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Chile.
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Travelling to Chile: what to know before you go

Chile is a long, narrow strip of a country squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific, running from the Atacama Desert in the north to the glaciers and fjords of Patagonia in the south. In between are wine valleys, lakes and volcanoes, the colourful port of Valparaíso and a lively capital in Santiago. It suits hikers, stargazers, food and wine lovers, and anyone with time to cover long distances.

Where to go

• Torres del Paine National Park. Granite towers, turquoise lakes and glaciers in southern Patagonia.
• San Pedro de Atacama. An adobe oasis town that serves as a base for the Atacama Desert: the Valley of the Moon at sunset, the El Tatio geysers at dawn, high-altitude salt flats with flamingos, and some of the clearest night skies on earth for stargazing tours.
• Easter Island (Rapa Nui). A remote Polynesian island in the Pacific, famous for the moai, the giant stone figures carved by the Rapa Nui people.
• Valparaíso. A port city spread across steep hills, with brightly painted houses, street art and historic funicular lifts.

Best time to visit

Because Chile is so long, the best time depends on where you go. Patagonia is best from November to March, when days are long and trails and boats run, although wind is constant.

Staying online in Chile

Mobile coverage is good in cities, towns and along major highways, and 4G and 5G are available in Santiago and other large cities. Coverage becomes patchy or disappears in the high Andes, the open Atacama, Patagonia's national parks, along much of the Carretera Austral and at sea. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, hostels and cafés, although it can be slow in remote lodges. Download offline maps before heading into the parks, then install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.