Chile
Chile – ‘land of fire and ice ‘– is a country of extreme contrasts and some of the most strikingly beautiful landscapes on the planet. This long and narrow country stretches over 5,000 km from north to south with an average width over only about 200 km. It reaches from the Tropic of Capricorn to within a whisper of Antarctica. As Chile’s geography is extreme, so are its highlights. In the north, is the Atacama Desert, the world’s driest desert and home to the ancestral indigenous Inca and pre-Inca cultures. The desert is flanked by the Andes Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean, so there are places where on can stand on the sands of a beach, admire the desert and see the snow-covered Andes in the background. Years of volcanic activity in the region have given way to some most unusual landscapes. Central Chile is more European in appearance, with fertile wine-producing valleys and world-class ski resorts and a very elegant and cosmopolitan capital, Santiago, nestled in a valley surrounded by the majestic Andes Mountains. In the mid south, are the crystal waters, lush green forests, rapids and waterfalls, snow-capped volcanoes and azure blue skies of the Chilean Lake District, one of the world’s scenic jewels. Then even further south the great outdoors of Patagonia offers unrivalled views and untouched wide-open spaces – one of the world’s last true great wilderness retreats.
To the west of Chile and deep into the Pacific Ocean we find Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) the world’s largest ‘open air’ museum, and home to over 600 Moai – giant human-like statues thought to be more than 800 years old. Another of Chile’s island territories are the Juan Fernandez Islands, inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s tale of Robinson Crusoe, and also a botanical paradise as over 70% of the plant species on the island are endemic - a higher rate than any other archipelago in the world.
The Chilean people are another of its greatest assets - with their warmth, humour and hospitality; the visitor is welcomed within open arms. One of their most popular folk songs ‘Si vas para Chile’ tells the tale of that hospitality in the welcoming of a stranger. Their heritage is a mix is of the Spanish settlers, the Mapuche and Aymara Indians.
Chile is also a country of impressive culture with Nobel Prize winning poets such as Pablo Neruda, and Gabriela Mistral and musical composers such as Violeta Parra. There are many first-class art galleries in the major cities.
Of course, we cannot mention Chile without bringing your attention to its world-class wines and fine seafood. A visit is also not complete without trying the national cocktail – the Pisco sour.
On leaving Chile you will feel like perhaps you may have lived here in a former life – such is the sense of familiarity and welcome.