Wonders of Chile

The wonders of Chile

POSTED OCT 27, 2020

Chile, the long narrow nation on South America's Pacific Coast, is home to 4000 kilometers of coastline, world-class wineries, a lake district, the world's driest desert and an amazing array of natural wonders.   From star-filled skies to otherworldly caves, Chile offers the traveler the adventure of a lifetime.

Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile lies in the "rain shadow" of the Andes and is the driest desert in the world, averaging 1 mm rain per year with some locations never having recorded a rainfall.  With its lack of precipitation, clear skies and low-to-zero light pollution, the desert is an astronomer's paradise.  Home to more than 40% of the world's astronomical infrastructure, Chile has been called astronomy's world capital.  (Photo below: Smithsonian Magazine)

Valle de la Luna

Located in the middle of the Atacama Desert is the Valle de la Luna - known and named for its moonlike landscape of dunes, rugged mountains and distinctive rock formations.  (Photo: Get Your Guide website)

The Wine Regions

Most of Chile’s wine is produced within just a few hours’ drive of the capital city of Santiago. Throughout the region, world-class vineyards offer wine tasting tours.  The AFAR website describes the Colchagua Valley: "A lush region of valleys and rolling hills planted with roughly 50,000 acres of vines, where Mediterranean climes prevail, Chile’s Colchagua wine region unfolds roughly two hours south of Santiago, and has long served as a getaway for the city’s well-to-do—with the luxury lodging to match. Here, this new-world haven of immaculate vineyards, framed by forested mountains, has developed a stellar reputation in the wine world for its award-winning reds like cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot, malbec, and Chile's flagship varietal, carménère, as well as crisp whites like sauvignon blanc and chardonnay that are grown closer to the coast."   Below: a vineyard in Colchagua Valley (National Geographic)

Beaches

With 4000 kilometers of coast line and a Lake District, Chile has many beaches of incredible beauty.  Below are two of the Chilean beaches on Culture Trip's Top 10 list.

Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine National Park is a 700 square mile national park with mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia.  Torres del Paine National Park in Chile has been a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve since 1978, known by locals as ‘El Fin del Mundo,’ or ‘the end of the world.’ There are 250 km (155 miles) of well-marked trails available to hike.  Culture Trip has ten tips for hikers to help prepare before embarking on an adventure in this stunning park.

The Lake District

Temperate but rainy, Chile's Lake District, the "Switzerland of Chile", is famous for its spectacular scenery—deep blue mountain lakes, snow-capped volcanoes, and forests. It's also known as a spot for popular resorts, year-round recreation, and traditional folklore, handicrafts, and legends.  "Chile's Lake District is aptly named. There are twelve major lakes in the district, with dozens more dotting the landscape. Between the lakes, there are rivers, waterfalls, forests, thermal hot springs, and the Andes, including six volcanos with Villarica being the highest at 9,341 feet and one of the most active volcanoes in Latin America." (Trip Savvy) Photo below: Etienne Jeanneret/Getty images 

Two final adventures 

I'll close with two sights for those with even more adventurous spirits. 

More than 2000 miles to the west of mainland Chile is Easter Island.   In 1888, Chile annexed Easter Island, leasing much of the land for sheep raising. The Chilean government appointed a civilian governor for Easter Island in 1965, and the island's residents became full Chilean citizens.   The island is renowned "for its nearly 900 giant stone statues that have been found in diverse locations around the island. Averaging 13 feet high, with a weight of 13 tons, these enormous stone busts–known as moai–were carved out of tuff (the light, porous rock formed by consolidated volcanic ash) and placed atop ceremonial stone platforms called ahus. It is still unknown precisely why these statues were constructed in such numbers and on such a scale, or how they were moved around the island."  (history.com)

Cuevas de Marmol, the Marble Caves, are located in the Andes Mountains in the Patagonian region, bordering Lake General Carrera, a remote glacial lake that covers the border of Chile and Argentina.  The lake was formed by a 6,000 year old calcium carbonate wave and its "cave wall is a reflection of the blue waters of the lake, which changes in intensity and color, depending on the water level and time of year. Impressively, the cave labyrinth is big enough for a small boat to slide into. Water has eroded marble to create cracks like cavities and marble caves. Located away from the highway, travelers can only access Cuevas de Marmol Cave by boat." (traveldigg.com)