Tour info

Transport

2 internal flights of 2 hours; 4 road journeys of between 1 and 2½ hours.

Accommodation

Comfortable hotels of a mid range to upper mid range standard in Santiago and Portillo. First class lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Meals

Full board (9 nights) is included in Portillo and at Explora in Atacama (from dinner on day of arrival to breakfast on day of departure). Breakfast (2 nights) is included in Santiago. Drinks are included at Explora in Atacama.

Guides

We carefully select our local partners, some of whom we have worked with for over 25 years. Their English-speaking guides understand the expectations of our clients very well, and are consistently singled out for praise by the latter on their return.

Summary Of Nights

12 days, 11 nights. Santiago (1 night), Portillo ski resort (4 nights), San Pedro de Atacama (5 nights), Santiago (1 night).

This holiday operates every Friday between July and September

Currency

The unit of currency in Chile is the Chilean peso.

Daily Spend

A guideline budget of around US$50 per person per day should cover the cost of meals and drinks not included in the holiday itinerary.

How To Take It

In Chile, we recommend paying for your extras at hotels (including hotel restaurant bills) with US$ cash or by credit card. Such transactions are usually exempt of IVA (sales tax).

Cash machines are available in all major cities and towns, and so taking a debit or credit card with a PIN number is the most convenient way of withdrawing money while on your trip, and in most shops and restaurants you can also pay by card. However, since cards can get lost, damaged, withheld or blocked, you should not rely exclusively on a card to access funds.

We recommend that additionally you take a reasonable quantity of US dollars cash (no more than is covered by your insurance), which you can exchange into local currency. Dollar bills should be in good condition, soiled or torn bills may be refused. You can take sterling, but the exchange rate is not always competitive or even available, restricting the number of places where you can change money.

Recommended Tipping

Tips are expected and local guides often rely on their tip as a significant proportion of their income.

Most service industry workers will expect a tip of some kind and so it is useful to have spare change for hotel porters, taxi drivers and the like. It is common to leave 10 – 12% in restaurants.

Insurance

Travel insurance, including for winter sports, is essential. Chile’s authorities currently require visitors to have travel insurance with coverage for all expenses associated with Covid-19.

Journey Latin America’s recommended insurance company is Campbell Irvine, and their medical and repatriation cover is handled by International Medical Assistance.

Details of our recommended policy can be found on our Travel Insurance page.

Airport Taxes

If you have purchased your flights through Journey Latin America, the international departure tax is usually included in the ticket, and prepaid on regional flights in Chile.

Climate

This holiday can operate between July and September, which is winter in Chile. It’s often sunny and you can expect daytime highs of around 14-16c in Santiago, falling to just above freezing at night.

San Pedro de Atacama enjoys mild and sunny days with temperatures of up to 21c, with very cold desert nights (often below zero). Snow can affect some of San Pedro’s higher-level attractions in winter.

Portillo has an average annual snowfall of around 7 metres. It is important to note that temperatures and snow seasons in the Andes are very variable and this has been the case especially in the last few years. The resort uses both real and artificial snow depending on conditions. The season begins in late June and lasts through September. July and August are the main winter months in Chile.

Clothing And Special Equipment

You can rent skis and snowboards, boots and poles at Portillo. We recommend organising this in advance.

If you intend to bring your own ski equipment please let us so we can make any necessary arrangements for transporting or safe keeping them once in Chile.

For San Pedro de Atacama, be sure to pack walking shoes with good support, as terrain can be unstable and rocky.
Protection against the sun is essential throughout.

Visas

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.

If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

Country info

When is the best time to visit Chile?

Chile is a year-round destination. The southern hemisphere's seasons are the reverse of Europe’s, with December-February as mid-summer. Spring (October-November) and autumn (March-April) can be pleasant and quieter, while winter (June-August) is coldest. The lake district, Santiago and Valparaiso have warm, sunny summers, while in Patagonia weather is more unpredictable. The Atacama Desert has extremes of heat and cold, while Easter Island has pleasant temperatures all year, warmest October-March, cooler June-September.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

What is the official language of Chile?

The official language of Chile is Spanish.

How do I get local currency in Chile?

The local currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs in larger towns and cities using a UK credit or debit card. Limits may be lower than your UK bank allows. There are also many banks and money exchanges (casas de cambio) where you can exchange US dollars cash; rates for euros and sterling are harder to find and frequently poor. Non-resident foreign guests at hotels in Chile do not normally pay the 19% VAT on most extras (such as food and drink consumed on the premises) if the bill is settled in US$ (cash or credit card) upon checking out.

What's the time difference between Chile and UK?

The time difference between the UK and Chile is GMT -4 hours. Sometimes daylight saving is observed in the summer, from Sep/Oct to early Mar.

What countries combine well with Chile?

Bolivia, accessing the south of country from San Pedro de Atacama, travelling via salt lakes of the Salar de Uyuni; Argentina, crossing the Andes over one of several scenic passes: from the Atacama Desert in the north to Salta, from Santiago to Mendoza, via the lakes crossing from Puerto Varas to Bariloche in the lake district and from Torres del Paine to El Calafate in Patagonia.

Do I need a visa to visit Chile?

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

What vaccinations do I need for Chile?

Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.

What are the festivals, cultural and sport events in Chile?

Tapati festival, Easter Island is normally during the first 2 weeks of February with traditional music, dance and sports.

On New Years Eve Valparaiso has an impressive firework display.

What do I need to know about altitude in Chile?

Whilst a typical holiday in Patagonia presents no challenges with altitude, parts of northern Chile (Lauca National Park and parts of the Atacama Desert) offer a spectacular introduction to the high Andes, with several attractions at over 3,000m. Travel to high altitude can cause mountain sickness and even if you feel fighting fit it’s important to take things easy and stay hydrated (drink plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and caffeine) as you get used to the thin, dry air. You may initially notice a headache, dizziness or breathlessness and this usually improves with acclimatisation. If you are pregnant or taking the contraceptive pill, have a medical condition such as heart or lung condition, anaemia, asthma, high blood pressure you should seek the advice of your GP before booking.  We also recommend you check your travel insurance covers travel to high altitude.  If you’re taking the family, remember small children may be less capable of communicating altitude-related symptoms effectively: keep an eye on them too. Rest assured we will plan your itinerary carefully, taking into account any time spent at altitude. If you have any questions or concerns about altitude please speak to your travel expert.

Further advice on travel to altitude is available on  www.travelhealthpro.org.uk.