Chile - Oasis Highlights

There are so many highlights in this fascinating country that it is impossible to list them all here. Our travel consultants will discuss your interests and be able to put a specific itinerary together for you, but below are a few must seeā€™s!

Chile is blessed with 4000km of captivating landscapes from deserts to icefields, Andes to Pacific and at Oasis Travel, we have been hard pushed to choose between our favourite highlights. Our travel consultants will of course tailor an itinerary to your interests but we have finally settled on the following:

 

Torres Del Paine National Park

The highlight of any trip to Chile (and arguably South America), the scenery is simply dazzling; granite peaks rise thousands of metres out of the desolate Patagonian steppe surrounded on all sides by huge, turquoise lakes, native forests and vast glaciers. Herds of guanacos graze the grasslands while condor, flamingo and South American Rhea are all easily spotted across the plains. For walkers, paths head off in all directions to spectacular viewpoints; the trail to the granite towers is among Chileā€™s most spectacular day-hikes while the breathtaking 4 day ā€œW circuitā€ opens up hidden valleys and imposing mountainscapes. Best of all, there is an excellent range of hotels from sumptuous, luxury retreats to simple cabins to suit one and all.

 

The Carretera Austral

Long overlooked by visitors, the Carretera Austral is Chileā€™s last frontier; a rugged highway that cuts a dizzying trail south through wild, ever-changing landscapes of mountains, canyons, forests, fjords and volcanoes. Finally, on reaching Villa Oā€™Higgins perched across the lake from El Chalten in Argentina, the road peters out on hitting the impenetrable barrier of the great southern icefield. Remote and inhospitable, the scenery is simple magnificent and lends itself perfectly to fly-drive. Rustic lodges dot the highway overlooking huge glacier-fed lakes and offer unique hikes, rides and boat trips to explore the highlights.

 

ChiloƩ

The Islands of ChiloƩ may well sit at the heart of Chilean folklore but they rarely feature on tourist itineraries, hard to compete with the magnificent, snow-capped Andes. Yet, ChiloƩ offers a different side to the country, a fascinating island culture rich in history and mythology amidst rolling hills and old growth forest. On one side, wild Pacific beaches harbour unique penguin and sea-lion colonies and offer breathtaking cliff-top hikes while on the east coast, picturesque fishing villages are nestled in sheltered bays next to UNESCO wood-shingled churches. The seafood is second to none and venture across to the patchwork of outer islands, you will experience traditional communities that have changed little over hundreds of years.

 

Atacama Desert

Red-rock canyons, eerie rock formations, dazzling salt-lakes and tiny colonial villages all under the shadow of the terracotta Andes, need we say moreā€¦?! Welcome to the altiplano highlands of Chileā€™s Atacama, the driest desert in the world! The pretty oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama is the ideal base to explore the captivating landscapes and offers a range of options from simple guesthouses to luxury, desert retreats amidst gorges and pre Incan fortresses. Towards the Andes, geysers bubble next to cobalt lakes while observatories set their gaze on the clearest skies in the southern hemisphere. Crossing the high Andean passes into Bolivia or Argentina, the landscapes become truly other-worldly – multi-coloured lakes, petrified forests and smoking craters.

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