From
sunny beaches to ski slopes, volcanoes to glaciers, Chile
is a country of contrast and beauty. Located between The
Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the country offers
a multitude of wildly different adventures which travelers
would normally have to experience in many different places.
Northern Chile is home to the world’s driest desert,
while the center of the country comprises farmland, beach
resorts, lakes, ski slopes and looming mountains. The central
valley is also home to Santiago, the country’s capital
and most populated city. Visitors can explore the ice fields
of Patagonia and Antarctica at the southern tip and then
go out to sea to visit Easter Island and Robinson Crusoe
Island.
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72-HOUR VACATION
Patagonia
"If you walk further, you fall off this world", wrote Pablo Neruda, the great Chilean poet. You won't fall off the world if you visit Patagonia, but you will find a world much different than your own. This almost virgin land shared by 150,000 humans, two million sheep and 500,000 penguins will surprise and delight visitors of any age.
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72-HOUR VACATION
Santiago
A safe, modern European city, Santiago is not the typical South American metropolis. Not only a destination, this city is also a point of departure to destinations that attract visitors from all over, such as Patagonia, Antarctica and Easter Island. Santiago offers a break in the voyage as well as an introduction to the diversity of the Chilean world.
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TOP 10 WINE COUNTRY INNS
Casa Real, Santa Rita Vineyards
Just south of Santiago, the Maipo Valley
is the country's oldest wine region, birthplace of many
a Cabernet Sauvignon. This 19th-century manor house at
the Santa Rita Winery includes sixteen swanky European-style
bedrooms and gardens full of olive, almond, orange and
lemon trees. |
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TOP 10 SKI RESORTS WORLDWIDE
Valle Nevado Hotel
With more than 23,000 acres of skiable domain, Valle Nevado is the largest ski resort in the southern hemisphere, offering grand slopes and fresh powder high in the Andes. With its 53 spacious rooms, high class décor and direct access to the slopes from the hotel’s terrace, the hotel is the perfect Andes retreat. |
TOP 10 RANCHES WORLDWIDE
Hacienda Los Andes
This 1,000-acre spread
at the gateway to the Andes reaches from the Rio Hurtado
to the top of the Cerro Gigante Mountains. Among the options
at this ranch are eight-day stays, which include overnight
camping along riding trails. |
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TOP 10 EXTREME HOTELS
Robinson Crusoe's Cave
Travelers
in the mood for an adventure can spend the night in
a rustic cave formerly inhabited by Alexander Selkirk,
who was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson
Crusoe. Located on Robinson Crusoe Island, this
cave is where Selkirk lived for over four years before
he was rescued in 1709. |
SPA NEWS
Quench Your Thirst
Climb a volcano and enjoy a volcanic stone massage in the same day at the Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa in Chile. Experience the best of both desert and oasis at the hotel's Uma Spa, whose name is based on the Aymara word for water. |
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| For
more information, visit the official tourism website
of Chile |
Guides
for other parts of the world
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(Updated: 03/10/08 LH) |
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