Matthew Barker

Chile Travel: Regions from North to South

Chile is country spread over a very long strip of land. Read about Chile’s regions and must see attractions.  

Chile is a country spread along a long narrow strip of land squished between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountain range. Its Pacific coastline is approximately 4,300 kilometers in length and the country is about 430 kilometers at its widest point.

In order to gain a better understanding of its attractions and destinations, Chile can be roughly divided into three major regions.

Central
The middle portion of Chile is the political and financial center of the nation. This region is also where most of Chile’s agricultural production occurs. Santiago is the capital city and has the greatest concentration of Chileans; approximately 40 percent of the entire country’s total population lives in the Santiago metropolitan area. Attractions in the central region are the world famous ski resorts in the nearby Andes, Portillo being a key destination, and the coastal communities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, which are a nice break from the faster-paced life and crowds in the capital.

Most tourism, however, is concentrated in the extreme zones of the north and south, and for good reason, as these areas offer some truly stunning attractions.

North
The north features a nice combination of laidback beach towns and the world’s driest desert, the Atacama. In some parts of this desert, there is almost zero vegetation, which makes it the closest example to an absolute desert. The Chilean north is quite rich in minerals, including copper and nitrates. Copper mining is a huge part of the economy and Chile’s recent economic prosperity is in some part due to copper production and the high prices that copper commands on the world market.

San Pedro de Atacama is a major destination in the north. It draws travelers interested in its unique geological features, which include lakes and volcanoes, distinct flora and fauna, and opportunities for mountain biking, trekking, sand duning, and other adventure activities. Northernmost Chile was a part of the Inca empire and travelers also find scattered examples of Inca ruins. For a nice contrast, visitors can head to the coastal beach towns, which receive plenty of local tourism in the summer months. Popular beaches, going from north to south include Arica, Iquique, and La Serena, which is about 8 hours by car from Santiago.

South
The key attraction in the south is Patagonian landscape, which is shaped by forests, lakes, and volcanoes and offers abundant opportunities for trekking. The most popular national park is Torres del Paine. Further south is the Archipelago, which has fjords, ice caps, abundant lakes, and heavy forestation.
Because of the length of the country, air travel is the fastest way to get around from one region to another. The country also has a very well-developed bus system which requires more travel time but passes through some amazing landscape.

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