★ A Geographical Extravaganza ★
From its tropical desert border with Peru to the frigid snows of its Antarctic outpost at King George Island, Chile offers almost everything South America has except tropical rain forest. In an area roughly the size of Texas, it can boast a progressive metropolis in the capital city of Santiago, an almost endless coastline, a Mediterranean wine country that compares favorably with California, vast deserts rich with archaeological treasures, lush midlatitude rain forests, and sub-Antarctic fjords and tundra. The high Andes, South Americas spinal cord with its spectacular snow-topped volcanoes, runs the length of the country before disappearing beneath the southern oceans. Lush Andean woodlands line pristine rivers and lakes, with wild high trekking country on the edge of their sprawling icefields. Chile also offers the megalithic monuments of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the vastness of the South Pacific.
Chile Travel Adventures covers popular highlights such as San Pedro de Atacama and the granite spires of Torres del Paine, but also offers itinerary suggestions that include unforgettable off-beat sights such as the Juan Fernández archipelago, at least a partial source of the Robinson Crusoe legend; nitrate desert ghost towns such as Humberstone and Chacabuco; little-visited central Andean parks and reserves that would be overrun with hikers in Europe or North America; and misty fjordlands that make the Alaska Panhandle look like an urban jungle. There is also abundant practical information, including hotels, transportation options, and advice on dealing with Chilean bureaucracy, including visas and customs, currency exchange, and cultural background. There are numerous entries on national parks, flora and fauna, and food and wine.
★ About the Author ★
Over the past 30 years, Wayne Bernhardson has visited every Chilean region, from the Peruvian to its Antarctic outpost on King George Island, while researching and writing guidebooks for various publishers including Moon Handbooks and National Geographic Traveler. In the process he has driven well over 100,000 kilometers on the countrys highways and backroads, and lived for extended periods in Santiago and Lauca National Park, where he wrote his M.A. thesis on llama and alpaca herders. Every year he spends five months in southernmost South America, some of that time in Argentina, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands as well. He has also written for newpapers and magazines including the San Francisco Chronicle, National Geographic Traveler, and Latin Trade.
★ About Sutro Media ★
This guide is published in partnership with Sutro Media. By enabling local writers to share their expertise on mobile phones, Sutro Media is making it easier and more fun to explore the world!
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