Chile is a beautiful country that stretches out for hundreds of miles. This means that a tourist can enjoy a wide range of landscapes and activities while exploring this huge land. The experiences you can get throughout Chile are extremely diverse, so everyone will find something to fall in love with. However, there are a few things you shouldn’t miss no matter what your personal interests are. Those are the activities that will allow you to truly feel the marvelous land that is Chile.
Top 5 Things to Do in Chile to Touch the Country’s Soul
Drinking local wines at Chilean vineyards
Chilean wines are some of the best in the world. You’ll be able to make sure of this personally if you set out on a wine-tasting tour. Valle Central is the central region of Chile and home to all the best vineyards in the country.
Drinking the incredible beverage doesn’t have to be your only experience in Valle Central. Many of the wineries offer a variety of activities from playgrounds to zip lining. So even traveling with kids can be fun in this part of the country.
Visiting the main landmarks of Santiago
Santiago is a beautiful city with centuries of tumultuous history. This city is rather isolated yet extremely versatile, like the country itself. It offers a multitude of experiences that you should enjoy by walking through the old and beautiful streets. Some of those will lead you to highly modernistic places. The best way to discover the many gems of the city is to take walking tours in Santiago. They will lead you to the most interesting landmarks. You will also be able to learn many fascinating facts about the city from guides. Tours are usually focusedon a single theme or neighborhood, so you can discover Santiago one piece at a time.
The places you definitely have to see on your first visit to Santiago are:
- Cerro San Cristobal
- Plaza de Armas
- La Chascona
- Salvador Allende Solidarity Museum
- Palacio de La Moneda
Skiing at Valle Nevado
Valle Nevado is one of the premier ski resorts in the world. Visiting it will definitely show you a special side of Chile. This place has about the same climate as the Alps, but don’t forget that it’s cold in Chile in the summer. This means if you want to go skiing in July, this is the place to be.
The skiing season is open until the beginning of October, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the snowy rides. And don’t worry if it’s your first time as there is a school for skiing and snowboarding. You can also rent all the equipment. This means that you can come up to the mountains to ski and be back down at sunny beaches in a couple of days. That’s how versatile Chile is.
Trekking in the Atacama Desert
If a snowy mountain to beach isn’t an extreme enough experience for you, go down to the Atacama Desert. It’s the driest desert in the world and you can go trekking in it with a guide. That’s an experience you won’t get anywhere else on the planet.
Of course, you can trek through other deserts as well. However, Atacama is the only one that’s literally compared to Mars. If you dream of every visiting the Red Planet, this can be your trial run.
Relaxing in the Lake District
The ocean, desert, and snowy peaks aren’t the only fantastic places in Chile. Your visit to the country won’t be complete without seeing the magnificent Lake District. Few places in the world are as peaceful and beautiful.
The Lake District is filled with lush green forests and blue lakes. Here you can go rafting or kayaking. Be sure to marvel at the famous monkey puzzle trees.
