Discover Chile

The driest desert in the world captivates with surreal moonscapes, bubbling geysers, turquoise salt lakes and one of the clearest starry skies on Earth. San Pedro de Atacama serves as a base for excursions to volcanoes and high plateaus over 4,000 meters.

The striking granite towers of Torres del Paine National Park rank among the most spectacular mountain landscapes in the world. Trekking routes like the "W" pass turquoise lakes, glaciers and wild guanaco herds at the end of the world.

The mysterious Moai statues of the Rapa Nui culture stand scattered across the remote Pacific island, which belongs to Chile but lies over 3,500 kilometers from the mainland. A unique archaeological and cultural experience far from civilization.

The modern capital lies framed by snow-capped Andean peaks and serves as a starting point for day trips to the nearby wine valleys of Maipo or Casablanca, known for excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère wines.

Direct flights to Santiago usually involve a stopover in Madrid, with a total travel time from Zurich of around 15 to 16 hours. From Santiago, domestic flights conveniently reach the Atacama Desert or Patagonia.

Spanish is the country's official language. On the remote Easter Island, Rapa Nui is also spoken, the traditional Polynesian language of the native inhabitants.

November to March, the South American summer, is best suited for Patagonia in the south. The Atacama Desert in the dry north, by contrast, can be visited practically year-round.

Chile is one of the somewhat pricier destinations in South America, as it is more economically developed than many neighboring countries, but overall it usually remains cheaper than a comparable trip through Western Europe.