Chile is a must-visit travel destination in South America. With its long western coastline, there are numerous beautiful beach towns, as well as exciting watersports and wildlife watching opportunities. The country stretches over 4,300 kilometers from north to south and is sandwiched between the towering Andes Mountains and the glistening Pacific Ocean.
It shares borders with Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, and includes Easter Island in the Pacific. Its scenery and temperature zones are very diverse. Many volcanoes dot Chile’s coastline due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, but the country is also home to the parched Atacama Desert and the spectacular lakes, fjords, and glaciers of Patagonia.
Chile’s bustling capital, Santiago, is home to several world-class museums and restaurants, while the bohemian seaside town of Valparaiso is famous for its vividly painted homes and magnificent vistas. Travelers can also visit Concepcion, the country’s largest city, for its thriving arts, culture, and nightlife scene, as well as La Serena for its enormous beaches and colonial architecture. In Iquique, tourists can experience the massive sand dune that towers above the city, and in San Pedro de Atacama and Punta Arenas, they can venture out to explore the striking desert vistas and endearing penguin colonies of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.
Aside from these beautiful sights, tourists can hike to the summit of Ojos del Salado, the tallest volcano in the world, enjoy breathtaking panoramic cruises along Chile’s coast, and even travel to Antarctica. Torres del Paine National Park boasts majestic mountains and glaciers, while the Geysers del Tatio offer a beautiful display of nature’s power.
Northern Patagonia is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. The scenery is dotted with glaciers, mountains, rivers, and lakes, and there are several magnificent national parks and spectacular natural reserves to explore. One such place is Aysen, the third biggest region in Chile in terms of geographical area but with the fewest people.
Although it may be difficult to access some of Aysen’s more remote locations due to the fact that just one road, the Carretera Austral, connects the north and the south, visitors will be rewarded with some of the most amazing unspoilt beauty. The feeling of exploring its unfathomable natural treasures on foot, horseback, or by boat is unparalleled.
Chile is a country of breathtaking beauty, from the towering Andes to the glistening Pacific Ocean. It is a must-visit travel destination with its diverse ecosystems and vibrant cities, making it a unique experience for every visitor.
10. Caleta Tortel
This beautiful village is in southern Chile and is known for its unique architecture and beautiful views. Image source: Adwo/Shutterstock.com
Caleta Tortel, a small fishing community located at the entrance of the Baker River, is surrounded on all sides by forested hills that slope down to the sea and provide a wonderful setting that is further enhanced by the proximity of beautiful fjords, mountains, and islands.
Dilapidated wooden houses, bridges, and boardwalks wind their way down the shoreline or appear out of the emerald forest and are just as attractive to the eye as the exquisite landscape.
Caleta Tortel has no roadways, so residents and visitors alike must rely on foot or boat to go from one of the town’s stunning Chilotan stilt buildings to another.
The isolated Caleta Tortel is a one-of-a-kind vacation destination with a multitude of things to see and do, including the Northern and Southern Icefields, which are loaded with glaciers.
9. Cochrane
This serene lake is located in the heart of Patagonia, Chile. Image source: Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock.com
Cochrane, the southernmost hamlet on the Carretera Austral, is located on the boundaries of the magnificent Tamango National Reserve, with Patagonia Park not far away. As a result, it serves as a popular pit stop for those traveling south, as well as a starting point for those wanting to explore the area’s many natural attractions.
Seeing that there is not much to do in town but take in the scenery, most tourists travel to Patagonia Park to take in the beautiful scenery and abundant animals, or head out into the wilderness for some hiking, horseback riding, or perhaps a little fishing at the famed Monte San Lorenzo.
Boat tours down the Rio Cochrane are a fantastic chance to experience even more breathtaking landscapes, or you can go kayaking, swimming, or fishing in the neighboring Lago Cochrane.
8. Patagonia Park
The Guanaco is a South American camelid found in the Torres del Paine National Park. Image source: Dmitry Pichugin/Shutterstock.com
Patagonia Park, which was just recently designated as a national park, encompasses a massive expanse of land. It has a wide variety of ecosystems, from the Patagonian steppe and towering mountains to alpine lakes, woodlands, and wetland ecosystems.
The park is great for hiking because of the wide variety of ecosystems it contains and the abundance of routes that wind through them. Established initially as a private nature reserve, the area’s grasslands, mountains, and lakes are now home to a diverse array of animals, including guanaco, huemul deer, and Chilean flamingos.
7. Lago General Carrera
The stunning Marble Caves are a popular attraction in General Carrera Lake, Chile. Image source: Jens Otte/Shutterstock.com
The enormous General Carrera Lake, or Lago General Carrera as it’s called in Chile, straddles the Argentine and Chilean border and is a sight to see. The lake is surrounded by the Andes Mountains, which are covered in snow and provide a stunning backdrop for the blue waters.
The lake was formed by glaciers, but its sunny environment makes it ideal for kayaking, sailing, and fishing (especially for trout and salmon).
Lago General Carrera is a fantastic vacation spot due to the picturesque towns and villages that dot its shoreline as well as the breathtaking views that can be had from just about everywhere on the lake.
6. Villa O’Higgins
Villa O’Higgins is a small village located on the Carretera Austral road in Patagonia, Chile. Image source: Pavel Svoboda Photography/Shutterstock.com
The Villa O’Higgins, named after the Chilean independence hero and one of the country’s founding fathers, Bernardo O’Higgins, is the southernmost and southernmost Chilean town on the Carretera Austral.
Many visitors choose the out-of-the-way hamlet as a jumping-off point to see nearby marvels like the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, a vast expanse of ice home to a number of magnificent glaciers.
Villa O’Higgins offers a wide variety of exciting outdoor pursuits because of its location in a mountainous region with several nearby lakes, rivers, and canals. Some of the more common of these include hiking, horseback riding, and kayaking.
5. Coyhaique
the center of Coyhaique, the capital of the Aysén Region in Chile. Image source: Guaxinim/Shutterstock.com
Set in a picturesque setting, with the Rio Simpson National Reserve and the Coyhaique National Reserve immediately next to it, Coyhaique is surrounded on all sides by mountains that dramatically tower over it. Coyhaique is the economic hub of Aysen since it is the region’s major city. Stopping by its stores and shops before venturing to Patagonia’s far southern areas is a smart move.
If you want to relax after a long journey or horseback ride, the city also boasts several fantastic pubs, restaurants, and nightlife. Coyhaique is a relaxing destination because of its small-town atmosphere. Before venturing far from civilization, most individuals engage in activities like hiking or fly-fishing.
4. Puerto Rio Tranquilo
General Carrera Lake is the second largest lake in South America. Image source: R.M. Nunes/Shutterstock.com
Puerto Rio Tranquilo, a tiny fishing village on the shores of the massive General Carrera Lake, serves primarily as a jumping-off point for day trips into the surrounding countryside. Amazing natural wonders abound in close proximity to Puerto Rio Tranquilo. The sparkling lake waters and amazing watersports available are just the tip of the iceberg.
Capilla de Marmol’s primary draw is definitely its spectacular-looking marble caverns, which glimmer in the sunlight. Guests have the option of taking a guided boat tour or exploring on their own with kayaks. You may also go hiking and trekking in the beautiful hills and mountains that surround the area, or take a trip to the stunning San Rafael glacier.
3. Cerro Castillo National Reserve
Cerro Castillo is a mountain range and national park located in the Aysén Region of Chile. Image source: VGranta/Shutterstock.com
The Cerro Castillo National Reserve is a fantastically wild region of Chile, named for the craggy, rocky mountain at its center. Its borders include a wide variety of ecosystems, from towering peaks and alpine lakes to sparkling glaciers and luscious forests.
As a hiker, you’ll have a great time exploring the area’s varied landscapes, and the sights you’ll see will blow your mind. Cerro Castillo has only recently been declared a national park, so tourists may sometimes get a glimpse of South Andean deer, guanacos, and Andean condors in the distance.
2. Queulat National Park
Queulat National Park is located in the Aysén Region of Chile. Image source: Iurii Borisoff/Shutterstock.com
Queulat National Park is home to a wonderful variety of unspoilt and unspoiled landscapes, and exploring the park is really like stepping back into a world before time due to its isolated position, which has helped to safeguard the environment. The park’s hanging glacier, with its two glistening cascades of melted ice plunging down a sheer granite cliff face, is unquestionably the park’s piece de resistance.
The good news is that you may enjoy a wide variety of other breathtaking views. The park contains a portion of the Puyuhuapi Volcanic Group, whose towering peaks are beautifully set off by the park’s temperate rainforests and ice fields.
Another stunning natural attraction is Lake Tempanos. Numerous scenic footpaths and walkways connect the lake to the glaciers and the mountains, providing countless photo ops along the route.
1. Laguna San Rafael National Park
Laguna San Rafael National Park is known for its stunning glaciers and ice fields. Image source: Steve Allen/Shutterstock.com
If you ever have the opportunity, you should go to the southern region of Chile and spend some time exploring Laguna San Rafael National Park on the Pacific coast. Both the San Rafael and San Quintin glaciers are part of the Northern Patagonian Ice Field, which is part of the park. In Chile, these two are without a doubt the biggest and most magnificent. In addition, the highest mountain in the southern Andes, Monte San Valentin, may be found there.
Beautiful scenery abounds throughout the national park, including temperate rainforests, marshes, rivers, and lakes. These frozen mountain ranges and glacier-filled regions are very breathtaking to explore by foot or boat. Overnight camping in the park, under a sky filled with hundreds upon thousands of stars, is sure to be a surreal experience.
