Plan Your Chile Trip

As a rule, the further in advance you can plan, the more options you will have. We recommend planning a trip at least three to nine months in advance. However if you want to stay at very specific hotels, particularly luxury hotels, or travel during  a holiday, then we recommend planning at least nine months to a year in advance.

Although we have trips as short as 5 days, we highly recommend spending at least 7 days in Chile, and ideally 12. Chile has many fascinating regions and some of the most beautiful areas are quite remote, requiring extended travel time.

Chile can be visited year-round, although the southern regions are generally best visited in the Spring, Summer and Fall, which run from October through April. Northern Chile, due to its high desert, is pleasant to visit year round. Central Chile, in the Andes, becomes a skiers paradise from late-June to mid-September. Contact an Adventure Travel Coordinator to discuss the best timing for your preferred tour.

We offer a variety of pre-planned tours online that have been carefully crafted with years of experience, but these can also be considered a starting point for your perfect trip. We suggest taking a look at our posted tours then contacting us with your budget, timeframe, and personal interests so we can make suggestions and tailor a trip to your needs.

Yes! We are happy to modify any tour to meet your needs and also add pre and post-tour extensions. If you sign up for a group departure we cannot change the group portion, but we can add extensions before and after.

Southern Explorations’ trips are generally private for you and your group, although some areas (all-inclusive lodge stays and cruises, for example) may require that we form groups with other Southern Explorations travelers.

Chile is a long country, spanning many climatic zones, and offers weather systems ranging from warm, high desert to cold tundra. Patagonia is famous for having “all four seasons in one day,” while the Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth.

Generally, if travelers are able to walk a couple of miles at a leisurely pace and comfortably navigate uneven terrain, they will enjoy most of our tours. Some of our more adventurous tours include activities like kayaking and longer hikes of up to 12 miles. Tours on our website include a physical rating that indicates the itinerary’s difficulty level. All of our trips can be customized with your preferred activity level in mind so please contact us and let us help you find the perfect tour.

If you like an itinerary, but find a hike or activity too demanding, we’re happy to customize and find alternatives that match your preferred level of difficulty.

Most of the areas we visit are low altitude, including all of Patagonia which is near sea level. However, the Atacama Desert is at a high elevation. The main city of San Pedro de Atacama is 7,900’ above sea level and some major sites, such as the Tatio geyser field, is at 14,000’.

We primarily work with 4-star hotels in Argentina and the occasional 3-star property, provided they meet our standards. We also work with several amazing 5-star properties. All of our hotels are clean, comfortable, well-located, offer en suite bathrooms and have been personally vetted by a Southern Explorations staff member.

The guides on all of our tours are experienced, fluent in English and hold a degree in a related field. The guides are experienced in the outdoors and trained in basic first aid. We tend to use the same guides as they are accustomed to the trips we offer and understand the Southern Explorations commitment to quality.

Southern Explorations books and manages all airfare within South America. The airfare cost is listed separately from our base tour costs. Travelers  are responsible for booking international flights to/from Argentina.

Breakfast is included every day and is served at your hotel. Lunch is included on full day excursions and some dinners are also included, depending on the itinerary you choose. You’ll receive recommended restaurants for each city so that if your trip includes some dinners on your own, you’ll know where to go.

Our trips include most expenses. We do not include tips (guides, drivers, cruise/hotel staff), travel insurance, international flights, or other trip incidentals and personal equipment. There are occasional entrance fees that cannot be prepaid, but most are included in your trip costs and any exceptions will be clearly detailed.
 
The number of meals included vary by trip; you can tell which meals are included by looking for a B, L, or D at the end of each day’s description. This will indicate if (B)reakfast, (L)unch, and/or (D)inner is included.
 
Every trip is different, and each itinerary we send you, from initial trip proposals to your final confirmed itinerary, contains a detailed list of inclusions and exclusions. We also provide detailed tipping guides for all our confirmed travelers.

Our full terms and conditions can be found on this page just above these FAQs.

Chile is safe for travel. However, travelers should take the same precautions that they would while traveling elsewhere, particularly in large cities like Santiago, to protect themselves from petty theft. Listen to the advice of your guide and hotel reception staff and take common sense precautions such as not going into unfamiliar areas alone, especially at night. Use the safety deposit box at your hotel for your passport and extra money (carry only as much as you might spend) and leave jewelry and expensive watches at home.

Check your email for your payment confirmation and a link to access our online trip portal. Final payment due date is in your confirmation email, and we’ll send you a reminder later. Now is a good time to check into travel insurance!

Yes, travel insurance is highly recommended. There are a plethora of insurance providers but we recommend contacting Travelex Insurance Services or Travel Guard or using SquareMouth to compare other travel insurance websites.

If your plans are set and flights are available to purchase, then go ahead and book them! Some people like to watch fare trends before purchasing. Airlines post flight schedules about 10-12 months in advance, so for travelers booking trips over a year in advance, you’ll have to wait. It is relatively easy to find flights to our Latin American destinations, so unless you are traveling over the holidays or very last minute, don’t stress about finding flights!

After booking you will receive a link to our online trip portal, which includes all of the need-to-know information specific to your itinerary. This includes packing lists, restaurant recommendations, tipping guides, FAQs, electrical plugs and voltage, vaccine recommendations and money matters. Your Travel planner will also be a great resource for any other information you may need.

The typical day varies widely from trip to trip, but all tours include full days with guided explorations, rest and relaxation, and independent exploration of cities and towns. Due to the remote nature of Chile’s most scenic areas, some long travel days might be required.

Yes! We are happy to modify any tour to meet your needs and also add pre and post-tour extensions.

You can find more information about packing in the online trip portal. We have packing lists, footwear details, and things to consider. Review your final trip details that we send a couple of weeks prior to departure for luggage limitations and restrictions specific for your trip.

Trekking poles drastically reduce strain on your knees and ankles and assist with navigating uneven terrain; they are recommended for our more hiking-intense trips. Most locations will have trekking poles available for you but please let us know in advance if you wish to borrow them.

Typically flights have a 50 pound weight limit for checked bags.

Yes! Please notify us in advance if you are celiac, gluten free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, keep kosher, or have other dietary needs. If you have picky eaters in your group, the more information you provide us the better we can accommodate them. In the online trip portal, you will see a place to indicate allergies and dietary needs.

Check the online trip portal for the most up to date information regarding traveler health and immunization recommendations.

About two weeks before you depart, we will email your final trip details that will have all of the pertinent information you need for your trip. Generally, our trips do not require any physical vouchers or documents. Some trips may have informational documents which we will include in your final trip details.

Upon arrival in Chile you will meet your guide just outside of customs for the transfer to your hotel. Specific instructions will be included in your final itinerary.

Two weeks before departure, you’ll receive final trip details that indicate the start time for the excursions. Each evening, your guide will remind you about the next morning’s pickup time and plan, and will provide you with special instructions if needed. When in doubt, ask your guide.

Your guide’s primary goal is to keep you safe and make sure you have fun. If you have a scheduled activity but you’re not feeling up to it please discuss options with your guide right away. There are usually many alternative options available and the guides have the ability to make changes on the fly. This may be more difficult if you happen to be on a group excursion but the guides want you to have a great day and work very hard to make that happen, so just let them know how you’re feeling!

You can expect Wi-Fi access at most hotels. When in remote areas, Wi-Fi may be unreliable or unavailable. Cell phone service depends on your cellular provider and coverage plan. We recommend that our travelers be ready to disconnect when heading to remote destinations. You are, after all, on vacation!

The hotels we work with will generally offer laundry service for an additional charge. If your itinerary includes several days in the same city, you may find it more economical to have your laundry done at a local lavanderia which will charge by the kilo.

Southern Explorations’ trips are generally private for you and your group, although some areas (all-inclusive lodge stays and cruises, for example) may require that we form groups with other Southern Explorations travelers.

Patagonia is a vast area, and some long travel days of 5-6 hours can be expected. This is especially true on trips that visit both Chile and Argentina. Short drives of around 1 hour or so to enter a park or to visit a highlight of the trip are more common.

All Southern Explorations’  travelers will receive a list of emergency contact numbers before departure, including a 24-hour emergency phone number. If your international flight is delayed please call the emergency line  so we can make the necessary arrangements and keep your trip running smoothly. After you begin your trip and are in contact with your local guide, please refer to them first with any issue you may have then contact the head office if you need additional assistance.

Some of our trips take travelers into primitive wilderness areas. To ensure the safety of our travelers, our guides are linked with outside emergency medical services 24 hours a day in all locations to provide assistance when necessary. Though our guides are trained in wilderness first-aid and carry extensive first aid equipment for minor ailments, injuries, and accidents, they cannot handle serious medical conditions, and travelers are advised to obtain health or travel insurance that covers medical evacuation. There are small hospitals in the Patagonia region, some with 24-hour medical assistance that can deal with injuries and illnesses. In the rare event of a more serious medical emergency, travelers would be evacuated from a wilderness area and driven to a medical center. Helicopters are also available for emergencies, but they cannot fly in high winds. Any traveler with a medical condition should discuss that with us prior to travel.

In general all guided activities are included at the lodges. These tours will be done in small groups with other lodge guests and you’ll have several options to select from each day. All meals are included and most transportation as well. There are slight variations between the lodges so please consult with your travel planner.