Regions in Chile

Tucked away behind the Andes is South America's tall, leggy beauty, Chile. From the arid Atacama Desert in the north through to temperate rainforests, the spectacular Chilean Lake District and the glaciers, lakes and fjords of Chilean Patagonia, Chile's dramatic landscapes will literally stop you in your tracks.

Santiago & Central Chile

Santiago has a beautiful setting, flanked by the Andes, while colourful UNESCO-listed Valparaiso is well worth a visit, as is the Central Valley, which offers stunning landscapes and award-winning wines. Flanked by the towering, snow-capped peaks of the Andes, Santiago is set in a truly stunning location. Colonial streets are juxtaposed with high-rise modernity, interspersed with green parks and gardens. The Chilean capital showcases the country’s heritage with its various museums, like the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, and the verdant Cerro Santa Lucia is a must-see: this was where the city was founded in 1541.

Atacama Desert & Northern Chile

The Atacama Desert: welcome to the driest corner of the planet. A 40,000-square-mile expanse of spectacular wilderness, the Atacama Desert & northern Chile offer incredible vistas of lunar landscapes, salt lakes dotted with flamingoes, geysers, volcanoes and fabulous night skies. An oasis in the Atacama Desert, the dusty little town of San Pedro is weird and wonderful. Here you’ll find the luxurious and super-stylish explora Atacama, with its very own observation dome for the ultimate in stargazing.

Chilean Lake District

Stretching from Temuco in the north to Puerto Montt in the south, the picture-postcard Chilean Lakes are the perfect spot for active types who appreciate fabulous colourful scenery, minus the crowds. With snow-capped mountains framing deep blue lakes, you can hike through lush forests, trek up volcanoes, see tumbling waterfalls, fish, kayak, horse ride, play golf, take a trip to mystical Chiloe Island, or cross through the Andes to Argentina. As for hotels, we love the small, intimate Quincho Country Home, overlooking Lake Llanquihue.

Easter Island

A five-hour flight from Santiago, Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) is one of the world’s most remote and mysterious places, famous for its enormous Moai statues, some of which are eight to nine metres high. There are many theories as to why these statues exist, but ultimately, no-one really knows – only adding to their appeal. Stay at explora Easter Island for luxury lodgings on the island and follow it with a visit to the UNESCO-listed island of Robinson Crusoe, known for its diving and wildlife, and some relaxation on a French Polynesian beach.

Chilean Patagonia

With spectacular glaciers, forests and fjords, Chilean Patagonia shows off Chile's incredible natural beauty. The majestic Torres del Paine National Park is a biosphere reserve of waterfalls, glaciers, dense forests, and granite pillars that soar more than 2,000m above the Patagonian steppes: truly one of the most beautiful and pristine places on earth. Stay at explora Patagonia in the lap of luxury or at Chile’s first luxury (tented) camp, Patagonia Camp. You can also sail through the Magellan Straits and the Beagle Channel and around the infamous Cape Horn, taking in fjords, glaciers, penguins and sea elephants. An amazing experience.