Wild Frontiers

Flight Information

There are no direct flights to Santiago from London. There most common route is usually via Madrid with Iberia which takes around 16hrs.

Useful Tips

• Pack layers for any trip to Chile as its length creates varying weather conditions

• For internal flights make sure you get a 'vista cordillera' seat to see the best views of the Andes from the air

• With 4300km of coastline try some seafood during your stay; Cantolla (king crab) is delicious

• Take sturdy walking boots for the Torres del Paine National Park to support your ankles

• A tripod is essential for taking night sky photos in the Elqui Valley and Atacama Desert

Recommended Reading

If you want to read up on your destination we recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Bradt Guides, Odyssey Guides, The Rough Guide and Footprint Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the areas you visit.

Good books and maps of Chile are available at Stanfords in Covent Garden, London or online at www.stanfords.co.uk

Relevant Reading:
Some of our favourites are In Patagonia, by Bruce Chatwin, The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey, by Ernesto Che Guevara, A Passion for Tango, by David Turner, and Across The Andes, by Charles J. Post.

If on a horse riding trip you might like Between Extremes, by Brain Keenan and John McCarthy, which charts their horse riding adventure through the Andes after both had been released from captivity in Beirut.

When To Go

With Chile being such a long country, its coastline is some 4,000 miles, the climate can vary enormously. Broadly speaking it is hot and dry in the north, warm and occasionally wet in the middle and cold in the south.

As one would expect the coastal areas are generally cooler and the rainy season is from May through to August. Like Argentina the mountainous lake district is cool most of the year with November - March being the most favourable time to visit, but also attracting the most visitors.

The Chilean side of Patagonia is as unpredictable as the Argentinean - Tierra del Fuego has summer temperatures as high as 11degrees in summer time but during the winter months is so cold that much of it becomes impassable for anyone other than mountaineers.

Chile is also home to one of the driest areas on the planet; The Atacama Desert which is hot weather all year round.

Off the coast is Easter Island with a tropical climate that can be heavily influenced by winds and ocean currents. January and February are generally the hottest months but it is largely fine all year round.

Packing List

Below is a list of general items you might take with you on a Wild Frontiers trip to Chile.

Luggage:
It is best to use a soft bag - rucksack/hold-all/duffel bag - so it can be transported and stored more easily.
A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main luggage is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions.

Clothing:
In general you should bring clothes you feel comfortable with, so as a guide we suggest a packing list like this:
• 4 x Light cotton shirts or T-shirts, short sleeved and long.
• 2/3 pairs of cotton trousers. If preferred, women can wear dresses and skirts
• 2 x Lightweight jumpers or sweatshirts
• Good quality fleece or warm jumper
• Warm jacket
• Down jacket or warm ski jacket
• Set of lightweight waterproofs (poncho provided)
• Warm nightwear
• Swim suit or trunks
• Gloves
• Warm Hat
• Wide brimmed sun hat or cap
• Change of clothing for the evenings
• An extra “outfit” if you’d like to dress up a bit on occasion
• Pair of recreational shoes (adventure sandals or trainers)

Equipment:
The following is useful extra equipment for your trip:
• Travel towel, travel soap and toiletries
• Torch and spare batteries (LED head-torch keeps your hands free)
• Pair of good quality sunglasses
• Water bottle
• Plug adapter (see ‘Electricity’ section)

Personal First Aid Kit:
• Any prescription medication required (please inform the tour leader at your pre-departure meeting about these)
• Antibacterial dry hand wash
• Painkillers: paracetamol & ibuprofen
• Rehydration salts (Gastrolyte)
• Travel motion-sickness tablets if required (e.g. natural ginger tablets)
• Diarrhoea remedies
• Antihistamines
• Cold/flu decongestants
• Mosquito Repellent
• Insect bite cream
• Laxatives
• Plasters/Bandage/Steri-Strips/Blister pads
• Sunscreen (30+ factor)
• Moisturiser/after sun cream/lip balm
• Contact lenses and solution if required
• Tweezers
(A kit with most of this in is available at www.nomadtravel.co.uk)

Optional Extras:
• Ear plugs (if sharing a room / camping)
• Alarm clock
• 3-4 plastic carrier bags are very useful for dirty washing, dirty shoes and rubbish
• Binoculars
• Small packs of tissues
• Money belt or secure pouch for money and passport etc.
• Eye patches if light affects your sleep
• Sewing kit/scissors
• Writing materials
• Spare batteries/camera memory cards
• Swiss Army knife
NB: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are rare. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Hand Luggage:
Although it is very rare that luggage goes missing on flights, it has been known to happen and so it’s a good idea to carry a spare top, toothbrush, wash kit, underwear and any other essentials in your hand luggage so that you can at least freshen up while waiting for your bags to catch you up. If you wear your sturdy shoes/boots it will also reduce weight in your luggage and keep them safe.

Practical Information

Time:
Chile is 3hrs behind GMT.
A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com

Food and Alcohol:
Food and alcohol " really means beef, lamb and wine " one of the treats of travelling to Chile. If you are a vegetarian or have special dietary needs you can also be catered for; however in South America the type of food may be limited. Please let us know your requirements as soon as possible so we can make any arrangements to cater for your needs.

Electricity:
Those bringing video & digital cameras that require battery chargers should also bring a 2-pin European-style adapter. In most hotels you can charge from the mains using a travel adaptor plug.

Money:
In Chile the unit of currency is the Peso.
To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com
A few points to help you plan:
• US dollars are the easiest to exchange in South America although all major currencies are manageable.
• Traveller’s cheques are only exchangeable in large towns and cities and incur a higher charge to do so.
• The cities are often similar to modern European locations and can take credit card payments and have ATM’s nearby.
• If using ATM machines, be sure to notify your bank before you travel, sometimes specific cards are required to work

Language & Religion:
While Spanish is the official language of Chile it is distinctly accented and quite unlike that of neighbouring South American countries. Other languages spoken are German in the south and English more frequently by the younger generation since mandatory teaching occurred within schools. Chile is a predominantly Christian country with 70% being Roman Catholic, 15% evangelical (referring to all non-catholic churches) and about 8% atheists or agnostics.

Cultural Sensitivity:
At Wild Frontiers we are very aware of the ethical impact tourism can have on ancient cultures. We realise that taking a group of tourists through such a region can have a negative impact on the lives of those who live there and on all our tours we therefore go to great lengths to minimise the negative and accentuate the positive…after all, there are also many good things that the tourist can bring.

To help this process we ask that our clients do not hand out pens or sweets to children. As one sign in Egypt emphatically put it, ‘Please don't make beggars out of our children!' No matter how well intentioned, in our opinion the dolling out of free gifts fosters a ‘beggar mentality' that is ultimately extremely destructive to a society. In addition we do not condone giving out money to beggars or ‘students'.

However, we also realise that we are exceptionally privileged to be travelling in areas where most of the people have far less than us and that the desire to ‘help' can be very powerful. As a result we ask that you refer to your trip dossier for information on the Wild Frontiers Foundation which supports specific projects in the areas where we travel.

Photography:
Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

Also many countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your film and/or camera confiscated.