Overview & Highlights
With the freedom of a hire car, explore regions which, although of outstanding natural beauty, are little visited wildernesses. Discover Chiloé Island, the lake district and, travelling the remote Austral road, the Aisén region of fjords and glaciers.
- Chiloé Island: Guided visits to Dalcahue, Castro
- Chiloé Island: Guided tour of the coast and fishing villages
- Lake District: Guided excursion to Alerce Andino National Park
This holiday goes off the beaten track to discover some of the more sparsely populated corners of this wildly beautiful country, including the Carretera Austral, only completed in the early 1980s and the first proper road to negotiate this fractured region of fjords, glaciers and rivers.
A 4,000km long, skinny coastal strip backed by the Andes mountain range, Chile has a variety of climate and landscape to match its changing latitudes. This holiday explores a little visited part of Patagonia. First, we take you exploring the back-roads of the deeply traditional island of Chiloé and intact, ancient forests in the lake district. The most rewarding way to explore your next destination, Aisén (Chile’s Region XI), is in your own hire vehicle. An area of staggering natural beauty, Aisén was for centuries neglected: its fractured landscape of fjords and glaciers hard to negotiate, its agricultural potential meagre, its natural resources hidden away. Political dissidents were sent into exile here, and immigrants from persecution also found peace among the pines. Now the region, long favoured by fishermen, is opening up to visitors and becoming popular with outdoor adventure activities enthusiasts. The Austral Road offers one of South America’s great iconic road trips with scenery of almost unimaginable beauty. To help you on your way, all your hotels are pre-booked and we have suggested a route to help you get the most out of this magnificent region.
Outline itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Santiago. Transfer to hotel in an arty up-and-coming district of the capital.
Day 2
Transfer to airport and fly to Chiloé Island. Visit Dalcahue port and Castro, the capital.
Day 3
Guided tour of the surrounding area.
Day 4
Take a ferry to Quinchao island. Onward ferry to the mainland, continue to Puerto Varas.
Day 5
Guided excursion to Alerce Andino National Park.
Day 6
Fly to Balmaceda in Patagonia, collect hire vehicle, and drive to Puerto Rio Tranquilo.
Day 7
At leisure to explore the region.
Day 8
Drive to Caleta Tortel, a village on the Carretera Austral.
Day 9
At leisure to explore the area.
Day 10
Drive to Puerto Guadal on the shores of Lake General Carrera.
Day 11
At leisure to discover local highlights.
Day 12
Drop off car at Balmaceda airport and fly to Santiago.
Day 13
At leisure to explore the capital.
Day 14
Transfer to airport for international flight home.
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.
What our clients say
97% of our clients rated their experience with us as Excellent or Good.
Very efficient with the booking process and very helpful with his service throughout. Adam was always prompt and helpful in answering all our questions prior to departure.
IR, London
Tailor made holiday
Our specialists have been expertly crafting award-winning tailor-made holidays to Latin America for 40 years. We would be delighted to create a truly personalised trip which perfectly matches your wishes and requirements.
Evie Oswald - Travel Consultant
It’s hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
Inspired by this trip
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
Papagaio
Your edit for Latin American inspiration
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
View Extraordinary Inspiration
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Sophie Barber - Travel Consultant
Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia.
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Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Consultant
Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.
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Evie Oswald - Travel Consultant
It’s hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
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Ben Line - Travel Consultant
Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Manager of the Tailor-made Department.
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Carrie Gallagher - Travel Consultant
A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Escorted Groups team.
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Hannah Donaldson - Travel Consultant
Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is an invaluable part of our Group Tours team.
