Chile’s fascinating “Norte Grande” stretches from Visviri in the north, at which point Chile, Perú and Bolivia meet, to the Loa River (Calama) in the south.
Four distinct areas are clearly defined throughout its entire length: the Seaboard, where the two main cities are located (Arica and Iquique); the Central Plain or Pampa del Tamarugal; the Sierra, a rugged area climbing up the Andes mountain range and dotted with numerous beautiful oases; the High Plateau (Altiplano), a flat expanse covering the upper reaches of the Andes, sparsely populated by scattered Aymara herdsmen.
The Pampa del Tamarugal shows a marked contrast from north to south, the former being often cleft by deep ravines (quebradas), the latter uninterruptedly flat.
Arica, with the splendid valleys of Azapa and Lluta, picturesque mountain villages and the superb Lauca National Park with the high-altitude Chungará Lake and many other remote and breathtakingly beautiful spots.
Iquique’s surroundings include the Coast, the Pampa del Tamarugal and the oases in the Sierra up to Zapiga in the north, where the first large ravine breaks the Pampa’s evenness. The High Plateau and Salt Flat covering the Andes range inland from Iquique and including the least known and the most beautiful spots, only accessible to the more adventure-minded.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Arica's airport.
• Greeting and assistance at Iquique's airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Arica or Iquique.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and Activities:

• Arica, Azapa, Lluta valley and surroundings.
• Chungará lake, Parinacota, Cotacotani lagoon, Guallatiri volcano, Surire salt flat.
• Putre, Socorama, Belén, Poconchile.
• Iquique, Pozo Almonte, Pica, Mamiña and surroundings.
• Colchane, Enquelga, Isluga volcano.
• Huara, Zapiga, Camiña, Pintados, Pampa del Tamarugal.

This tourist area coincides with the territory of Chile’s Region II, Antofagasta. It has a good road network providing access to all the interesting sights in the coastal area and the High Plateau. Antofagasta, Calama and San Pedro de Atacama have a complete tourist infrastructure, making them excellent jumping-off points for excursions throughout the region.
In the higher reaches of this zone in  the great Atacama salt flat, with valuable relics of the old Indian cultures, superb scenery, and unusual geologic formations attracting a great deal of international visitors.
The region can be divided into the following sections:
Antofagasta and Taltal, this area includes these two cities, a stretch of the Pan-American Highway and coastal road between the two.
María Elena and Tocopilla, is an area of coast and desert with interesting mining operations and industrial archaeological sites.
Calama, is the heart of the copper mining industry and a good jumping-off point for visiting historically interesting villages in the Loa river basin.
Atacama Salt Flat, which is a great depression where the Atacameño Indian culture developed, with lakes teeming with small waterfalls, grand scenery and some interesting new mining works.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Antofagasta's airport.
• Greeting and assistance at Calama's airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Antofagasta, Calama or San Pedro Atacama.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and Activities:

• Antofagasta and surroundings. Mejillones, Paranal Observatory. 
• Calama, Chuquicamata, fortress of Lasana, village of Chiu-Chiu.
• Transfer service to-from Uyuni, Bolivia via Ollagüe crossing border.
• San Pedro de Atacama, Quitor fortress, Valley of the Moon and village of Tulor.
• Salt mountain range, Atacama salt flat, Chaxa lagoon, villages of Toconao and Socaire.
• Puritama thermal baths, Del Tatio geysers, towns of Caspana, Ayquina and Toconce.
• Service to-from Bolivia, including Laguna Verde, Chalviri salt flat and Laguna Colorada. 
• Transfer service to-from Jujuy and Salta, Argentina.

This zone covers the area between the La Ligua river to the south and the Los Choros ravine, just north of La Serena, thus comprising the entire Chile’s Region IV and the inland valleys of the Petorca province.
The inland landscape is doubling attractive, the semi-desert vegetation standing in stark contrast with the lush irrigated valleys. The ranges and ridges play a significant role, inevitably lying across the roads and forcing them to wind their way up the slopes.
The coastal strip is a world in itself, with wide, sheltered bays, calm, blue-green seawater and white-sanded beaches.
The climate on the coastal area is warm and mostly sunny, the one exception being La Serena, where cloudy mornings seem to be the rule. Inland, it is hot and the air very clear.
Climate and scenery have teamed up here to make of this a year-round busy tourist zone.
Tourist infrastructure offers accommodations ranging from hotels through motels and campgrounds, as well as a wide variety of restaurants along the coast, in the big cities and in the inland valleys.
The most important tourist areas are La Serena, with a lovely coastline and picturesque inland valleys, and Ovalle with beautiful, well-cultivated mountain meadows in the Limarí river basin.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at La Serena's airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in La Serena or Coquimbo.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and Activities:

• La Serena, Coquimbo, Andacollo and surroundings.
• Vicuña, Elqui Valley, Paihuano and Monte Grande.
• El Tololo Observatory and Mamalluca Observatory.
• Totoralillo, Las Tacas, Puerto Velero and Tongoy beach resorts.
• Fray Jorge National Park, Ovalle, Monte Patria and surroundings.

A little more than half of Chile’s inhabitants live in Santiago and the surrounding areas. Every weekend, thousands drive to the coast or the mountains, depending on the season.
In the Tours and Activities section below we mention the many other attractions of this area and which, being relatively little know, offer a chance for an excursion without the ever-present traffic jams.
The territory covered by this zone stretches between the Aconcagua valley to the north and Angostura to the south. Eastwards it extends into the Andes mountain range and westwards to the coastal lands including Puangue, lake Rapel and the villages of La Estrella and Litueche.  Santiago and its surroundings can be divided on the following areas:
The Aconcagua valley; including the cities of Los Andes, San Felipe and the inland valleys.
The Andes Mountains area; with the roads leading to Portillo, The Yerba Loca Sanctuary and El Morado National Park.
The Maipo valley; including the towns of Pirque, Calera de Tango and the Río Clarillo National Reserve.
The Coastal Lands; including places and towns lying to the west of Santiago on the Coastal Range foothills.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Santiago's airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Santiago, Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
• Transfer service to a selected Ski resort. 
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.
• Transfer service to-from Mendoza, Argentina.

Tours and Activities:

• Santiago, Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Reñaca and surroundings beaches and towns.
• Sightseeing, museums, wine tours, shopping and culinary tours.
• Ski resorts, beach resorts, trekking and hiking activities.
• Handicraft markets, folkloric shows with typical dances.
• Valleys of Curacavi and Casablanca. Lago Peñuelas National Reserve.
• Maipo valley, Pirque, Paine and El Morado National Park.
• La Campana National Park, Yerba Loca Sanctuary.
• Rancagua and rodeo activities, Machalí, San Fernando and the Colchagua valley.
• Shore excursions, river rafting, horseback riding, outdoors activities and more...

Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is a scientific enigma. During the island’s heyday, the life and deeds of its 15,000 inhabitants were recorded on rongo rongo “speaking” tables (they were practically the only people native to the New World possessing a written language). When Chile took possession of the island late last century, there were little over one hundred islanders left; none of them was capable of interpreting the ancient writings, nor of relating anything regarding the real culture of his ancestors. 
But the gigantic, gaunt stone statues they left behind still pepper the island, bearing witness to a great culture. There are few parallels elsewhere to Easter Island culture.
Its ancient inhabitants called it Te Pito o Te Henua (The Navel of the World). It was isolated for over one millennium, the islanders having no human contact other than among them. Geographically, it is the world’s most isolated spot.
Robinson Crusoe is a rugged island -part of the Juan Fernández group- covered by rich, singular vegetation and harboring a varied wildlife. Both flora and fauna originated in the mainland, but millennia in isolation made them evolve into autochthonous strains of particular beauty and interest. In 1977 the island was granted the status of World Biosphere Reserve.
Visiting either or both islands is a unique experience. They are outstanding case studies of the effects of isolation: cultural development in Easter Island, natural evolution at Juan Fernández.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Mataveri's airport (Easter Island)
• Greeting and assistance at Juan Fernández Island's airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Easter Island.
• Transfer service to a selected hostal in Juan Fernández Island.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and Activities (Easter Island):

• Hanga Roa and its surroundings.
• Visits to Tahai, Ahu Vaiuri temple, Ahu Tahai and Kote Riku.
• Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi, Tepahu caves and Ahu Tepeu.
• Vinapu, Hanga Pau Kura, Vaihú and Aka Hanga.
• Rano Raraku volcano, Ahu Tongariki. Anakena beach and Ovahe beach.
• Ana Kai Tangata cave, Rano Kau volcano and the ceremonial village of Orongo.
• Snorkeling, boat tours, diving excursions, fishing trips and more...

Tours and Activities (Juan Fernández Island):

• San Juan Bautista and its surroundings.
• Santa Barbara fortress and Patriot's caves.
• Alexander Selkirk's look-out. Plazoleta El Yunque.
• Puerto Inglés and Robinson Crusoe's cave.
• Puerto Francés, Bahia Villagra and Arenal beach.
• Boat tours, lobster fishing trips and more...

This tourist zone covers territories lying within Regions IX and X, and is the northern portion of Chile’s Lake District, one of the world’s most beautiful lake countries.
The typically southern landscape of native forests and snowy volcanoes starts to predominate just north of Victoria, some 45 miles from Temuco.
The Pan-American Highway runs through softly rolling country. The soaring volcanoes are now much nearer; as each one slides past, new ones appear into view. Rainfall is somewhat higher than farther north, the best season for traveling is Dec-Mar.  Volcanoes, native forests, lakes and superb fishing are the main features of this area. Between Temuco and Valdivia are ten highly scenic lakes of varying sizes and altitudes, connected by a web of roads. The most visited is Lake Villarrica, Chile’s second most important holiday center.
Tourist infrastructure is exhaustive, with accommodations ranging from hotels to campgrounds and lots of restaurants. The area is linked by road to Argentina, making it possible to visit neighboring San Martín de Los Andes in the Argentine Lake District.
This area can be divided into the following:
Temuco; including the city and its surroundings, with the Llaima volcano to the east and the coastline to the west.
Villarrica; including the resort-city of Pucón, the Villarrica National Park, lake Caburgua, located in the Huerquehue National Park and lake Colico.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Temuco's airport.
• Greeting and assistance at Valdivia's airport.
• Greeting and assistance at Pucón's airport (flights during summer months only).
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Temuco, Valdivia, Villarrica or Pucón.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and Activities:

• Temuco, Nueva Imperial, Padre Las Casas and its surroundings.
• Cunco, Melipeuco and Conguillío National Park (Llaima volcano).
• Pitrufquén, Villarrica, Pucón, Caburgua and Huerquehue National Park.
• Villarrica National Park, Villarrica volcano and Quetrupillán volcano.
• Loncoche, Calafquén and Panguipulli Lakes.
• Transfer service to-from San Martín de Los Andes (Argentina). 
• Transfer service to-from Junín de Los Andes (Argentina).
• Valdivia, Corral, Niebla and its surroundings.
• Ranco and Riñihue lakes.
• River rafting, hiking tours, trekking excursions, fishing trips and more...

This delightful park-like zone has soft rolling farmland, as well as hilltops and river banks, cloaked with native tree species. A string of fascinating volcanoes lines the eastern horizon.
The Pan-American Highway runs almost straight, going up and down through the landscape. Here, natural landmarks include the Río Bueno, Chile’s second largest river, Lago Llanquihue, the only lake that can be seen from the Pan-Am, and Seno de Reloncaví (Reloncaví Sound), a vast sea inlet headed by the city of Puerto Montt.
There is complete tourist infrastructure not only around Lake Llanquihue and Puerto Montt, but also al Lake Ranco and, particularly, Lake Puyehue, paradoxically, the two least known lakes. This zone can be divided into the following areas:
Osorno; The city and its surroundings, as the center of a vast, beautiful district stretching between the cities of La Unión and Río Bueno to the north, lovely beaches on the Pacific coast, and lakes Puyehue and Rupanco near the Andes.
Lake Llanquihue; with the area along its shores, as well as Lake Todos los Santos and the villages of Ralún and Cochamó in the Reloncaví Estuary.
Puerto Montt; its surroundings and the area lying on both sides of the Reloncaví Sound.

Chiloé Island; topographically, this area is quite different from the Chilean mainland north of Puerto Montt, which is characterized by the Andes and the Coastal ranges marching parallel north to south and the Central Valley running lengthwise between the two. Here, the Central Valley is flooded by the sea, the tops of the submerged coastal range becoming a maze of islands, while the Andes sink their feet in the ocean. The main towns located in the island are:
Ancud; which is located in the northern portion of the island, and where the influence from the mainland is the strongest.
Castro; which is the historical heart of the island with abundant testimonies of its past. Quellón; which is the southern portion of the island, with areas only recently colonized.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Osorno's airport.
• Greeting and assistance at Puerto Montt's airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Osorno, Puyehue, Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and Activities:

• Osorno and its surroundings.
• Puyehue National Park, Aguas Calientes and Antillanca ski resort.
• Transfer service to-from San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina).
• Entre Lagos, Puyehue and Rupanco lakes.
• Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas, Frutillar, Puerto Octay and its surroundings.
• Llanquihue lake, Ensenada and Saltos del Petrohué (Falls).
• Osorno Volcano and Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park.
• Petrohué, Lago Todos los Santos, Peulla, Crossing of the Lakes to-from Bariloche.
• Angelmó, Alerce National Park, Cochamó and the Southern Highway.
• Chaitén, Futaleufú river (rafting) and Pumalín Park.
• Chiloé Island, Islands of Quinchao and Chauques, its towns and villages.
• Chacao, Ancud, Castro, Quellón, Chonchi, Achao, Curaco de Velez, Dalcahue. 
• San Rafael glacier, Coihaique, Puerto Aisén, Balmaceda, Puyuhuapi Lodge.
• River rafting, horseback riding, fishing trips, hunting, outdoors activities and more...

This zone can be divided into two distinct geographic areas: The Western Patagonia archipelago, lying west of the Andes and consisting of amaze of islands, channels, and fjords; and Eastern Patagonia, lying east of the Andes, comprising forest-clad Andean foothills and vast steppes stretching to the Atlantic.
Of this large region, only the area accessible by road -located in Eastern Patagonia- will be considered, together with the Beagle Channel and Isla Navarino sector in Western Patagonia, as it is accessible by road through Argentina and by air from Punta Arenas.
The four main areas to be considered are:
Punta Arenas; includes the Pampa and Andean foothills located to the north of the Strait of Magellan, with its center at Punta Arenas.
Tierra del Fuego; includes the Pampa and foothill areas of Tierra del Fuego’s main island, Isla Grande, located south of the Strait of Magellan.
Puerto Williams; includes the Beagle Channel and Puerto Williams, the main town in the Chilean side on Isla Navarino. It is a jumping-off point for spectacular sailing trips through glacier-draped channels to Cape Horn.
Puerto Natales; comprises the Ultima Esperanza Sound territory, an especially scenic part of Magallanes, the highlight of which is the Torres del Paine National Park. This area can also be the starting point for the return journey north.

Services:

• Greeting and assistance at Punta Arena’s airport.
• Transfer service to a selected hotel in Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales.
• Hotel reservations at preferred properties. See Hotels.

Tours and activities:

• Punta Arenas and surroundings.
• Otway penguin colony (Season Nov - Feb)
• Isla Magdalena penguin colony (Season Nov - Feb)
• Transfer service to-from Ushuaia, Argentina.
• Transfer service to-from Rio Gallegos, Argentina.
• Puerto Natales and surroundings.
• Torres del Paine National Park.
• Balmaceda & Serrano glacier.
• Transfer service to-from El Calafate, Argentina.
• Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina.
• Perito Moreno glaciar, Argentina.
• El Chaltén, Argentina.

• Lira # 441, Suite 65, Santiago de Chile.
• Phone: +(56.2) 2635.0541 / 2570.9293  info@chilequest.com