Originally Posted by
SuperDudley
Looking for some recommendations for Chile in August/September. We are going down to Patagonia for six nights (yes I know it's winter) and staying at Explora Patagonia. I have another six nights to plan before our return trip out of Santiago. I was looking at Puerto Varas for three nights and then spending three nights in Santiago. Information seems to be very limited, especially for visits in the winter.
Not sure how much outdoor activites we are going to want to engage in after Patagonia as our intent is to hike most of the 'W' in Torres Del Paine, weather permitting. However if there are some spots we should check out please send our way. Neither one of us ski so we don't want to do that. Also, not terribly interested in going to the desert in the north, I'm just not a desert person. Any recommendations?
We do like wine, food, museums, and outdoor activities.
3 nights in Pto. Varas is a long time, especially in the rain. It is a tiny picturesque little tiny (did I say tiny?) town. So are the nearby towns of Pto. Octay and Frutillar. Valdivia (not tiny) would also not be a fun place in the winter. I suppose the termas at Puyehue could be nice, even in miserable weather. Road conditions should be good in all but the most miserable weather. Nonetheless, I'd go stircrazy bored out there for 3 nights indoors, steaming hot water or not.
Even though you're not a big desert fan (and I'm not going to recommend the more famous, and farther, desert locations), you might consider the short flight hop up to La Serena and drive out into the Valle de Elqui. Odds are very good that you will have clear skies, and the scenery (mountainous desert and you'll be in a narrow river valley) is spectacular. The northermost wine (generally) is grown there, most of the country's pisco grapes come from there, and it is the home of many of the southern hemisphere's great telescopes. Consider a couple of nights out at a cabaņa in Cochiguaz. If there's a new moon, you'll see billions of stars.