TRAVEL ITINERARY
From the driest place on Earth to the endless amount of glaciers, you can find it all while backpacking Chile. This South American country is mostly known for Patagonia, one of the most beautiful mountainous regions in the world. This guide offers everything you should know about Chile and a suggested Chile itinerary for 2 weeks.
Chile (together with Argentina) feels a lot different than the rest of South America. While many countries of Latin America have similar cultural elements such as Mayan & Incan ruins and traditional clothing, Chile is completely different.
ADVENTURE TRAVEL GUIDE TO BACKPACKING CHILE
Climate and visas
Chile is a very thin but long country and has many different climates. North of Chile where the Atacama Desert is, the driest place on Earth, is obviously hot and dry. Central Chile, around the capital Santiago, has a warm (Mediterranean) climate. The area this guide is focused on starts in the south, in Puerto Montt.
Language & culture
If you want to get to know the local people and their culture, or just simply buy a bus ticket without any hassle, learn a bit of Spanish.
Staying healthy & safe while backpacking Chile
A few weeks before your trip, visit a travel clinic to ask about recommended vaccines based on the current situation in Chile. There are no mandatory vaccines required to enter the country.
Transport around the country
Overland travellers usually enter Chile from Peru or more commonly from Bolivia as part of the Salt Flats tour that starts in Bolivia. Most travellers will fly into Santiago’s international airport, Chile’s capital.
Budget & money
Chile is a more expensive country to travel around than its northern neighbours, but not the most expensive one in South America. What you will get for the price though are very high-quality services.
CHILE ITINERARY 2 WEEKS FOR FIRST-TIMERS
This suggested itinerary is for adventure seekers. It will take you through breath-taking & dramatic landscapes of Patagonia all the way down to the remote part known as the Land of Fire. You will see countless mountain peaks, glaciers, wildlife and explore life and mountains in the southernmost city in the world.
Day 1: Santiago
All international flights fly to Santiago, I’ve mentioned above in section 4 ‘Transport around the country’ how you can get from the airport to the city.
Santiago is still quite far from Patagonia. You would need to fly to Puerto Natales. Book your flight as soon as you can, ideally on the same day or the next one. Depending on the day when you can make it to Puerto Natales, either explore Santiago the first day or at the end of your trip.
Day 2: Puerto Natales
The airport in Puerto Natales only operates during the high season. If you’re planning to come outside of the December-February months, you will need to fly to Punta Arenas.
There is a direct bus from Punta Arenas airport to Puerto Natales, it departs 7x a day, costs 10 USD one way and takes about 3 hours. You can purchase the ticket online on their website.
Puerto Natales is the main hub for all the travellers visiting Torres del Paine National Park. You can find here a big supermarket with all the food you’ll need for your trek, many outdoor shops if you wish to buy something and rental places for any gear you might need but didn’t bring with you.
Day 3 – 7: W trek in Torres del Paine
This is probably the most popular trek in South America, and reasonably so, as you’ll see yourself. During only 5 days, you will trek through several valleys in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
If you don’t want to trek, you can rent a car, explore the park and go day hiking. But let me tell you – you will be missing out. I’m confident everybody can finish the trek.
The famous W trek in Torres del Paine covers 80 km through the national park with slight elevation. The trail is so well-trodden that you don’t need a map or a guide. It is not a remote backcountry, there are refugios along the way where you can stay and not worry about carrying any camping gear.
The usual W trek itinerary looks like this:
Grey Glacier
Bus transport to Torres del Paine National Park (around 2 hours), then another 30 minutes to Lake Pehoe shore and a boat will take you across the lake where the W trek starts.
You’ll start trekking around noon to the Grey Glacier ranger station/campsite. It’s along the Grey Lakeshore with a view of the glacier and is very scenic, around 11km. It’s worth it to leave your backpack in the tent and continue another few kilometres to the hanging bridge near the Grey Glacier.
Italiano camping
Trekking to Italiano ranger station. You will backtrack the same route as you trekked the day before. Then continue another 7,5 km to the Italiano ranger station. It’s quite a tough day as you’ll be still carrying a lot of food but the next day will make up for it.
Frances Valley
You will pack your stuff and leave your backpack in the campsite as you will be trekking into the Frances Valley. This part of the trail is quite easy and you will feel weightless without your heavy backpack.
Torres camping
This is the longest day where you will trek 24km but most of the trail is flat. Close to the end you will be trekking uphill, pass Chileno Lodge and continue to the Torres camping zone.
Sunrise at Torres
It will be a grand finish and only 11km trekking. You will wake up before the sunrise and after a quick breakfast start walking uphill for about 45 minutes to see the famous Towers. The most beautiful part of the trek – it marked the end and we witnessed one of the most memorable sunrises ever.
Punta Arenas
I imagine you will be tired after the trek. If you didn’t have a chance to go for a massage after the trek, I suggest you go. You won’t believe how a short massage can do wonders and relief your sore body. Porvenir for penguins
It’s time to see some wildlife. And not just any wildlife, you will see king penguins!
Most people visit Isla Magdalena to see small penguins which migrate from Brazil and Peru to reproduce here for about 3 months a year during summer. In Pingüino Rey Park near Porvenir, you can see the biggest penguins in the world all year round. They are unique species that only live in Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego.
CONCLUSION
In the end I would like to conclude this article by saying that Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country located in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
In short, thanks to the free‐market reforms introduced by the Chicago Boys and maintained by the democratic regimes that came later, Chile became the most prosperous country in Latin America, which mostly benefitted the poorest members of the population.
