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Chile (North)
The north is famous for the Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth. You can watch geysers shoot steam into the morning air or look at the brightest starry night skies. It really feels like stepping onto another planet.
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Summary
Did you know?
Atacama Bloom – The driest desert on earth occasionally transforms overnight into a thick carpet of purple and white wildflowers after rare freak rains.
Overview
Months
April, August, December, February, January, July, June, March, May, November, October, September
Vacation type
Beach, Family, Mountains, Surfing
Expenses
<150€, <200€, <100€, Over 200€, 0-50€
Temperature
10-20°C, 20-25°C
Rainfall
0-50mm
Safety
Safe
Continent
South America
Currency
Chilean peso
Languages
Spanish
Currency Converter
When to visit
The best time to visit Northern Chile is during the shoulder seasons of spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May). During these months, the extreme temperature swings of the desert are moderated, daytime temperatures sit comfortably between 20°C and 25°C (68°F to 77°F), and the skies are impeccably clear for stargazing.
While the Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert in the world, the high-altitude regions (like San Pedro de Atacama and Lauca National Park) experience an anomalous "Altiplanic Winter" (Bolivian Winter) from late December through February. During this high-summer period, sudden torrential rainstorms and flash floods can wash out dirt roads, closing access to the El Tatio geysers and altiplanic lagoons. Conversely, these same summer months are the peak beach season for domestic tourists flocking to the coast of Iquique and La Serena.
The true winter (June to August) brings frigid, sub-zero nighttime temperatures to the high desert, requiring heavy thermal gear, though the daytime skies remain brilliantly sunny.
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Plan the whole vacation, including flights, transportation, hotels and tours with Expedia *
Climate Data
Peak Season: September to November & March to May (Dry Shoulder Seasons)
Average Sunny Hours per Day: 9 to 11 hours.
Rain Frequency: 0 to 1 day per month.
Rainy Hours per Day: 0 hours.
Intensity: Bone dry.
Duration: Endless, cloudless blue skies. The coastal cities like Arica and Iquique experience a mild morning coastal fog known as camanchaca that burns off by midday.
Off-Peak Season: January to February (Altiplanic Winter) & June to August (Cold Andean Winter)
Average Sunny Hours per Day: 7 to 9 hours.
Rain Frequency: 3 to 6 days per month (strictly during Jan-Feb in the high Altiplano).
Rainy Hours per Day: 1 to 3 hours (when it hits).
Intensity: Sudden, violent summer flash floods in the mountains; completely dry but freezing cold nights in the winter.
Duration: Summer storms pass quickly but leave severe road damage in their wake.
Climate Chart
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Data Source: Global Historical Climatology Network
ClimateCharts.net
Weather, Crowds and Costs
Per one person
Tourist Season: September-November & March-May
Budget Vacation ($45-75/day)
Accommodation: $15-25/night (backpacker hostels in San Pedro de Atacama or La Serena).
Food: $10-15/day (empanadas, local set-menu colaciones at the municipal markets).
Activities: $10-20/day (renting a bicycle to ride through the Valle de la Luna, entry to coastal forts).
Transportation: $6-10/day (Turbus or Pullman intercity buses, shared colectivo taxis).
Other Costs: $4/day (bottled water, lip balm, sunscreen).
Mid-Range Vacation ($100-220/day)
Accommodation: $50-120/night (comfortable adobe-style boutique hotels in San Pedro, 3-star beachside hotels in La Serena).
Food: $20-40/day (wood-fired pizzas, casual desert cafes, fresh coastal seafood dining).
Activities: $25-60/day (shared minibus excursions to the altiplanic lagoons, guided night-sky astronomy tours).
Transportation: $15-30/day (domestic low-cost flight hops via Sky Airline or JetSMART, airport shuttle transfers).
Other Costs: $8/day (tips, entry fees to indigenous community lands).
Luxury Vacation ($350-800+/day)
Accommodation: $250-600+/night (all-inclusive luxury desert lodges like Tierra Atacama or Explora, offering spa treatments and private volcano views).
Food: Included in luxury lodge packages, or $60-120/day (gourmet Andean-fusion dining, premium Chilean wine pairings).
Activities: $100-250+/day (private 4x4 guided expeditions to the salt flats, hot air ballooning over the Atacama, private stargazing with an astronomer).
Transportation: $80-150+/day (private chauffeured 4WD vehicle transfers from Calama).
Other Costs: $20+/day (alpaca wool textiles, high-end Pisco bottles).
Off-Peak Season: January-February (Rain Risk) & June-August (Cold)
Budget Vacation ($35-60/day)
Accommodation: $12-20/night (discounted hostel beds in winter).
Food: $8-15/day (street food, local bakeries).
Activities: $8-15/day (local museum entries, walking the beaches).
Transportation: $5-10/day (local buses, walking).
Other Costs: $2/day (hot tea, extra water).
Mid-Range Vacation ($80-160/day)
Accommodation: $40-90/night (winter discounts on standard hotel rooms with space heaters).
Food: $18-35/day (indoor dining, cozy cafes).
Activities: $20-45/day (thermal bath entries, discounted shared tours).
Transportation: $15-25/day (ride-hailing, shared transfers).
Other Costs: $5/day (laundry, hot chocolate).
Luxury Vacation ($250-550+/day)
Accommodation: $180-400+/night (luxury lodges offering winter promotional rates).
Food: $50-90/day (hotel restaurants, fine dining).
Activities: $80-150/day (private thermal spa days, sheltered valley tours).
Transportation: $50-100/day (heated private vehicle transfers).
Other Costs: $15/day (artisan shopping).
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You can find accomendations that fit your trip and budget on Booking.com, Vrbo and Hotels.com
Best Regions to visit
Cities
1. San Pedro de Atacama
- A dusty, unpaved adobe oasis town that serves as the undisputed tourist capital and logistical hub for exploring the Atacama Desert.
2. La Serena
- The second oldest city in Chile, known for its elegant neo-colonial architecture, long sandy beaches, and its role as the gateway to the Elqui Valley.
3. Arica
- Known as the "City of Eternal Spring," this northernmost border city with Peru features excellent surf breaks and the soaring Morro de Arica cliff.
4. Iquique
- A coastal city framed by the ocean and a massive, towering sand dune (Cerro Dragón), famous for its duty-free shopping zone (Zofri) and 19th-century Georgian architecture.
5. Antofagasta
- A sprawling, wealthy port city driven by the copper mining industry, acting as the commercial anchor of the north.
Antofagasta
Did you know?
Handmade Mummies – The Chinchorro mummies found here are thousands of years older than the Egyptian ones and were carefully painted with clay and mud.
Islands
1. Isla Damas
- Part of the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve off the coast of the Coquimbo region, featuring white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and thriving colonies of penguins, sea lions, and bottlenose dolphins.
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Find the perfect place to stay in any of these top cities and islands with Booking.com, Hotels.com and Vrbo – offering entire homes and apartments for a comfortable and private experience.
Things to see
Natural Attractions
1. Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon)
- A jagged, desolate landscape of wind-sculpted sand dunes, salt caves, and stone formations just outside San Pedro, famous for its intense, color-shifting sunsets.
2. El Tatio Geysers
- Located at 4,320 meters (14,170 feet) above sea level, this is the third-largest geyser field in the world, best viewed at dawn when the steam columns billow dramatically in the freezing air.
3. Elqui Valley
- A lush, intensely green agricultural valley winding through arid mountains east of La Serena, globally celebrated as the heart of Chilean Pisco production and the first designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world.
4. Salar de Atacama (Chaxa Lagoon)
- Chile’s largest salt flat, characterized by a crusty, rugged white surface and shallow brine lagoons that serve as a feeding ground for three species of pink flamingos.
5. Laguna Cejar
- A striking sinkhole lake in the salt flats containing a salt concentration so incredibly high that swimmers float effortlessly on the surface, much like the Dead Sea.
6. Lauca National Park
- A high-altitude biosphere reserve in the far north near Arica, featuring the snow-capped Parinacota volcano reflecting perfectly in the waters of Lake Chungará.
Historical and Cultural Sites
1. Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
- A UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of eerie, abandoned 19th-century ghost towns in the barren desert, preserving the brutal history of Chile's nitrate mining boom.
2. Pukará de Quitor
- A 12th-century pre-Inca stone fortress built by the Atacameño people, terraced onto a strategic hillside just outside San Pedro de Atacama.
3. Chinchorro Mummies (Azapa Valley)
- Housed in the archaeological museum near Arica, these are the oldest artificially mummified human remains in the world, predating the Egyptian mummies by over 2,000 years.
Unique Experiences
1. Astronomical Stargazing in the Desert
- Looking through high-powered research-grade telescopes in the Elqui Valley or the Atacama Desert to view Saturn's rings, nebulas, and the Magellanic Clouds under the clearest skies on Earth.
2. Sandboarding down Cerro Dragón
- Strapping onto a wooden board to carve down the face of the largest urban sand dune in the world, looming directly over the city of Iquique.
3. Floating in the Hidden Altiplanic Lagoons
- Swimming in the hypersaline, freezing waters of Laguna Cejar or the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons, completely surrounded by a blindingly white landscape of crystallized salt.
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The best way to explore major cities and must-see attractions is by booking guided tours.* They offer convenience, local insights, and often save time when visiting popular sights.
Valle de la Luna
Unique Accomondations/Foodspots
Accommodations
Explora Atacama
Location: San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile
A legendary luxury adventure lodge situated in the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, designed for deep exploration of salt flats, geysers, and volcanoes, complemented by minimalist architecture, thermal baths, and deep desert solitude.
Restaurants / Bars
Adobe
Location: Caracoles, San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile
A charming, rustic-chic dining establishment featuring open-air courtyard seating around crackling fires, celebrated for its comforting Andean cuisine, grilled meats, and refreshing local pisco sours.
Tours to do
1. El Tatio Geysers Sunrise Expedition
- A bracing, early-morning guided tour departing from San Pedro de Atacama around 4:30 AM to reach the geothermal field (at 4,320 meters) before dawn. Visitors walk carefully among the hissing fumaroles and bubbling mud pots as the sun crests the Andes, warming the freezing air, followed by a light breakfast served out of the back of the tour van and a stop at the highland village of Machuca to try llama empanadas.
Duration: Half-day (approx. 7 to 8 hours, returns by noon).
Best Time: September to May (frequently closed by snow in winter or floods in Jan-Feb).
Average Cost: $49 – $79 per person (includes roundtrip transport, guide, and breakfast; park entry fees are usually paid in cash at the gate).
2. Valle de la Luna Sunset Tour
- The quintessential Atacama excursion. Departing San Pedro in the late afternoon, a guide leads visitors through the surreal, lunar-like salt caverns and the massive "Amphitheater" rock formation. The tour concludes by climbing up a massive sand dune ridge to watch the setting sun turn the distant Licancabur volcano bright pink and purple.
Duration: Half-day (approx. 4 to 5 hours).
Best Time: Year-round.
Average Cost: $30 – $40 per person (includes transport and guide; park fees extra).
3. Elqui Valley Pisco & Astronomy Day Tour
- A cultural and sensory journey departing from La Serena. The tour winds up into the lush vineyards of the Elqui Valley, stopping at traditional Pisco distilleries (like Pisco Mistral or artisanal makers) for guided tastings. After a traditional lunch in the town of Vicuña, the group visits the Mamalluca Observatory in the evening for a guided naked-eye and telescope stargazing session.
Duration: Full day / Evening (approx. 10 hours).
Best Time: Year-round (skies are clear over 300 days a year).
Average Cost: $58 – $83 per person (includes transport from La Serena, distillery tour, Pisco tasting, and observatory entry).
El Tatio Geysers
How to get around
1. Domestic Flights (LATAM, Sky Airline, JetSMART)
- The distances in Northern Chile are massive. Flying is the most efficient way to travel. El Loa Airport in Calama (CJC) is the gateway for San Pedro de Atacama (a 1.5-hour drive away), while La Florida Airport (LSC) serves La Serena, and Chacalluta (ARI) serves Arica.
2. Long-Distance Buses
- Companies like Turbus and Pullman operate an excellent, comfortable fleet of double-decker buses. Book a Cama (lie-flat) or Semi-Cama seat for the long overnight journeys along the Pan-American Highway (Ruta 5).
3. Calama to San Pedro Transfers
- There are no direct commercial flights to San Pedro. Upon landing in Calama, you must take a pre-booked shared shuttle van (approx. $15-$20) or a private transfer across the desert to San Pedro.
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You can find great car rental deals for your vacation on Expedia *
Did you know?
Ghost Mining Towns – The northern desert is dotted with eerie, abandoned wooden saltpeter mining towns like Humberstone that look like frozen cowboy ghost towns.
What to eat
1. Pastel de Choclo
- A corn pie made with layers of ground meat, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and topped with a sweet corn mixture.
2. Empanadas
- Baked or fried pastries filled with meat, cheese, or seafood, often enjoyed as a snack or light meal.
3. Completo
- A Chilean hot dog topped with avocado, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, and salsa, offering a unique twist on the classic.
4. Cazuela
- A hearty meat and vegetable stew, typically made with chicken or beef, served with potatoes and corn.
5. Pebre
- A fresh condiment made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and chili peppers, often served with bread or grilled meats.
Empanadas
Flights
Flight prices are approximate and vary by departure city, airline, and booking time. Check airlines or travel platforms for the latest details.
* Please note: All prices are rough estimates for orientation purposes only and may vary by region.
Main Airport: El Loa Airport (CJC) in Calama, La Florida Airport (LSC) in La Serena
(Note: SCL in Santiago is the mandatory international gateway for all flights entering Chile. Travelers must clear customs in Santiago before boarding a 2-hour domestic flight to Calama [CJC] or a 1-hour flight to La Serena [LSC]).
Flight Prices and Seasons
From North America:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $600 to $1,100 (Direct flights from Miami, New York-JFK, -Atlanta, and Dallas via LATAM, American, and Delta).
- Cheapest Months: April, May, and September.
- Peak Prices: December, January, and July.
From Europe:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $850 to $1,400 (Direct flights from Madrid, Paris, and London via Iberia, LATAM, Air France, and British Airways).
- Cheapest Months: March, April, and November.
- Peak Prices: July, August, and December.
From Australia (Domestic/Oceania):
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $1,000 to $1,600 (Direct trans-Pacific flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Santiago via LATAM and Qantas).
- Cheapest Months: May and August.
- Peak Prices: December and January.
From Asia:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $1,500 to $2,500 (Requires connecting flights through major US hubs like Los Angeles or via Auckland/Sydney).
- Cheapest Months: October and November.
- Peak Prices: Lunar New Year, July, and August.
From Africa:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $1,200 to $2,000 (Connecting through European transit hubs or via São Paulo, Brazil).
- Cheapest Months: March and November.
- Peak Prices: July, August, and December.
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You can find the best flight deals with Skyscanner or plan the whole vacation, including flights, transportation, hotels and tours with Expedia *
Airport Location
Visa
1. Visa Requirement
- Most travelers do not need a visa to enter Chile for short stays, including citizens of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many EU countries.
2. Visa-Free Countries
- Citizens of several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, can enter without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
3. Visa Application
- Travelers from countries that require a visa must apply at a Chilean embassy or consulate before traveling.
4. Types of Visa
- Commonly issued as tourist visas or business visas, typically valid for stays of up to 90 days.
5. Processing Time
- Visa processing can take from a few days to a few weeks, so it's advisable to apply well in advance.
6. Duration of Stay
- Most visa-free visitors can stay for up to 90 days, and visa holders are usually granted the same duration.
7. Health Requirements
- No specific vaccinations are required for entry, but travel insurance is recommended.
Important things to know
1. Payments
- The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP). Credit cards are widely accepted in urban areas.
2. Tap Water
- Tap water is generally safe to drink in most areas.
3. Electricity
- The voltage is 220V, and plug types C and L (two round pins) are used. An adapter may be needed for devices from other regions.
4. Tipping in Restaurants
- Tipping is customary, with 10-15% being standard for good service in restaurants.
5. SIM Cards
- Local SIM cards are available from providers like Entel, Movistar, and Claro. They can be purchased at stores, offering various prepaid data plans.
6. Driving Side
- In Chile, people drive on the right side of the road.
Souveniers
1. Lapis Lazuli Jewelry
- A rare and stunning blue gemstone found in Chile.
2. Carménère Wine
- A bold red wine unique to Chile.
3. Handcrafted Wooden Figurines
- Representing Chilean culture and traditions.
Lapis Lazuli Jewelry
Location
Reviews
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