16 Days in Chile - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: The Best of Chile: Desert, Mountains, Cities & South Pacific

With a mix of nature, history, culture, and cuisine, this Best of Chile highlights tour is perfect for first-time visitors as it covers a lot of ground, from the mainland to Rapa Nui. You'll stargaze and soak in salty lagoons of the Atacama Desert, sample fresh seafood and visit a penguin colony in Punta Arenas, hike Laguna Amarga and take a glacier boat tour in Torres del Paine National Park, indulge in a Chilean dinner prepared by a private chef in Santiago, learn about sacred sites and snorkel at Anakena Beach on the volcanic island of Rapa Nui, sip organic wines in the Casablanca Valley, and more.

Your adventure begins in Atacama, where you'll visit the salt flats and red cliffs of Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) and enjoy stargazing on the Altiplano plateau. You'll also witness sunrise at the steaming Tatio Geysers and float in the salty waters of Laguna Piedra before flying to Punta Arenas. Here, you'll feast on seafood and visit Magellanic penguins on Isla Magdalena, then board a bus to Puerto Natales, your base for exploring Torres del Paine National Park. The next three days are packed with outdoor activities, including a hike to Salto Grande waterfall and a boat tour of the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers.

Fly to Santiago on Day 9 and indulge in a Chilean dinner prepared by a private chef before catching a flight to Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. Your first stop on this volcanic island is Ahu Akivi, a ceremonial platform home to seven moai statues. Afterward, a day of snorkeling and lounging awaits at Anakena Beach. Then, you'll hike around the extinct volcano of Rano Kau and tour the ancient Ahu Vinapu and Ana Kai Tangata sites, checking out the pre-Inca paintings conveying clues about the island's history. Finally, you'll return to Santiago, where your journey concludes with a wine tour of the Casablanca Valley. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Total Chile Tour: Santiago, Atacama, Patagonia & Wine Country

Experience Chile's diverse terrain and wildlife on this outdoorsy itinerary that swaps Rapa Nui for Colchagua. After a tour of the capital city, you'll take a hike around the San José volcano, observe flamingoes in the Los Flamencos National Reserve lagoons, visit the Isla Magdalena penguins and Isla Marta sea lions, trek to Mirador Base Torres, ride horses across the Patagonian landscape, and tour the vineyards of Colchagua Valley.

Get acquainted with Santiago, the capital of Chile, with a tour that includes a stop at Mercado Central to sample fresh produce alongside residents. In the morning, you'll set off on a day trip to Cajón del Maipo to hike to a waterfall and around the San José volcano. Catch a flight to Calama, where your driver will be waiting to transfer you to San Pedro de Atacama. From this desert outpost, you'll observe the starry sky at night and then watch flamingoes feeding in the Los Flamencos National Reserve lagoons. You'll also traverse mountains, riverbeds, and dunes as you bump through the desert on a buggy excursion.

Your adventure continues with a flight to Punta Arenas in time to watch the sunset from Mirador Cerro de la Cruz and tuck into a chupe de centolla (king crab souffle) at a local restaurant. Meet the Isla Magdalena penguins and Isla Marta sea lions on a boat tour before hopping on a bus to Puerto Natales. From here, you'll tour Torres del Paine National Park, learning about local legends at the Devil's Chair rock formation and scrambling up to Mirador Base Torres to see the iconic granite pillars. Afterward, return to Santiago and celebrate with wine tasting in Colchagua Valley before departure. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Active Lake District & Full Chilean Patagonia

This Lake District and Patagonia tour is another great choice for active travelers and wildlife lovers. Highlights include a hike through Alerce Andino National Park's old-growth forests, kayaking to the marble caves, a catamaran cruise to Grey Glacier, and the chance to see unique birdlife, including black-necked swans while trekking in Torres del Paine, Andean condors at Laguna Sofia, and black woodpeckers and other wildlife while hiking in Queulat National Park. You'll also get an introduction to local history and culture with a guided tour of Punta Arenas and a cooking lesson in Castro.

Kick off your Chile trip in Puerto Varas, your home base for four days in the Lake District. Your first excursion is to Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park for a ski lift ride up Osorno Volcano and a hike through evergreen forests to the blue waters of Río Petrohué. Then, you'll head to Frutillar to learn about the history of German colonization and shop in the handicraft market. On a day trip to Alerce Andino National Park, you'll hike and birdwatch in old-growth forests (Alerce trees can live up to 2,500 years). Then, kayaking on the calm waters of Lago Llanquihue before flying to Balmaceda.

You'll kayak to the otherworldly marble caves, Capillas de Mármol, and marvel at the geological patterns formed over thousands of years. From there, head to Queulat National Park on Day 7 for a hike through native lenga forests, keeping an eye out for woodpeckers and other wildlife. Then, you fly to Punta Arenas for a walking tour that includes the 19th-century Palacio Sara Braun. Continue to Puerto Natales your launchpad for a bird-watching hike at Laguna Sofia, which may include spotting the impressive Andean condor, and a catamaran cruise to Grey Glacier. Cap off your trip with a curanto (seafood stew) cooking class on Chiloé Island. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Outdoor Culture Adventure in Chile: Lake District & Rapa Nui

Ideal for culture and nature enthusiasts, this Lake District and Rapa Nui trip offers a blend of urban and rural experiences, including hiking, city sightseeing, guided cultural tours, and wine tasting. You'll learn about German influences in Valdivia, hear local lore of witches on Chiloé Island, take a deep dive into the history of the Birdman cult on a visit to Orongo village, unwind in the hot springs of Pucón, marvel at the moai statues on Rapa Nui, and more. 

Ease into your adventure with a gondola ride up Cerro San Cristóbal and dinner in Santiago's Bellavista neighborhood. The next day, you'll sample organic Chilean wines in the Casablanca Valley before catching a flight south to the Lake District. Here, you'll picnic in the presence of the active Llaima volcano and soak in the geothermal pools at Termas Pucón Indomito. Then, catch a bus through the rainforest to Valdivia, where you'll get a taste of German influence on a tour of the Kunstmann brewery. Continue to Puerto Varas for a hike to Río Petrohué Falls and a day trip to see the colorful stilt houses on Chiloé Island. 

Next, you'll fly to Rapa Nui, where you'll spend your final days learning about the culture, history, and environment of this remote island. You'll get a look at a crater lake and a 360-degree view of the island on a hike around the extinct volcano of Rano Kau. Then, you'll learn about the Birdman cult and admire petroglyphs on a visit to Orongo village. Afterward, a guided tour introduces you to the Vaihu ceremonial site and the Rano Raraku quarry, where over 900 moai statues were carved. You'll also have a chance to relax on Anakena Beach and see more moai at the ceremonial platforms of Tahai and Akivi. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Hidden Wonders of Chilean Patagonia

Avid hikers and other active travelers will appreciate this natural wonders of Chile tour. You'll spend three days trekking in Pumalín National Park, zip along the Straight of Magellan in a Zodiac boat, walk through native forests to see Serrano Glacier, ice hike on Grey Glacier, and ride horseback on Peninsula Antonio Varas. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to camp at Refugio & Camping Grey and experience ranch life (including Patagonian barbecue and a sheepshearing demonstration) at an estancia.

On arrival in Puerto Varas, you'll have free time to walk around the lakeside village and spot multicultural influences from German architecture to Indigenous Mapuche heritage. From there, you'll fly to Chaitén for a warm-up hike on the trails near Lodge Caleta Gonzalo. You'll have two more days to trek in Pumalín National Park, perhaps tackling the ascent up the active Volcán Chaitén. Then, you're off to Punta Arenas for a Zodiac boat tour along the Strait of Magellan, where you may spot dolphins and penguins before catching a bus to Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park.

A speedboat tour on Day 9 brings you to Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. You'll disembark for a walk through native forests to see Serrano Glacier. You'll also join a hike along Lago Grey to Refugio & Camping Grey, where you'll spend the night before embarking on an ice hike on Grey Glacier. Following this, you'll transfer to a sheep and cattle ranch on the Antonio Veras Peninsula and wrap up your journey with a traditional Patagonian asado (barbecue), a sheepshearing demonstration, and horseback riding across the wild Patagonian landscapes, from forests to mountains to fjords. Learn more

More Great Chile Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Chile? Check out these other Chile itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.