Chile's Lake District and the Atacama

Encircled by snow-capped peaks, Santiago is known for its colonial charm and historic landmarks, but surprises with its fresh air of modernity, with vibrant neighborhoods buzzing with cutting-edge restaurants and bars. At the heart of the old town lies the grand Plaza de Armas and the presidential palace of La Moneda, both central to Santiago’s story of conquest, dictatorship and revolution. Outside the city limits, vineyards cling to temperate Andean slopes; here, world-class wineries bottle biodynamic and organic vintages, innovating on centuries of tradition.

Once an exclusive summer playground for the country’s elite, this scenic town has expanded to become one of Latin America’s foremost adventure hubs, perched beside the glassy expanse of Villarrica Lake under the smoldering watch of a hulking – and hikeable – active volcano. From Pucón, seasoned guides unlock the secrets of nearby Villarrica and Huerquehue National Parks: forests of monkey puzzle trees pad deep valleys laced with well-maintained biking trails and rivers ripe for rafting. This is the heartland of the Indigenous Mapuche people, who can trace their presence in Chile back to 600 CE; honor their heritage with craft and dining experiences at intimate homesteads throughout the Lake District. 

Pitted, ochre valleys evoking the surface of barren moons unfurl around San Pedro de Atacama, a high-altitude town of adobe buildings, dirt roads and Colonial-era plazas clustered upon an important oasis. But don’t let this time-warp facade fool you: contemporary comforts await in exquisite hotels and high-end shops showcasing the earthenware crafts of the Indigenous Atacameños. Despite being the driest desert on Earth, the Atacama is teeming with life, from the flamingoes scattered across Chaxa Lagoon in Los Flamencos National Reserve to the endemic camel-like vicuñas spotted en route to the steaming geysers of El Tatio. Bathe in geothermal waters, cycle across otherworldly salt pans and take telescopes deep into the desert at night for unrivaled visions of the firmament above. Adventures in the Atacama are out of this world.