Robinson Crusoe Island features a Mediterranean climate, with wet, cool winters and dry, warm summers. The terrain is hilly, with steep valleys created by volcanic activity, lava flows, and subsequent erosion. The highest part of the island is 916 meters above sea level.

Robinson Crusoe Island

Robinson Crusoe Island

Robinson Crusoe Island

Beach of Robinson Crusoe Island

Palm trees Robinson Crusoe Island

The Laja Falls lie next to the Pan-American Highway and are just twenty miles south of the city of Los Angeles, making them easy to reach. Additionally, they are also a convenient and interesting pit stop for travelers heading to or leaving Chillán. From Route 5, you can reach Salto del Laja Chile by driving along a bypass that reaches a small concrete bridge. There the main waterfall, with a height of about 115 feet, can be viewed well from the bridge.

In addition to the main waterfall that is most frequently photographed, there are also three other smaller falls that can be accessed by a foot bridge, which also afford great photo-taking opportunities. The Laja Falls are a result of the Laja River descending into a rocky canyon. The spray created from the crashing water often results in rainbows, and adventurous travelers can take a motorboat tour in the river to appreciate the falls from a different perspective.

Salto del Laja, Chile

Salto del Laja, Chile

Salto del Laja, Chile

Salto del Laja rainbow, Chile

Salto del Laja, Chile

The town of Pisco Elqui has gone through several name changes over the course of its history: First it was La Greda, then La Union, then by law decree No. 5.798 it became Pisco. The last change occurred in the 1930s and was intended to support Chile’s claims in arguments with Peru over the alcoholic drink pisco—the two countries disagree about where the drink originated, and which country should have the right to produce and sell the alcohol. In Chile’s early history, pisco was distilled in this region.

Vineyard with Andes in the background Pisco Elqui, Chile

Pisco Elqui, Chile

Pisco Elqui, Chile

Pisco Elqui, Chile

Elqui Pisco - Elqui Valley - Chile

The nearly 700-square-mile Torres del Paine National Park is accessible for both vehicles and hikers. There is one administrative center, three entry gates, and seven guard posts spread throughout the park. There many types of accommodations for those visiting the Torres Del Paine in Chile, from luxurious hotels to rustic hotels, cabins, campsites, and refugios that provide basic services and shelter.

If you want to take guided tours of the Torres del Paine National Park, one great option for lodging is the hotel Explora. Explora is located on the shores of Lake Pehoe, across from Paine Massif, which is one of the park’s main attractions. Explora offers 25 different tours, including walking and horseback riding tours. Explora also offers bilingual guides.

Trails all around the Torres del Paine National Park are safe and easy to follow. The moderate level of difficulty makes them accessible to most travelers, and for those that want an extra challenge, there are plenty of more extreme activities available, from climbing to kayaking, rafting, and ice-walking. Tours and guided expeditions are offered for all kinds of activities, so visitors with varied interests will be able to explore with a knowledgeable local guide.

One major attraction of Torres del Paine in Chile is the Cordillera del Paine mountain range. Cordillera del Paine is part of the Andes and includes peaks such as the beautiful Cuernos del Paine. This is a great place for hiking, with well-marked paths that hikers must not stray from. The popular “W” route takes about five days, while a full circle can be completed in eight to nine days; day trips are also possible. No matter what distance visitors decide to cover, they will be rewarded with beautiful views.

Torres del Paine in Chile is a great attraction for nature-lovers. In addition to the mountains, lakes, and glaciers, there are varied flora and fauna. The diverse mammals in the park include puma, guemal, guanaco, chilla fox, and culpeo fox. Birdwatchers will delight in looking for the more than 100 species of birds that are visible in the park, including the Patagonian Sierra-finch, the Andean condor, the Chilean flamingo, the Magellanic woodpecker, and the black-necked swan.

Torres del Paine in Chile is open year-round; however, the best time to travel to Torres del Paine is during the region’s spring and summer season, which runs from October to April. During this period, there is more sun, less rain, and around sixteen hours of daylight each day

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile: The Turquoise Lake (Lago) Pehoe and the Majestic Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Paine)

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Pehoe Lake is a surface water body located in Torres del Paine

Lake Pehoe, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Chilean Firebush, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park (Chile)

After seeing miles of mountains, a trip to Valle de la Luna, with its strange landscape, will be a refreshing change. Valle de la Luna, which is Spanish for Valley of the Moon, is located in the Atacama desert, eight miles west of San Pedro. The well-known Atacama desert is a popular destination in Chile and is widely considered the driest desert in the world.

Valle de la Luna itself is also considered one of the driest places on Earth, with some areas having gone without rain for hundreds of years. The dry, difficult terrain even led scientists to test a prototype for a Mars rover here. Valle de la Luna is also part of the Reserva Nacional los Flamencos, a large nature reserve to the south and east of San Pedro the contains everything from salt flats to volcanoes to lakes. Moon Valley in Chile was declared a Nature Sanctuary for its natural beauty and strange lunar-like landscape, from which the site derived its name.

The attraction of Valle de la Luna Chile is the unique landscape. The valley is filled with mountainous sand dunes, sand and stone formations, caverns, dry lakes, colorful escarpments, and saline outcrops, all of which contribute to the eerie moon-like landscape. The sand and stone formations are the result of hundreds of years of erosion by the wind, and the escarpments vary in color as the sunlight changes throughout the day. A great time to visit the Moon Valley in Chile is at sunset. Then, from atop a high sand dune, you can see the whole valley bathed in pinks and golds.

Valle de la luna san pedro chile

Valle de la Luna, Chile

Bottom Valle De LaLuna, Chile

Valle de la Luna, Chile

Valle de la Luna (Atacama desert)

Valle de la Luna, Chile

Chile is a place of contrasts and spectacular beauty.

Stretching from its border with southern Peru south along the coast of the Pacific Ocean to the tip of Patagonia, Chile contains an array of diverse landscapes from the Atacama Desert in the north, the driest desert in the world, through the rich fertile soil of Chile’s wine growing regions in the centre, to the ice caps of Torres del Paine in the south.

Of all the South American countries, Chile can be proud of having a prosperous economy, good infrastructure and excellent outdoor activities. This serves to consistently swell Chile tourism numbers year round. Most sporting activities and local festivities can be found most of the year. A predominantly Catholic country, religious celebrations like the Fiesta del Carmen in Los Loros attracts visitors from around the world. For summer activities like exploring the wine regions and crystal clear lakes of the mountains, tourists should visit between November-April. Also famed for great skiing, if you want to catch the ski slopes and blanket snow cover, June-October proves the best time to travel Chile.

Chile top attractions:

• Andes
• Atacama Desert
• Chiloe Island
• Easter Island
• Laguna San Rafael
• Ojos del Salado
• Patagonia
• Pisco Elqui
• Robinson Crusoe Island
• Salto del Laja
• Tatio Geysers
• Tierra del Fuego
• Torres del Paine
• Valle de Elqui
• Valle de la Luna