Private Journeys

Self-drive Chile: Off the beaten track

14 days from £4,630pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Chile

  • Foitzick lake beside Carretera Austral near to Coyhaique

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.  

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.

Read More
  • Guided 3-day visit to rugged Chiloe, an island steeped in tradition
  • Excursion to the millenary trees of Alerce Andino National Park
  • 6 days of self-driving along Chile's legendary Austral highway

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

Mary

Mary Anne Nelson

Travel Expert

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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.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • It is hard to choose one particular part of the trip as it was all amazing but in different ways. One of the most memorable parts was the few days…

    MF, London
  • Very difficult to chose because every aspect was memorable. I think the Gaucho itinerary was well chosen providing a good exposure to a wide example of interesting places in Argentina…

    MB, Sevenoaks
  • So many things - wonderful birds, Leon was very interesting, Copan was fascinating. This is our 4th trip with JLA and we have never been disappointed.

    LP, Honiton
  • It was a wonderful adventure which we enjoyed with a very nice group, all of us led by an excellent guide. 

    WD, Greenford
  • The tour leader was excellent as was the whole experience, especially the exciting optional excursions, kayaking, horse riding, zip linings, snorkelling and many interesting walks.

    MG, Glasgow
  • An extremely memorable trip, well organised, with knowledgeable and passionate guides. I'm so lucky to have had this great experience and not to have had the worry of organising it!

    JB, Bristol
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Our Expert's Opinion

Mary
Mary Anne Nelson Travel Expert Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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.

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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.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    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 a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    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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