Chile

Chile, with its uniquely narrow and long shape that spans over half the continent, contrasting landscapes from the driest desert to some of the windiest and southernmost places on the continent, and its far-flung islands, one of which is the remotest inhabited place on earth, is for all the senses, rich and luxuriously diverse in its natural and cultural offerings. The geography of Chile and its territory is unique and boosts a diversity not be seen anywhere else in Latin America or the world. Extending more than 4200 km from the south to the north, the mainland is nestled between the Pacific on the west and the Andes Mountains on the east defining its long and narrow shape, as well as its unique climates and natural formations. The north is home to the Atacama Desert which is the driest and smallest desert on the planet, and the southern tip of the Altiplano, the windswept dry high plateau with its salt lakes and volcanos in the Central Andes. Moving down south, crossing the capital of Chile, Santiago and the central valley, one will encounter a dry and warm climate during the day and thanks to the Andes low temperatures during the nights, which makes this area an award-winning wine growing region.  It is home to some of the finest white wines in the world.  Traveling even further down south, one will pass the beautiful and untouched areas of Patagonia and the Lake region shared with Argentina, until reaching the fjords and glaciers of the south right down to Tierra del Fuego, which is the habitat of huge colonies of wild life at sea and on land – and this is only continental Chile. Several hundred islands are home to Chile in the south, including two of the most famous islands worldwide – Robinson Crusoe Island and Easter Island. The latter, also known as Rapa Nui, is almost 3700 km away from the mainland located in the Pacific, the remotest inhabited island in the world. Here you will be able to find the mysterious monolithic carved stone statues called moais, scattered all over the Island.  They weigh between 20 to 80 tons and are 3 to 10m tall, and it remains a mystery how they ‘walked’ all around the island from the quarry from which they were carved without any known machinery or tools. This diversity is not only limited to the geography of Chile but can also be observed in the different cultures and customs of each region as well as the people itself.  As a Spanish colony, the original immigrants were from Spain but in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, post-independence,  many other European immigrants - Germans, Italians, and Scandinavians predominantly, immigrated here.  Chile would be considered as the most European country of Latin America and it is also the safest of all places within the region, considered by many as the Switzerland of South America. Yet, this is the country with South Pacific islands that are distinctively Polynesian, has indigenous cultures throughout the length of the country, including the Mapuches.  As the capital of one of Latin America’s most prosperous and stable nations,  Santiago is a modern metropolis with 5 star luxury hotels, a buzzing  restaurant culture and nightlife and its own Latin American city style.  This is in contrast to the slower pace of its regional areas such as Atacama or Patagonia or its remote islands. These areas, particularly, those that are more remote, have largely maintained their unique cultures, lifestyles and natural environments. Many of these are astoundingly beautiful places in every sense.  Here you will find unique luxurious places that have been developed in harmony with their surroundings that enable the few with a yearning for adventure to explore and discover these remote gems to do so with all the possible creature comforts available.  What unifies all people of Chile is their friendliness especially towards visitors and their strong sense of identity linked to their region, so you will feel their warmth and willingness to welcome and share their unique Chile with you.