Chile and Easter Island by Nick Laing

"From the bustling city of Santiago, with its backdrop of mountains, to the wilds of Patagonia and west to the quite wonderful isolation of Easter Island, Chile offers a fantastically diverse and dramatic landscape," reports Nick Laing, Chairman of Steppes Travel.



At over 2,600 miles long and stretching from the chilly seas of the south Pacific to the heat of the tropics it is hardly surprising that Chile encompasses such dramatic variations. My whirlwind trip took me from the cosmopolitan, bustling city of Santiago, with its backdrop of mountains, south to the wilds of Patagonia, north to the dryness of the Atacama and then west to the quite wonderful isolation of Easter Island.






At the southern end of Chile lies the wild, windswept, flat, barren expanse of Patagonia. Once heavily forested all that remains now is the odd clump of stunted beach trees, bent and sculpted by the wind. The rest has become a huge grazing area for sheep, beef and horses split into estancias ranging from 7 - 50,000 acres. But within this otherwise desolate land lie some intriguing areas and none more beautiful than the Torres del Paine national park. Covering an area of 600,000 acres this UNESCO biosphere reserve rises from a myriad of turquoise, ultramarine and grey lakes to the dramatic heights of the Torres Del Paine from which the park takes its name. Essentially an outdoor activity destination, my days were spent on easy walks beside blue glaciers or to catch the tantalising glimpse of soaring peaks. An afternoon of riding found muscles that were long forgotten although the BBQ that followed had beef that would convert a vegetarian. Mountain biking and fishing (at the right time of year) were also available.

A flight via Santiago took me to the opposite end of the country to the Atacama. The driest, highest desert in the world where I again stayed at the Explora Hotel, an oasis of comfort. Days were spent exploring, although the spa and pools were a tempting distraction. Mountain biking in a variety of terrains and long drives which took us to over 13,000ft where remote lakes reflected the ever changing colours of the surrounding peaks. The local village of San Pedro de Atacama is a back packer haven and consequently little cafés had sprung up serving delicious cheap food. In the evenings we were taken out to the salt lake to watch the sun transform the mountains from rich red to deep purple and, as the last rays flickered, so the flamingos glided in silently to begin their nocturnal feed.

Back to Santiago and the 5 hour flight to Easter Island. It might sound like an unnecessary addition but do not be discouraged. It is worth every minute of the journey. Smaller than the Isle of Wight, looking like the west coast of Scotland and dominated by three extinct volcanoes, it retains a magic that is hard to pinpoint. Populated by a fun loving Polynesian people who migrated around the 5th century AD, the small town has plenty of small bars and restaurants. The highlight, of course, are the moai, the extraordinary statues standing some 30ft tall representing the ancestors of the people. There are long easy walks to be had along the cliff tops or up to the crater edge. Toppled moai are everywhere, a testament to the inter clan fighting which destroyed this culture somewhere in the 12th century. I loved it.




My final half day was spent on a walking tour in the port of Valparaiso, about an hour from Santiago airport. We passed brightly painted houses clad in corrugated iron and vibrant street art (now the subject of a book), rode a 19th century funicular (there are 6) which still serve the city, visited museums and ended with a really delicious lunch. Valparaiso is just emerging as the trendy place to live and consequently has an excitement to it. It is also well located for visits to several excellent vineyards.

For any more information do not hesitate to either ring myself or indeed any member of the Latin American team. More information on Chile can be found in the relevant section.