DISCOVER LATIN AMERICA
Full of spectacular natural wonders, wildlife, colonial architecture and ruins, vibrant markets, stunning beaches and music to get your feet tapping, it’s a continent that really does have something for everyone, says Travel Editor David Wickers
Askinny ribbon of a country that squeezes between the Andes and the Pacific, Chile is 2,600 miles long – as far as Scotland is from Senegal. And two of its main highlights – which should be on your travel plans – are at the top and the tail. But first to the middle, to Santiago, which is both the capital and the international airline gateway, with BA (britishairways.com) now offering non-stop flights from Heathrow. We would recommend spending a couple of nights in the city, which is surrounded by the spectacular snow-capped Andes mountain range, with a visit to one of the nearby wineries in the fertile Central Valley to help you unwind after the flight. The nearby historic port of Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Pearl of the Pacific, is also worth seeing.
The north of the country is home to the amazing lunar-like landscapes of the Atacama Desert, the driest region on the planet: a world of salt flats, turquoise lakes, volcanoes and mighty geysers firing steaming salvoes high into the air. The local whitewashed adobe Indian villages and incredible night skies are also on the agenda.
Before heading south, you might want to spend two or three nights in the Lake District, flying into Puerto Montt, with perhaps a side trip to the islands of the Chiloé archipelago.
Then down to Patagonia. Topped by the iconic towering granite landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park and scoured by 1,000-year-old glaciers, its topography ranks among the planet’s most awe-inspiring. This stretch of the continent leaves you with a feeling of being right on the very edge of the world. Next stop, Antarctica.
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.co.uk) has a 15-day/12-night Splendours of Chile escorted tour encompassing Santiago, the Atacama and Patagonia, from £3,695pp, including flights, transfers, excursions and accommodation with breakfasts and some meals.