CHILE TRAVEL...
A Feast To The Soul
(and your eyes)
Discover why Chile travel is one of South America's best kept secrets.
It will surpass your expectations...
Flamingoes at dusk - © Istockphoto
"I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within".
Lilian Smith (1897-1966)
We've never seen so much nature packed into such a long and narrow country.
Chile travel has just about everything one can ask for...
- mountains
- volcanoes
- geysers
- fjords
- glaciers
- forests
- lakes
- desert
- plains
- ice country
Whether we travel in pursuit of the spiritual reward that comes from contemplating nature or choose a more intense approach as to be actively involved with it, or both, Chile travel is the answer.
And if nature doesn't put us in communion with our inner self...how are we going to achieve it?
To me, contemplation has the faculty to bring perspective to the relationship I nurture with Universe. It brings harmony to my life
And beauty.
And love.
So give yourself a treat and experience Chile travel because you won't be disappointed.
That much we can promise.
CAPITAL: Santiago de Chile
LANGUAGE: Spanish
POPULATION: 15,665,216
AREA: 756,950 sq.km / 292,257 sq.ml.
CURRENCY: Peso Chileno
EXCHANGE RATE: (F465.44 per dollar. February 2008)
RELIGION: Roman Catholic
We were barely sixteen when we did our first trip to the land of Araucanians, Mapuches and Aymaras. Several other followed throughout the years...and more to come.
Remember specially well the one we did back in 1978 when we visited Robinson Crusoe island and then another trip to the fabulous Easter Island.
Chile travel with capital letters for archaeology lovers!
| EASTER ISLAND PHOTO GALLERY EASTER ISLAND PHOTO GALLERY PART TWO |
Guess we photographed every single moai that came into our sight, even the ones still attached to the mother rock at Rano Raraku in different stages of construction.
Discovered Easter Island (Rapa Nui or Isla de Pascua) on foot as well as horseback, sleeping in caves when night came upon me too far from Hanga Roa, the village I was staying at.
We speared lobsters and swam in the waters of Anakena beach, while watching a group of archaeologists doing restoration work in the ahu of Anakena.
Atacama Desert - ©Lorenzo Moscia/Tourist Promotion Corp. of Chile
CHILE'S TOP DESTINATIONS
| What is YOUR BEST Chile Travel Experience? |
We've got fascinated at the sight of Atacama desert, considered to be driest on earth together with Namib desert in Africa.
Furthermore, in some areas there is no record of rain, ever.
So you wouldn't forget your water bottle, would you?
And talking about desert, here is a quick list to help you to identify when you're at it, or just approaching it...
- You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
- You can say 110 degrees without fainting.
- You eat hot chilies to cool your mouth off.
- You can make instant sun tea.
- The temperature drops below 95, you feel a bit chilly.
- You notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
- Hot water now comes out of both taps.
- . Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"
- You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
Jokes apart, please visit Valley of the Moon, Tatio Geysers and the village of San Pedro de Atacama while in the area.
Your hottest Chile adventure travel experience.
Not far from there, Antofagasta has the open cast cooper mine of Chuqicamata, so old that has been operational since pre-Hispanic times.
Heading south, the port city of Coquimbo and the beaches of La Serena particularly, are part of your Chile travel experience.
With colonial architecture and Miami style condos, La Serena is a top summer retreat, famous as well for its production of Pisco (grape brandy), a favorite drink among Chileans.
Fiordos Chilenos - © Istockphoto
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Chiles's central region encompass Viña del mar and the port of Valparaiso to the north and Bio Bio river to the south.
It's the most fertile, dynamic and populated area of Chile, with Santiago - its capital - as the main city and international gateway.
There is a huge spectrum of things to do and places to visit, from the ski resorts of Portillo and Farellones to the wine region, where famous Concha y Toro wine is produced.
Visit Isla Negra - the house/museum of Pablo Neruda - Chile's foremost poet and Nobel Prize awarded.
The Araucania and Lakes region to the south is provably the most visited, with its dense forests, emerald-green lakes and volcanoes, such as Osorno,Tronador and Villarica.
There are three parks you wouldn't want to miss in the region:
- Vicente Perez Rosales National Park... you can cross to Argentina through Todos Los Santos lake.
Awesome. - Puyehue National Park...ideal for trekking, mountaineering and more.
- Villarica National Park...and the tourist resort of Pucon.
And you'll love Puerto Montt, for different reasons:
- All the sea food you can eat
- Handcrafts: mantas y Ponchos at amazing prices
- Gateway to maritime cruises, Patagonian fjords, Chiloe island, international cross to Argentina
The Isla Grande of Chiloe remains pretty much an unknown destination. It's the biggest island in South America and it's beautiful.
For the most adventurous, the Chilean Patagonia is full of surprises and beauty.
Forests, lakes, glaciers, waterfalls....you name it.
You will want to visit Torres del Paine National Park, a top Chile adventure travel destination not far from Puerto Natales.
It's a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
By now, I'm sure you'd agree with us...Chile travel is a unique South America experience and its best kept secret...
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