Hello! This is our first trip to Chile and we prefer hot springs and easy treks to being in cities-- Would love to hear your input on this schedule and any other advice before we start booking hotels, etc-
Thanks in advance!
Susan
PS: I have also posted this question on Frommers and TripAdvisor

Nov 21 ARR 9:30 AM Fly to Puerto Montt drive to Puerto Varas
Nov 22-26 Lake District
Nov 27 fly to Puerto Arenas
Nov 27-30 Torres del Paine
Dec 1 Fly to Santiago—rent car to Valparaiso
Dec 1-3 Valpa and Vina del Mar
Dec 3 LV 10:40 PM

To me it seems like you are covering way too much ground in such a short time to enjoy it all. Flying, airports, will take up hours. If I were you I would focus in and visit something thouroughly. Patagonia and only that or something. You will enjoy it more.

I am also planning a trip to Chile, along with Easter Island, Antarctica, and Argentina. From the research I've done, your schedule looks fine to me! We aren't renting a car anywhere--just taking buses or flying. The only hotel we've booked in Chile is the Tierra Del Fuego hotel in Punta Arenas.

It looks OK to me, except I wonder what your plans are for the 3-4 days in PA.

Thanks for these responses!
Jed asked: what your plans are for the 3-4 days in PA.
We're just going to rent a car in PA and drive up to TDP--
I'm not sure now that we have enough time "bedgeted" for Patagonia--
Back to the drawing board!
Thanks-
Susan

Valparisio is ok,Vina Del mar is the main Chilean/Argentinian tourist destination for winter and weekends are unbelievably stacked up with traffic coming in on a Friday and out on a Sunday.
Food is good quality and seafood and steaks are first class.
Vina Del Mar is not a trecking destination.It is a pretty cosmopolitan beach centred town,however it it very pretty and extremely safe.Take a taxi for best value.The train runs straight into Vina etc and is much easier than negotiating traffic.It is easy and cheap to hire a taxi for the day and let the driver be your guide.You will see places you wouldn't otherwise and cost will be around £40.00 GBP for the day.The driver will stop and start as much as you want and will take you where you want to go.Best to use a firm recommended through a hotel.
One tip,English is not widely spoken and reading material is not easy to come by.
December is the beginning of summer and temperatures can get very hot in Vina,and deceptive because the sea breezes are cool.Don't be fooled,summer here is hot.
Good luck,it is a great country.