GuardTrailsChile · July
The classic
The Grand Chilean Contrast: From Atacama to Patagonia
The stops adventure tour operators put in their flagship trips here — even if it strays a little from your request.
Experience the ultimate Chilean journey, combining the high-altitude salt flats of Atacama, the lush volcanic Lake District, and the legendary granite spires of Patagonia.
- The route requires three domestic flights to cover the vast distance between the desert, the lake district, and Patagonia.
- days26
- bases13
- stages19
- nights25
- transfer days15
- stage to stage≈ 10,616 km
- at the wheel, day by day≈ 49 h 45
includes legs from an approximate position
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in July, days of walking, a day hike, kayak or canoe, a village stroll, a town walk (2 h), easy cycling, via ferrata and wildlife watching.
The area
the historic streets of Santiago and Valparaíso, the salt flats of Atacama, the lakes and volcanoes of Araucanía and Los Lagos, and the dramatic granite peaks of Patagonia
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Santiago | TransferSantiago Historic Heart | Road 30 min | 10.4 h usable |
| Day2 | Evening base : Santiago | Day excursionCasablanca Valley Wine Tasting & Estates | Road 2 h | 10.4 h usable |
| Day3 | Evening base : Valparaíso | TransferValparaíso Bohemian Hills & Funiculars | Road 1 h 28 | 10.4 h usable |
| Day4 | Evening base : Valparaíso | Day on siteDunas de Concon | — | 10.4 h usable |
| Day5 | Evening base : Vicuña | TransferElqui Valley Astronomical Observatories & Pisco | Road 6 h 25 | 10.6 h usable |
| Day6 | Evening base : San Pedro de Atacama | FlightMoon Valley Salt Caves & Dunes | Road 3 h 15 | 11.0 h usable |
| Day7 | Evening base : San Pedro de Atacama | Day on siteMoon Valley Salt Caves & Dunes | — | 11.0 h usable |
| Day8 | Evening base : Campo Geotérmico Géiseres del Tatio | TransferEl Tatio Geysers Geothermal Field | Road 1 h 43 | 11.0 h usable |
| Day9 | Evening base : San Pedro de Atacama | TransferAltiplanic Lagoons & Chaxa Salt Flat | Road ≈ 1 h 34 | 11.0 h usable |
| Day10 | Evening base : San Pedro de Atacama | Day on siteQuebrada de Guatin | — | 11.0 h usable |
| Day11 | Evening base : Melipeuco | FlightConguillío National Park Lava Fields & Araucarias | Road ≈ 2 h 52 | 10.0 h usable |
| Day12 | Evening base : Pucón | TransferVillarrica Volcano | Road 2 h 22 | 10.0 h usable |
| Day13 | Evening base : Pucón | Day excursionHuerquehue National Park Araucaria Trails | Road 1 h 47 | 10.0 h usable |
| Day14 | Evening base : Castro | FlightChiloé Island Wooden Churches & Palafitos | Road 2 h 30 | 9.7 h usable |
| Day15 | Evening base : Castro | Day on siteGolfo de Ancud | — | 9.7 h usable |
| Day16 | Evening base : Puerto Varas | TransferPetrohué Falls | Road 4 h 57 | 9.8 h usable |
| Day17 | Evening base : Puerto Varas | Day excursionOsorno Volcano Panoramic Slopes | Road 1 h 30 | 9.8 h usable |
| Day18 | Evening base : Punta Arenas | FlightStopover at Punta Arenas | Road 2 h 09 | 8.6 h usable |
| Day19 | Evening base : Torres del Paine | TransferLaguna Amarga | Road 5 h 34 | 8.9 h usable |
| Day20 | Evening base : Torres del Paine | Day on siteTorres del Paine Las Torres Viewpoint | — | 8.9 h usable |
| Day21 | Evening base : Refugio Grey | TransferLookout | Road 1 h 53 | 8.9 h usable |
| Day22 | Evening base : Puerto Natales | TransferSilla del Diablo | Road 2 h 36 | 8.8 h usable |
| Day23 | Evening base : Puerto Natales | Day excursionPuerto Natales Waterfront | Road 54 min | 8.8 h usable |
| Day24 | Evening base : Punta Arenas | TransferMuseo Nao Victoria | Road 3 h 26 | 8.6 h usable |
| Day25 | Evening base : Punta Arenas | Day on siteReserva Nacional Magallanes | — | 8.6 h usable |
| Day26 | — | DeparturePunta Arenas Historic Port | Road 20 min | 8.6 h usable |
- programme
- road
- free time
Good to know
What it leaves aside
Leaves out the remote Carretera Austral highway and the mystical Easter Island to focus on the most iconic and accessible highlights of the country.
Places it did not keep
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) · The Carretera Austral (Aysén Region) · The Elqui Valley and Coquimbo region
Getting there
Fly to Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), 30 min by road from the start.
Fly home from Presidente Carlos Ibañez del Campo Airport (PUQ), 20 min by road from the end.
Where you sleep
You will find a wide range of accommodations including boutique hotels, mountain lodges, and campsites, but booking well in advance is essential during the peak summer season.
Safety
Chile: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-10-09 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
26 days: what you ask for, the minimum the area needs and the length kept all coincide.
Travelling in July.
The climate — July
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 22 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 24 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 0%
- Windy day
- 4%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 135 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 11 h 01 of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
19 stages over 26 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
A trip requiring excellent fitness: D13 and D20 include a walk of more than 6 h 30 in one go.
The usable window changes from one day to the next: each day gives its own. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
- Day 1Free daySantiago Historic Heart · night in Santiago5 h 30 planned · 30 min on the road · 10 h 24 usableSee the day →
Stage 2 · Casablanca
Casablanca Valley Wine Tasting & Estates
Day trip from Santiago · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 2EXCURSIONfrom Santiago → Casablanca Valley Wine Tasting & Estates5 h planned · 2 h on the road · 10 h 24 usableSee the day →
Stage 3 · Valparaíso
Valparaíso Bohemian Hills & Funiculars
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 3Valparaíso Bohemian Hills & Funiculars · night in Valparaíso6 h 30 planned · 1 h 28 on the road · 10 h 24 usableSee the day →
- Day 4AT BASEDunas de Concon · night in Valparaíso6 h 30 planned · 10 h 24 usableSee the day →
Stage 4 · Vicuña
Elqui Valley Astronomical Observatories & Pisco
We sleep in El Peral, 1.1 km from the place visited
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 5TRANSFERElqui Valley Astronomical Observatories & Pisco · night in Vicuña4 h planned · 6 h 25 on the road · 10 h 36 usableSee the day →
Stage 5 · San Pedro de Atacama
Moon Valley Salt Caves & Dunes
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 6FLIGHTMoon Valley Salt Caves & Dunes · night in San Pedro de Atacama3 h planned · 3 h 15 on the road · 11 h usableSee the day →
- Day 7AT BASEMoon Valley Salt Caves & Dunes · night in San Pedro de Atacama7 h planned · 11 h usableSee the day →
Stage 6 · Campo Geotérmico Géiseres del Tatio
El Tatio Geysers Geothermal Field
1 night · climate cold
- Day 8El Tatio Geysers Geothermal Field · night in Campo Geotérmico Géiseres del Tatio6 h 30 planned · 1 h 43 on the road · 11 h usableSee the day →
Stage 7 · San Pedro de Atacama
Altiplanic Lagoons & Chaxa Salt Flat
≈ approximate position — the point found is 101 km from the expected place
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 9Altiplanic Lagoons & Chaxa Salt Flat · night in San Pedro de Atacama6 h 30 planned · ≈ 1 h 34 on the road from an approximate position · 11 h usableSee the day →
- Day 10AT BASEQuebrada de Guatin · night in San Pedro de Atacama7 h 30 planned · 11 h usableSee the day →
Stage 8 · Melipeuco
Conguillío National Park Lava Fields & Araucarias
We sleep in Melipeuco, 21.2 km from the place visited
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 11FLIGHTConguillío National Park Lava Fields & Araucarias · night in Melipeuco≈ 2 h 52 on the road from an approximate position · 10 h usableSee the day →
Stage 9 · Pucón
Villarrica Volcano
We sleep at wualmapu, 11 km away
2 nights · climate wintry
- Day 12Harder than the effort you asked forVillarrica Volcano · night in Pucón5 h 30 planned · 2 h 22 on the road · 10 h usableSee the day →
Stage 10 · Pucón
Huerquehue National Park Araucaria Trails
No night here · climate cold
- Day 13EXCURSIONRequires excellent fitnessHarder than the effort you asked forfrom Pucón → Huerquehue National Park Araucaria Trails6 h 05 planned · 1 h 47 on the road · 10 h usableSee the day →
Stage 11 · Castro
Chiloé Island Wooden Churches & Palafitos
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 14FLIGHTChiloé Island Wooden Churches & Palafitos · night in Castro3 h planned · 2 h 30 on the road · 9 h 42 usableSee the day →
- Day 15AT BASEGolfo de Ancud · night in Castro8 h planned · 9 h 42 usableSee the day →
Stage 12 · Puerto Varas
Petrohué Falls
We sleep at Cabaña Pie Grande, 5.2 km away
2 nights · sleeping at Cabaña Pie Grande, 42 km from Puerto Varas · climate favourable
- Day 16TRANSFERPetrohué Falls · night at Cabaña Pie Grande, 42 km from Puerto Varas2 h 30 planned · 4 h 57 on the road · 9 h 48 usableSee the day →
Stage 13 · Puerto Varas
Osorno Volcano Panoramic Slopes
No night here · climate wintry
- Day 17EXCURSIONfrom Cabaña Pie Grande, 42 km from Puerto Varas → Osorno Volcano Panoramic Slopes6 h 30 planned · 1 h 30 on the road · 9 h 48 usableSee the day →
- Day 18FLIGHTStopover at Punta Arenas · night in Punta Arenas2 h 09 on the road · 8 h 36 usableSee the day →
Stage 15 · Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine Las Torres Viewpoint
We sleep at Refugio Torre Norte, 6.2 km away
2 nights · climate wintry
- Day 19TRANSFERLaguna Amarga · night in Torres del Paine2 h 30 planned · 5 h 34 on the road · 8 h 54 usableSee the day →
- Day 20AT BASERequires excellent fitnessHarder than the effort you asked forTorres del Paine Las Torres Viewpoint · night in Torres del Paine7 h planned · 8 h 54 usableSee the day →
Stage 16 · Refugio Grey
Lookout
We sleep at Refugio Grey, 8.3 km away
1 night · climate cold
- Day 21Lookout · night in Refugio Grey6 h planned · 1 h 53 on the road · 8 h 54 usableSee the day →
Stage 17 · Puerto Natales
Prehistoric Site
We sleep at Hostería Patagonia Inn, 9.7 km away
2 nights · climate cold
- Day 22TRANSFERSilla del Diablo · night in Puerto Natales5 h 30 planned · 2 h 36 on the road · 8 h 48 usableSee the day →
- Day 23EXCURSIONfrom Puerto Natales → Puerto Natales Waterfront7 h 30 planned · 54 min on the road · 8 h 48 usableSee the day →
- Day 24TRANSFERMuseo Nao Victoria · night in Punta Arenas4 h 30 planned · 3 h 26 on the road · 8 h 36 usableSee the day →
- Day 25AT BASEReserva Nacional Magallanes · night in Punta Arenas7 h 30 planned · 8 h 36 usableSee the day →
- Day 26Free dayDEPARTUREPunta Arenas Historic Port · end of the trip5 h 30 planned · 20 min on the road · 8 h 36 usableSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€2,454 to €4,302 per person
€94 to €165 per day
Based on: 4 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 23 October 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →To check
14 points to look at before booking.
D5A very long day on the road between two stages — Elqui Valley Astronomical Observatories & Pisco
6.4 h from the previous stage — more than the 5.1 h a single leg should take
D19A very long day on the road between two stages — Torres del Paine Las Torres Viewpoint
5.6 h from the previous stage — more than the 5.1 h a single leg should take
Ferry with limited departures: check the timetable and book — Pargua → Chacao
ferry with limited departures — the timetable is not checked here: look it up before booking
D22Ferry with limited departures: check the timetable and book — Puerto Natales → Balmaceda Glacier
ferry with limited departures — the timetable is not checked here: look it up before booking
D18Ferry with limited departures: check the timetable and book — Punta Arenas → Tierra del Fuego
ferry with limited departures — the timetable is not checked here: look it up before booking
D20Check opening times and crowds for this season — Torres del Paine Las Torres Viewpoint
Snow and ice on the trail to Las Torres viewpoint can make it slippery or require crampons.
D21Check opening times and crowds for this season — Lookout
Strong winter winds and ice can cancel boat navigations to Grey Glacier.
D12Check opening times and crowds for this season — Villarrica Volcano
Villarrica volcano ascent might be closed due to winter snowstorms.
D13Check opening times and crowds for this season — Huerquehue National Park Araucaria Trails
High altitude trails might be covered in deep snow.
D17Too short a stop to enjoy it — less than a day there — Osorno Volcano Panoramic Slopes
4.0 h of content (0.33 day) — you pass by, you do not visit
D6Too far to drive: this leg is a domestic flight — Moon Valley Salt Caves & Dunes
17 h of driving in one go (1235 km) — at this distance most people fly and hire a car at the other end. Flight times are not checked here: look them up before booking.
D11Too far to drive: this leg is a domestic flight — Conguillío National Park Lava Fields & Araucarias
29 h of driving in one go (2392 km) — at this distance most people fly and hire a car at the other end. Flight times are not checked here: look them up before booking.
D14Too far to drive: this leg is a domestic flight — Chiloé Island Wooden Churches & Palafitos
8 h of driving in one go (535 km) — at this distance most people fly and hire a car at the other end. Flight times are not checked here: look them up before booking.
D18Too far to drive: this leg is a domestic flight — Stopover at Punta Arenas
26 h of driving in one go (2139 km) — at this distance most people fly and hire a car at the other end. Flight times are not checked here: look them up before booking.
The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →