Chile

Amazon Adventures

Chile

Classic Chile / Santiago area / Patagonia / Lake District
Easter Island / Biking / Atacama Desert / Expedition Cruises
Fiord Cruises / Treks / Multisport / Sea Kayaking / Hacienda Life

New! Nature Expedition - Hiking, Nature & Cruising

Chile is a country famous for its "Geografia loca" or, "crazy geography". It is often referred to as a narrow string bean of a country and indeed it is at more than 4000 kilometers long.

Just imagine the variety of a country's geography which is longer than the US is wide!

Then place it on an exotic continent rarely visited and filled with its very own flora and fauna and add snowcapped volcanoes, endless salt lakes, emerald blue lakes, glaciated fiords, dense rain forests, the Atacama Desert, Patagonia, the Andes, native foods from both land and sea, terrific new world wines, a condusive setting for pretty much every sport known to man and, pack it all into less than 180 kms at the widest point. "Voila" there you have Chile.

We have tours involving classic touring and then we have some more active options - hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking.

We also offer a variety of cruise options.

If you don't see what you want, just ask. We have more to choose from.

We even have tours that go to several countries!

Time: Mainland is GMT ?5 (GMT ?4 from the second Sunday in October to the second Saturday in March). Easter Island is GMT ?7 (GMT ?6 from the second Sunday in October to the second Saturday in March).
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are standard.
Language: The official language is Spanish.
Health: There are no vaccination requirements for entry to Chile, but Hepatitis A immunisation is recommended. All water should be treated as if contaminated; bottled water is available. Santiago is severely polluted and this could cause respiratory problems or eye irritations. Travellers visiting the Andes Mountains should be aware of altitude sickness, and if possible ascend slowly to allow the body to adjust. Health care in urban areas is adequate, but hospitals and clinics are extremely expensive and usually require payment in cash. Health insurance is strongly recommended.
Climate: Much of the country has a mountain climate with snow in the higher reaches. The north is desert, warm during the day but very cool at night. The central part has a Mediterranean climate with a rainy season between May and August. The south is cold, bitterly so in winter, and often wet.
Money: The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP), which is divided into 100 centavos. Visa, Mastercard and, to a lesser extent, American Express are accepted in most large shops and hotels. Travellers cheques, particularly in US Dollars, are welcome in major towns, where there are banks and cambios offering currency exchange services. ATMs are widely available.
Tipping: 10% is expected in restaurants. It is not customary to tip taxi drivers but it is usual to round up the fare if they help with luggage. In general tipping small amounts is customary for all services.
Visas and passports:
Entry Requirements for Americans: No visa is required by US nationals for visits of up to 90 days, but a US$100 reciprocity fee, payable in USD cash on arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt is regarded as a multiple entry visa and is valid until expiry of passport. A passport is required for travel to Chile.
Entry Requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals do not require a visa for visits of up to 90 days. A passport is required.
Entry Requirements for Canadians: No visa is required by Canadians for visits of up to 90 days, but a US$132 reciprocity fee, payable in USD cash on arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt is regarded as a multiple entry visa and is valid until expiry of passport. A passport is required for travel to Chile.
Entry Requirements for Australians: No visa is required by Australians for visits of up to 90 days, but a US$56 reciprocity fee, payable in USD cash on arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt is regarded as a multiple entry visa and is valid for three months. A passport is required.
Entry Requirements for South Africans: South African nationals most hold a passport. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry Requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals must hold a passport, but a visa for a stay of up to 90 days is not required.
Passport/Visa Note: Passengers must hold a Tourist Card (issued free of charge on arrival for 90 days) and sufficient funds to cover intended period of stay. A return or onward ticket is not required if holding a credit card or sufficient funds to purchase a ticket. Passengers with a passport from Australia, Canada, United States or Mexico are required to pay a reciprocity tax on entering the Santiago airport before passing through Customs. Fees are US$56 for Australians, US$132 for Canadians, US$100 for US nationals and US$15 for Mexican passport holders. This tax must be paid in US dollars cash; it is paid once and remains valid until the passport expires.
Safety: Chile is a politically stable country with very few threats to the traveller. Incidences of pick-pocketing and mugging are on the increase and travellers should take care of their belongings, especially around tourist areas and bus stations, and avoid walking alone late at night. Tourists should be particularly cautious in the Lake District as theft is on the increase, and muggings are becoming more common in popular walking areas such as Cerro San Cristobal, Cerro Santa Lucia and Cerro Manquehue. There has been an increase in reports regarding people receiving spiked drinks at nightclubs and bars particularly in Santiago. Avoid any involvement in demonstrations, which take place from time to time. Chile has a landmine problem, mainly restricted to border areas adjacent to Peru and Bolivia in regions I and II, and Argentina in region XII, and also in wilderness areas in those regions. Visitors are advised to stick to marked roads, obey all signs and seek the advise of local authorities if travelling to the border areas of regions I, II or XII.
Business: Chilean business culture tends to be formal, and this includes dress, which should also be conservative in colour and style. Third party introductions are often necessary to preparing a meeting, and developing a personal relationship is key to success; a social aspect is essential before getting down to business. Chileans stand very close when conversing and it is rude to pull away. Visitors are also expected to re-confirm appointments before arriving at a meeting. Foreigners should be on time for meetings, but it is not unusual for the host to be 15-30 minutes late. On introduction, a firm handshake (between men only) and the exchange of business cards is usual - cards should be printed in both English and Spanish and care should be taken to pay attention to the card before putting it away carefully. Women do not generally hold key positions in business, and visiting businesswomen might have to work hard to gain acceptance in this traditionally macho society. Business hours are generally 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, with a two-hour siesta over lunch.
Communications: The international access code for Chile is +56. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Santiago is (0)2. Internet cafes are available in the main towns. A number of telephone companies offer different rates for national and international calls, depending on the time of day. Public phones are widely available and international call centres are available in most shopping malls. Mobile phone companies have roaming agreements with most international cell phone companies; otherwise mobile phones can easily be rented. A GSM network is in operation. Internet cafes are widespread, particularly in the big cities.
Duty Free: Travellers entering Chile do not need to pay customs duty on 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 500g tobacco; 2.5 litres of alcohol; and perfume for personal use. Meat products, flowers, fruit and vegetables may only be imported if permission is given by the Department of Agriculture in advance.