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Six secret gems in Chile you need to explore

What Chile may lack in tourist numbers, it certainly makes up for with a wealth of spectacular landscapes, experiences and hidden gems. Here are the country’s most underrated places truly worth the voyage.

While more and more travellers make the voyage to South America each year, Chile is all too often overlooked in favour of its better-known neighbours.

Here Michelle Mohaupt – former Chilean resident and founder of Moh Collection Latin America (South American luxury hotel and cruise specialists) – reveals the most underrated places Chile has to offer.

1. Cape Horn

Tierra del Fuego, Chile’s southern Patagonia

Many travellers don’t realise that the southernmost point of South America is in Chile – a title often mistakenly given to neighbouring Argentina.

Cape Horn, also known as ‘the end of the world’, is the very tip of the continent and is located on Hornos Island within the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in Chilean Patagonia.

Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, Cape Horn is rich in maritime history that dates back to the 1600s when it was first discovered and used as a navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Synonymous with rough seas and howling storms, ‘rounding the Horn’ is recognised as the ultimate maritime rite-of-passage for keen sailors.

Lucky for less-experienced travellers, you can now access this extremely remote part of the world aboard Australis, a luxury expedition company that also journeys through Patagonia’s southernmost fjords and glaciers.

Australis Patagonia Cruises www.australis.com

2. Ski Portillo

Andes mountains, 120km from Santiago

Hidden in the majestic Andes mountain range near the Argentine border, Portillo is one of the most unique ski resorts in the world.

With more than 60 years history and family hospitality, Portillo is also the oldest and most traditional ski resort in South America.

The resort stands alone – with no town or village – on the edge of Inca Lake which provides one spectacular vista reflecting the towering Andean peaks that surrounds it.

Like a cruise ship in the sky, Portillo envelops its guests in world-class views and extraordinary beauty.

With the ski terrain exclusive to Portillo guests, there are no crowds nor lift lines, affording skiers unparalleled privacy and space.

This exclusivity attracts the likes of celebrities and international Olympians, who you can end up chatting with on a ski lift or over a pisco sour at the bar.

Ski Portillo www.skiportillo.com

3. Pucon

Araucania region

With its lush green forests, snow-capped volcanoes and mirroring lakes, Pucon is one of the most charming and picturesque regions of Chile.

Although it’s a popular destination with Santiaguinos (local visitors from Santiago, Chile’s capital) who fill hotels and holiday homes during the summer, very few international travellers actually know this area exists.

Recognized for being Chile’s adventure capital, visitors to Pucon can partake in a variety of activities year round like hiking volcanoes, whitewater rafting and fly fishing in the summer to skiing volcanoes, dog-sledding and bathing in natural hot-springs during the winter.

This region is also the heart of the Mapuche culture, Chile’s largest indigenous group.

A hidden gem within this gem is the brand new Vira Vira Hacienda Hotel. Swiss couple, Michael and Claudia Paravacini, have created this very special retreat in which they also provide guided adventures throughout the region, as well as farm-to-table dining.

Vira Vira Hacienda Hotel www.hotelviravira.com

4. Lastarria Neighbourhood

Santiago

The Lastarria Barrio (neighbourhood) is a hidden oasis within Santiago’s bustling downtown.

Declared a Zona Tipica (heritage listed typical zone) in the late 90s, the area brings together an eclectic mix of classic European style and bohemian-chic influence.

Widely recognised as the cultural and historical heart of Santiago, savvy travellers revel in the Barrio’s surprising assortment of museums, galleries, theatres, design stores, charming boutique hotels and great restaurants.

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5. Piedras Rojas

Atacama Desert

With its otherworldly natural landscapes from infinite salt flats filled with pink flamingos to barren lunar valleys sitting below the world’s cleanest night skies – Atacama is an extraordinary region that is home to some of Chile’s most beautiful vistas.

Even though the region is now becoming more popular with international visitors, one of the most underrated local gems remains well off the tourist path. Piedras Rojas (Red Rocks) is, as the name suggests, an area of red volcanic rock formations that surround and sit within a pale turquoise salt lagoon at the foot of the Andean volcanoes.

Situated over 4000m  above sea level, arriving in Piedras Rojas alone feels like you’ve arrived on another planet, let alone its surreal landscapes and unparalleled beauty.

6. Marble Caves

Lake General Carrera, Chile’s northern Patagonia

Lake General Carrera – South America’s second largest lake after Lake Titicaca – is home to one of the most – if not THE most – beautiful cave networks in the world.

Formed over thousands of years by the crashing waves of the lake, Chile’s Marble Caves are also some of the most intricate.

Prepare to be genuinely awe-struck when you see the spectacular light show put on by the lake’s glacial azure waters reflected onto these marble formations.

Despite being widely recognised as one of the most beautiful geographic sights in Chile, the Marble Caves remain quite untouched because it’s such an effort to reach them. Like any precious gem, they are hidden deep in the wilds of Patagonia.

 

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8 grand journeys across Latin America

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    From camping along alpine meadows in Patagonia to cruising the Amazon, these are the best Latin America journeys to tick off your bucket list.

    1. The Q Circuit in Patagonia

    Travelling with: Emma Ventura

    the Torres del Paine mountains in Patagonia, Chile
    A turquoise lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks at Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. (Image: Getty/ MBPROJEKT_Maciej_Bledowski)

    Tolkienian peaks, pristine lakes and snow-bloated rivers are highlights for most visitors spending a couple of days in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. But for the more intrepid, the real rewards come from a 10-day solo circumnavigation of the Q Circuit, camping along tracks that become more sparsely trodden the further you head into the park’s astonishingly diverse landscape – think glacial passes and granite spires, alpine meadows and forest paths. Five-star lodges might provide a break from Patagonia’s infamously feisty weather, but there’s nothing like carrying your own kit, a chance encounter with an elusive puma, and a crackling wood stove in a remote refugio for delivering the kind of fulfilment that money just can’t buy.

    2. The jungles of Central America

    Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

    women traversing the Mistico Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
    The Mistico Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna are perched above the forest floor.

    Emerging from the seas millions of years ago, the isthmus that is Central America is a tropical sanctuary of jungle-clad volcanoes, thunderous waterfalls and mist-shrouded rainforests, fringed by coral reefs. At its heart, Costa Rica is the land of pura vida (pure life), a tiny country that is home to six per cent of the world’s biodiversity – think toucans, macaws, anteaters, tapirs, jaguars, sloths – with verdant rainforest carpeting more than half the country. It’s a land to explore on two feet, two wheels and with two paddles. Do all three on Intrepid Travel’s eight-day Costa Rica: Hike, Bike & Raft tour and G Adventures’ 16-day Costa Rica Adventure.

    a toucan in the rainforest of Costa Rica
    A rainbow-billed toucan in the rainforest of Costa Rica. (Image: Getty/Freder)

    3. Dance across Latin America

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    samba dancing in the street, Brazil
    Put on your dancing shoes in Latin America. (Image: Getty/Pollyana Ventura)

    Don your tassels and get flirty cha cha-ing in Havana. Feel the heat dancing Argentine tango at a milonga in Buenos Aires. Hear the pulse of percussion as you samba in Rio. In Latin America, movement is an expression of culture, celebration and passion. You don’t have to be a professional to partake, and there are plenty of dance schools where foreigners can learn the basics. It’s easy as one-step, two-step, cha-cha-cha.

    4. Hike to Colombia’s Lost City

    Travelling with: Sarah Reid

    the terraces of Lost City, Colombia
    The Lost City is Colombia’s best-kept secret. (Image: Getty/Charly Boillot)

    Reaching the ancient ciudad perdida (‘Lost City’) of Teyuna hidden within the steamy jungles of northern Colombia is a surreal moment, amplified by the challenging three-to-five-day return trek to get there. Built by the Indigenous Tairona People around 800 CE, this labyrinthine complex of stone staircases and circular platforms has only been partly excavated since treasure looters stumbled upon it in 1972. Limited tourism infrastructure adds to the Indiana Jones vibe. Intrepid Travel’s new Lost City Trekking in Colombia tour includes a respectful visit to a Wiwa community to learn more about their Tairona Ancestors and traditional way of life.

    5. The Galápagos Islands

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    the Observation Lounge at the top of the Silversea ship
    Visit the remote Galápagos Islands on a Silversea cruise.

    Expect the brackish air around the Galápagos Islands to be mixed with the gritty odour of bird droppings and pungent tang of sea lion BO. Twist your binoculars until the black eye of the giant Galápagos tortoise fills the other end, and you might imagine yourself to be quite the adventurer centuries after the inhabitants of these islands inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Get onboard a cruise with operators like Silversea, HX Expeditions, Celebrity Cruises and Metropolitan Touring to see the remote archipelago of 19 islands loom into view just 900 kilometres off the coast of mainland Ecuador.

    a blue-footed booby on the Galapagos Islands
    A blue-footed booby on the Galapagos Islands. (Image: Getty/Bruce Campos)

    6. Pantanal, Brazil

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    a Jaguar walking on the banks of a river, South Pantanal, Brazil
    Spot a jaguar in the world’s largest tropical wetland. (Image: Getty/ Dgwildlife)

    Brazil’s Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is reportedly one of the best places on Earth to spot jaguars. This vast landscape of flooded plains and savannahs also shelters more than 650 species of birds (such as the toucan and hyacinth macaw) as well as various reptiles including the yellow anaconda and cold-blooded caiman (a type of crocodilian). Add capybaras, giant anteaters, maned wolves, giant river otters and South American tapirs to your wildlife bingo card, too. And find a tour that includes piranha fishing, if you dare.

    7. Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    the salt flats in Bolivia
    Immerse yourself in the world’s largest salt flats. (Image: Getty/ Olga Gavrilova)

    Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni covers more than 10,500 square kilometres, making it the world’s largest salt flats. The salt flats of Uyuni were formed more than 40,000 years ago when several prehistoric lakes dried up and left a bed of rich minerals behind. Stay at Luna Salada, where the walls and furnishings are made from dense bricks of packed salt, so you can immerse yourself in this ethereal landscape. Visit southern Bolivia during the dry season when the salt crystallises into mesmerising shapes and patterns.

    8. The iconic sites of Peru

    Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

    scarlet macaws at a cliff in the Amazon
    The Amazon is home to diverse birdlife such as wild scarlet macaws.

    Hiking the Andes. Cruising the Amazon. It’s the stuff of legends. From the vast expanses of Lake Titicaca to the archaeological wonder of Machu Picchu to the Amazon Basin, one of the greatest remaining wildernesses on Earth, you can stitch Peru’s epic sites together on tour with andBeyond or Abercrombie & Kent. To sweeten the experience, both luxury operators are launching new state-of-the-art vessels on the Amazon River in September 2025 and July respectively.

    the superior suite onboard andBeyond Amazon Explorer
    Stay in a superior suite onboard andBeyond Amazon Explorer.
    Six secret gems in Chile you need to explore - International Traveller