|  Chile
is a country of startling contrasts and extreme beauty, with attractions
ranging from the towering volcanic peaks of the Andes to the ancient
forests of the Lake District. There are a multitude of very good
parks here, and plenty of opportunities for fine adventure travel.
Chile is justly famous as the location of Torres del Paine, considered
by many to be the finest nature travel destination in all of South
America.
For anyone who has ever been
fascinated by geography, the long, impossibly thin line of Chile
has always produced a tiny moment of astonishment. Chile stretches
over 4,300 km (2,700 mi) along the southwestern coast of South
America, a distance roughly the same as that from San Francisco
to New York, or Edinburgh to Baghdad. At the same time, its width
never exceeds 240 km (150 mi), making the country more than eighteen
times longer than its widest point.
 The
most obvious factor in Chile's remarkable slenderness is the massive,
virtually impassable wall of the Andes, a mountain range that
is still rising and that contains more than fifty active volcanic
peaks. The western border is of course the Pacific Ocean, but
it is a misconception to picture Chile as nothing more than the
steep western slope of the Andean peaks. All along its length
Chile is marked by a narrow depression between the mountains and
the sea. To the north the land rises and becomes more arid, until
one reaches the forbidding Atacama Desert, one of the most inhospitable
regions on earth. To the south just the opposite transformation
takes place: the land falls away, and the region between mountains
and ocean fades into the baffling maze of small islands that terminates
in Chilean Patagonia. Chile's southern extremity is marked by
Cape Horn, a treacherous headland surrounded by almost continuously
storm-tossed seas and passable only through the foggy stillness
of the Strait of Magellan.
 In
the center of the country, however, is a long and expansive river
valley, a five hundred mile corridor occupied in the north by
vineyards and great farms and in the south by primeval forests
and enchanting lakes. Santiago, the capital, anchors the northern
and more prosperous section of the central valley. The lush Lake
District to the south, however, is the homeland of Chile's indigenous
peoples, the Araucanians.
 Also
part of Chile are two notable Pacific possessions-the Juan Fernandez
Islands and the famous Easter Island, both of which are administered
as national parks. The Juan Fernandez islands are located about
670 km off the Chilean coast, while Easter Island is situated
3700 km distant.
Chile's climate is as diverse
as its geography. Aside from the obviously extreme climatic conditions
of the Andes an the Atacama, however, the country enjoys a comfortable
temperate climate.
 Today
Chile is quickly becoming one of South America's most developed
nations. Combine this fact along with a wonderful tradition of
hospitality offered by Chileans, and you have an excellent place
to visit and to learn Spanish.
Most Chileans are mestizos,
although you can still find pure blooded Mapuche Indians, and
direct German and Swiss descendants for example. As a matter of
fact, one of the first things a traveler will notice is that many
of the cities, and the manners of many Chileans have a distinctive
European feel to them. For the traveler accustomed to places such
as Bolivia or Peru, this will come as somewhat of a surprise.
 As
a visitor, you have a wonderful array of options and activities
available to you. From a day to day standpoint, cities such as
Santiago offer a comfortable place to stay, great nightlife, excellent
transportation and services, colonial architecture, shopping,
plus much more.
While the cities are nice,
we feel that the true magic of Chile begins when you start exploring
the countryside. To the north, one can explore the vast mountains
and deserts that border Peru and Bolivia. It is interesting to
note that there are parts of the Atacama Desert that have never
recorded any precipitation! Once in this northern region, many
travelers take the opportunity to cross the border and visit places
such as La Paz or Sucre in Bolivia, or travel further north to
visit Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru.
 In
the mountains just outside of Santiago, one can enjoy some of
the finest skiing found anywhere in the world. The slopes of some
of the ski resort are within 1-2 hours of downtown Santiago. To
the south of the capital lies the Maipo Valley, home to many of
the finest wineries in the country. Take the time to get down
and visit some of these wineries. Chilean wines are quickly gaining
world wide recognition, and rightly so!
 As
you head further south, you enter the beautiful Lake District.
Due to continual precipitation, the landscape is green. It is
in this region where you will find most of the active volcanoes
of Chile plus numerous lakes, including the fourth largest lake
in South America. The scenery is absolutely beautiful!
 Finally
as you head further south, you enter some of the most inaccessible
regions of Chile. This section of the country is a maze of islands,
fjords, rivers, and lakes. In recent years, this area has become
particularly popular with fisherman looking to fish some of the
best trout lakes and streams in the world! It is also in this
region where you find high mountain areas covered with many different
glaciers. Of particular note in this region is the Parque Nacional
Torres de Paine.
Due to incredible diversity
of the geography of Chile, plus the hospitality of the people,
we are confident that you will find Chile to be one of the best
places to learn Spanish! |
