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Chile

Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History

Visa Requirements – Holders of UK passports do not require a visa for entry into Chile, but the authorities sometimes check to ensure that you have a valid onward/return ticket and sufficient funds for your visit and you should have a full passport with a minimum of six months validity from the date of your return to the UK. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.

Health Requirements – There are no mandatory vaccinations required for entry into Chile although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A and Meningitis are recommended.

We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 60 62782 or their website at www.masta.org for all professional medical advice.

Time – GMT -4 hours (The Chilean mainland) GMT -6 hours (Easter Island )

Money – The currency of Chile is the Peso. Traveller’s cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks, hotels and lodges and US$ denominated travellers cheques are recommended. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is growing and they are generally accepted in many of the larger hotels and lodges, but an alternative payment source such as cash is sensible, especially in remote areas.

 

Flights

Airline	Route	Frequency	Via
LAN	Heathrow/Santiago	Daily	Madrid
Iberia	Heathrow/Santiago	Daily	Madrid

Climate - a rough guide
On account of its extraordinarily diverse topography there are a number of regional climatic variations, but on the whole, Chile can be divided into three principal areas as follows:

Atacama Desert & Northern Altiplano: The Atacama Desert is well documented as the driest place on the planet, but is a place of outstanding natural beauty and can be visited throughout the year. During the summer months of October to April the temperatures rise and it can be hot during the day, but cold at night. There is also a rather peculiar weather phenomenon known as the ‘Bolivian Winter' which can sometimes bring sporadic heavy rainfall between December and February when it should normally be very dry.

The winter months from May to September will see lower temperatures and potentially a little rainfall. The altiplano can also regularly suffer strong winds.

Santiago & the Central Valley: During the summer months (October to April) this large central area of Chile is generally dry and warm with daytime temperatures hovering around 79F. During the winter then the temperatures can drop to around 58F. This is also the main skiing season so the surrounding cordillera mountains are covered in snow.

Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego: This southern region of the country is best visited in the summer months as daytime temperatures average around 57F offering very pleasant walking, whilst during the winter there can be heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. It should be noted that even during the summer, rainfall in this area is still relatively high.

Please note also that in recent years the traditional seasons in Chile , as elsewhere in the world, have become less predictable than before, particularly when El Nino passes through.

When to go - In order to enjoy the best weather throughout the country, then the best time to visit is from October to April, when it tends be a little warmer, particularly in the more southerly reaches of Patagonia. Santiago and the Central Valley as well as the northern Atacama region can be visited comfortably throughout the year although the winter months of June to September can be a little cooler, however those are excellent months if you plan to go skiing in the Cordillera just ninety minutes from Santiago.

 

Santiago

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Temp (F)

84/ 54

84/ 52

80/ 48

73/ 44

64/ 40

57/ 37

58/ 37

61/ 38

67/ 42

70/ 44

77/ 48

81/ 52

Rain (in)

0.12

0.12

0.2

0.5

2.5

3.3

3.0

2.2

1.2

0.6

0.3

0.2

 

Arica
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp (F)	70	71	70	68	64	59	58	57	59	64	65	68
Rain (in)	0.04	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.1	0	0	0	0.08

 

Punta Arenas

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Temp (F)

57/ 44

57/ 44

54/ 40

50/ 38

44/ 36

40/ 33

38/ 30

42/ 33

46/ 36

52/ 37

54/ 38

57/ 42

Rain (in)

1.5

1.0

1.3

1.4

1.3

1.6

1.1

1.2

0.9

1.1

0.7

1.4

F (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)

Rain = Average Monthly Rainfall (inches)