Chile: Where the impossible is possible

4 adventures from north to south…

With its wild blend of deserts, rainforests, beaches and volcanoes, this diverse country offers an eclectic mix of lifeaffirming experiences and thrilling activities. Here’s what to expect...

THE DESERT

As one of the driest places on Earth, the vast Atacama Desert is home to an array of mesmerising landscapes, from gleaming salt flats and high-pressure geysers to windsculpted sand dunes and azure lagoons dotted with flamingos. By night, it is blessed with some of the world’s darkest skies and has become a celebrated astro-tourism hotspot, offering magnificently clear views of the Milky Way. By day, its otherworldly scenery gives way to hot springs, ancient ruins and oasis villages rich in Andean traditions. Add to all this a seemingly never-ending coastline, celebrated for its surfing and paragliding, and it makes for a wild escape.

VINEYARDS AND VALLEYS

Thanks to its enviably long summers, dry climate and fertile soils, central Chile has the perfect conditions for producing world-class wine. Its emerald-green valleys are ribboned with vineyards; some date back several centuries, others are at the cutting edge of viticulture, offering informative tours and tasting sessions. There are options here for both novices and oenophiles alike, and some enviably dramatic settings in which to learn. Spend a night at a historic hacienda before trekking the rolling hills on horseback with a guide, or help out with the local grape harvest.

FORESTS, LAKES AND VOLCANOES

The crystalline lakes, smouldering volcanoes and dense forests of southern Chile offer a far wilder take on the country. Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park – which encompasses thundering waterfalls and soaring peaks – is a magnet for hikers, climbers and skiers. Cyclists, meanwhile, can test their mettle on the Carretera Austral, a 1,200km-plus highway across northern Patagonia. And for a wetter escape, the Futaleufú River offers unparalleled whitewater rafting and kayaking. Over in Alerce Andino National Park, you can even explore temperate rainforests home to the last surviving alerce trees, some dating back over 3,500 years.

LANDS OF ICE AND SNOW

In the far south of Chile, Torres del Paine National Park has some of the most dramatic scenery imaginable. Its jagged massif of snowy mountains, creaking ice-blue glaciers and shimmering turquoise lagoons hides an abundance of wildlife, including pumas, littleseen huemul deer and herds of guanacos, relatives of the llama. Located in southern Patagonia, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the trekking capital of Chile, with a multitude of trails ranging from easy one-day walks to epic expeditions and adrenaline-charged ice hikes, not to mention some sublime views.

Whichever part of Chile you explore, you’ll be in for the adventure of a lifetime.

Dazzling diversity (clockwise from this)the active Licancabur volcano near San Pedro de Atacama; Grey Glacier in Torres del Paine National Park is more than 30m high; sample world-class wines in central Chile; the view of Torres del Paine from Hotel Rio Serrano