21 reasons why your next holiday should be to Chile by The Telegraph part I

Chile is about to become much more accessible for Britons, thanks to the launch of a direct British Airways flight between London Heathrow and Santiago next January. Here’s why it ought to be next on your list.

Atacama Desert - San Pedro de Atacama

1. The Atacama Desert 
Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar place on Earth. The average rainfall across the region is 15 mm per year, while some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain at all. 

2. Houses on stilts
The Chiloé Archipelago is home to some of Chile’s last 'palafitos', distinctive wooden houses on stilts, which were once the dwelling of choice to most of Chile’s fishermen.  

3. You can follow in Bruce Chatwin’s footsteps in the wilds of Patagonia
Patagonia forms a vast swathe of the southern end of South America, and the southern and western tips sit within Chile. Writing for Telegraph Travel, South America expert Chris Moss describes Patagonia as “an archetypal landscape of the imagination”.  So found legendary British travel writer Bruce Chatwin, whose seminal work ‘In Patagonia’ inspired a generation of Brits to cross continents. Read Chris Moss's write-up of a recent tour of Santiago and Patagonia here.

Chilean Ski in Summer

4. You can ski in summer
Swap the Alps for the Andes and discover some of the world’s most thrilling runs. Towering peaks, hairpin bends a-plenty plus a few volcanoes and craters chucked in for good measure, make Chile’s mountain slopes some of the most exciting in the world. The Chile ski season runs from mid-June until mid-October, making it a great shout for summer powder. The resort of Valle Nevado is just 35 miles outside of Santiago. You can find a more detailed guide to Chile's ski resorts here. 

5. The colours of Valparaiso
The colourful cliff-top residences and striking funicular railways in this coastal town are an Instagrammer dream, and enough to put a smile on any weary traveller’s face. The city also has a thriving arts scene, and the beaches of Vina del Mar are a bus ride away.

6. It's the world's narrowest country
With an average width of just 110 miles.  

Puma in Torres del Paine

7. You may get lucky and spot a puma
The Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia spans nearly 900 square miles of Southern Chile and is home to about 50 pumas. The majestic big cats are said to be easier to spot in midwinter, though spotting one is not guaranteed. If you miss them, you’ll just have to settle for some of the world’s most breath-taking mountain scenery.

8. Stay at Montaña Mágica Lodge
This ecolodge in the heart of the Patagonian Rainforest is the stuff of Isabel Allende novels. 

9. You can visit the end of the world
Cape Horn is the southernmost part of South America and the most southerly point of any continent outside Antarctica. Writing for Telegraph Travel, Chris Leadbeater said of it: “Few parts of this planet come shrouded in mystique quite like Chile’s spray-lashed curtain call.”

10. Stellar star-gazing opportunities 
Clear skies, high altitudes and next to no light pollution make the Atacama desert one of the best places on Earth for star-gazing (see below). 

Atacama desert- San Pedro de Atacama

11. White water rafting in Cajon del Maipo
Easily accessible in a day from Santiago, this dramatic gorge is an adventure traveller’s paradise.








Patner: Ecotripschile.com  / Ecotripschile-patagonia.com /Hikingintorresdelpaine.com