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Original post

Florianmail

2 posts

2026-03-09

Hi everyone!

I’m planning the trip of my dreams for next November—Chile! I’d love to get your thoughts on my potential itinerary. I know it’s a big investment in terms of both time and money, so every bit of feedback, suggestion, or info helps immensely. Thank you in advance!!

1-Flight to Santiago

2-Explore Santiago

3-Explore Santiago

4-Bus from STG to Valpo (2h) + visit Valparaíso + night in Viña

5-Visit Valparaíso + bus back to STG (2h)

6-Flight to Calama + bus to San Pedro + explore and acclimate in San Pedro + car rental in the afternoon (+Chaxa?)

7-(Very early) Valle del Arcoíris + Laguna Cejar + Valle de la Luna

8-Laguna Miñiques & Miscanti + Salar de Talar + Laguna Tuyajto

9-Geysers El Tatio early in the morning + Cañón de Guatín + return car

10-Excursion to Salar de Uyuni

11-Excursion to Salar de Uyuni

12-Excursion to Salar de Uyuni

13-Excursion to Salar de Uyuni + return to San Pedro for the night

14-Bus to Calama + flight Calama-La Serena + explore La Serena

15-Excursion to Reserva Pingüino + bonus time (sunset at Playa Tongoy or elsewhere...)

16-Rent a car in Pisco Elqui & Vicuña + Observatory

17-Return car in La Serena + flight Santiago & Puerto Montt (4h)

18-Rent a 4x2 car + drive to Temuco (4h)

19-Reserva Nacional Malalcahuello + hike + night in Temuco

20-Parque Nacional Conguillío then drive and night in Pucón

21-Villarrica Volcano

22-Parque Huerquehue

23-Activities on-site

24-Drive to Valdivia + explore and night there

25-Drive to Puerto Varas (via Frutillar, etc.) + activities on-site

26-Salto Las Cascadas + Parque Nacional Vicente Pérez Rosales (Salto del Petrohué) + Canoeing/Rafting?

27-Drive to Parque Alerce Andino (round trip 3h) + hike Sendero Sargazo?

28-Drive to Castro + explore Chiloé and night in Castro

29-Explore Chiloé

30-Explore Chiloé + return to Puerto Varas

31-Drive to Cochamó (1h30) + drive to Hornopirén (2h30)

32-Ferry to Caleta Gonzalo + drive to Chaitén (1h20)

33-Parque Nacional Pumalín, night in Chaitén

34-Drive to Puyuhuapi + Sendero Ventisquero Yelcho?

35-Ventisquero Colgante + drive to Coyhaique

36-Drive to Villa Cerro Castillo

37-Hike Cerro Castillo

38-Drive to Puerto Río Tranquilo

39-Excursion to Glaciar Exploradores

40-Mármol Cathedral + lake activities

41-Drive to Cochrane

42-Parque Patagonia

43-Drive to Chile Chico

44-Ferry Chile Chico-Ibañez + drive to Coyhaique + drop off car

45-Flight to Punta Arenas (1h30) + explore the city

46-Rent a car + drive to Puerto Natales

47-Drive to Torres del Paine in the morning + hike to the base of the towers (return to Puerto Natales for the night)

48-Torres del Paine hike 2 (return to Puerto Natales for the night)

49-Torres del Paine hike 3 (return to Puerto Natales for the night)

50-Drive to Punta Arenas

51-Flight Punta Arenas-Santiago + flight Santiago-Buenos Aires (2h)

52-Explore Buenos Aires

53-Explore Buenos Aires

54-Explore Buenos Aires

55-Flight back to France

ZE Zetwal60 Regular ·2026-03-10

Good evening,

We fulfilled our dream in September 2025 with three and a half weeks in Chile, divided as follows: 1 week in the Atacama Desert, 1 week in Chilean Patagonia, and 1 week dedicated to Santiago and Valparaíso, including domestic flights and car rentals. And we felt like we didn’t spend enough time in each area. 😅 Your itinerary seems packed with discoveries but maybe a bit too busy. After all, it depends on your travel style! 😊

If you need info on what we did or the contacts we had, don’t hesitate to ask. Wishing you great preparations and an amazing trip! Odile

FL Florianmail ·2026-03-11

Hi Odile,

Thanks so much for your reply and for sharing!

I’m aware of how complex the trip is and how packed the schedule is—I’ll definitely add more breathing room, but budget is still a big concern!

Do you have any recommendations for Atacama: tourist traps, underrated spots, accommodations/restaurants, or practical tips?

Same for Santiago and Chilean Patagonia—any info is a goldmine for me! Thanks in advance :)

Have a great day, Florian

ZE Zetwal60 Regular ·2026-03-12

Hello,

For Atacama and Patagonia, we rented an SUV through Lys Rent a Car, as it allowed us to test our VISA and Mastercard credit cards for the deposits and ensure we wouldn’t run into any issues once there.

All our accommodation bookings were made via Booking.com without any problems when we needed to modify them last minute. In San Pedro, we stayed in a simple but very welcoming place: Refugio Don Natu, located very close to the center without the noise drawbacks, and with indoor parking for the car. There’s also a really nice bar on that street where the pisco sours are amazing ;)

We did our excursions solo except for the one to Geysers del Tatio, which we did privately with the French-speaking guide from Ranchochago. This guide even came to meet us at our hotel upon arrival to advise us on a personalized program, helping us gradually acclimate to the altitude up to 4,320 m. The only group excursion we booked in San Pedro was a stargazing evening, which we reserved on Booking.com—it was absolutely enchanting! Regarding the sites, management is handled by the local communities, and you often need to book online before heading there.

In Chilean Patagonia, we stayed in Puerto Natales at a house (GREY HOUSE), which allowed us to do laundry ;) and also meet one of the Torres del Paine Park employees, who gave us great tips for visiting the park.

In Punta Arenas, we met an incredibly kind man who runs the Hostal Host Patagonia, where we stayed for 4 days.

Don’t forget your international driver’s permit *and* your national license—during a police check in Patagonia, they asked for both!

In Santiago, we no longer had a car and stayed at a hotel near the bus terminal. We did a small-group (3 people) walking tour via the Free City Tour app with a French-speaking guide.

We regret not staying overnight in Valparaíso, but we visited for the day and booked a tour with a French-speaking guide through VAL’OTOP. Highly recommend! :)

For every flight transfer in Santiago, we stayed at a hotel near the airport with a free shuttle on request—super handy when you’re tired. We wish you great preparation and a trip as fantastic as ours!

We’re already planning to return in 2 years for about 2 months to explore Chiloé, the Lake District, and the Carretera Austral in a 4x4 with a camper. Can’t wait to read about your trip!

Have a great day, Odile Gérard

[:)]

Estiu Regular ·2026-03-14

Thanks so much, Odile, for these invaluable tips and info. I’m also planning a trip to Chile in November: Valparaíso, Atacama, and Easter Island. Wishing Florian a great trip and smooth prep! Best, Patricia

Estiu

ZE Zetwal60 Regular ·2026-03-14

Good evening, We hope you have wonderful preparations and an amazing trip! 😊 Best regards, Odile

VE Verotom ·2026-03-30

When you're in CHILE CHICO, if you have a vehicle, it's worth crossing into Argentina and heading south to EL CHALTÉN (Fitz Roy), then crossing back into Chile toward Puerto Natales. Done in 11.2025

véro

ZE Zetwal60 Regular ·2026-03-30

Hi Véronique, Thanks for this info—it’ll definitely come in handy for our 2028 trip. Best, Odile

PI Pipou Regular ·2026-04-16

Hi Estiu, we’re also looking at a trip for November, but we’re running into a lot of issues booking flights to Easter Island. The LATAM site in France isn’t working; with a VPN, we can access it, but the prices are insane. On top of that, we’re checking out Uyuni, and the agency rates are really expensive too. Going directly through guides is better, but we’re not getting exactly what we want. When I ask for the names of the accommodations, I get no response. How are you currently planning this trip? Thanks!

ZE Zetwal60 Regular ·2026-04-16

Hi there, The Latam France website can be a bit temperamental, but once you’ve created an account, it seems to run more smoothly. From San Pedro de Atacama, there were organized tours to the Salar de Uyuni through local agencies that didn’t seem too pricey—at least in 2025. Best regards,

PI Pipou Regular ·2026-04-16

Thanks! Regarding flights with Latam, we’ve tried everything; in November, prices go up to over 650 € per person without luggage, and around 800 € with luggage. When we check the Chilean site using a VPN, they show up at around 400 €, but when we look day by day, it’s all business class. For San Pedro, do you know of a local agency for Uyuni? Thanks again

ZE Zetwal60 Regular ·2026-04-16

Maybe try Air Iberia depending on where you're leaving from in France. In September-October 2025, we took the long-haul flight with Air France because there wasn’t much difference compared to Iberia. On the other hand, we booked all our domestic flights with LATAM at a reasonable price—about six months in advance (despite the risk of schedule changes)—especially for the Santiago/Calama route, since it’s a mining region and flights fill up quickly with miners.

For San Pedro, I don’t have any specific agency names—they’re all clustered on the main street. We didn’t do that excursion; it’ll be for our next trip in 2028, starting from Bolivia. Ofile

Estiu Regular ·2026-04-16

Hi Pipou, I’ve slowed down my research a bit since we’re not leaving until March 2027. Right now, we’re booking our international flight, and in July/August, the flight to Calama (San Pedro de Atacama) and Rapa Nui. I checked prices again this afternoon, and for November, nothing’s changed: around 650 for the basic fare and 740 for the light fare (12kg baggage). I looked on Latam Spain. On Latam Chile, the light fares don’t show up—only business class. As for agencies for excursions, I’d already spotted a few (based on forums and reviews…) In San Pedro, I contacted Rica Rica Travel via WhatsApp. You’ve also got Rancho Sango, which is often recommended. For the Salar de Uyuni, we’ve already chosen the agency for our 4-day excursion. It’s a Bolivian agency with an office in San Pedro (we’ll book online beforehand): Travel Uyuni Premier. And for Easter Island, there’s a French guy who runs an agency: arohatoursrapanui. But yeah, all this—flights, excursions—adds up to a pretty big budget. Hope this info is helpful! Best, Patricia

Estiu

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