r/ExploreChile

Hello, our family of 6 will be visiting San Pedro de Atacama for 4 nights (3.5 days) in early August, flying in and out of Calama. We were a little surprised at how high the quotes we received for tours were. A different option would be to rent a car, or two, in Calama and do most, if not all, the tours ourselves (would still need to pay for tickets). If we did hire a car(s) we may need to spend the last night in Calama - as we have an early flight and it looks like the rental places may not be open that early.

I would be grateful for any advice - including on what approach we should take, which tour company to use, and any advice on accommodation or anything else. Thank you!

Hi!  I need your help. I’m planning a 19-day trip to Chile at the beginning of November. My core goals are smartphone astrophotography (leveraging dark-sky/New Moon windows), cultural exploration, and architectural/landscape photography.

I've put a lot of time and work into structuring this to manage travel fatigue (I have had altitude sickness once before -- no fun!), include proper altitude acclimatization protocols, and ensure smooth airport transits. I'd love to get feedback from seasoned Chile travelers on the pacing, logistics, or any hidden gems I should add.

Here is the breakdown of my plan:

Trip Overview

• Timing: Beginning of November.
• Regions: Atacama Desert to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to Santiago, Valparaíso, & Central Valleys.
• Travel Style: High-flexibility flights (Premium/Full fares booked internally to secure baggage for tripods/gear and protect against airline scheduling disruptions).

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Phase 1: The Atacama Desert (Acclimatization & Peak Dark Sky)

• Day 1: Fly from a USA East Coast Airport overnight to Santiago (SCL) via Miami.
• Day 2: Arrival & Altitude Protocol
• Land at SCL at 9:00 AM. Built-in 6-hour buffer at the airport to safeguard against international delays.
• Afternoon flight to Calama (CJC), arriving around 5:30 PM.
• Take a shared shuttle from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama (approx. 1.5 hours, ~2,400m altitude).
• Protocol: Begin a strict 48-hour hydration and low-activity protocol to acclimatize properly.
• Day 3: Atacama Acclimatization Rest Day
• Rest, hydrate, and limit activity to local, easy walking and location scouting around San Pedro.
• Day 4: Peak Stargazing Tour
• Light local exploration during the day.
• 9:00 PM: Group English stargazing tour with Space Obs (perfect timing as it falls 2 days before the New Moon, guaranteeing ink-black skies).
• Day 5: Desert Exploration 
• Daytime exploring local landscapes and back-road photography.
• Day 6: New Moon Night Photography   
• Peak New Moon night. Dedicated window for independent smartphone wide-field astrophotography around San Pedro.
• Day 7: Travel Back to Santiago (Fatigue Mitigation)   
• Morning flight from Calama (CJC) back to Santiago (SCL).
• Check into an airport hotel (Holiday Inn SCL Airport) to rest, recover, and break up the exhausting travel segments before the flight to Rapa Nui the next morning.

Phase 2: Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Celestial & Cultural Loop

• Day 8: Fly SCL to Rapa Nui (IPC)

• Morning flight from Santiago to Easter Island (arriving around noon).

• Check into a SERNATUR-certified guesthouse. Afternoon exploring Hanga Roa.

• Days 9 – 11: Archaeo-Astrophotography & Exploration

• Day 9: Afternoon trip to Anakena Beach (scouting Moai statues and palm groves).

• Day 10: Small-group archeo-astronomy cultural tour with a local operator for late-night authorized access to archaeological sites.

• Day 11: Sunrise photography at Ahu Tongariki; Night Milky Way photography compositions at Anakena Beach.

• Day 12: Return to the Mainland and Base Shift

• Afternoon flight from Rapa Nui (IPC) back to Santiago (SCL), landing late evening (~9:20 PM).

• Long night to new Home Base Apart hotel in Las Condes, Santiago.

Phase 3: Central Valleys, Coastal, & Urban Exploration

• Day 13: Base Shift
  • Sleep in and get my bearings
• Day 14: Valparaíso & Casablanca Valley
•  Day trip out to the coast. Shoot the colorful urban murals of Valparaíso and do some landscape/wine photography in the Casablanca Valley.
• Days 15 – 18: Flexible Day Trips   
  • Day 15: Casablanca Valley vineyard landscapes.
  • Day 16: Mountain landscape photography in the Andes Foothills.
  • Day 17: Santiago Urban Canvas (historic center, museums, street photography).
  • Day 18: Relaxed buffer day in Santiago for packing and final shopping.
• Days 19 – 20: Journey Home
  • Day 19: Late checkout. 6:00 PM Uber to SCL airport for a late-evening flight back to the US.
  • Day 20: 9-hour daytime layover in Miami (planning to buy a lounge pass to comfortably rest and charge gear) before the final leg back to the USA East Coast.

Logistics Check & Compliance Built-In:

1. Flights: All internal legs are booked on Premium/Full fares to secure high baggage allowances for my tripod and photography gear, and to provide maximum rebooking leverage.
2. Rapa Nui Entry: My accommodation is strictly SERNATUR-certified, which I know is required to pass the security gate at SCL airport. I will also have my digital FUI entry form ready.
3. Pacing: I intentionally added overnight airport hotel stay at SCL on Day 7. Day 12 is a long night to new Home Base Apart hotel in Las Condes, Santiago. I will sleep in and have a nothing-planning-afternoon.

Questions for the Community:

1. Atacama Shared Shuttles: For the shuttle from Calama (CJC) to San Pedro on Day 2, should I pre-book online with an operator like Transvip/Nomades, or is it just as easy and safe to purchase directly at the counter upon landing?
2. Santiago Hub Location: I am using Las Condes/Providia as my home base to do day trips out to Valparaíso, Casablanca, and the Andes Foothills. Does it make sense to rent a car for these specific day trips, or should I rely on private drivers/tours to avoid Santiago traffic? I prefer not to rent a car.
3. Smartphone Astrophotography: For those who have shot the night sky in Atacama or Rapa Nui, are there specific accessible coordinates or roadside turnouts you recommend for safe, independent night shooting?
4. Any gaps? Does this pacing feel balanced for the beginning of November, or is there anything major I am overlooking?

Thanks in advance for your ideas and tips!

 PS Re: Atacama Stargazing -> I made reservations a Space Obs -- not exactly on new moon but I was still it was still under minimal Moonlight: The moon will be a Waning Crescent with only ~3% illumination. It rises very late—just before dawn—meaning the sky will be completely dark for almost the entire night.

Saludos Cordiales voy en diciembre a las torres del Paine a hacer el circuito W, ocupo recomendaciones de sacos de dormir ya que acamparemos en dos lugares y también que zapatos me recomiendan. Tengo experiencia cargando el peso pero el la selva de Costa Rica el terreno es muy diferente, me parece que el de alla es mas rocoso. Todos los tips los acepto.

Hello fellow chileans. I plan to visit Chile from 26th of November till 7th of December. I will be with a friend, both males mid 40s. We don't speak spanish.

Apart from Santiago, in which we'll stay for a few days, what other places would you propose? Saw Valparaiso and lakes area.

Hola!

Visitare Chile con mi pareja en finales de agosto.

Somos de Costa Rica, estamos acostumbrados a temperaturas de 25* grados aprox todo el año.

Nos preocupa mucho el tema del frío, aunque ya tenemos ropa térmica, jackets, fleece, rompe vientos, medias/calcetines térmicos aún así no preocupa ya que nunca hemos estado a temperaturas bajas como las de Chile.

Iremos a Santiago por 5 noches y al sur Puerto Natales por 4 noches.

Que nos recomiendan llevar, conocer, comer y que datos útiles nos harían saber?

Hola, estoy planeando mi viaje de dos semanas a la Patagonia en la parte chilena entrando por Puerto Natales, hacer la W y luego ir a Argentina, quería saber si es recomendado ir a Argentina y cómo sería el viaje en bus? Barco? Si es algo recomendado para hacer en dos semanas ? O mejor disfrutar únicamente en Chile? Muchas gracias!

We are a family of 4 with Son (20) and daughter (18) planning a patagonia trip late Dec - early january for close to two weeks. We want a mix of experiences including some hikes (only my son and I are into tough long day hikes), some leisure, photography, definitely penguins, and some city experience. Our current thinking on trip plan is listed below. Would love tips and input on a) is this is a good plan or are we missing out on some must-visit spots, b) opinions on the Cape Horn and Glaciers cruise in lieu of spending time in El Calafate and El Chalten, c) Any other tips and opinions to make the trip better

Day 0: Fly to Buenos Aires

Day 1: Land in Buenos Aires, 1 night here

Day 2: Fly to Ushuaia, 1 night here (this afternoon we will take a boat trip to see penguins on the beagle channel!)

Day 3,4,5,6: Cape Horn & Glaciers Cruise for 4 days

Day 7: Disembark in Punta Arenas and transfer to Torres del Paine

Day 8, 9, 10 - Torre Del Paine

Day 11 - Transfer to Puerto Natales airport and fly to Santiago

Day 12,13 - Spend time in Santiago, and may be Valparariso

Day 14 - Fly home

Thanks all!!

I know this is a big if given the smog, but wondering if San Cristobal Hill is indeed the best place to see the Andes from the city - we will be there in October. Thanks in advance!

Hola comunidad,

Últimamente me he topado con un problema bastante molesto cada vez que quiero salir a hacer alguna actividad outdoor, y es que no tengo con quien.

Como no encontré ninguna solución simple en el mercado, estoy intentando diseñar una alternativa independiente para resolverlo. No vengo a venderles nada (todavía no existe nada que comprar), solo quiero validar si es un problema real para otros o una maña mía.

Armé un formulario rápido en Tally. Toma menos de 3 minutos, no pide iniciar sesión con ninguna cuenta y me ayudaría muchísimo para saber si voy por buen camino.

Cualquier feedback extra o crítica constructiva en los comentarios es más que bienvenida. ¡Buenas rutas!

Hi all! I have 4 free days in Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I’d like to do a day trip/ maybe a 2 day trip somewhere. Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m not much of a wine person, but i like nature or other interesting places/cities. Please let me know, thank you!