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Top Things To See
Atacama desert
Let the uniquely arid landscape of the Atacama desert sweep you away, with its broad, stark vistas of volcanoes, salt marshes and lakes and abandoned homes of the indigenous Aymara people. Observatories Get a glimpse of galaxies far away at one of several powerful observatories situated in Chile, which is famed for its lack of light pollution and clear skies. Collowara Observatory near La Serena is one of the most accessible to the public. Glaciers Witness giant icebergs from a glacier cruise, which follows a spectacular route through Chile's Inside Passage, the Beagle Channel and around Cape Horn, passing through glacial valleys (notably at Laguna San Rafael), fjords and past huge icebergs. Passengers can disembark at various points en route, notably at Puerto Natales and on the Argentinean portion of Tierra del Fuego. Copper mine Chuquicamata is one of the world's biggest open pit copper mines, administered by the Chilean government copper corporation. Humberstone In Humberstone, a deserted former nitrate mining town in the far north of Chile containing rusting industrial equipment and abandoned homes, visitors will feel the haunting sense of emptiness and eeriness. Pre-Colombian Art Museum Santiago's small but magnificent Pre-Colombian Art Museum (www.precolombino.cl) is a moving testament to the sophistication and artistry of the cultures that thrived in South America before the arrival of the plundering conquistadores. La Serena The streets of La Serena are filled with attractive colonial architecture and restored churches. The town is also a good base to visit some of the region's attractive beaches (although avoid the crowds in January and February), and the beautiful, fertile Elqui Valley with its tranquil hamlets and sedate pace of life. Santiago views Hike up towards the giant statue of the Virgin Mary atop Cerro San Cristóbal for a spectacular panorama over Santiago's vast sprawl. At the foot of the hill, in the of Barrio Bellavista district, nose round the quirky, eccentric La Chascona (www.fundacionneruda.org), once the Santiago home of the poet Pablo Neruda. Vineyards Carmenère red wine is made in the vineyards of Concha y Toro, one of Chile's oldest and most renowned winemakers, just a short journey out from the metropolis of Santiago. Juan Fernández Islands Re-trace the footsteps of the real-life Robinson Crusoe in the little known Juan Fernández Islands (650km/ 403 miles) west of Valparaíso. Scotsman Alexander Selkirk was marooned here in the early 18th century, forming the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. Easter Island The famous, mysterious moai stone figures up to 9m (30ft) tall can be found on Easter Island, a Chilean territory and one of the world's most remote inhabited islands. Other sites to investigate include the volcano crater Rano Kau, the Orongo rock carvings, and the museum in the main town of Hanga Roa. Torres del Paine The iconic jagged peaks of Torres del Paine are the defining sights of the far south of Chile. The area is also renowned for its fine trekking. Patagonia rainforests See millennia-old alerce trees in the lush, temperate rainforests of Patagonia. Pumalín Park, the vast nature reserve founded by American billionaire Douglas Tompkins, is one of the best places to see these remarkable trees. See Contact Addresses for further tourist information. |
