Chile is situated in South America, bounded by Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, the Antarctic and the Pacific Ocean. Home of the Andes mountain range, it is a thin ribbon of land, 4,200km (2,610 miles) long and nowhere more than 180km (115 miles) wide.

Because of its unusual geography, Chile has a hugely varied climate ranging from the world's driest desert in the north, through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, to a snow-prone Alpine climate in the south. Travellers can enjoy the country's abundant fauna and flora and spectacular scenery consisting of huge glaciers, fjords, waterfalls, blue lakes and numerous national parks where trekking is a very popular activity amongst tourists.

Passport/Visa

Passports

Passport valid for at least six months required by nationals referred to in the chart above.

Passport Note

Passports issued to children must contain a photo and state the nationality.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of Greece for up to 60 days and nationals of Romania for up to 30 days.
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey on the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding required travel documents for onward destination and not leaving the airport transit lounge.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Visa Note

2. Nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA entering Chile for touristic purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only. For nationals of  Australia, the fee is US$56; for nationals of Canada, the fee is US$132; and for nationals of the USA, the fee is US$100 .

Money

Currency

Chilean Peso (CLP; symbol CH$) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of CH$20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000, 1,000 and 500. Coins are in denominations of CH$500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1.

Currency Exchange

Foreign exchange transactions can be conducted through commercial banks, casas de cambio, or authorised shops, restaurants, hotels and clubs. Visitors should not be tempted by the premiums of 10 to 15% over the official rate offered by black marketeers. Casas de cambio are open daily 0900-1900.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

Credit/debit cards (Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard and sometimes American Express) are widely accepted in towns and cities, where Redbanc ATMs are also largely available.

Traveller's Cheques

The government does not regulate the market of foreign currency in Chile, making it possible to exchange money and traveller's cheques at any casa de cambio at market-driven exchange rates. There may be some difficulty exchanging traveller's cheques outside major towns. Traveller's cheques in US Dollars offer a better exchange rate.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1400.

Exchange Rate Indicators

Health

Vaccinations

Food and Drink

Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other Risks

Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended.

Health Care

Health insurance is essential. Emergency services can be dialled free (tel: (2) 131 for an ambulance), but for medical emergencies, private services may deliver more modern equipment and a faster response. HELP (tel: (2) 631 0310) is an ambulance service for some of Santiago's private hospitals. Clínicas (private hospitals) can be contacted directly in the case of a medical emergency.

Getting There

Getting There by Air

Chile's main airline is LAN (LA) (website: www.lan.com), which deals with international flights.

Approximate Flight Times

From Miami to Santiago is 8 hours 30 minutes and from Madrid is 13 hours 45 minutes.

Main Airports

Santiago (SCL) (Arturo Merino Benitez) (website: www.aeropuertosantiago.cl). The airport is 21km (11 miles) northwest of Santiago (journey time – 30 minutes). To/from the airport: Bus services to the city centre operate from 0530 to 2400 every day. Metro services operate to Los Héroes, Central, Universidad de Santiago, Las Rejas and Pajaritos stations. Taxis to the city are also available; official taxis are blue and have documentation. Facilities: Bar, ATM, bureaux de change, restaurants, shops, car hire, post office and tourist office.

Air Passes

Mercosur Airpass: valid within Argentina, Brazil, Chile (except Easter Island), Paraguay and Uruguay. Participating airlines include Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR), Aerolíneas Del Sur (AS), Pluna (PU) and VARIG Airlines (RG). The pass can only be purchased by passengers who live outside South America and must be booked in conjunction with an international ticket. It is valid for a minimum of seven to a maximum of 45 days. At least two countries must be visited; dates can be changed but the flight route cannot. A maximum of three stopovers is allowed per country.

oneworld Visit South America Pass: valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are Aer Lingus (EI), American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), Finnair (AY), Iberia (IB), LAN (LA) and Qantas (QF). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to 34 cities. A minimum of three flights must be booked, with a maximum of 20; prices depend on the amount of flight zones. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines.

Departure Tax

None.

Getting There by Water

Main port: Empremar (website: www.portvalparaiso.cl) in Valparaíso to/from where many shipping lines operate such as Compañía Chilena de Navegación Interoceánica (CCNI) (website: www.ccni.cl) and Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores (CSAV) (from New York and European ports) (website: www.csav.cl).

Getting There by Rail

Some rail connections with neighbouring countries use buses for part of the journey. There are trains running between Arica and Tacna in Peru and La Paz in Bolivia, although this line is unreliable and slow.

Getting There by Road

The Pan American Highway enters Chile through Arica. There are frequent, reliable and comfortable buses that can come from as far north as Ecuador. There are also services from Argentina and Brazil to Santiago.

Climate

Ranges from hot and arid in the north to very cold in the far south. The central areas have a mild Mediterranean climate with a wet season (May to August). Beyond Puerto Montt in the south is one of the wettest and stormiest areas in the world.

Required Clothing

Lightweight, natural fabrics. Rainwear for the wet season. More substantial waterproofs are needed in the south.

Contacts

Servicio Nacional de Turismo (SERNATUR) (Tourist Office)

Avenida Providencia 1550, PO Box 7500548, Santiago, Chile
Tel: (2) 731 8419.
Website: www.sernatur.cl

Embassy and Consulate of the Republic of Chile in the UK

12 Devonshire Street, London W1G 7DS, UK
Tel: (020) 7580 6392 (embassy) or 1023 (consular section).
Website: www.echileuk.demon.co.uk
Working hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1730, Fri: 0900-1430; Open to public: Mon-Fri 0900-1330.

Embassy of the Republic of Chile in the USA

1732 Massachussets Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 785 1746.
Website: www.chile-usa.org