Chile Ski Tours Discount
Ski Day Tour
Snowcat Skiing
Chile Ski Resorts 2009 Prices
Best Chile Ski Tour
Heli Skiing in Chile
Skiing, Wine & San Pedro
Chile Wine Tours
Chile Bike & Wine Tours
Chile Wine Day Tours
Chilean Wine & Culture Tour
Chilean Wine Fanatics Tour
Chilean Wine Harvest Tour
Chile / Argentina Wine Tour
Self-drive Chile Wine Tour
Santiago Wine Tasting
Santiago City Tour
Santiago Culinary Adventure
Santiago Wine Tasting
Coastal Day Tours
For Cruise Passengers
Valparaiso and Viña del Mar
Zapallar and Cachagua
Adventure Day Tours
Biking the Coast
Hiking El Morado
Hiking La Campana
Horseback Riding
Rafting Cajon del Maipo
Best Overnight Tours
Coast & Bed and Breakfast
Hot Springs & Lodge
Wine & Hacienda
Patagonia
Torres del Paine - "W" Hike
Torres del Paine - Lodge Hike
Torres del Paine - Multi-Sport
Patagonia Photo Safari
Patagonia Fly Fishing
Carretera Austral
Easter Island
San Pedro de Atacama
 
Chile Travel Information 
 
Santiago Hotels
Santiago Airport Transfers
Chile Flights
Chile Cruises

Contact Us
In Chile:
Phone: (56) 2 244 2750
Fax: (56) 2 244 2749

In the U.S.:
802 904 6798

 
Travel to Chile

We recommend Lan Chile, rated Latin America’s best airline. The airport designator for Santiago is SCL. American Airlines and Delta also have flights to Santiago. We recommend spending at least one day in Santiago to rest and catch your breath before traveling further. It is a great city to explore too. When traveling to Patagonia, the flight from Santiago to Puerto Montt (PMC) takes about one-and-a-half hours, and from Santiago to Coyhaique (BBA) or Punta Arenas (PUQ) takes about three hours. Santiago Adventures can book your international or in-country Chile Flights.

 
   

Arriving in Santiago

Getting through customs is usually a very fast experience and you will have no problem bringing all the personal items you need.

There is a $131 charge to US citizens for a 90-day tourist visa. This needs to be paid in cash in US dollars before you pass through Immigration so be sure to have this with you.

If you have not arranged your airport transfer with Santiago Adventures, Tur Transfer is a good transport service from the airport to your hotel. They offer shared transport to passengers going to the same general location in the city or a private van can also be arranged. Private taxis are not recommended as they unfortunately take advantage of foreigners not familiar with pricing. You can pay for your transport in US dollars so there is no need to change your money at the airport as the rates are better in the city.

Money

ATMs, which are all over Santiago, operate in English. The exchange rate varies from day to day but a good rule of thumb is 660 Chilean pesos to the dollar. Daily rates from the Central Bank of Chile are available here.

Food and Water

No worries about eating the fruits and vegetables in Chile. The food you will be served on our trips is absolutely delicious and safe. The water in Chile is also clean and safe to drink. In Santiago, you will have to adjust to the stronger chlorine taste. For your convenience, we provide bottled water on our trips.

In Santiago

The most modern hotels, shops and restaurants are in Providencia and Las Condes where we recommend you to stay. We can make your reservation in recommended Santiago hotels at very competitive rates.

Getting around Santiago is safe and easy on the Metro. You can safely visit and walk around downtown (El Centro), Bellavista, Providencia and Las Condes during the day without worries. As always, keep valuables in your hotel and do not let your handbag/backpack out of your site.

Taxis are also convenient and inexpensive. The vast majority of drivers are honest, bringing you directly to your destination. Hail the cabs that look newer and you should not have problems. Most hotels also offer car service.

Outdoor Activities

Excursions into the mountains should be undertaken with serious consideration of extreme weather conditions. For all of our trekking and horseback riding excursions, we recommend that our clients be prepared for extreme weather conditions with a Gore-Tex shell, fleece, hat and gloves. Also, efforts to minimize sun exposure are important as the ultraviolet rays in the southern hemisphere are much stronger than those in the northern. Always use SPF-30 or higher in Chile. In Patagonia, things are more extreme and throughout the year it is possible to experience all four seasons within a few hours! You should bring: Rain Jacket, Rain Pants, stout waterproof hiking boots, hat, polypro underwear, gloves, warm jacket such as polar fleece, several spare pairs of socks, and sunglasses.

Time Zone
GMT-4 (1st Sunday after March 9)
GMT-3 (1st Sunday after October 9)

Electricity
220V 50Hz You will require an adapter for the round pin plug

Picture of Chile Electric Plug Format

Languages
Spanish; Rapa Nui and Spanish on Easter Island; English in tourist areas

Banking Hours
Mon-Fri, 9am to 2pm

Money Exchange
Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm, Sat. 9am to 2pm. ATMs in Chile are called “Redbanc”.

Important Numbers:
US Embassy: Av. Andrés Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago; Tel: 232-2600
LAN Airlines (in Chile): 600/526-2000

Chile Links - Recommended sites in Chile

Chile on the Fly - Unique and spectacular fly-fishing adventures in the heart of Patagonia Chile.

ContactChile - This Santiago based agency offers a "Chilean ABC's" and arranges internships, Spanish courses, long-term housing, and car rental; in English.

USIL Logo Arrows  Learn Spanish -- Free Interactive, On-Line, Spanish Language Lessons  

Newen - Spanish school in Santiago.

Refugio Lo Valdes - in its own private woods only 77kms from the Capital Santiago de Chile. The Refugio offers the perfect environment with stunning views of snow-capped peaks and great access to climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing and trekking. Throughout the year, bird watching, fossil hunting or just relaxing. Pato is a great chef too!

Salvaje Corazon - Unique customized trips in central Patagonia - photo safaris, southern icefields, mountains, lakes and rivers.

Ski Arpa - Backcountry Snowcat Skiing in Chile

Trekking Chile - Comprehensive trekking information for Chile.

Woodward Institute - Spanish classes and a website with lots of info about Chile.

Other Sites - Travel directories and sites we have links with:

About.com - South America for Visitors site hosted by guide Bonnie Hamre.

An on-line map source at InfoHub.com - Maps of worldwide destinations.

eRobertParker.com: The Independent Consumer's Guide to Fine Wine

LocalWineEvents.com - Wine and Food events by city, worldwide. Spirits and Beer events as well. Post your own event or sign up to be notified when new events are posted to your area.

Nat Decants FREE Newsletter: Wine picks, articles and humor from Natalie MacLean,
recently named the World's Best Drink Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia. There are no ads and all e-mail addresses are kept confidential. To sign up, visit www.nataliemaclean.com.

www.travel-quest.co.uk: the travel-quest specialist travel directory lists activity, special interest and adventure holidays and vacations worldwide. 

Travel Guide - A comprehensive travel resource. Find a travel site and service locally.

Travel Masters - Directory of discount travel for airfare, car rentals, vacation packages, hotels, cruises and more.

iTravelnet Travel Directory - Directory for travel related web sites. Destination guides, travel news and travelogues. Book cheap airfares, discount hotels and car hire.

Travel Notes - Travel directory providing country/state information, reviewed web sites, regular travel articles, and online ticketing for car hire, hotel reservations and discounted flights.

TravelNotes.org -- The Online Guide to Travel.
Listed @ Travel Notes
The Online Guide to Travel

Ultimate Ski - The ultimate guide to the best skiing and snowboarding destinations.

A WildThings.com Destination

WildThings.com

The Wine Doctor: regularly updated wine writing by Chris Kissack

Wine-Online-Review.com - Provides information about travels and tours in Patagonia.
Discover Glaciers in the End of the World and enjoy Big Circuit Trekking in
Torres del Paine.

World Travel Travel & Tourism Guide - Provides info on travel, vacations, tourism and tours around the world.