Chile

Chilean Grapes. Photo by Freyja Ellis

V!VA User‘s Description

Wedged between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, the best known fact about Chile is its wholly improbable shape. Stretching 4,000 km (2,500 mi) south from the base of Peru right to the tip of the continent, it has almost three times as much coastline as its neighbour, yet only half the total landmass. As you might expect of such a country, Chile features huge extremes in its landscape. The very north of the country is occupied by the world’s driest desert, some parts of which have never felt a drop of rain, while deep in the south, the famous ice fields of Tierra del Fuego stretch out into the distance like giant floating boulders. In between, more hospitable terrain greets visitors; palm-fringed sandy beaches and well-developed ski-resorts can be reached in a couple of hours from Santiago and further south, the Lake District and Patagonia both feature world-class hiking. On your way down, you can stay in a comfortable hacienda in the midst of Wine Country.

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