chile

Welcome to Austral Tours
latinamerica.co.uk
Specialists in travel to Latin America

For tailor-made itineraries including Chile please contact us on info@latinamerica.co.uk

Viajes explora
explora in Atacama
explora Salto Chico (Patagonia)
explora in Easter Island

Mare Australis & Via Australis
Skorpios II - Cruising the Fjords
Skorpios III - Kaweskar Explorers Route

Visit Chile Airpass

Stretching more than 4,000 kilometres from the arid deserts of the north to the icy waters of Antarctica, Chile is a land of incredible diversity and contrast. Occupying a narrow mountainous strip between the Andes and the Pacific, this famously “Thin Country” is a natural paradise of stunning beauty whose unique geography has given us a wide variety of climates and ecosystems. An orderly and hospitable country, Chile’s many attractions include geysers, hot springs and volcanoes, abundant farms, orchards and vineyards, and the dramatic Patagonian landscape of forests, lakes, fjords and glaciers.

Dominating the north of Chile, the Atacama is the driest desert in the world – there are some interior regions where rain has never fallen. This parched landscape has preserved the remains of ancient civilisations whose descendants still inhabit the region. Adorning the hillsides along ancient trade routes can be found some of the largest geoglyphs in the world, including the amazing group of nearly 1,000 figures at Pintados which extend over 4 kilometres. In the charming adobe town of San Pedro de Atacama the excellent Le Paige Museum, with its renowned collection of artefacts and mummies, is a must-see for any visitor to the region.

The Chilean Altiplano is a broad volcanic plateau with an average elevation of some 4,000 metres, an unspoilt area of volcanoes, lagoons and tiny pre-Hispanic settlements where only the most specialised of plants and animals can survive. Here you will find the superb Lauca National Park, a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, which contains Lago Chungará, one of the highest lakes in the world.

With over 300 cloudless nights a year, the region is also a paradise for stargazers and one of the world's most important centres of astronomical observation. The Elqui Valley offers excellent opportunities for viewing the southern skies and is home to a number of observatories that allow tourist visits as well as to the attractive colonial town of La Serena.

Chile’s heartland is an area of transition between the arid North and the water-rich forests of the South and enjoys a pleasant Mediterranean climate which is ideal for fruit and vine growing. Chilean wines are renowned throughout the world. Geographical isolation has allowed the cultivation of exceptionally healthy and vigorous vines and top vineyards include Cousiño Macul, where wines have been produced since 1856, and Concha y Toro, the biggest and best known winery in Chile. Both are located in the fertile Maipo Valley and can be easily visited from the capital Santiago.

Nestling at the foot of the snow-capped Andes, Santiago is a sophisticated city of over 5 million people and is the financial, educational and cultural centre of the country. As well as being an excellent base for visiting the nearby vineyards, it is also one of the few capitals in the world with easy access to both ski and beach resorts.

Chile's scenic Lake District is a pristine area of snow-capped volcanoes, ancient forests and sparkling emerald lakes whose mirror-like waters reflect the grandeur of the surrounding landscape. Puerto Montt, colonised by Germans in the 19th century, is the gateway to the region and also the port of departure for cruises around the beautiful fjords and islands of Chilean Patagonia. Nearby, the enchanting island of Chiloé beckons with its picturesque fishing villages, colourful wooden churches and traditional handicrafts.

The pretty town of Puerto Varas, on the shores of Lake Llanquihue and overlooked by the perfect cone of the Osorno Volcano, makes the ideal base for further exploration or for crossing the Continental Divide on a stunning journey into Argentina.

Chilean Patagonia is a land of myths and legends that needs little introduction. A region of untamed wilderness created by glacial activity through the millennia, this southernmost end of the American continent is one of the world’s most hauntingly beautiful places, ideal for trekking and horse riding or simply gazing in awe at the surrounding majesty of the landscape.

This virgin land is a collection of picturesque islands and channels, icebergs and glaciers, mountains and splendid national parks. Punta Arenas, overlooking the historic Straits of Magellan, is the starting point for cruises to Tierra del Fuego and also offers easy access to the spectacular Torres del Paine National Park, acclaimed throughout the world for its towering granite peaks, gushing waterfalls, turquoise lakes and abundant wildlife, and offering magnificent trekking opportunities.

In a region with so few roads, travelling by boat is one way to explore the coastal areas. You can take a ferry into Chilean Patagonia from Puerto Montt in the Lake District and there are also cruises to picturesque lagoons and glaciers, including the breathtaking San Rafael Glacier, where you can witness the unforgettable spectacle of huge icebergs crashing into the waters of the lagoon.

The seldom-visited expanses of Tierra del Fuego, the ‘Land of Fire’, offer some of the most dramatic wilderness scenery in the world. Here you can join a memorable cruise across the Straits of Magellan and through the Beagle Channel and marvel at the ‘Avenue of Glaciers’, stopping off at the small settlement of Puerto Williams, the southernmost town in the world.

Mystery surrounds the history of this remote Pacific island, reached by flights from Santiago on the Chilean mainland. Rapa Nui, as the island is known to its inhabitants, is a veritable open-air museum boasting countless archaeological sites including petroglyphs, pictographs and sculptures, most notably the famous 'Moai' or giant stone statues that can be found all over the island. It is thought that Easter Island was colonised by Polynesians around 800 A.D., but the subsequent history and development of this enigmatic and fascinating culture remains a matter of conjecture. The island’s fascinating legacy makes it a paradise for all those interested in archaeology and anthropology, and the welcoming inhabitants, descendents of the original colonisers, contribute to its special and unique atmosphere.

Austral Tours Ltd: 20 Upper Tachbrook Street
London SW1V 1SH - United Kingdom
Tel. +44(0)20-7233 5384 / Fax +44(0)20-7233 5385
Email: info@latinamerica.co.uk