. Lauca itself is at around 4,500 metres and we recommend an overnight stop in Arica en-route. From Arica there are some interesting boat trips to be enjoyed, the best of all being an opportunity to see the spectacularly beautiful Inca Terns.
Putre, at an altitude of 3,500 is the base for visits to the park has a wonderful setting in the hills with the Nevados de Putre as a backdrop. There are several pre- Inca ruins nearby as well as prehistoric caves with 5,000-year old hand paintings. Excursions from Putre are generally either by jeep or on foot and wildlife you could hope to see includes Vicuna, Guanaco, Taruca or Andean Deer, Puma, Alpaca, Vizcachas, and Armadillo.
Hosteria Q'antati - Nicely-decorated and clean rooms are features of this small hotel which has only 10 rooms. It is the best place to stay in this small town and is owned and run by one of the members of the Aymara indigenous community.
Lake District & Alerce Andino National Park
The Lake District of Chile is a region of great scenic beauty. It is not known for its profusion of wildlife, but is well worth a visit all the same. It is an area of spectacular volcanoes and lakes. The rainforests of this temperate zone are dominated by various species of the southern tree genus Nothofagus. These are unique due to their geographical isolation, the richness of the 'woody' species, with a highly complex structure and numerous species inhabiting in each layer. The dominant forests here comprise ancient species such as Araucaria or Monkey Puzzle tree and the endangered Alerce. To enjoy the Lake District at its best it is important to see both the volcanic north, Conguillio National Park and the wooded south.
Alerce Lodge is a log cabin lodge built deep in the Alerce woodland. It has comfortable and cozy rooms and good wholesome food.
Hotel Cabanas de Lago is a large hotel set high on a hillside with excellent views over the surrounding countryside.
Yan Kee Way, on the shore of Lake Llanquihue, is a relatively new lodge dominated by the beautiful peak of Volcan Osorno. It consists of a combination of chalets and bungalows, built from beautiful local woods, all of which are huge. The facilities here are fantastic and the restaurant is simply one of the best in the Lake District. The wine cellar too is phenomenal, but only with Chilean wines!
Patagonia & the Straits of Magellan
Patagonia is a land of superlatives. It is a vast and contrasting region extending across the tip of the southern-most portions of South America. The southern Andes act as a monumental barrier on this area, with the comparatively low summits literally covered by huge ice caps. Eastwards into Argentina a huge territory of vast plains known as 'steppes' extends, while towards the Pacific Ocean into Chile, the land has been broken by the glacial action resulting in hundreds of fjords and channels and thousands of islands. This remote and huge location has been surveyed by great explorers such as Magellan, Drake, Fitzroy and Darwin who saw the native inhabitants of this harsh land and called them Patagonians and Fuegians. The amazingly pristine wilderness of Patagonia retains the mystery of these people who were incredibly adapted to the extreme weather conditions and limited food supply.
Within the Straits of Magellan is Chile's first and only marine reserve, Francisco Coloane Marine Park, which protects the incredible marine biodiversity of the western branch of the Straits. This diversity stems in part from the mixing of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the strong winds, the presence of glaciers and the largely fragmented coastline. It holds a summer population of Humpback Whales (and occasionally Sei, and Orca Whales), as well as Chilean, and Peale's Dolphin, South American Sealion and Southern Fur Seals. The seabirds are magnificent here too with Black-browed Albatross, Southern Giant Petrels, Chilean Skuas and cormorants all common here.
San Isidro Lodge - This small, intimate lodge is located at the site of Chile's southern-most lighthouse. It accommodates only 12 people. The rooms are comfortable and the food is magnificent. It is the perfect base from which to explore the Straits of Magellan.
Eco-camp Carlos III Scientific Campsite
Within the marine reserve, on Carlos III Island is a small scientific eco-camp accommodating only ten people in comfortable twin-bedded dome tents. The entire camp is built on wooden terracing to avoid erosion and is dedicated to whale research in the Straits. There will be plenty of opportunity not only to go out wale-watching but to learn about long-term population studies and identification techniques used by the whale researchers here. The intimate experience of this camp is enriched by the beautiful mountains, glaciers and pristine forests.
Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia comprises an area of around 240,000 hectares and is a wonderful mix of peaks, lakes, ice fields and green valleys. The omnipresent Paine Massif, a magnificent set of rugged peaks, formed of granite and sedimentary rock, dominates the landscape. The early inhabitants of the area named the mountains 'Paine', meaning 'blue', presumably referring to their remarkable coloration when observed at a distance. The wildlife here includes Andean Deer, Guanaco, Pumas, skunks and hares as well as a host of birds such as Andean Condors, Lesser Rhea, Chilean Flamingo, Black-faced Ibis, Black-necked Swans and Kelp Geese.
The southern beech forests are home to a tremendous array of plants and animals, including Magellanic Woodpecker, Austral Parakeet and the shy Andean Deer or Huemul. Lago Grey is another of the parks highlights with its contrasting mosaic of towering mountains, glaciers, wetlands, steppes and forests. Photographing Cuernos del Paine or 'the Horns' at first light is a wonderful experience as with the right lighting, the mountain base turns orange and the mountains often have dramatic and peculiar lenticular clouds over the peaks.
Hostel Las Torres sits in the heart of the Chilean Patagonia and enjoys beautiful views over the snowcapped mountains. This charming rustic hotel with 84 rooms provides a comfortable base from which to explore the park's towering mountains, turquoise lakes, glaciers, ice fields and steppes.
Hotel Rio Serrano is located on the eastern bank of the Serrano River and has panoramic view of the mountains. The hotel has 95 cosy rooms, a pleasant dining room and serves good food.
Explora Torres del Paine - The Explora Hotel has 50 spacious rooms with wonderful views to either the Salto Chico Waterfall or to the mighty granite towers of Paine. The public areas are spacious and cosy with roaring log fires. There is a good size pool as well as a sauna, gym and outdoor jacuzzi. The lodge offers a wide range of guided excursions including horseriding, trekking and jeep trips.
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego comprises all the archipelagic area to the south of the Straits of Magellan. In this intricate broken geography there is a fascinating history of the indigenous peoples, the explorers of the Fuegian fjords and channels, and also following in the footsteps of Darwin in his voyage aboard the HMS Beagle in the 1830s. Here it is possible to enjoy the cultural remnants of the world's southern-most tribe, the Yamana, and learn how they survived and adapted to this extreme geography and climate. The area is home to active breeding colonies of penguins and sea lions, and there are numerous majestic albatrosses to see too. Finally, at the southern-most part of the continent, Cape Horn, you can sail in the wake of Cook, Darwin, Fitzroy and many other exploring mariners.
MV Mare and Via Australis
Sailing from Punta Arenas between September and mid- April, the Mare and Via Australis sail the famed Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel and spectacular Glacier Alley calling at Port Williams and Ushuaia and a stop at Cape Horn National Park. Eco-walks, glacier visits, on-board lectures and educational briefings are the highlight of this 3 and 4-night cruise which can easily be tailored into your holiday itinerary.
Easter Island
Easter Island or Rapa Nui is a small triangle of volcanic rock, located about 3,700 kilometres off the central coast of Chile, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You reach the island by air from Santiago which takes around five hours. It has always been the subject of curiosity and speculation. What are the origins of the islanders? How did they transport their massive moai from quarry locations to their platforms? Why is Rongo Rongo the only written language in Oceania? A stay here will incorporate a sunset boat trip as tens of thousands of birds are returning to their nests on the high cliffs. Petrels, boobies, tropicbirds, frigatebirds and tropical terns are all resident here is huge numbers. Based in the main town of Hango Roa you will have the opportunity to visit some of the 600 moai, as well as other sites that cover this isolated island, in the company of experienced local guides.
O'tai Hotel is a mid-sized family-run hotel with a cosy and homely atmosphere.
Hanga Roa is situated on the ocean front at one of the extreme ends of Hanga Roa Bay. It is the ideal spot from which to enjoy the island, offering excellent views and access to the town.
Robinson Crusoe Island
Juan Fernandez is a fascinating volcanic archipelago situated 1,500 kilometres off the coast of Valparaiso. Robinson Crusoe Island, the main island of the group, is accessible by a two hour flight from Santiago. Its diverse history dates back to its discovery by Juan Fernandez in 1574, but its fame relates to the prolonged residence of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk who was marooned on the island between 1704 and 1709. It was his experiences that inspired Daniel Defoe's famous novel, Robinson Crusoe. It is a volcanic island swathed in sub-tropical forest and is of particular interest to birders and botanists. It has around 120 endemic plants and for the birder a visit here may reveal the endemic Juan Fernandez Firecrown and the Juan Fernandez Tittyrant. Other species of note include rare species of Pterodroma petrels that nest in forest burrows including Defillipi's, Stejneger's, Kermadec, and Juan Fernandez Petrels, as well as Pink-footed Shearwater.
Refugio Nautico is a great base for exploring Robinson Crusoe Island. This small lodge accommodates only 12 guests in a cozy atmosphere and comfortable rooms. The restaurant serves delicious food with abundant local seafood naturally being the highlight.
Chiloe Island
The island of Chiloe has changed little over the past few hundred years. Located off the mainland near to the town of Puerto Montt, Chiloe is an important island for Magellanic, and Humboldt Penguins, Black-necked Swan, Greenbacked Firecrown, Patagonian Tyrant, Ringed Kingfisher, Silvery Grebe and Chilean Flamingo. It is an interesting island from a cultural point of view and it also has some wonderful temperate forest. In addition it is a great place to see Blue Whales, where sightings at the right time of year are known to be particularly reliable.
In its own private reserve Tepuhueico Lodge is built of local wood in a unique design to blend naturally with its surroundings. It has seven double rooms each with private bathroom and two apartments each accommodating four people. The terrace, garden, and small beach invite you to sit back and relax, while watching the hummingbirds feeding on the nearby flowers.
Palafitos Los Pecadores - This great set of cabins is located right over one of the many bays around Castro, Chiloe's main town. It is a complex that replicates the stilt houses that characterize this region of Chile. The views of the bay and the sea life including swans and occasionally flamingos at the low tide, make this a unique setting from which to enjoy the picturesque Chiloe Island.