Venue & Getting to Valdivia

Rally Venue

We found a great venue in Valdivia, Chile. Valdivia is located on the traditional territory of the Mapuche nation, and is called Ainil in Mapuche language. Check out the Hotel Dreams Valdivia. All reservations need to be made by the CCNet & CMP organizing team, through the Rally registration process, please do not contact the hotel directly to reserve your room.

Do you need a visa? Learn more here

Getting to Valdivia

UPDATE: January 28, 2024

Travel information

It is often much cheaper to book roundtrip flights to/from Santiago, Chile (airport code: SCL) and then travel on to Valdivia (airport code: ZAL).

Travel between Santiago and Valdivia --

Flights (SCL - ZAL) - you can change the country in the buttom at the upper right corner

Bus (9 hours)

Notes for the bus trip:

- If you decide to travel by bus, tickets can be purchased from 45 days prior to the trip. Please be patient.

- The best bus companies are ETM and TranSantin (both offer the "Premium 180" seats), Narbus and TurBus.

- The best option is the "Premium 180", which is a seat that extends 180 degrees and you can rest at night while arriving to Valdivia.

- The next option is “lounge bed/salón cama” seats have a 150º recline, foot rest tray. We recommend this type of seating if you are looking for a mix of comfort and value.

Finally, if the bus options and dates of direct flights to Valdivia don’t suit you. You can also travel to the nearest cities that have airports such as Osorno, 114 Km (ZOS), Temuco, 155 Km (ZCO) and Puerto Montt, 223 Km (PMC). See Google Flights for schedules and prices. *Important! You will also need to consider bus/taxi travel to/from Valdivia and get to the airport (usually outside the city).

Valdivia is located in Chile, South America.

If you are coming from another country by plane, you will need to book a flight to Santiago, Chile airport (airport code is SCL), and then take a local flight to Valdivia, the airport is called Pichoy (code is ZAL). If you want to connect to Valdivia on the same day you arrive to Santiago, we recommend that you allow for at least 34 hours between flights, because you will need to collect your bags, go through customs, immigration and walk to a the national flights terminal, to check into the local flight to Valdivia, check your baggages, go through security and find your gate.

Once you arrive at the Valdivia airport (Pichoy) you will need to take a transfer (private or shared) to the hotel. After picking up your luggage, you will find 2 transfer companies that will take you to your place of arrival (CLP 5.000 for a shared transfer. They receive payment in cash, debit or credit card). If you prefer an individual transfer you will have to quote with those companies directly.

You can also take a bus from Santiago to Valdivia (this takes approximately 9 hours), and the bus terminal in Valdivia is only about 1km away from the Dreams Valdivia hotel.

UPDATE: September 2024

Travel advice: Flights into Valdivia operate Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and flights can be booked all the way to this destination. Often, however, it will be much cheaper to book roundtrip flights to/from Santiago, Chile (airport code: SCL) and then travel on to Valdivia (airport code: ZAL). To proceed to Valdivia, there are both bus and flight options. Please make sure you leave plenty of time to allow for delays, baggage, security, etc. in Santiago before your bus or flight to Valdivia.

There are many flights available through LATAM airlines (codeshare partner with Delta airlines) and Sky Airlines. You can also search for routes through Google Flights or another site, but it is always recommended to book directly through the airline site versus third party.

The bus from Santiago to Valdivia takes approximately 9 hours, runs multiple times a day, and has lounge seat options to rest. If you choose to travel by bus, some companies start selling tickets up to 45 days before the trip.

Notes for the bus trip:

- The best option is the "Premium 180", which is a seat that extends 180 degrees and you can rest at night while arriving to Valdivia.

- The next option is “lounge bed/salón cama” seats have a 150º recline, foot rest tray. We recommend this type of seating if you are looking for a mix of comfort and value.

- Tickets can be purchased up to 60 prior to the trip.

*Airport Update:

Maintenance work is being done at the airport in Valdivia (Pichoy - ZAL), this year and part of next year.
From January 7 to August 7, 2025 the airport will remain closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Flights in/out of Pichoy will only operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays

Additional nearby airports include Temuco Airport (ZCO), Osorno Airport (ZOS), Puerto Montt Airport (PMC). You can also take a bus from Santiago, Chile to Valdivia.

Valdivia is located in Chile, South America.

If you are coming from another country by plane, you will need to book a flight to Santiago, Chile airport (airport code is SCL), and then take a local flight to Valdivia, the airport is called Pichoy (code is ZAL). If you want to connect to Valdivia on the same day you arrive to Santiago, we recommend that you allow for at least 3 hours between flights, because you will need to collect your bags, go through customs, immigration and walk to a nearby terminal, to check into the local flight to Valdivia.

Once you arrive at the Valdivia airport (Pichoy) you will need to take a taxi to the hotel. You can also take a bus from Santiago to Valdivia (this takes approximately 9 hours), and the bus terminal in Valdivia is only about 1km away from the hotel. We will provide more detailed local transportation instructions in the registration form and our Rally materials.

Visa & Customs Info

Visa Requirements for Chile: Depending on your citizenship, you might need a visa to come to Chile by any method of travel – plane, car, bus, ship. On this link you can find more guidance on visa requirements, and on this link you can check requirements for your specific country. Allow sufficient time for this process! If you need an invitation letter, Cristina Lasch (clasch@tnc.org) will be happy to help you. Make sure to send her: your full name exactly as it appears in your passport, country of citizenship, organization where you work and city and country where you are based. We are working with Chilean immigration officials to assist participants in countries where no Chilean consulate exists, please contact Cristina Lasch if this is your case.

Customs Considerations for Chile: Before you travel, please check carefully what you can bring into Chile. The import of plant and animal products is highly regulated, and even a single undeclared apple could bring you in lots of trouble and delays. Some products are allowed as long as they are not for commercial purposes, but you do need to declare them and you do need to ensure they comply with Chilean regultations. Please check and comply with the requirements established by the Chilean Customs Service and by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Local Currency & Money Exchange

The currency in Chile is the Chilean peso (CLP). Ideally, bring US dollars (USD) or Euros (EUR). Upon arrival in Chile, we recommend exchanging money at authorized exchange offices. At the airport you can find a few options (AFEX or Global Exchange). In Valdivia there is only one exchange office, located in the city center ("Arauco Gallery", Office 24B. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm; 3pm to 5pm and Saturdays: 09:30am to 2pm), but the hotel Dreams can also exchange money. Another good alternative is to withdraw cash with your bank card (credit or debit) from ATMs located in various parts of Valdivia, or at the airport in Santiago.

Page updated

Report abuse