Kevin Raub - Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island

E-reader devices vary in their ability to show our maps. To get the most out of the maps in this guide, use the zoom function on your device. Or, visit http://media.lonelyplanet.com/ebookmaps and grab a PDF download or print out all the maps in this guide.

Chile is nature on a colossal scale, but travel here is surprisingly easy. Your trip can be as hardcore or as pampered as you like, but youll always feel welcome.

Vicua, Parque Nacional Lauca ()
WOODS WHEATCROFT / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Preposterously thin and unreasonably long, Chile stretches from the belly of South America to its foot, reaching from the driest desert on earth to vast southern glacial fields. Its nature on a symphonic scale. Diverse landscapes unfurl over a 4300km stretch: parched dunes, fertile valleys, volcanoes, ancient forests, clear rivers, massive glaciers and fjords. For the traveler, theres wonder in every detail. Trace the sculpted contours of a glacier, watch a condor skate from crumbling cliffs or scramble up the Andes to scan a full 360 degrees without a human mark. And its boggling to think how so much has stayed intact for so long. The very human quest for development could imperil these treasures sooner than we think. For now, Chile guards parts of our planet that remain the most pristine, and they shouldnt be missed.

In Chile, close borders foster intimacy. No matter where you go, it feels a little like a backyard. Bookended by the Andes and the Pacific, the country averages just 175km wide. No wonder you start greeting the same faces. Kick back in one place and it starts to feel like home. Perhaps its because you have landed at the end of the continent, but one thing that stands out is hospitality. Buena onda (good vibes) means putting forth a welcoming attitude. While in many destinations on the globe the traveler might feel like a commodity, here you are still a guest. In the city, diners linger over table conversations and bottles of wine. Patagonians share round upon round of mat tea. These rituals of relating and relaxing are so integral to the fabric of local life, that they are hardly even noticed. But they do say one thing: stay and let your guard down.

In Chile, adventure is what happens on the way to having an adventure. Pedal the chunky gravel of the Carretera Austral and end up sharing ferries with SUVs and oxcarts, taking a wrong turn and finding heaven in an anonymous orchard. Plans may be made, but try being just as open to experience. Set out to find sweeping desert solitude, climb craggy Andean summits or wander the sacred forests of poet Pablo Neruda. Surf, paddle or sail your way up or down the seemingly endless coast. Explore the mysteries of Easter Island, stargaze, soak in natural hot springs or watch glaciers calve. Then if you can stay still long enough, Chile might regale you with a moment of clarity.

Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda (), Santiago
CRAIG PERSHOUSE / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Museum-Hopping in Barrio Bellas Artes

The name of this riverside neighborhood () in central Santiago Barrio Bellas Artes (Beautiful Art) says it all. Fans of the fine arts can spend the day admiring Chilean works at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the Museo de Arte Contemporneo, both housed in the stately Palacio de Bellas Artes, before checking out edgy modern photography and sculpture at the nearby Museo de Artes Visuales. Along the way, take a break at one of several sidewalk cafes along the cobblestoned pedestrian streets.

Palacio de Bellas Artes ()
JOHN ELK III / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Parque Nacional Torres del Paine

Some rites of passage never lose their appeal, so strap on that heavy pack and hike through howling steppe and winding forests to behold these holiest-of-holy granite mountain spires (). Las Torres may be the main attraction of its namesake park, but this vast wilderness has much more to offer. Ice trek the sculpted surface of Glacier Grey, explore the quiet backside of the circuit, kayak the calm Ro Serrano or ascend John Gardner Pass for gaping views of the southern ice field.

JOHN ELK III / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Moai

The strikingly enigmatic moai (statues) are the most pervasive image of Easter Island (Rapa Nui; ). Dotted all around the island, these massive carved figures stand on stone platforms, like colossal puppets on a supernatural stage. They emanate mystical vibes and it is thought that they represent clan ancestors. The biggest question is: how were these giant statues moved from where they were carved to their platforms? Its a neverending debate among specialists.

MANFRED GOTTSCHALK / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Climbing Volcn Villarrica

Few things are as menacing as a growling volcano, especially an eye-to-eye encounter from the craters edge. Thats exactly the sort of spectacular confrontation you volunteer for on the rewarding climb to the summit of Volcn Villarrica (). Nothing quite prepares you for rounding the snow-capped edge of a 2847m sulfur-spewing menace, and its just that thrill along with the snow-toboggan glaciating slide back down the mountain that insures heart rates remain on overdrive. But dont worry it hasnt erupted since 1984!

MICHELE FALZONE / JAI / CORBIS

North Coast Surfing

Hit the potent tubes in northern Chiles duo of surf capitals, Iquique (). Surf dudes come in droves year-round for the consistent swell and a string of perfect gnarly reef breaks that break close to the desert shore. Were talking huge, hollow and nearly all left waves of board-breaking variety, especially in July and August when the hardcore surfers storm the coast. But do bring booties and wetsuits the shallow reefs are full of urchins and the water is cold, courtesy of the Humboldt Current.