Image by jmarti20 from Pixabay. We had photographed it from a distance in 2008, but this time we were determined to visit . The Laguna San Rafael National Park is where visitors can find the vast Northern Patagonian Ice Field, a frozen land where glaciers feed lakes and rivers at high altitude. we saw your truck yesterday in Arica, but you passed so fast… we are travelling by bicycle… ;) With so much to see and do it's hard to know where to start. Your email address will not be published. Glad you’re inspired. This sparsely populated area is blanketed by glaciers, carved with mirror-like fjords, and pockmarked with snowy mountains. Some of the Chinchorro mummies – you don’t get to see much more. One of the most extraordinary places on the planet, this vast desert is home to a marvelously unique landscape teeming with life. We have reviews of the best places to see in Chile. Lakes filled with Flamingos, fields filled with wild llama and emu, and mountains that reveal a spectacular contrast between snow capped and marble sand. This site, of course, portrays everything from the view of the victorious Chilean side. But the most northerly part of Chile is much more than just the Atacama Desert. It was an interesting place to visit but also a little emotional. Superlatives to discover in Sussex: the largest Roman-style Villa in Great Britain with the oldest collection of mosaics and the first formal Roman garden. CNN Travel unveils 20 of the best places to visit in 2020, including a hidden gem in the Caribbean, a remote island off the coast of Africa and a German town with the coolest trains. This time we discovered that little has changed. (We posted more photos in our post ‘6 Places & Experiences we didn’t write about in 2016’). The Unesco World Heritage site of Humberstone. With views that are reminiscent of a scene out of a sci-fi film, this beautiful landscape can be... Santiago. Great article and amazing tips! We love sharing our impressions and knowledge gained along the way. It boasts a city full of lovely architecture and a … Rio Lluta is the most northerly river in Chile to flow from the Andes to the ocean. 25. They claim more than 10,000 years of history is represented here . It has lots of great colonial and neo-colonial architecture as well as old stone churches, leafy boulevards and has a lovely long beach lining the ocean. Of all the best places to visit in Chile, Patagonia is screaming my name the most. Many were built in the years of the saltpeter boom. There are also dedicated restaurant and café areas, often in lanes running off the pedestrian zone. Iquique is also a great place to just relax and spend some time on the beach at one of … The trees are an endangered species indigenous to the area – prosopis tamarugo. The bird life at Rio Lluta is what I’d definitely do. Our choice instead: to take it slowly, take side roads, discover places aside from the typical "bucket list" and guidebook highlights. The local police were causing problems for campers at Elea Beach, so we decided it was best to move on. Here is a look at some of the best places to visit in Chile: 10. Head to Cerro Tololo for a spot of amateur astronomy in scientific surroundings. The Morro displays the Chilean Flag and is home to a military museum and a amazing view of the ocean and city. One of the best places to visit in Chile is the Cerro San Cristóbal. These caves are a natural formation caused by wind and water erosion over centuries. Lluta River Wetlands in Arica: Pelicans as far as one can see. Privacy Policy, 10 Things I’ve Learned From Three Years of Travelling. dare2go's human navigator (we're not lost because there's nowhere particular we have to be) alongside our Nexus 7 tablet, writer and editor of our blog, first cook and loving wife. We have reviews of the best places to see in Chile. The northern port town of Arica benefits from year-round sunshine and a relaxed pace of life that befits its seaside setting and contributes to its name as the ‘City of Eternal Spring.’ Locals and visitors mill around its center in flip-flops before heading on foot to the various surrounding beaches for surf and sunbathing. Stroll through this city and you will find public art, green spaces, several museums, and plenty of cafes for a rest. We are travelling around the Pacific Ring of Fire by bicycle with kids: http://www.terracirca.de, Safe travels! It has attractive wooden buildings, which were probably residences of those who got very rich during the nitrate mining boom. They have been re-introduced into several protected areas to try to keep them from extinction. 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile 1) San Pedro de Atacama – Atacama Desert. A tiny town in northern Chile, San Pedro De Atacama is a Spanish colonial town surrounded by the driest desert in the world. The famous Gigante de Atacama (our photo is from 2008) – one of the many geoglyphs in the Atacama. To help you make this tricky decision here are some of Chile's top spots. If you want to get maximum out of Chile during your upcoming tour then here are best places to visit in Chile that you must cover during your itinerary: Torres Del Paine National Park; Chile has become a popular spot among tourists because of this destination. Northern Chile has been thriving on the mining industry since the middle of the 19th century. Thank you very much for this information! Destinations . I’ve not yet been to Chile, but will definitely take in the north when I visit as you’ve made it look very tempting! Our post summarises all the basic practical information you need to know before overlanding in Peru. It really dwarfs the whole city. Places to Visit in Chile, South America: See Tripadvisor's 6,69,664 traveller reviews and photos of Chile tourist attractions. Easter Island, 2. We drive and live in our self-built overland camper, called ["Berta"] "Bertita" (little Berta since 2018 in Europe). It was a good place to stop – quiet, no light except thousands of stars, lots of rocks and some rather shrubby trees. El Morado Glacier Trek Want to see glaciers up closer? La Serena is counted in one of the best cities to visit in Chile, the capital of its region in the north and is a charming place to spend some time, the second oldest city in Chile. Northern Chile’s clear skies, along with the high-altitude vantage points provided by the Atacama Desert, have made the country a popular star-gazing spot. "25 Best Places to Visit in Chile for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top or Beautiful places near me, what to do, ... Iquique, located in Northern Chile, is known for being one of the best beach resort areas in the country, with numerous pristine sandy beaches. And, he always had a story to go with them. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a4c715b214c1574921ead90c3e1e8bc8" );document.getElementById("e2d3333da5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); "Keep up with Joneses" - sign up for our newsletter! The main square in the old part of Iquique. While this doesn’t sound that tempting at first, I was personally taken aback by the beauty of this region. A large boulder (or two) thickly covered in green lichen. Once you are this far North in Chile you will probably visit. This is a very well compiled list. twitter facebook instagrame. Towered over by the enormous Cerro Dragón sand dune, Iquique sprawls alongside the Pacific Ocean with a host of … I don’t remember it from 2008, but this time it was a disturbing (if not close to terrifying) experience for me… There is a wonderful view of the city and also of a huge sand dune, which looks like it could actually engulf the city if it decided to move. It has fascinating landscapes that contain a mixture of sand and lava and salt lakes. This not a frequented area so it is not congested. The sea gulls have to step back into second row. This big hill in the middle of the city features one of the most incredible Santiago panoramas available. In every direction there is just greyish-brown desert, sometimes with rocks strewn about, and no sign of any plant life. dare2go.com is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or Amazon’s European subsidiaries. There are a variety of things to do in Arica including nature, ancient history, a surprising valley oasis, and modern shopping and restaurants. The country also has a well-known wine region that attracts many oenophiles each year. And you will need a lot of time to see all of it. Chile is a country you can spend a lot of time in – and you will see a lot of different things. Unlike anywhere else on the planet, with its rugged landscapes, geysers and lagoons, these are the best places to visit in the Atacama Desert, Chile. The history was so connected in my mind with my Dad, who I lost earlier that year. Chile Travel Guide: 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile List of Best Places to Visit in Chile: 1. In April we asked overland travellers about the challenges they faced due to COVID-19 restrictions. Frommer's reviews the best attractions in Northern Chile, and our free guide tells what to see and the can't-miss things to do. I read that this year UV radiation is extreme… All content (text & photos) © 2006-2020 dare2go.com. This country is for so much time in my list! Another amazing place and one of the best tourist destinations in Chile to vacation is Pucon, a renowned international tourist center on the shores of Lago Villarrica. It is almost squeezed against the Pacific on one side and the mountains on the other. The Chinchorro culture had used the Anzota caves for living space and some of the mummies were found in them. The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in... 2) Valparaiso. Its waters are famous for having some of the best surf in the world. The North of Chile appears all barren but there is – surprisingly – a lot to see. For 2 years, we kept thinking that we had left Chile for the last time. The Rich Jesuit Legacy in Cordoba Province. 9 Impressions from the Road in the Last Year, 2016: our Year of South American Travel in Review. The ‘El Morro’ rock sits right in the centre of Arica – next to the plaza and opposite the harbour. It is certainly a unique way to enter a city, and it was a great relief to arrive at sea level. In 2015 and 2016 it underwent extensive renovations, hence our photo is from 2008. 4 months later, we asked them: How are you doing now? Located west of the Andes in northern Chile lies the Atacama Desert. With... San Pedro de Atacama. Oliver, Elena, Jakob and Arthur, We were only for a day back in Arica – in order to renew our visa for Peru. Drive up the side of a sand dune, from sea level to over 500 metres above. Travel north-west for 300 miles (485 km) and arrive at the coastal city of Iquique – another hot destination for every northern Chile itinerary. I confess – we didn’t. One of the most amazing experiences in Iquique is to be had just driving into the city from Ruta 5. Scorpion Island (named after it’s History and formation) where you can find countless shells and variety of sea life especially during low tide. Chile, as almost all of South America, is still very much an undiscovered country with many attractive destinations. There is so much to see in Chile – from Patagonia in the south, right up to this most Northerly Part of Chile. As you drop below 3000m all of this disappears and the scenery is interesting only for its nothingness. A 12Km drive from Arica, along the Azapa Valley will bring you to the San Miguel de Azapa Archaeological Museum. We drove along the Avenue that follows the coast on a number of occasions.