Chile - from the Atacama Desert to the secrets of Easter Island
General information
Chile is a long, narrow country stretched along the Pacific coast of South America between the Andes and the ocean. This unusual shape allows it to hold an extraordinary variety of climate zones - from the driest desert in the world in the north to the glaciers and fjords of the south.
The capital, Santiago de Chile, is a modern metropolis at the foot of the Andes, with skyscrapers, a colonial historic centre and some of the best vineyards in South America close by. Chile also governs Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - one of the most remote inhabited islands on Earth.
Climate
Chile's climate varies dramatically with latitude. The Atacama Desert in the north is the driest place on the planet, with almost no rainfall all year round. Santiago and the central regions have a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Easter Island has a mild oceanic climate all year, while the southern regions of Chilean Patagonia are cold and windy. The best time to visit the Atacama and Santiago is the Chilean autumn and spring (March-May, September-November), when temperatures are milder.
Culture and sights
The Atacama Desert is among the most spectacular natural sights on the continent - with the Valley of the Moon, which resembles an alien landscape, the El Tatio geysers at more than 4,300 metres above sea level, and salt lagoons home to pink flamingos. The small town of San Pedro de Atacama is the starting point for all these excursions.
The port city of Valparaíso (UNESCO), famous for its colourful houses, steep lanes and historic funiculars, is a World Heritage Site for its unique architecture and is home to one of the houses of the poet Pablo Neruda.
Easter Island is famous all over the world for its moai stone statues - monumental sculptures carved by the islanders centuries before the arrival of Europeans. The archaeological site of Ahu Tongariki and the Rano Raraku volcano, the quarry of the moai, are among the most impressive places in Polynesia.
Why and when to visit?
Few countries offer such contrast in a single trip - from the otherworldly landscapes of the Atacama Desert through cosmopolitan Santiago to the mysterious stone giants of Easter Island. Chile is a destination for travellers seeking natural extremes and a history unlike anything else on the planet.
