CHIP TRAVEL TOURS
Ski
Guide 2006
Come ski in Chile! The snow
has come early this season, and is very
heavy. This means that ski resorts in Central Chile (outside of
Santiago) and all the way down to the Osorno Volcano (near Puerto Montt)
are ready to provide you a skiing vacation like no other you have known!
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Activities
In the “Activities” section you will find
a listing of various activities available for travelers in each of the
different parts of Chile being visited. These activities may be excursions
run by tour operators, or could be just general activities recommended
by the CHIP Travel staff or one of our readers.
Hot
Springs
Due to Chile´s location and geology, it
is blessed with abundant hot springs. They are found throughout the
length of the country, but are most concentrated in the lake district.
As a result of their distribution, one can take a dip in a hot spring
in the desert landscapes of northern Chile, amongst the lakes and forests
of the verdant lake district, or amongst the mountains and fjords
of Patagonia.
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National
Parks
In the National Forests part of our website you
will find a section dedicated to each of Chile’s national parks,
plus additional information on several important private parks –
including Douglas Tomkins’s Pumalin Park and a soon to be developed
“Yendegaia Park” in far southern tierra del fuego.
Norte
Grande
Norte Grande is dominated by the Atacama
desert, the driest place on earth. The world biosphere status
Lauca park is a wonder of the altiplano,
with its lakes, volcanoes and herds of vicuna. The lively oasis town of
San Pedro de Atacama is an ideal starting place to visit
the El Tatio geyser fields, valley of the moon
and picteresque altiplanic villages.
Norte
Chico
The city of La Serena is popular
for its colonial architecture, beaches and nightlife. The delightful Elqui
valley is reknowned for being the birthplace of the Chilean poet
laureate Gabriel Mistral, its astronomical observatories,
and as the heartland of Pisco production, Chile´s
hard licor.
Santiago
& Vicinity
Chile´s
capital, Santiago, is a lively city nestling at the foot
of the Andes. Superb skiing can be enjoyed
a mere one and a half hours from Santiago. Rising steeply
from the Pacific, the utterly unique port city of Valpariaso
is now a United Nations world heritage city.
Lake
District
The Chilean lake district is an
outdoor playground par excellence, set amidst a breathtaking landscape
of lakes, forest and snow capped volcanoes. The island of Chiloe
is steeped in folklore and legend.
Patagonia
The mythical Patagonia is one of
the world´s last great tracts of wilderness. To see its fjords, mountains
and glaciers is to witness nature at its most elemental, pristine and majestic.
In southern Patagonia awaits the Torres del Paine national park,
a world heritage park. Stand upon the infamous Cape Horn,
the most southerly point of the Americas.
Antarctica
Be one of the privilidged few to set foot on the great white continent, Antarctica, the last untouched continent.
Easter
Island & Robinson Crusoe IslandMarvel at the statues of Easter island, mysterious legacies of a civilisation that once thrived on an island located in the middle of the vast Pacific.
The Juan Fernández Archipelago is famous for the story of Alexander Selkirk, whose tale was popularised as the castaway Robinson Crusoe.