CHILE

Country Updates

On a related topic, the Chilean government has asked LanChile to suspend flights to the Falklands, but last Saturday½s flight went on as scheduled. This bears watching, however, as the situation could change and visitors from South America could conceivably be stranded and have to return via England.
Lonely Planet Author, Wayne Bernhardson (Dec 98)

Visas, Embassies and Border Crossings

No reference seems to know this little fact but at the Santiago airport US citizens will be required to fork over the outrageous sum of US$45 per person just to be allowed to enter the country. Our brohters and sisters north of the 49th get hammered even worse: Canadians must pay US$50! Moreover, they want cash and nothing but. This meant for the two of us, we spent $90 just to go through immigration! Rather than complain to the uncaring clerk, I swore a holy oath to forgo imported Chilean wine for one full year.
Nick Pace (August 98)

As of April 1st 1998, Australians need a visa for Chile. Found this out at the border when they told me (triumphantly!) that I needed a visa to get back into the country. As I was leaving before the 1st of April I got in without one.
Alex Nash - OZ (March 98)

Torres del Paine circuit (El Circuito): This 120 km backpacking trip is unforgettable, and it is much easier to work through the arrangements than has been reported. The refugio huts are brutally expensive, so the best option is to camp (using your own tent) and cook your own food. CONAF only lets you camp in their designated campsites, about half of which on the circuit are fee campsites (don't forget your cash on the trail). And even if you are not staying or eating there, some refugio huts will let you in to warm up or dry out for free, and even take a shower (about US$2). CONAF won't let you do the circuit alone. You have to prove you are hiking with someone else. You have to check in at the ranger station and they take down your passport information. They expect that you return when you say you will or they will come looking for you. Do the circuit counterclockwise, starting at Lago Amarga and ending there as well. You will have a much easier trip over John Gardner pass (check the weather reports before you cross) going this direction.

White gas for camping stove fuel can be tricky to find till you know what to ask for. It is referred to as bencina blanca (not gasolina blanca, a mistake of ours) and is very common and cheap in pharmacies. The guide suggests hardware stores, and not only are those stores rare in small towns (or even big ones) they only carry fuel for things like chain saws. Yet, every town has a pharmacy (farmacia) no matter how small, and the white gas (or benzene) is easy to come by.
Erika K. Jones - US (February 98)

Torres del Paine National Park Due to various reasons I only had a day in which to spend in the park. I had wanted to see the "Torres" for many years and was originally disheartened when I found out that i would not be able to walk up to the infamous viewpoint where you view the Torres from across the lake. The circuit takes four days during which you do not particularly get to see the Torres. You only get to see them on the final day when you walk up to the viewpoint. I luckily met a guy who told me that if I could catch a bus to the park entrance at Laguna Amarga, I could then either walk or catch a shuttle Jeep to the Hosteria 7 Camping Las Torres from where you can walk to the Torres in about two hours. The final half an hour is up a steep scramble but is well worth it when you climb over the peak to see the Torres set behind the lake only 200 meters away. After the walk back you can have a drink in the very civilised Hosteria which is like a hotel that you would find in the Swiss Alps.
If anybody has limited time and wants to see the Torres it is possible. The only problem is that as far as I am aware it is not possible to catch the local bus to and from the park because of the time that it runs. I had to book a seat on a tour bus as these buses leave early enough and return late enough to allow you sufficient time to do the walk. A ticket on the tour bus is more expensive than on the local bus but it is well worth it if you want to see the Torres and only have limited time.
Suzanne Brown - UK (Feb 98)

I stayed in Hospedajes most of the time. Unlike most hotels they don't provide towels or soap and if they do happen to provide toilet paper it's not usually enough to accommodate all the residents. As a matter of fact, most public restrooms in Chile, even in restaurants, don't have toilet paper or soap at all although a few of them might have an attendant who will sell you some. Also their plumbing is so bad they don't want you to put the paper in the toilets usually, but in a waste can. So anyway, bring your own.
John Eastlund - US (March 98)

I recommend that travelers who want to buy woolen stuff, to do that by the Conaf station in Lago Chungará where many natives sell a big variety of sweaters, gloves, scarves and at much lesser prices than anywhere else (bargain is the name of the game). At Arica's Poblado Artesanal (which opens at 10 or even 10.30am and closes at 7.30 pm with two hours lunch break) we didn't find many interesting things. The store for musical instruments had nothing else but ocarinas.
Aristea Parissi & George Kechagioglou - Greece (March 98)

The Turistel Guide($13) gives extremely detailed maps with more useful information than we procured from any Sernatur office. It's available from many kiosks. There is an excellent guide specific to camping that they also publish.
Carolyn Johnson & Craig Barrack - UK (May 98)

San Pedro de Atacama - I think it's worth mentioning that the town only has electricity between the hours of 7-12 pm.
Carmen Moya, - UK (May 98)

Domestic Air Travel: There are 4 airlines operating nationwide scheduled jet service. LAN Chile is the flag carrier. The second carrier is Ladeco, which is now a subsidiary of LAN. The consequence is that both companies offer exactly the same fares and flights from both companies and can be booked in the same ticket (i.e. going on LAN, returning on Ladeco if flight times are convenient). Thus, this link will provide the greatest variety of flights. The third jet operator in the country is National Airlines, which started operations in 1992 and is now an established carrier that also offers long-haul services, e.g. into the Caribbean and Florida. National offers slightly lower fares with less constraints on booking and advance-purchase requirements. Service on board is a little bit more modest than with LAN and Ladeco and seat pitch is lower. 1996 start-up Avant Airlines is affiliated with one of the major bus operators, Tur-Bus, which offers ticketing from all its bus terminals. Avant Airlines offers limited destinations at very competitive fares. There is only a single fare per route with unlimited rebooking possibilities and without any advance purchase requirements. Due to the small fleet and aircraft age, reliability and punctuality is lower than that with established carriers. LAN is still the only carrier serving the Easter Islands. Generally speaking, airfares are not extremely high and it should be considered to fly instead of using overnight buses on the very long routes.
Michael Beckmann - Germany (January 98)

If you buy an airline ticket 24 hours before the departure the price is approximately 25% lower than the regular price. Ladeco is considered the best company, and we really found out its service is great. If you have flights with LanChile you can change them for Ladeco's since the two companies are co-operating. Tickets with ALTA must be bought directly from their office and not through a travel agent who can't either make reservations. There is a new airline named Avant; it's very punctual and with good service but I haven't checked its routes.
Aristea Parissi & George Kechagioglou - Greece (March 98)

Camino Austral I was very surprised that more wasn't said about the highway from Puerto Aisen through Quelat National Park. I cannot imagine ever missing this. Even before the park, the views were some of the best I've seen in Chile with turquoise/green rivers and extraordinary snow-covered mountians. Hitching is the best way to do it; renting a car is not possible as busses fly right through it seemed. Hitching thru tho' certainly not an easy way.
Katrina Schneider - US (April 98)

In Arica, bag snatching is a problem. Exercise caution particularly in the Bolognesi fountain area where there are a number of sidewalk cafes. The distraction technique is the favored one, so hold onto your day pack. A traveler I met had her bag stolen in this fashion as it was on the seat beside her at a cafe. The distraction was engineered by four people.
Some Arica taxi drivers, particularly on the Chacalluta airport run, will insist on taking passengers without prearranged accommodation to friends of theirs running residencials/hospedajes. In these instances, I believe there is a commission system between drivers and accommodation operators. Again, I saw this with my traveler friend, who quite clearly asked the driver to take her to an accommodation she had selected from the LP, but was instead brought to another.
Declan Gilmurray - US (March 98)

My husband and I recently visited Chile on our honeymoon. Our trip included a visit to the port city of Valparaiso, just a 2-hour bus ride northwest of the capital city of Santiago. Upon arriving, we checked with the local tourist bureau office at the bus station, and they recommended that we stay at a bed and breakfast inn run by Juan Carrosco and his wife. This place turned out to be very romantic and beautifully located. The Carrosco's were very friendly and charming (although their English is limited). The Inn is in a residential district high atop Conception Hill, providing panoramic views of the bay. To get there from the city center, you take a funicular, Ascensor Concepcion, to the top of the hill, then walk two blocks. It is one of 16 funiculars in the city. The Inn itself is a huge old Victorian-style home on a cobblestone lane. The room we were given was large with fireplace, queen-size bed and a dining table for enjoying breakfast in the room. Throughout the house, there were many antiques that made the place feel like a step back in time. There was also a glass-enclosed tower on the fourth floor for reading, or you could go out onto the flat roof and enjoy the sunset and evening church bells with some wine, bread and cheese bought at the neighborhood shops. The room charges were only $15-20 with an additional $5 for breakfast for two. the address is: 668 Abtao St., Conception Hill in Valparaiso, tel: 001-56-21-07-37.
Karen H. Gray - US (February 98)

Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales (or vice versa) with the Navimag Puerto Eden ship: This was both one of the most frustrating and most memorable portions of our trip. The economy class cost about US$207 per person, for very cramped accommodations, yet not as bad as the stories tell. You cannot make advance reservations for the ship if you are planning to travel economy class. You also cannot use a travel agency for economy class nor pay with a credit card. If you are economÆa, you have to use either cash or traveler's checks, and you must have your passport with you. You have to go directly to the Navimag office in either Puerto Montt or Puerto Natales. There is no way around this, not even a direct phone call works. When you get on the boat in economy class, there are very few sheets or blankets, so take your sleeping bag. Eating vegetarian on the boat is easy, just tell the kitchen the first time you eat, and they will help you out for the rest of the four days. Most importantly, bring your own wine and liquor to drink on the boat. It costs three time as much on the ship.
Erika K. Jones - US (February 98)

Concepción special events: From mid-Januaryuary to the first of February, the Feria de Arte Popular in the Parque Ecuador attracts artisans from all over Chile, parts of South America, and a few from other countries. Prices for wood crafts, wicker and glass are generally good.
Amanda Mead - US (February 98)

I've just spent 3 days in Tongoy, south of La Serena. Tongoy is a great sleepy fishing village-a good place to mellow out for a few days. There were only 2 travelers there-maybe because it is not mentioned in your book. The bird life, sea life, and se food are fantastic. Beware the seals; I've 2 holes in my leg from a hungry critter. If you pass through Tongoy, drop in to the Nuestro Mar restaurant. AndrÄs and Rosa are great. They spent 20 years in New York and so add a bit of New York to Chile. They have a great selection of music-blues, jazz, afro, etc. They speak English and would help any traveler in need. Their food is great and it is easy to spend time in their kitchen, tasting some of the delicacies from the Tongoy Bay. It's also easy to spend time at their bar. Drop in, you'll enjoy it.
Richard Haywood (Mar 98)

My favorite place to go hiking in Santiago, particularly in the winter, is Cerro Pochoco. It's in Alto Las Condes, really easy to get to. Take any bus going up Providencia and Las Condes to Plaza San Enrique. Takes about 40 minutes, cost 160-170p. Get out at Plaza San Enrique and take a colectivo from the plaza to Cerro Pochoco, 900 p. There are three hills at Pochoco, El Pochoco Chico, El Pochoco, y El Pochoco Grande. Round trip to the top of Pochoco takes three hours or so. In the winter there's a layer of snow on the ground starting about 1/3 to 2/3 of the way. The snow never gets too deep, but the path can be muddy on warm days. No big deal with hiking boots. From the top there's a depressing view of Santiago obscured beneath a cloud of smoggy haze (on bad days you can't even see Cerro San Cristobal), but a great view of the Cordillera in the other direction, everything clean and snow covered. Pochoco was the first place I saw a condor. The plants are sage brushy, there are some neat cacti, it's a cool place. Closer and easier to get to than Canyon de Maipu. I never saw any other gringos there.
Ryan Cummings - US (May 98)