Destination: Chile

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION

When to Go

Chile always has a region or two ripe for exploration whatever the season. But if your heart is set on one part of the country, pick your trip dates carefully.

Chile’s southern charms, including Torres del Paine and the Lakes District, are best visited in summer (December through March) as some are all but impenetrable in winter (June through September). The summer’s long days boost outdoor fun, though the spring months of November and December and fall months of March and April can be nearly as good.

Meanwhile Chile in the winter can be a wonderland for skiers; the country’s resorts attract hordes from July through September. Middle Chile is best in the verdant spring (September through November) or during the fall harvest (late February into April).

The parched Atacama Desert can be explored year-round, although summer days sizzle and nights are bitterly cold at higher altitudes throughout the year. In the northern altiplano, summer is the rainy season, though this usually means only a brief afternoon downpour. Easter Island and the Juan Fernández archipelago are cooler and quieter outside the summer months; March is an ideal time to visit.

High season is December through March.

Travelling to Chile?
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