The Insanely Beautiful South American Country That Blew Me Away

Nearly a year ago , my friends and I decided we were live on to go to Chile . None of us had ever been to South America , and while Machu Picchu and Buenos Aires are typically the go - to first - timer bit – Chile just call to us . Insane mountainous scene ? Check ! Bustling , diverse cities ? Yep . wine-colored that flow like water?Oh , God yes .

We made the journeying just this month . And somehow , despite the fact that Chile is the foresighted land in the humanity ( almost as long as the US is all-inclusive , to shine some perspective ) , we assumed we could see the legal age of it in a workweek . Unless you ’re Superman , or have fantabulous frequent - flyer miles , that ’s virtually insufferable . So when youdogo to Chile – and you should – make certain you ’re hit at least some of the spots on this leaning .

( Or all … if you go longer than a hebdomad . )

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile|kavram/Shutterstock

Torres del Paine, Patagonia

Here ’s the accuracy : Patagonia is every in the jaw - dropping beauty it come along to be in all those fleece commercial – even more so , if anything . And Torres del Paine is the linchpin of the entire operation , holding its ground as one of the most visited national park in the country . That ’s primarily because it ’s ram up with mount , valley , glacier , lakes , rivers , caves ; if it involve nature , and being just stupid pretty , you ’ll find it here .

Easter Island

Oh Easter Island , I scarcely knew thee . And that ’s because I never did see you in mortal . Do n’t let that be you ! away from Patagonia , this is the quintessential place to visit in Chile ; those 887 monumental statue on the island get their own emoji for Pete ’s sake . Just be fair warned it will take you some meter to get there … given that it ’s 1,200 Admiralty mile from any other civilization .

Valparaiso

Not that I ’d dare equate a township in Chile – or any town for that matter – to Daytona , but this is the Chilean version of a beach town . colourful star sign draw every mountaintop , the Pacific sprawls out beneath every advantage point , and the street are covered with wild art . Which is belike why notable poet Pablo Neruda had a holiday theater here . ( Side note : You should confab his picturesque mountain habitation - turn - museum if for nothing else than to give a new , better meaning to # LifeOfPablo . )

Osorno volcano

In the Los Lagos realm , hulk over two lakes , dwell this fighting volcano in the Southern Chilean Andes . for certain , it has n’t erupted since 1869 – but dammit , it could !

Santiago

There ’s a billet in the Chilean uppercase called Cerro San Cristóbal . After you hike or ride a very chilling , rickety trolley to the summit there , you could see the entire city of Santiago in all its surrounded - by - the - coke - capped - Andes glory . It ’s also the city ’s large public common , and double as a sanctuary reflection area – and , while not prescribed , we ’re guessing it ’s the biggest place for selfies in this intact sprawling metropolis .

Cerro Torre peak, Los Glaciares National Park

It ’s in good order on the border of Argentina and Chile . The marvellous of the four - grade mountain mountain chain . Always has a chill , polar rim . In other give-and-take , Cerro Torre tip has a lot to brag about , is a flock to be seen – and , unless you ’re a trained professional , alas , probably not to be scale .

Atacama Desert

When multitude say something await like the end of the world , they mean something that looks like the Atacama Desert . It ’s remote , breathtaking , and itsStranger Things - esque feel clear it borderline haunting . Plus , it ’s flipping enormous , stretching more than 600 Roman mile from Peru into Chile . And parts of it have never seen a drop of rain . Ever .

The Enchanted Forest of Queulat National Park

You ’ve never met a more aptly named forest . It span just a piffling more than a mile of Chile ’s insanely gorgeous Queulat National Park , but that diminished space packs a lot of scenery – draped in capricious greenery that dangles over quartz - readable glacier lagoons . There could even be actual fairies in there , who knows ? I ’m pop off out on a mossy limb to say yes . Yes , there are .

Lake Chungará

recall the two lakes that the Osorno vent towers over ? This is one of them . It ’s also one of the most elevated lakes in the world , wall by valley ( probably with lots of alpaca grazing on them ) . The full affair was take form yard of years ago by an avalanche – and fittingly that water is still pretty zippy .

Marble caves at General Carrera Lake

This may just be the most breathtaking place on the whole blasted leaning . We can only assume the grounds many Chileans know them as the " Marble Cathedral " is because of all the time " oh my God " is spoken upon insert . The caves are made of solid marble , and the glacier pee changes its level regularly bet on the season . Only downside ? get here is n’t exactly a picnic . opine a long plane drive , long automobile ride , pursue by a not - as - long malicious gossip - route car ride – and finally a sauceboat to get you into the caves . All of which are completely deserving it .

Colchagua Wine Valley

If I ’m being 100 % honest , I could have spent my entire head trip in Colchagua – and not only for the delicious carmenere ( the signature Chilean Bolshevik that flowed from every winery ) , though that had a lot to do with it . This entire townsfolk is so stunning it ’s hard to know where to look . The deal are all covered with grape , winery you could bike to ( do n’t miss MontGras , Laura Hartwig , or Lapostolle ) , and even in the middle of the twenty-four hours , the sunlight always smoothen like it ’s magic 60 minutes . A trip here means you ’ve officially entered a # NoFilter zone .

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