Chile

Tailor Made Holidays in Chile

"In the beginning of time, God created the wonders of the world. When he was finished, he saw that he had many leftover pieces. He had parts of rivers and valleys, of oceans and lakes, of glaciers and desert, of mountains and forests, and of meadows and hills. Rather than to let such beauty go to waste, God put them all together and cast them to the most remote corner of the earth. This is how Chile was born." (A Chilean Legend)

Chile is a long, thin country from salty desert top to Patagonia's glacier bottom. This narrow country is jammed with geysers, mountains, forests, volcanoes and beaches. It is a land of bewildering diversity and proud people. Chile's sheer size means it is almost impossible to cover the whole country in a single trip. Travellers are drawn to Chile because of its spectacular Pacific coastline and Andean highlands, as well as specialist interests such as golf, wine, astronomy or skiing.

Chile and Argentina share a border and both countries lend themselves to being combined as holiday destinations. There are many options for crossing from one to the other from the desert in the north, Santiago, the Lake District, or Patagonia, depending on your travel ideas. Our holiday specialists will carefully plan your itinerary for a truly individual tailor-made experience.

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Chile's European heritage is evident, meaning that Western travellers here are less conspicuous than in neighboring Peru and Bolivia. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic, though Protestantism is becoming increasingly popular. Despite damage inflicted by numerous earthquakes the country's Catholic architecture is impressive, from grand colonial churches to roadside shrines, some of which are extraordinary manifestations of folk art. Spanish is Chile's official language, though a handful of native languages are still spoken. In the north, there are more than 20,000 speakers of Aymara, and in the south there are perhaps half a million speakers of Mapuche. The most intriguing linguistic minority is the 2000-plus speakers of Rapa Nui, the Polynesian language of most of Easter Island's population.

Chile's cuisine reflects the country's topographical variety, and features seafood, beef, fresh fruit and vegetables. Empanadas are large turnover snacks with a variety of fillings; humitas are corn tamales; and there are a variety of potato- and flour-based breads. Chile's biggest standard meal is lomo a lo pobre - an enormous slab of beef topped with two fried eggs and served with chips. Curanto, one of the nation's finest dishes, is a hearty stew of fish, shellfish, chicken, pork, lamb, beef and potato. Chilean wines are arguably South America's best.

At ICAN Holidays we pride ourselves in the fact that we offer clients what they want - our packages are all tailor made. Only you know what your ideal holiday should include. Whether you want to concentrate on culture or spend time wildlife watching, sample a city’s hustle and bustle or relax in a secluded beauty spot, ICAN Holidays will assist you discover the joy of designing a unique holiday just for you.

Throughout this website we have provided suggested itineraries for all the regions we visit, and you may wish to base your travels on these. After an initial consultation, one of our Specialists will create a unique itinerary for your holiday, complete with background information, historical notes, colour pictures, etc. We will not begin to book your holiday until you are completely satisfied with it.

Because our Specialists regularly travel to the regions you will be visiting, they can offer invaluable advice and suggestions for things to see and do while you are there and you can be confident that your unique itinerary has been created by someone who has extensive first-hand knowledge of the places and accommodation it contains.

Chile always has a destination or two suitable for holiday makers whatever the season. But if your heart is set on one part of the country, pick your trip dates carefully. Santiago and Middle Chile are best in the spring (September through November) or during the autumn harvest (late February into April), while Chile's southern charms, Parque Nacional del Paine in Magallanes and the lakes region are best in summer (December through March). The parched Atacama Desert can be explored year-round, although summer days sizzle and nights are bitterly cold at higher altitudes throughout the year. In the northern altiplano, summer is the rainy season, though this usually means only a brief afternoon downpour.

Chile in the winter can be a wonderland for skiers; the country's resorts attract hordes from July through September. Easter Island is cooler, slightly cheaper and much less crowded outside the summer months. The same is true of the Juan Fernández archipelago, which can be inaccessible if winter rains erode the dirt airstrip; March is an ideal time for a visit. Summer is high season.

Chile's Patagonia region has a very changeable climate, and being so far south you must be prepared for anything even during the tourist months (October to March). Outside this period the area is effectively closed.

All our holidays are unique travel experiences, and therefore tailor-made to suit individual requirements. We do not publish prices on our website as they can vary enormously for tailor-made travel.

Prices are generally for private arrangements and are per person using economy class flights based on two people travelling together and sharing a room.

There are a number of factors which will influence the price of your travel arrangements, these include the standard of hotel (we offer a variety of standards from ‘three star’ to the super-luxurious), the season, the duration of your trip, the class of flights and the airline used, the level of private guiding and the complexity of the itinerary. Our specialists will be delighted to discuss the various options in more detail with you.

ICAN Guides Chile

ICAN Itineraries Chile

Chile

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Tailor Made Holidays in Chile

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