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Chilean Patagonia

For reservations and inquiries: North America 1 800 307 3982 Outside North America +1 250 285 2121 or email info@kayakingtours.com

 

Travel

International travel can be daunting if you haven’t been overseas much before, but the rewards are well worth the preparation and long flights. At Spirit of the West we aim to make you travel experience as relaxed and comfortable as possible, and below we have outlined a few of the tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years as well as the basic information to help you plan your journey and get the most out of your stay in Chile. You’ll find out about Chilean nuts and bolts info (currency, electricity, communications etc.), health and safety, how to get to Chile from your home country and how to get around once you’re there. To learn more, read on.

Before You Go

It is important to take a few easy precautions that will help to make your trip run smoothly and help you get over any obstacles you may face.

• Ensure your passport is current and will remain valid for 6 months after your return date.

• Purchase travel and medical insurance. This will cover you in the event of needing medical help while abroad and will cover any expenses incurred from unexpected changes in travel plans or circumstances out of your control (i.e. missed flights because of weather, lost baggage, theft, family illness). There are various levels of travel insurance for sale and it is often worth reading the fine print to ensure it is the right coverage for you. All travel agents as well as AAA and CAA sell travel coverage.

• Make sure your inoculations are current. While there are no required vaccinations for travelling to Chile it is suggested you have the hepatitis A & B and typhoid fever vaccinations. Please also ensure your tetanus/polio/diphtheria shot is current (you need a booster ever 10 years).

• Set up a pin code that can work internationally on both your debit and credit cards. Take your card into any branch with your current pin and you can reset it to something easy to remember. This comes in handy for withdrawing cash and taking cash advances on your credit cards without having to go into a bank.

• Invest in some good rain gear and warm clothes for Patagonia - it will help make your trip much more enjoyable. Please see our packing list for a complete list of what to bring.

• Send yourself an email with a scanned copy of your passport, immunization record, flight details, and important numbers including travel insurance policy numbers, credit card numbers as well as contact details for the company in case of loss or theft. This way if you happened to lose your bags you can go to the internet and have all the information handy. It is also a good idea to leave all of the above with a trusted friend or relative at home who could help you out in a pinch.

• Have fun learning about the country, read some Chilean literature, watch some soccer (football), take Spanish lessons, drink Chilean wines etc. This will all help you to get the most out of your experience.

 

Things to Know about Chile - The Basics

While having had a somewhat marred history, Chile is also incredibly rich in history and has endless opportunities for exploring cultural elements of the country. The other major drawing card for travelers is the spectacular natural beauty. From the world’s driest deserts in the north, to the coastal beach cities, to the wine producing valleys of the interior, to the grazing lands and the rugged beauty of Patagonia, Chile will continually amaze you.

Time
Mainland Chile is on GMT -4 (GMT -3 from October to March).

Language
The official language is Spanish. There is a fair amount of slang used in everyday conversation so don’t get frustrated if you don’t understand everything no matter how good your Spanish is.

Electricity
The electrical current is 220 volts and 50Mhz. The pin shape is either two or 3 round plugs. You will need an adaptor plug for any North American appliances. Universal adaptor plugs can be purchased at any travel shop or in the airport.

Seasons
Summer in Chile is considered December, January, February and the beginning of March. Temperatures in Santiago during the summer and fall can be quite warm with highs of approx. 28 degrees Celsius and lows of 10 or so. HOWEVER temperatures in Patagonia can be quite different. Patagonia is much cooler and requires the appropriate clothing, but is well worth it! Remember there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear! Please see our packing list for more details.

Tipping
Generally 10% is standard in restaurants, tourist facilities and generally for most services. Tipping taxi drivers is not expected, but rounding up is a nice gesture.

Local Customs
There are wide ranges of customs depending on which region you are in, but some general nationwide practices include

- offering a cigarette to travelling companions before lighting up

- holding doors for women

- bargaining is NOT practiced, the price is the price.

- there is a strong emphasis on family and spending time with family

- business culture is quite formal

- clothing in the city is generally fancy (bring a nice outfit - not jeans for eating out in some of the higher end restaurants etc).

- being polite and smiling can go a long way

Internet and Phones
Internet cafes can be readily found in most towns. Wireless internet is also very popular with most hotels, cafes and restaurants offering the service. Most internet cafes also have headsets for using on-line VOIP programs such as Skype.

The country code for Chile is +56. To make calls to outside the country from Chile you need to dial 00 then the applicable country code and then the number. Phone centers where you can pay by the call are almost as common as internet cafes. The mobile (cellular) coverage is also quite good.

Currency/Money
The Chilean Peso (CLP) is the national currency and is represented using the $ symbol. The Peso is then broken down into 100 centavos (cents). To determine approximate current exchange rates check outcom

For everyday transactions in the markets etc, local currency is preferable but you can often also use US dollars in major centers and for larger purchases such as hotels etc. If you use US dollars or a foreign credit card for accommodation payment you avoid paying the IVA tax which is 19%

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are located on almost every street corner in the major cities and very few smaller towns are without at least one machine. If you have a bank card from a major network such as Cirrus and a 4 digit pin code it should work in these machines.

Visa, MasterCard and to a lesser extent American Express and Diner’s Club credit cards are accepted at most hotels, larger restaurants and shops. These cards also come in handy for cash advances from ATMs in case you have any problems with your debit/bank card.

Traveler’s cheques are fairly useless. You can use them in major centers, but are often charged a premium on top of your purchase to use them. You often also lose out in the currency conversion process. While nice to have, most credit card companies will also advance you cash if something was to happen to your wallet.

Safety
Chile is a relatively safe and enjoyable place to travel. The feeling here is much different from other countries in South America. However, the usual petty crime of any city in the world can be found in the major centers, but if using common sense and keeping your wits about you, you are unlikely to have any problems.

Being discreet about your wealth will go a long in way in keeping you out of trouble.

It is always wise to minimize your risks by not wearing flashy jewellery, carrying a wallet full of cash or having a giant camera dangling around your neck at night. A money wallet for carrying your passport and valuables in close to your body helps give you a sense of comfort when transiting in busy places (and makes it virtually impossible for pickpockets to take your important documents). Carrying only the money you will need for the day in your wallet or pocket helps make you a less desirable target for theft.

Travelling with a buddy after dark is never a bad idea, but most major streets are fine to walk after dark. When in doubt take a cab, most restaurants etc. can call you a cab or they are readily found on most streets.

Avoid big protests or large gatherings in the streets so you don’t get caught up in any tense situations.

The national police force, the Carabineros, are incredibly helpful and professional. You will see them wearing green uniforms and are readily found especially in cities. To reach the Carabineros from any phone, mobile or payphone dial 133. Never try to bribe the police in Chile (unlike many other places in South America).

For emergency medical assistance i.e. ambulances dial 131.

Special Notes for Women:
Women should take the usual precautions including not walking alone after dark etc. There is a small level of male ‘bravado’, and if walking alone you may encounter a small bit of unwanted attention - the odd sideways glance or whistle, but are most likely to be left alone. A trick I have used over the years to ensure a minimal amount of unwanted attention is to wear a simple band style ring on the ring finger of my left hand (this symbolizes being married). Keeping a careful eye on your drinks to avoid being drugged if out at a bar is never a bad idea.

It is not a bad idea to bring with you a supply of your preferred brand of feminine hygiene supplies. There are lots of pads in grocery stores, but it is more difficult to find tampons.

Birth control pills and the morning after pill can sometimes be difficult to access in this mostly Catholic country.

Health
Ensure you have adequate travel medical insurance. No one ever plans to get sick, but it happens and having good coverage including the option of returning to your home country for continued treatment is comforting to say the least. Credit cards often offer some coverage, but often have quite low limits or only partial coverage for a limited number of days. Health care in urban centers is quite good, but expensive so come well covered.

While there are no required vaccinations for travelling to Chile it is suggested you have the hepatitis A & B and typhoid fever vaccinations. Please also ensure your tetanus/polio/diphtheria shot is current (you need a booster ever 10 years).

Having a routine medical and dental checkup before travelling can also help to eliminate any unforeseen pain or problems that could take away from your trip.

It is a good idea to carry a copy of your prescriptions and any necessary medications in their original containers. Also bring extra of any essential medications in case of delays in travelling or losing bags etc.

Knowing your eyeglass prescription and carrying a back up pair of glasses will also be helpful in case something happens to your glasses. The sights here are so beautiful you won’t want to be visually impaired for even a minute.

There are well stocked pharmacies in most towns, but sometimes it is difficult to find the equivalent medication because of language barriers etc. We tried to find Lactaid pills (supplements for lactose intolerance) in dozens of pharmacies to no avail - this is something that just does not exist in Chile. The moral of the story, come prepared.

Water is generally safe in the cities, but it is never a bad idea to treat tap water before drinking or purchase bottled water. We like to take Pristine drops (or similar) with us. They are a quick and easy way to treat water and it cuts down on the waste of buying plastic bottles all the time (recycling facilities are almost non-existent).

 

How to Get to Chile

Flights to South America have come down significantly in price in the last few years and destinations such as Santiago and Buenos Aires are now serviced by direct flights with several different airlines all over the world.

When flying into Chile you will land in Santiago at Arturo Merino Benitez Airport (SCL) which is located approximately 20 minutes (21 km) from the city center. Spirit of the West will arrange transport for you from the airport to your hotel. The city center is also easily reached by public bus.

Direct flights are most convenient if on a tight schedule, but flights with a connection or two in interesting places can also add some interesting side trips and often are more economical.

 

Flights from North America

Most flights from North America to Chile are night flights, which with ear plugs and a sleep mask can be quite comfortable and give you maximum time at your destination.

 

Flights from Canada
Air Canada flies direct from Toronto (YYZ) to Santiago 5 days a week.
Flight time approx. 10.5 hours.

 

Flights from the USA - Direct Flights to Santiago

• Miami (MIA) approx. 8 hours with LAN Chile and American Airlines

• Dallas (DFW) approx. 9 hours with LAN and American Airlines

• Atlanta (ATL) approx. 9 hours with Delta

You can also get connecting flights from Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK, LGA & EWR - Newark New Jersey) through the above cities, approx. 13 hours. From Los Angeles with LAN Chile you also stop over in Lima, Peru (could be handy for extending your South American adventure).

 

Other Airlines that Fly from the USA to Santiago

• United Airlines

• COPA airlines uses Houston as a connection hub

• Northwest Airlines (NWA)

 

Flights from Mexico

• Mexicana

• AeroMexico

 

Flights from Europe - Direct

• Air France from Paris approx. 14 hours

• Iberia flies direct from Madrid

 

Other Airlines that Fly from Europe to Santiago

• British Airways

• Air Berlin

• Alitalia

• Lufthansa

• Iberia

• Swiss Air

• TAM airlines (Brazilian Airlines)

• KLM

• TAP ( Portugal)

• Air Canada

 

Flights from Australia and New Zealand - Connecting flights only

• LAN Chile

• Qantas

• Aerolineas Argentinas

• Emirates

• China Eastern Airlines

 

LAN Chile/ Qantas (code share flight) - this flight starts in Sydney, stops in Auckland and lands in Santiago

 

Flights from South America

• Aerolineas Argentina (flies from various destinations in Argentina)

• TAM airlines

• TACA

• Avianca

• LAN Peru

• COPA

Entry & Exit Requirements/Visas
Tourists from most countries do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, however they do need valid passports and are required to pay a reciprocity fee (only if landing at Santiago airport, no fee if coming overland) in USD upon arrival. You will also need to hold an onward/return plane ticket or a credit card and/or sufficient funds to cover the intended period of stay.

There is a departure tax of $30 USD for international flights travelling over 500kms away.

 

Reciprocity Fee
This fee can be paid in US cash or with a Visa or MasterCard (cash is preferable).

 

The fees required vary by nationality

• US citizens $131 USD (the receipt is considered a multiple entry visa and is valid until the expiry of the passport).

• Canadian citizens $132 USD (the receipt is considered a multiple entry visa and is valid until the expiry of the passport).

• Australian citizens $61USD (the receipt is also considered a multiple entry visa, but is only good for 3 months).

• Mexican citizens $23USD.

• There are no fees for South Africans, UK nationals, New Zealanders or the Irish.

 

Tourist Cards
This is a free piece of paper that will be issued to you upon arrival. Keep this paper handy as you are often asked for it when you check into hotels etc. You also need the paper to exit the country. It is valid for 90 days.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travelers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.

 

In-Country Transportation Options

Chile has a fantastic network of public transportation options.

Buses
The busing system is the best I have ever seen. City buses can be crowded, but quick and cheap. Long distance busing is where the real value is. These buses are clean, efficient and modern complete with meal services, options for seats that recline into beds (semi-cama and cama) and run on reliable schedule all for dirt cheap prices. We even had a steward on one bus ride that facilitated games such as bingo and introduced the movies with trivia.

Domestic Airlines
Internal flights are often quite reasonably priced and can save you significant time when you look at the size of the country! The cheapest way to book these flights is from within the country via the internet.

While LAN Chile is your best option, Sky Airlines also services many towns and cities in the country. Aerolineas Sur, Patagonia Air and Aircomet are also lesser-known domestic airlines.

Taxis
Taxis can be easily identified by their yellow and black colouring. They run on a meter and generally are pretty honest. It never hurts to ask for an approximate price to your destination before getting in. They can be flagged down in the street with a simple wave of the hand, or called through a central dispatch office.

Car Rental
There are many major international firms that rent cars in Chile including Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo etc. There are car rental desks in the airport as well as most major towns and cities. Unless you are a practiced South American driver with a high level of Spanish comprehension I would recommend not driving in the cities. It is a much more enjoyable experience when someone else does the driving, figures out the toll booths and deals with the parking attendants. Public transportation in Chile is quite reasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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