MicheleMatt

I'm leaving on the 20th of December! Because of the holdiays I'm going to stay in Santiago for a week before going to the Valle del Elqui for a Yoga retreat. I'll have 1 week more week to do something.<BR><BR>Questions:<BR><BR>Rental cars are SOOOO expensive! Do I need one for day trips out of Santiago? I'm thinking I may because of Christmas. I'd like to go to Valparisio one day, the wine country one day etc. <BR><BR>Other recs to see in Santiago?<BR><BR>Recs for the last week? Do I go south? North? How about Easter Island?<BR><BR>TIA!<BR><BR>

Anne

I was in Chile last month. Did Torres del Paine for 1 week, Lake District for 1 week, and Santiago and wine country for a couple days. Torres del Paine was the highlight, hands down. I would definitely recommend this. Fly down to Punta Arenas and find a guide there or take a 3 hour bus ride to Puerto Natales and get with a guide there. Would have liked to have seen Easter Island, so if you're up for a $700 flight (only about 2 outgoing flights per week from Santiago), this is an excellent idea. Or fly up to Atacama (the desert in the north) and base yourself in San Pedro de Atacama for day trips to horseback ride in Valle de Luna, see the geysers (very early in the morning), possibly Bolivia to see the lagoons, which I hear are incredible. I had el nino weather in the lake district/chiloe for an entire week, could not see the volcanoes at all, and the lake crossing to bariloche was downright miserable (the road washed out and had to travel by bulldozer), so it was very anticlimatic after Torres. I found the reviews of the lake district that I read in magazines, such as National Geographic Traveler, highly overrated. Granted I had some bad luck with the weather, but you make the best of it. Good luck!

John

Rental cars are not very expensive in Chile. You should be able to get one for US$50 a day (or less) most likely with unlimited mileage.<BR><BR>If you are being quoted more than this, it is probably because you are using the online reservation system for a multinational car rental firm such as Hertz or Avis or Budget. Also watch out because these firms have probably increased their prices for the Christmas period.<BR><BR>When you fly into Santiago airport you will find that in the arrivals hall there are a number of independent car rental firms right next door to these multinationals. Try one of these for lower prices - you can try haggling.<BR><BR>You do not need a hire car but it will make life a lot easier and allow you to get to areas you would not otherwise see. I would recommend one. The roads are very good for the most part and the standard of driving better than in much of Latin America. Apart from the fact that Santiago is a bit of a maze driving is a cinch down there.<BR><BR>Myself - if I had any spare time I would head north to a beach, but that is my preference.<BR><BR>

JP

You wouldn't want a car to go to Valparaiso. Traffic in Valparaiso can be a mess, and TurBus has frequent, inexpensive buses (around US$4) from Santiago. Once you're there, it's easy to get around on foot and by ascensor.

nmm

Head south to the lake district. Its like being in the alps. Puerto Montt is a nice location. Get a rental car there and see the country side. Volcan Osorno is spectacular. A side trip from there to Chiloe Island is very relaxing. The ferry takes about 30 minutes. The country side on the island is beautiful. Be prepared for lots of German influence down there... the immigration started in the mid-19th century.