Chile is a beautiful and underrated South American destination with many people only visiting Chilean Patagonia as part of their trip to Argentina. However, the capital city of Santiago is one of the safest on the continent.
From the Atacama Desert’s otherworldly landscapes to the wilds of Chilean Patagonia, here’s how to spend an unforgettable 10 days in Chile.
10 Day One: Santiago
Most international arrivals will start their journey through Chile in the beautiful capital city of Santiago. With only 10 days in the country, there is limited time to explore all that the city has to offer.
With a single day here, there are lots of activities to choose from. Stroll through Parque Forestal, visit La Moneda Palace, and explore the Museum of Memory and Human Rights.
For epic views of the city, go to the viewing deck at Sky Costanera, 984 feet up.
9 Day Two: Atacama Desert
Depart Santiago for the Atacama Desert by taking a flight to Calama Airport and a shuttle to San Pedro de Atacama. The shuttle to the city is about an hour. San Pedro de Atacama is the gateway to the driest non-polar desert in the world.
Exploring the Atacama Desert brings amazing opportunities to spot flamingos, photograph beautiful landscapes, and hike in the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley).
8 Day Three: Atacama Desert To Puerto Natales
After a day of exploring the Atacama Desert, travelers will have a long travel day from Northern Chile to Chilean Patagonia. The first leg of the journey is driving to Calama Airport which takes approximately 1.5 hours.
Then, travelers will fly from Calama to Puerto Natales. Most of these flights have a layover in Santiago, meaning the duration of the trip can be 16 hours or more.
Arrival in Puerto Natales will be late at night, so travelers can head to their accommodation and rest to prepare for a hiking adventure the following morning.
7 Day Four: W Trek In Torres Del Paine National Park
Chilean Patagonia can occupy a 10-day trip all on its own. To fit a multi-trek into the 10 days of exploring Chile, travelers may want to consider doing the W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park, which traditionally takes 5 days and 4 nights to complete.
In the morning, they’ll take a bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine where they begin the trek. Doing the trek from West to East, travelers will see Grey Glacier on day 1 and sleep at Grey Campsite.
6 Day Five: W Trek Grey To Paine Grande
After sleeping at Grey, day 2 of the W Trek takes travelers to Paine Grande. This is a fairly manageable day of the trek with nothing too strenuous.
Once at camp, travelers can relax, read, socialize with others at the Refugio, or photograph epic landscapes.
5 Day Six: W Trek Paine Grande To Cuernos
On this day of the trek, travelers will hike more than 20 km, making it one of the most challenging parts of the journey. They will hike from Paine Grande to Cuernos via Valle Frances, taking them right to the center of the “W”.
This is the Mirador Britanico, an area where hikers will be surrounded by the jagged mountains.
4 Day Seven: W Trek Cuernos To Chileno
On an easier day, travelers hike from Cuernos to Chileno over the course of a few hours where they will prepare to visit the crown jewel of the park the next morning at sunrise.
There are multiple campsites to choose from in this area if Chileno is fully booked.
3 Day Eight: Mirador Los Torres
The final day of the W Trek sees travelers hiking to Mirador Los Torres for sunrise where they will capture epic landscapes that make the entire journey worthwhile.
Then, they hike back down to Chileno, collect their bags, and complete the trek, heading back to Puerto Natales by bus.
2 Day Nine: Punta Arenas
To see another Chilean city before departure, travelers can take a bus from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas for a day. The gorgeous town has earned the nickname “The City of Red Roofs” and is located in the Patagonia region on the Strait of Magellan.
The top things to do here include visiting Magdalena Island to view penguins, strolling around the Plaza Armas Punta Arenas (central square), and visiting the Museo Regional de Magallanes.
1 Day Ten: Departure
Travelers departing Chile on day 10 can hop on a flight at Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport back to Santiago before heading home.
Punta Arenas is also a great jumping-off point for exploring southern Argentina, including the city of Ushuaia, nicknamed “The End of the World”.
Combine a trip to Chile with an exploration of Argentina for an unforgettable month-long trip that includes beautiful cities, memorable hikes in National Parks, and tons of wildlife (penguins, flamingos, pumas, and more!).