Latour Travel Guide to CHILE

Travel Highlights

• Santiago - Chile's world-class capital at the very edge of the highest Andes
  
• Easter Island - Without question the world's most mysterious island
  
• Patagonia - Eco-tourism and adventure tours include glaciers and whitewater
  
• Viña del Mar - Beaches, casino action, lively nightlife plus exotic seafood
  
• Lake District- Sportfishing paradise for salmon and trout, incredible vistas
  
• Summer Skiing - Unrivaled "summer skiing" June through September

Overview
Chile is a fascinating land of the high Andes, the remote Atacama Desert, spectacular fjords, glistening glaciers, the idyllic Lake District, and vineyards by the sea - all trimmed by an incredibly beautiful 2,650-mi. Pacific coastline. Historic capital Santiago, in the heart of the central valley, stands beside the towering Andes. Few world capitals have a more dramatic setting. Chile is also a land of world-class skiing, fine wines, and superb seafood. Three thousand miles beyond the Chilean Pacific coast lies the most mysterious place in the world - enigmatic Easter Island.

Country Facts
Size: Chile is 285,133 sq. mi., making it larger than any country in Europe. The long, narrow country measures 2,625 miles from north to south, and 312 miles across its widest point with incredible topography ranging from the desert North to the glacial South.

Population: 13 million

Capital: Santiago, South America's fifth-largest city (pop. 5,000,000, alt. 1,554 ft.).

Language: Spanish. German is spoken in several southern communities.

Electricity: 220 volts, 50 cycles. Voltage converter and a two-prong plug adapter are necessary for U.S. appliances.

Religion: Roman Catholic

Time: Noon in Santiago is 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time.

Public Holidays:
January 1: New Year's Day
Holy Week: Week before Easter
May 1: Labor Day
May 21: Navy Day
June 18: Corpus Christi
August 15: Assumption Day
September 11: Liberation Day
September 18 and 19: Independence Days
October 12: Columbus Day
November 1: All Saints Day
December 8: Immaculate Conception
December 25: Christmas

How to get there
Daily, non-stop American Airlines service from both Miami and Dallas-Ft. Worth to Santiago. Chile's domestic air, bus, and rail service is excellent from North to South. Bus service from neighboring Peru and Argentina is good (but long distance).

City Codes
ANF: Antofagasta
SCL: Santiago
ARI: Arica
CJC: Calama
IPC: Easter Island
IQQ: Iquique
PMC: Puerto Montt
PUQ: Punta Arenas

Entry Requirements

Valid U.S. passport for US citizens. Tourist cards provided on board aircraft prior to landing. No visa required; however, first entry with a U.S. passport will be charged a reciprocal fee equal to what Chileans currently pay U.S. government for their U.S. visas (approx. US$61). International departure tax: US$18.

Currency
Chilean peso. Banking hours: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. Major credit cards accepted throughout Chile. ATMs convenient in major cities.

TAXES & TIPPING

Shopping

Chile offers a wide range of goods made from copper, bronze and leather. Jewelry made from the deep blue lapis lazuli stone is a favorite buy. A good selection of Chilean handicrafts can be found at government-sponsored CEMA shops throughout the country. In Santiago small boutiques and malls in Providencia and downtown on both Ahumada and Huerfanos (traffic-free streets) are shopper's favorites. Shopping hours 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday - Friday and 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Saturday.

Food and Drink
Chile is famous for superior wine. Undurraga, Cousiño Macul and Concha y Toro are among leading brands now exported to the U.S. While there are a variety of gastronomic opportunities, seafood is abundant and outstanding - particularly exotic shellfish, sometimes served live. Typical Chilean specialties include humitas (seasoned, spiced, grated corn wrapped in husks and boiled); empanadas (savory, steaming hot meat pies); cazuela (beef or chicken stew flavored with unique herbs); porotos granados (semi-ripe beans cooked with corn, squash, sweet basil often served with beef and tomatoes).

Telephone

Country code (56); Santiago (2), Antofagasta (83), Arica (80), Easter Island (72), Iquique (81), Puerto Montt (65) and Punta Arenas (61).

Weather
Chile's topography and climate vary greatly: desert in the north, rolling hills and soaring mountains in the central valleys, fjords and lakes to the south. For North Americans the seasons are reversed. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer here. Pack according to the time of year and where you plan travel in Chile.

Getting Around
Because of distance most international visitors travel is by air within the country. Bargain domestic "Visit Chile" air passes are available. Purchased in conjunction with your international American Airlines ticket, one is for mainland Chile, the other adds Easter Island. They must be purchased in U.S. Miscellaneous Charges Order is issued. There are excellent bus and rail connections throughout the country. The overnight train from Santiago to the South has become very popular. Travel by bus or car is time-consuming from Santiago: Arica (28 hrs.), Antofagasta (20 hrs.), Puerto Montt (15 hrs.). The flight from Santiago to Easter Island takes 5 hrs. Within Santiago, there is an excellent subway system. Taxis plentiful and inexpensive.

MAJOR DESTINATIONS

The Desert North
Northern Chile is a vast desert with soaring volcanoes, stark lava fields, and huge rolling, trackless dunes. Large, modern, coastal cities are linked by all-weather highways and frequent scheduled jet service. The region offers an abundance of travel experiences.

Arica
Known as Chile's city of eternal spring, Arica has excellent beaches and a unique, iron cathedral designed by France's famed architect Gustave Eiffel. Day-long excursions from Arica can be taken to Lauca National Park to see wild vicuna amid a spectacular background of snow-capped volcanoes and altiplano lakes. What have been proven the world's oldest mummies are also on display here and in outlying museums. Mysterious mountain geoglyphs and large ground drawings are an easy half-day excursion from Arica in the Lluta and Azapa valleys.

Antofagasta
Chile's largest northern city is gateway to two exciting travel experiences: Chuquicamata, the world's largest open-pit copper mine, and farther on in the desert the astonishing archaeological museum at the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama (see below). Antofagasta boasts excellent beaches and fine seafood. San Pedro de Atacama: Easily reached by road from Antofagasta, the San Pedro de Atacama region was the center of a paleolithic civilization which built impressive rock fortresses upon steep mountains that encircle the green oasis. Thousands of ancient graves have produced artifacts more than 1,500 years old. An extraordinary archaeological museum has vault-like rooms filled with mummies, skulls, stone-age tools, ceramics, jewelry, weapons and ancient textiles. From the oasis several intriguing excursions are available: Toconao, home of famed artisans who carve in volcanic rock; Tatio for volcanic geysers which erupt daily at dawn; and Chiu Chiu to see an ancient fortress and rock carvings. At least one overnight is required to visit each major site.

The Central Valleys
Here, in the heart of Chile, one discovers capital city Santiago plus many major ski resorts, leading vineyards, the beach resort of Viña del Mar and the country's most
important seaport, Valparaíso.

Santiago
At 1,555 feet altitude, fronting the often snow-capped Andes, the Chilean capital is a blend of colonial and modern. The city was founded in 1541 by the conquistador Pedro de Valdivia. Historic buildings share Santiago's wide boulevards with new high-rise skyscrapers. Major points of interest include the hills of San Cristobal and Santa Lucia (for excellent panoramic views). There are several fascinating museums. Additional city tour stops include San Francisco Church, Plaza de Armas (including the National Cathedral), City Hall, and shopping arcades. There is spirited nightlife and superb dining featuring Chile's outstanding seafood. City tours are available that also include excursions to nearby vineyards. Santiago has many excellent hotels, from tourist to five-star. Excursions from Santiago: Santiago is gateway to Chile's Central Valley. Half-day excursions to nearby vineyards are popular. The ski resorts of Valle Nevado, Portillo, La Parva, and Farellones are a one- to three-hour drive over modern highways. The seaside cities of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso are close (85 mi.) and make an enjoyable full-day excursion.

Viña del Mar
Besides being a popular one-day excursion Viña is also Chile's leading summer seaside resort with several excellent hotels and outstanding restaurants. During the warm summer months (November-March) Viña and neighboring beaches are in full swing. Despite the cold ocean water, daytime activities center around the shore. After hours are casino and disco action.

Valparaíso
Chile's main international seaport, Valparaíso, is rich in history and best seen from a cable car ride up the port's steep hills. Excellent seafood.

Easter Island
Located 2,355 miles due west of the Chilean coast, Easter Island is the singularly most isolated island on earth lying amid a million square miles of empty ocean. Roughly a 45- square-mile triangle, Easter Island (Rapa Nui in the island's curious language) is a vast outdoor museum dotted with more than 600 giant statues called moais. Carved from volcanic rock, the tallest moai standing is 32 ft. high, weighs 90 tons and is topped with an 11-ton stone hat!

Easter Island is connected to the mainland by Lan-Chile Airlines jet service. Accommodations are provided at the island's main hotel, the Hanga Roa, or in islander's homes, usually referred to as "guest houses." Sightseeing tours encompass all major sites, including the Rano Raraku volcano whose slopes are strewn with unfinished stone giants. Easter Island is one of the world's most mysterious, intriguing sightseeing experiences.

The South
Southern Chile is often referred to as "the end of the world." The area contains three regions: Lake District, the far South, and the White Continent - Antarctica.

Puerto Montt
Gateway to the scenic Lake District, Puerto Montt is a rustic fishing village and home of popular Chilean glacier cruises to nearby Lago San Rafael. Puerto Montt has superior hotels. Many small resorts line the area's lakes that offer excellent sportfishing. Nearby Petrohue Falls offers fantastic views of onrushing water framed by the perfect cone of Osorno volcano. Across the straits from Puerto Montt lies storied Chiloe Island, where a community of friendly, indigenous folk keep many of Chile's native dances, handicrafts, and legends alive.

Punta Arenas
Located 1,432 mi. south of Santiago, Punta Arenas is connected to the outside world primarily by air and sea. Situated on the northern banks of the Magellan Straits with a splendid view of Tierra del Fuego across the water, Punta Arenas is gateway to storied Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park. From here summer glacier cruises aboard the M/V Terra Australis sail to Argentina. Several day excursions are available to visit Port Famine, Fort Bulnes, and nearby penguin rookeries. Antarctica: Here is the world's last great travel frontier!

The continent of Antarctica is larger than Europe and the U.S. combined. Cruises are operated during the austral summer months (December - March) by several adventure cruise lines. Most ships depart from Punta Arenas. All Antarctic space is strictly limited and advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Special Interest Tours
Skiing
Winter blankets Chile's mountains with an average of 100 inches of snow during June, July, August and into September, creating some of the world's best skiing. Valle Nevado, Portillo, La Parva, Farellones and Colorado are all near Santiago. Portillo is the better known, having hosted various international ski events over the years. However, Valle Nevado is fast becoming world renowned with excellent facilities and runs. South of Santiago several popular ski resorts include Termas de Chillan, Antillanca, Villarica and Pucón.

Fishing
Chile's freshwater lakes offer excellent fishing during the season (November 15-April 15). Three main lakes are favorites of expert anglers: Lake Ranco, 38 miles from Osorno, near the town of Llifen; Lakes Panguipulli and Villarrica for wet and dry fisherman who seek prize rainbow and brown trout. Fishing in the Tio Serrano, near Punta Arenas, yields brown trout catches from 10 lbs. up to a record 25 lbs.

Archaeology
Easter Island, combined with the northern Atacama desert, offer a fantastic archaeological experience. The small museum at San Pedro de Atacama is most rewarding. Explore the giant geoglyphs of Cerro Pintado. Near Puerto Natales, in the far south, Milodón cave has giant, prehistoric fossils. Enchantment Valley and Pichasca National Park, close to La Serena north of Santiago, offer pictographs, petroglyphs, as well as the famed Cerro Tololo Observatory.

Agriculture
Specially arranged itineraries are available for wine enthusiasts: visit vineyards surrounding Santiago including Cousiño Macul, Undurraga, Concha y Toro, San Pedro, Errazuriz and Manquehue.

Fruit Growing
Visit experimental stations, vineyards and orchards planted with strawberries and almond, walnut, peach, nectarine, cherry, plum, citrus, pear and apple trees in the Central and Aconcagua valleys.

Other possibilities:
White water river running, national parks, astronomy at Cerro Tololo, deep-sea fishing, mountain climbing, and trekking.