Chile- what is on my ultimate bucket list
Chile has a lot to offer, from the driest desert on Earth, and high altitude geysers to the frozen mountains. Being the longest country in the world, Chile varies in landscapes and climate. You can climb a mountain, exercise snow sports, suntan at the beach, or relax at the quietness of the lakes while enjoying a glass of good wine and grilled meat or juicy fruits. Chile obviously should get a place on a list of everyone who loves to travel. Once in Chile, here is the bucket list I intend to complete.
1. Explore the Atacama desert.
Wow, where to start?! Imagine a beach at the Pacific coast….that beach is a few hours’ drive from the Andean hills. This place is full of surprises that can make anyone speechless.
2. See the penguins.
I love penguins! In Chile you can see them in their natural environment in the south- Magellanic penguins and at the central part of the coast- Humboldt penguins. I intend to see them all and expect to be never bored of it.
3. Compare myself with the size of the ‘La mano del desierto’.
This sculpture stands in the middle of nowhere. It was designed and constructed by Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal. He intended to express emotions such as loneliness, injustice, torture or sorrow by using human figures. Having this in mind, he constructed La Mano del Desierto (Hand of the Desert) in a large size (11 meters) to stress out the tragic realities of human life and point out how vulnerable and helpless people can be.
See also:
Practical and pretty. 5 favourite accessories to take on a trip to a desert.
Caleta Buena. In search for penguins and discovering hidden gems of Chile.
Keep calm…and go to Chile. What you need to know before your trip.
You know you are in Chile when…
4. Visit Pablo’s Neruda house.
Pablo’s Neruda houses are as interesting as the poet himself. The Nobel Prize winner designed each of his homes and visiting them gives a deep exploration of his life. La Chascona is the Santiago home of Neruda, which he built for the love of his life Matilde. The name Neruda gave to the house after Matilde -“La Chascona”, which translates as “tangled-haired woman”.
Favourite travel resources:
- Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
- Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
- Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
- World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
- Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
- Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
- Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
- Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
- Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.
5. Wake up at 4am and drive to the Geyseres del Tatio.
Amazing show of boiling hot waters shooting in the air. Worth the pain of getting up so early and surviving high altitude and freezing cold weather. I already wrote about those geysers before, so if you would like to know more about them, click here.
See also: 12 cool things to do in Atacama.
6. Sandboard on an Atacamanian dune.
Sandboarding is a great alternative to snowboarding as I mentioned earlier. It’s so much fun! Difficult to resist this kind of activity when you see those amazing sandy dunes.
7. See the colourful Valparaiso and ride one of the antique funiculars up the hills.
Valparaiso, nestled along Chile’s Pacific coast, captivates with its vibrant spirit and colorful hillside neighborhoods. This UNESCO World Heritage city enchants visitors with its maze of steep streets adorned by stunning street art, bustling markets, and a bohemian atmosphere. The port city’s rich cultural heritage and panoramic views from its funiculars leave an indelible mark on all who explore its unique charm.
8. Trek “The W Circuit”.
It is a 4-day, 55-km long walk in Torres del Paine. Some say that it is the most scenic trekking trail ever. I still need to confirm that.
9. Visit Eastern Island.
Easter Island are very mysterious. It is still not fully known where the people living there came from and where to/why they disappeared. The people living there called themselves Rapa Nui and it remains unspecified why they made those now famous, most incredible ancient relics.
10. Dance the cueca, Chile’s national dance.
The Cueca, Chile’s national dance, embodies the country’s history and cultural essence. With its origins tracing back to the colonial era, this lively dance symbolizes courtship, displaying intricate footwork, flirtatious gestures, and vibrant costumes adorned with flowing skirts and traditional attire. Accompanied by guitar, accordion, and other instruments, couples whirl and twirl in a spirited display, evoking the essence of Chilean pride and celebration, keeping alive a cherished tradition passed down through generations.
11. Eat mote con huesillo in a hot day.
To eat/drink cold mote con huesillo is very popular in Chile in summertime. It is a very refreshing nonalcoholic drink based on boiled in sweet sugary water wheat grains and dried peaches with a hint of cinnamon.
12. Watch the sunset in the Moon Valley.
Being inside the Moon Valley makes you feel like walking on the surface of the Moon. When the sun starts setting, you can experience the colour changes around you. I especially loved the pastel palette just before the landscape turned orange.
13. Eat a calafate berry in Patagonia.
Calafate berries grow in the wetlands in the south of Chile. As I love trying any food I haven’t tried yet, those typical Patagonian berries have their place on my bucket list.
14. Go to watch stars in an observatory
Stargazing conditions in the middle of Atacama are perfect: high altitude, usually very few clouds, and virtually no radio interference or light pollution. It is an astronomical heaven for those who are fascinated rolex yacht master mens 116695 rolex calibre 2813 hands and markers by faraway galaxies. Watching the night sky is amazing, but watching it through a telescope must be a real experience. One of the good places to go to is an observatory Cerro Paranal, run by the European Southern Observatory, which is very well equipped in the newest technology.
Book your stargazing tour here
15. Eat a completo without covering myself all over with mayonnaise. (Take 5: still no progress)
Completo is a typical Chilean hot dog served with scary amounts of avocado, tomatoes and… mayonnaise. After a few goes already, I still didn’t manage to eat without making a mess.
16. Try Pisco Sour…or two, and better stop at two.
Pisco sour is a typical South American cocktail, but Peru and Chile both argue that it’s their national drink. It’s based on liquor called pisco, citrus juice, sweetener of some kind and egg whites. That dot on the foam is a bitter ingredient.
17. See the Dakar race.
The route of the Dakar rally goes through the Atacama. Witnessing one of the biggest (or maybe the biggest) rallies in the world had to land on my list.
18. Float in a lagoon in the middle of the driest desert on Earth.
There are a few altiplanic lagoons in Atacama. Apart from being so beautiful order generic accutane thanks to the panorama of the Andes in the background, white salt pans and turquoise waters, you can bathe in waters as salty as those of the Dead Sea…and float.
19. Go to charming Chiloé island.
This little island belonging to Chile is so pretty that surely could be one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip around Chile.
See also: Muelle de las almas. The magic in Chiloé island.
20. See the flowering desert
From time to time in South American spring (if it rained a few months earlier), the dry and covered dirt desert of Atacama turns into flowering fields. It is an experience one of a kind. 
Book your cheap flights here:
What would you add to that list? Any suggestions what else should land on my Chilean bucket list?
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The number 8 speaks of making the W circuit in Torres del Paine, however, the W is a part of the great walk that you can do, it takes about 8 days to make. It is the best experience to see different landscapes, glaciers, mountains, landscapes of flowers, rivers, etc …
Thank you for that, María. I will definitely consider the longer walk.
Beautiful! I loved my time in San Pedro and the Atacama desert. I tevlraed from Arica towards Santiago and stopped at many places to just soak in the beauty of the landscape. My chilean friends told me I would love the South, but I loved the North, especially because it was so different from home. The South looks like the Black Forrest ;-)I loved the North for the uniqueness, for the colors, for the people and for the llamas! Awesome shooting!
Pingwiny!!! Aniu,czekam na pingwiny.Super post.Dzięki Tobie Chile staje się mi bliskie 🙂
Hej Justynką, dzięki za odwiedziny. Zapraszamy ponownie 😉
Hi Anna,
This is a great list. We are going to Costa Rica this November, but other than that, I’ve never been anywhere south of the U.S. It is new territory for me but these are places I would like to explore. Thanks for sharing with me!
I am glad, Amy, that you like it. Happy to have you here, thank you for visiting. You will love Costa Rica, I went there a while ago, so if you have any questions, please email me.