Wedged between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, the best known fact about Chile is its wholly improbable shape. Stretching 4,000 km (2,500 mi) south from the base of Peru right to the tip of the continent, it has almost three times as much coastline as its neighbour, yet only half the total landmass.

As you might expect of such a country, Chile features huge extremes in its landscape. The very north of the country is occupied by the world's driest desert, some parts of which have never felt a drop of rain, while deep in the south, the famous ice fields of Tierra del Fuego stretch out into the distance like giant floating boulders. In between, more hospitable terrain greets visitors; palm-fringed sandy beaches and well-developed ski-resorts can be reached in a couple of hours from Santiago and further south, the Lake District and Patagonia both feature world-class hiking. On your way down, you can stay in a comfortable hacienda in the midst of Wine Country.

The best time to visit Chile depends on which areas you are planning to visit. You can visit Northern Chile all year round, although rain falls in January and February, which can occasionally make road travel difficult. Santiago and the central region is best between September and April, when the smog (in Santiago) is minimal and skies are blue.

Chileans take their holidays in January and February, so the beaches can get very crowded at this time. Ski resorts are open between June and September. For Patagonia and the Lake District, October to April is a good time - it can rain at any time of year, and falls more the further south you go.

Chile Travel Guide Info provided by V!VA Travel Guides

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