The Atacama's high desert and the granite towers of Patagonia in one trip, with Santiago's wine valleys in between.
Chile runs more than 4,300 kilometres from north to south, and the two ends are the reason to go. In the north, San Pedro de Atacama sits at about 2,400 metres among salt flats, lagoons and geysers. In the far south, Torres del Paine is granite peaks, glaciers and wind.
It suits walkers, photographers and couples who like to be outdoors all day and well looked after at night. Many lodges in both places include guided excursions, meals and drinks, so the days plan themselves. Santiago and the Colchagua valley make an easy start or finish.
The trade-off is distance. Atacama to Patagonia means flying back through Santiago, and a proper trip needs two weeks. Patagonia's summer is also its windiest season, so pack for all four seasons in a day.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
The W trek links the base of the towers, the French Valley and Grey Glacier over four or five days, sleeping in refugios. If that is too much, stay in a lodge and walk the same highlights as day hikes with a guide. Pumas are seen on dedicated tracking outings.
The El Tatio geyser field sits at about 4,320 metres, and you leave San Pedro before dawn to see the steam columns at their tallest. Other days take in the Salar de Atacama flamingos, the altiplanic lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques, and the Valle de la Luna at sunset. Start with the lower outings and build up.
The Atacama is extremely dry, and on moonless nights the sky above San Pedro is thick with stars. Several lodges have their own telescopes. Plan around the new moon if the sky matters most, and bring a warm layer.
A few hours by road south of Santiago, the Colchagua valley is known for red wines and has estates you can stay on. Visit two cellars a day at most, ride through the vines, and eat long lunches under the pergolas. Harvest runs in March and April.
Easter Island lies about five and a half hours by air west of Santiago. Between the 10th and 16th centuries its people raised the stone figures known as moai, and the island is now a national park. Three or four nights with a local guide covers the quarry at Rano Raraku and the platform at Tongariki.
Puerto Varas, on Lake Llanquihue below Osorno volcano, is a gentle base for hot springs and rainforest walks. Cross to Chiloé to see its wooden churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and houses on stilts at Castro. Expect rain whatever the month.
In the Atacama and Torres del Paine, choose an all-inclusive lodge: meals, drinks and daily guided outings are part of the stay, and the guides make the trip. In Santiago, stay in Lastarria or Vitacura. In Colchagua, a room on a wine estate beats a town hotel.
We match each trip in Chile to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsPatagonia sets the calendar. The main season runs from October to April, and November to March brings the longest days. The windiest months are November to January, which is also the peak season, so the shoulder months are often the most pleasant.
The Atacama works all year. It is barely wetter in February, when summer storms reach the highlands, and nights are cold at any time. The southern winter from June to August is the time for clear skies and stargazing.
Santiago, four nights in the Atacama, four in Torres del Paine and three on a Colchagua wine estate before the direct flight home. 12 nights.
The overnight flight lands in the morning. A gentle afternoon in Lastarria and dinner nearby.
Fly to Calama, about two hours, then drive to San Pedro. Salt flats and lagoons first, El Tatio at dawn once you have adjusted, and a night of stargazing.
Fly south via Santiago to Puerto Natales and drive into the park. Guided hikes to the base of the towers, Grey Glacier and the French Valley.
Fly back to Santiago and drive south to the vineyards. Two cellar visits a day, a ride through the vines and long lunches.
Drive back to Santiago airport for the direct evening flight to Heathrow, arriving the next day.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Chile (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
British Airways flies direct from Heathrow to Santiago in about 14.5 hours. From summer 2027 the airline plans to route Santiago via a brief stop in Buenos Aires. Santiago to Calama takes about two hours and Santiago to Puerto Natales just over three.
UK passport holders can currently visit Chile for short stays without a visa. Keep the paperwork you are given on arrival, and read the FCDO entry requirements (opens in a new tab) before you book.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Chile (opens in a new tab)
Altitude is the main issue in the Atacama, where excursions climb above 4,000 metres. Desert and Patagonian sun is fierce, so bring high-factor cream. Check TravelHealthPro (opens in a new tab) and the FCDO health page before you travel.
The currency is the Chilean peso; tip and pay in pesos rather than foreign cash. At Santiago airport, the FCDO advises paying for taxis at the official booths in arrivals and checking card machines before you pay.
Signal is good in Puerto Natales and San Pedro, but fades on high Atacama excursions and on the trails in Torres del Paine. Lodges have Wi-Fi, often slow.
Around 10% is normal in restaurants for good service. At all-inclusive lodges, ask how tips for guides and staff are shared; our travel notes suggest amounts.
Yes, and it is the classic Chile pairing, but both ends are a long way from each other. Allow a full travel day between them via Santiago. Four nights in each works well, and with a night in Santiago and a few days in the wine valleys you have a comfortable two weeks.
The main season runs from October to April. December to February is warmest with the longest days, but also the busiest and windiest. October, November and March are often the sweet spot: quieter trails, good light and autumn or spring colour. Winter brings snow, short days and very few people, and is a quiet time for puma tracking.
Not especially, but altitude affects everyone. San Pedro sits at about 2,400 metres and some outings, such as El Tatio, go above 4,300. Good lodges start you on lower excursions and save the highest ones for the third or fourth day. Walk slowly and ask your GP if you have concerns.
It is a fine choice for couples who want landscape and activity rather than a beach. Desert lodges with pools, a room facing the Paine massif and a wine estate at the end make a varied trip. Add Rapa Nui if you want an island finish.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: October to March.
Buenos Aires evenings, the Iguazú falls and the glaciers of Patagonia, joined by short domestic flights.
Inca stonework in the high Andes, Machu Picchu at dawn and Amazon rainforest, all within a short flight of Cusco.
The Antarctic Peninsula by small expedition ship from Ushuaia: penguin colonies, blue ice and landings by inflatable boat.
