Chile
A ribbon of a country stretching from the driest desert on earth to glacial fjords.
- Capital
- Santiago
- Population
- 19.5 million
- Currency
- Chilean peso (CLP)
- Language
- Spanish
- Best time to visit
- November–March for Patagonia, year-round for the north
Chile's length means a single trip rarely covers all of it — most visitors pick either the Atacama Desert in the north or Patagonia in the south. Santiago makes a comfortable base with the Andes visible from most of the city on a clear day.
Domestic flights are the practical way to cover the distances; the country runs nearly 2,700 miles north to south.