Chile Holidays: Torres del Paine, Atacama, Santiago, Best Time & Costs

T By Thomas · Updated 20 October 2026 · 4 min read

Airports

Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL), Punta Arenas (PUQ), Calama (CJC), Puerto Natales (PNT)

Flight time

about 15-17h with one stop from London to Santiago

Best time to go

October-April for Patagonia; all year for the Atacama (spring and autumn ideal)

Currency

Chilean peso (CLP)

Chile is more than 4,000km long and rarely more than 200km wide, squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific. That shape gives it extraordinary range: salt flats, geysers and some of the clearest night skies on the planet in the Atacama Desert in the north, wine valleys and a buzzing capital in the middle, and lakes, volcanoes and the jagged peaks of Torres del Paine in the south. It is one of our South America guides, and an easy partner for Argentina.

Chile is stable, well organised and has good infrastructure by regional standards, which makes it a comfortable first taste of South America, though not a cheap one. Here is where to go, when, and what to budget in 2026.

Where to go in Chile

Torres del Paine and Chilean Patagonia

Torres del Paine is Chile's most famous national park, with the granite towers that give it its name, turquoise lakes and glaciers. Walk the multi-day W Trek or base yourself in a lodge for day hikes. Puerto Natales is the gateway town, and it is easy to combine with the glaciers of Argentine Patagonia around El Calafate. Punta Arenas, further south, also has flights over the Drake Passage for some Antarctica trips.

The Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama, an adobe village at about 2,400 metres, is the base for the Valle de la Luna, the El Tatio geysers at dawn, flamingo-dotted salt lagoons and high-altitude lakes. Its clear skies make it one of the best places in the world for stargazing tours. Many travellers continue across the border to Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni.

Santiago and Valparaíso

Santiago sits beneath snow-capped Andes, with good museums, markets and restaurants. Most people stay two or three days. Valparaíso, about 90 minutes away on the coast, is a hillside port of colourful houses, street art and old funicular lifts.

The wine valleys

The Casablanca Valley, between Santiago and the coast, is known for crisp whites; the Colchagua Valley to the south for Carmenère and full-bodied reds. Both are easy day trips or overnight stays.

The Lake District and Easter Island

Around Puerto Varas and Pucón, volcanoes rise above lakes and forests, with hiking, hot springs and kayaking. Easter Island (Rapa Nui), around five hours' flight west of Santiago, is famous for its moai statues; visits to the national park require a ticket and, at most sites, an authorised guide.

Best time to visit Chile

The Atacama occasionally gets summer storms in January and February (the so-called Bolivian winter), which can close high-altitude roads for a day or two.

Getting to Chile from the UK

There are no direct flights from the UK to Chile at present. Common one-stop routes include Iberia via Madrid, LATAM via Madrid or São Paulo, Air France via Paris, KLM via Amsterdam and US airlines via Miami, Dallas or Atlanta. Expect about 15 to 17 hours to Santiago. From there, it is about 3h30 to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales for Patagonia and about 2 hours to Calama for the Atacama.

Entry requirements

British passport holders do not currently need a visa to visit Chile as tourists and are usually allowed up to 90 days. You will receive a digital tourist card (PDI) on arrival; keep it, as hotels may ask for it. Rules change, so check GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Chile before you book and again before you fly.

Getting around

Domestic flights with LATAM, Sky Airline and JetSMART are the only sensible way to cover the length of the country. Buses are excellent for shorter hops, such as Santiago to Valparaíso or around the Lake District. Hire a car for the wine valleys or the Carretera Austral, the rough but beautiful road through northern Patagonia. In Torres del Paine, buses link Puerto Natales with the park entrances and catamaran pier.

Money and costs

The currency is the Chilean peso. Chile is one of the more expensive countries in South America, and Patagonia and the Atacama, where most supplies come from far away, cost noticeably more than Santiago. Allow roughly £70-110 per person per day for mid-range travel excluding flights and tours. Cards are widely accepted. Restaurants usually suggest a 10 per cent tip (propina) on the bill and will ask whether to include it.

Top attractions in Chile

Nature

Torres del Paine

Chile's most famous national park, with granite towers, turquoise lakes and some of the best trekking in South America.

Chile on the map

We research every guide carefully, but prices, opening times and timetables change. Check them shortly before you travel. Links to our booking partners are affiliate links.