Chile138Chile's capital city is located in the central valley, fl anked by the Andes to the east and the coastal range to the west. It is a lively and dynamic capital including several buildings in the historic downtown area - the Presidential Palace called 'La Moneda', Plaza de Armas (main square) and the imposing Metropolitan Cathedral. If time permits, we recommend taking an afternoon trip into the Andes as an introduction to the beautiful wildfl owers and breath-taking scenery of the country. You may well see your fi rst Andean condor too!Hotel Rugendas MIDHotel Rugendas is a boutique style hotel in a quiet location, which is tastefully decorated. It has comfortable rooms, a restaurant, plus a gym and sauna. It's a lovely hotel, which offers a warm welcome to Santiago.Galerías Hotel MIDThe Galerías Hotel offers excellent services in a lovely historic setting in downtown Santiago. If you want a modern hotel, which is centrally located, this is the hotel for you. It has 162 spacious rooms, including six suites. Each room is air-conditioned.W Hotel HIGH For ultimate luxury, we recommend the new W Hotel. It's unique in its design and is a good alternative for people looking for something extravagant. Near to the quiet Las Condes district, it's a retreat from the frenetic pace of Santiago, and affords views to the snow-capped Andes.If you look at a map of the Americas it's likely that a very long and narrow country will catch your eye. Chile is a geographical extravaganza in its own right - nearly 5,000 kilometres long but only 150 kilometres wide. Located on the western side of South America, Chile is fl anked by the high Andes and the cold Pacifi c Ocean. In the north sits the driest desert in the world, the Atacama, while in the south the immense and contrasting landscape of Patagonia emerges between deep fjords, glaciers and vast steppes. This vastly contrasting landscape allows for the existence of a mosaic of habitats and ecosystems and correspondingly an amazingly diverse array of wildlife. We can tailor-make you a truly wonderful wildlife holiday.Talk to an expert 0845 130 6982Santiago

ValparaisoValparaiso is one of the oldest cities in Chile and currently one of its main ports. Located on a beautiful bay, a short distance from Santiago, this UNESCO World Heritage Site literally hangs from the steep coastal cliffs. It is an extraordinary setting. A variety of seabirds including the stunning Inca tern and humboldt penguins can be seen in the surrounding coastal areas of Valparaiso, while the wineries of the Casablanca and Colchagua valleys, Chile's wine valleys, are located a relatively short distance away - a retreat of delicious food and fi ne wines! Zero Hotel HIGH Facing the Pacifi c Ocean, this beautiful property affords wonderful views - perfect from dawn to dusk - and is a great place from which to enjoy the stunning location of Valparaiso. It's a boutique property, a converted house, which provides class and comfort for your stay.Atacama Desert & the Altiplano Chile's Atacama Desert comprises the virtually lifeless coastal pampas, plains that are dissected by dramatic and deep river gorges. To the east, this barren, lunar landscape, changes abruptly as it rises through the foothills of the Andes. This becomes the impressive Altiplano, with its alluvial salt basins, fabulous snow-capped volcanoes and a surprising variety of wildlife. Lake Verde and the El Tatio geysers are well worth a visit. Surrounded by volcanoes, the beautiful emerald green lake is home to fl ocks of Andean fl amingos as well ostrich-like nandus, guanacos and vicunas. Hotel Alto Atacama HIGH To get the most out of this unique landscape, we recommend staying in the midst of it. The Hotel Alto Atacama is located in the fertile Catarpe valley, three kilometres from San Pedro, but a world away; you'll be surrounded by silence, and a rugged mountain environment. Rooms are comfortable, with private terrace to enjoy the views.Awasi HIGH Awasi is a luxurious oasis in the desert. It has only eight rooms, built from wood, adobe and stone, and each has both indoor and outdoor showers, a verandah with beautiful views and spacious areas for relaxing and reading. It is perhaps the perfect place for relaxation and refl ection after some time in the desert.Hotel Poblado Kimal MIDThis is a great mid-range option offering comfortable accommodation in lovely rooms, which blend perfectly with the surrounding environment. Each room has a balcony to enjoy starry evenings after you've been out exploring during the day and maybe making use of the lovely swimming pool!Lauca National ParkLauca, in northern Chile, is a wild and remote park with stunning scenery. Putre, at an altitude of 3,500 metres, is the base for visits to the park and has a wonderful setting in the hills with the Nevados de Putre as a backdrop. There are several pre-Inca ruins nearby as well as prehistoric caves with 5,000-year old hand paintings. Excursions from Putre are generally either by jeep or on foot and wildlife you could hope to see includes vicuna, guanaco, taruca, Andean deer, puma, alpaca, vizcachas and armadillo.Hosteria Las Vicunas MIDLocated in Putre, this is a rustic hosteria, which provides a good base from which to explore the nearby parks. Rooms are comfortable, but don't expect luxury, with ample public areas for relaxing. Hotel El Paso MIDCentrally located, this hotel offers a nice environment in which to stay and is close to Arica's centre. Arica is an alternative base which we use on our itineraries after visits to Lauca National Park. The hotel has nice gardens and 80 modern rooms with air-conditioning.Patagonia & the Straits of MagellanPatagonia is a land of superlatives. It is a vast and contrasting region extending across the tip of the southern-most portions of South America. The southern Andes act as a monumental barrier on this area, while towards the Pacifi c Ocean into Chile, the land has been broken by glacial action resulting in hundreds of fjords and channels and thousands of islands. Within the Straits of Magellan is Chile's fi rst and only marine reserve, Francisco Coloane Marine Park, which protects the incredible marine biodiversity of the western branch of the Straits. It holds a summer population of humpback whales (and occasionally sei and orca whales), as well as Chilean and Peale's dolphin, South American sealion and southern fur seals. Tierra del Fuego comprises all of the archipelagic area to the south of the Straits of Magellan and is home to active breeding colonies of penguins and sea lions, and there are numerous majestic albatrosses to see too. San Isidro Lodge MIDThis small, intimate lodge is located at the site of Chile's southern-most lighthouse. It accommodates only 12 people. The rooms are comfortable and the food is magnifi cent. It is the perfect base from which to explore the Straits of Magellan.Or visit us on the web www.wildlifeworldwide.com139THE AMERICAS | CHILE