Interested in opinions on Chile itinerary
Jan 3rd, 2016, 06:52 PM
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Interested in opinions on Chile itinerary
We're beginning to plan a trip to Chile and we are interested in thoughts on order and number of nights in each destination. Preliminary plan:
Santiago - 2 or 3 nights
Atacama desert - 3 nights
Rapa Nui - 3 nights
Patagonia - 4 nights
We are going to stay at the Explora resorts to take advantage of the discount for staying at multi-properties. My questions are as follows:
Santiago - 2 or 3 nights?
Opinion on the allocation of nights between Easter Island, Atacama and Patagonia (and recommendation on order).
Finally we are debating on February, March or April for our visit.
Appreciate any thoughts.
Santiago - 2 or 3 nights
Atacama desert - 3 nights
Rapa Nui - 3 nights
Patagonia - 4 nights
We are going to stay at the Explora resorts to take advantage of the discount for staying at multi-properties. My questions are as follows:
Santiago - 2 or 3 nights?
Opinion on the allocation of nights between Easter Island, Atacama and Patagonia (and recommendation on order).
Finally we are debating on February, March or April for our visit.
Appreciate any thoughts.
Jan 4th, 2016, 03:14 AM
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Your outline doesn't include travel time or how long your trip will last.
Patagonia should be your first destination if coming in March or April as weather is more of a factor there. April is a bit late in the season and March would avoid the crowds in February.
Much depends on your arrival time in each place for planning activities. It is better to think in days available than nights spent. For instance, for Patagonia you will have a flight to Punta Arenas plus 5 hours of ground transport to Torres del Paine entrance. That is one day gone. You have to repeat that returning. I would change your night calculations to days, so 3-4 days in Patagonia free for activities. The same for Rapa Nui. Your flight won't arrive much before midday. Again, 3 clear activity days (although that could be a half day either end of your visit plus two full days) would give you a chance to see what you want to see. San Pedro de Atacama can easily fill 3 days with activities. You fly from Santiago to Calama and take a transfer from the airport to SPA, 1.5 hrs.
You will have to connect your destinations via Santiago as there are no flights from one to the other of your destinations. You need to leave time for that in your itinerary. One or two days seeing Santiago would be sufficient considering all the other destinations you want to get to.
February can be very crowded all over Chile as it is local summer holiday time. March would have fewer crowds. April is a bit late in the season, especially for Patagonia.
Patagonia should be your first destination if coming in March or April as weather is more of a factor there. April is a bit late in the season and March would avoid the crowds in February.
Much depends on your arrival time in each place for planning activities. It is better to think in days available than nights spent. For instance, for Patagonia you will have a flight to Punta Arenas plus 5 hours of ground transport to Torres del Paine entrance. That is one day gone. You have to repeat that returning. I would change your night calculations to days, so 3-4 days in Patagonia free for activities. The same for Rapa Nui. Your flight won't arrive much before midday. Again, 3 clear activity days (although that could be a half day either end of your visit plus two full days) would give you a chance to see what you want to see. San Pedro de Atacama can easily fill 3 days with activities. You fly from Santiago to Calama and take a transfer from the airport to SPA, 1.5 hrs.
You will have to connect your destinations via Santiago as there are no flights from one to the other of your destinations. You need to leave time for that in your itinerary. One or two days seeing Santiago would be sufficient considering all the other destinations you want to get to.
February can be very crowded all over Chile as it is local summer holiday time. March would have fewer crowds. April is a bit late in the season, especially for Patagonia.
Jan 4th, 2016, 07:05 AM
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Listen to Huentetu, he/she is very wise. I would also recommend you look at flying immediately to Punta Arenas and starting with Patagonia.
Where are you coming from? If from the US, there are overnight nonstop flights from NYC, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, and Miami, so I'd definitely recommend spending the extra $ and taking those there and back to ensure maximum time on the ground in Chile, rather than stopping somewhere like Lima or Mexico City and turning what was a 10 hr ish flight into a 22 hr flight. You want as much time on the ground as possible.
Would definitely advise putting an extra night in the Atacama, so much to do and see there!
Where are you coming from? If from the US, there are overnight nonstop flights from NYC, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, and Miami, so I'd definitely recommend spending the extra $ and taking those there and back to ensure maximum time on the ground in Chile, rather than stopping somewhere like Lima or Mexico City and turning what was a 10 hr ish flight into a 22 hr flight. You want as much time on the ground as possible.
Would definitely advise putting an extra night in the Atacama, so much to do and see there!
Jan 4th, 2016, 09:59 AM
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Much appreciated on the thoughtful replies. Duly noted on the March recommendation and we will be flying through Dallas nonstop to Santiago (have systemwide upgrades which expire in February 2017 which may drive late February trip versus March but going to see if we can change).
Appreciate the advice on travel times and agree that we may need to add a few days here and there (total trip time not set but somewhat flexible). Our friend did a similar trip and added some days to Atacama so they could see the Salt Flats. Debating on that which may result in nixing Easter Island. Would really like to see it but also we're more about enjoying destinations than running around checking the box on all sites.
Appreciate the advice on travel times and agree that we may need to add a few days here and there (total trip time not set but somewhat flexible). Our friend did a similar trip and added some days to Atacama so they could see the Salt Flats. Debating on that which may result in nixing Easter Island. Would really like to see it but also we're more about enjoying destinations than running around checking the box on all sites.
Jan 4th, 2016, 12:54 PM
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If only February is possible it is not a problem, you just need to be careful to book everything well in advance and prices may be higher. An upgrade is not to be sneezed at on the Dallas to Santiago flight!
The Bolivian salt flats are spectacular but if you carry USA passports you will need to pay for visas for Bolivia. It is also always a risk going into Bolivia with an itinerary in mind as delays, road blocks and strikes are always possible. There is an ongoing dispute between miners and tourist traffic in the area which flares up every so often. The salt flats of Tara are in Chile and accessible from San Pedro de Atacama. But there are many other tours available in the area.
Staying in the Explora hotels takes a lot of stress out of the trip as they can arrange ground transport and tours of their own. I think that, although there are hotels which have lodging in both San Pedro and Torres del Paine, Explora is the only one to include Rapa Nui. Pricey but worth it if it doesn't break your budget!
The Bolivian salt flats are spectacular but if you carry USA passports you will need to pay for visas for Bolivia. It is also always a risk going into Bolivia with an itinerary in mind as delays, road blocks and strikes are always possible. There is an ongoing dispute between miners and tourist traffic in the area which flares up every so often. The salt flats of Tara are in Chile and accessible from San Pedro de Atacama. But there are many other tours available in the area.
Staying in the Explora hotels takes a lot of stress out of the trip as they can arrange ground transport and tours of their own. I think that, although there are hotels which have lodging in both San Pedro and Torres del Paine, Explora is the only one to include Rapa Nui. Pricey but worth it if it doesn't break your budget!
Jan 4th, 2016, 06:57 PM
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Besides hitting Patagonia first, any recommendations on order? Recognize these are longish flights between destinations but hoping to not have to overnight in Santiago in transit between the other destinations.
Preference (if feasible) seems like DFW to Patagonia to Atacama Desert to Easter Island to Santiago. This way after a lot of activity, a couple down days at a comfy hotel in a city.
Preference (if feasible) seems like DFW to Patagonia to Atacama Desert to Easter Island to Santiago. This way after a lot of activity, a couple down days at a comfy hotel in a city.
Jan 29th, 2016, 12:59 PM
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This is in some ways similar to a trip I took in 2010, except that Patagonia was not practical because I was traveling in July/August.
I was able to do a lot in three days in both Rapa Nui and Atacama, but that was with fortunate good weather for all of the days. My flight from Rapa Nui was delayed about five hours: there are very limited numbers of flights, so that is a consideration in scheduling, as well.
My trip report is here: http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...rip-report.cfm Unfortunately it "starts over" in the middle before the San Pedro de Atacama part, but there is a fair amount of info on what's possible in the amount of time. I found both Rapa Nui and the Atacama to be relaxing, actually, even with all of the hiking and so forth. It was really a great trip: I recently rewatched the DVD that I made from it, and was enraptured all over again.
I was able to do a lot in three days in both Rapa Nui and Atacama, but that was with fortunate good weather for all of the days. My flight from Rapa Nui was delayed about five hours: there are very limited numbers of flights, so that is a consideration in scheduling, as well.
My trip report is here: http://www.fodors.com/community/sout...rip-report.cfm Unfortunately it "starts over" in the middle before the San Pedro de Atacama part, but there is a fair amount of info on what's possible in the amount of time. I found both Rapa Nui and the Atacama to be relaxing, actually, even with all of the hiking and so forth. It was really a great trip: I recently rewatched the DVD that I made from it, and was enraptured all over again.
