In a nutshell
- This guide covers the best Chile itinerary for a road trip — whether you have two, three, or four weeks to explore.
- On a two-week trip you’ll hit the biggest highlights: Torres del Paine National Park, the Atacama Desert, and Santiago.
- We recommend planning three weeks or more — it gives you room to breathe and lets you add standout stops like Easter Island or the W-Trek.
- The smartest way to get around is a combination of domestic flights and a rental car — though the whole route is doable by bus too.
How much time should you plan for a road trip in Chile?
Planning a trip to Chile with two to four weeks on your hands? Great! That’s plenty of time to hit Chile’s most important highlights. And of course, the more time you have, the more you can discover.
Personally, we think three weeks is the sweet spot for a vacation in Chile. Longer is always better, naturally. If you only want to see Chile’s absolute must-sees, two weeks will do the job too.
How do you get around on a road trip through Chile?
We recommend traveling with a mix of domestic flights and rental cars. Since Chile is such an elongated country, it makes sense to fly between major regions and then rent a car at each destination.
The best-known airlines in Chile are LATAM, Jetsmart, and Sky. For domestic flights, budget around 50–100 euros per leg. You can find the best connections on Skyscanner.
Search for flights on Skyscanner
For renting a car, we recommend comparing deals on Discovercars. It’s super easy to use and lets you compare different vehicles and prices at a glance.
Compare rental car deals on Discovercars
It’s also possible to travel through Chile without a car. We’ll show you how to do that at the end of this article.
Our suggested itineraries for 2, 3, and 4 weeks
We’ll walk you through our suggested chile itinerary for 14 days in detail first. After that, we’ll show you what else you can add if you have three or four weeks in Chile.
Our route through Chile in 14 days
Here’s an overview of our 14-day Chile itinerary:
- Days 1–2: Santiago
- Day 3: Valparaíso
- Day 4: Punta Arenas
- Day 5: Puerto Natales
- Day 6: Torres del Paine
- Day 7: Torres del Paine and El Calafate
- Day 8: Perito Moreno Glacier
- Day 9: Flight to Calama
- Days 10–12: Atacama Desert
- Days 13–14: Santiago
Two-week road trip through Chile on a map
To give you a better sense of where everything is located, we’ve marked all the destinations on a map:
Days 1–2: Santiago
On Day 1, you’ll land at the international airport in Santiago de Chile. After a long flight, you’ll want to get to your hotel as quickly as possible — so we recommend taking a taxi or a private transfer.
Book a private transfer from the airport to downtown Santiago
If you’d rather save some money, the public bus is a solid option too. The operators Turbus and Centropuerto run to a metro station in the city center — the exact stop depends on the operator.
We’d go with Turbus. Tickets cost 1,900 CLP (about $2.50) and the ride takes around 30 minutes. You can get off at Pajaritos or Las Rejas and continue by metro from there.
The metro gets you everywhere in Santiago easily. At the station, start by picking up a BIP card — a rechargeable transit card that costs 1,550 CLP. You load money directly onto it, and each ride deducts between 600 and 800 CLP (just under $1). Prices are a little higher during rush hour.
Note: You can only load and purchase the BIP card with cash. So withdraw money at the airport right away if you’re planning to use public transit.
Once you’re at your hotel, just rest — the flight to Chile is seriously long, so don’t plan anything else for Day 1.
On Day 2, you’re ready for some great sightseeing in the capital. The metro will get you to all the main points of interest with ease.
Our top sights in Santiago
- Cerro Santa Lucía Park
- Cerro San Cristóbal hill
- Sky Costanera skyscraper
We share more places to visit and tips in our article on the top highlights in Santiago de Chile.
Our hotel recommendations for Santiago
Since staying in a safe neighborhood really matters in Santiago, we’ve put together all the key tips for where to stay in Santiago in a separate article.
Day 3: Valparaíso
On Day 3, take a day trip to Valparaíso — a hip coastal town about 150 kilometers from Santiago. The city has fantastic street art, historic funicular elevators, and a beautiful historic district.
Valparaíso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, honestly, it’s our favorite city in all of Chile.
For Valparaíso, we recommend booking a guided day tour from Santiago. You’ll get to explore not just Valparaíso but also the neighboring town of Viña del Mar.
Book the day trip to Valparaíso
We’ve written a detailed article about Valparaíso and Viña del Mar:
Day 4: Punta Arenas
On Day 4, you’ll fly all the way to the south of Chile: to Punta Arenas. It’s the largest city on the Chilean side of Patagonia — and one of the most popular destinations in Chile.
Multiple direct flights depart from Santiago to Punta Arenas daily. We recommend booking a morning or late-morning flight. The flight time is approximately 3.5 hours and costs around 60 euros.
At the Punta Arenas airport, your best bet is to pick up a rental car for the full six days in Patagonia.
After checking into your hotel, you’ll have the afternoon to explore Punta Arenas — plenty of time to take in the city’s main attractions.
Top sights in Punta Arenas
- Cementerio Municipal: A fascinating and genuinely impressive cemetery that’s well worth a visit
- Mirador Cerro De La Cruz: The best vantage point in the city
- Costanera del Estrecho: Waterfront promenade
Our hotel recommendation for Punta Arenas
Hostal Boutique Puerta Roja: Cozy, small hostal with free parking.
Day 5: Puerto Natales
On Day 5, your Patagonia road trip kicks off properly. You’ll drive north from Punta Arenas to the town of Puerto Natales — about three hours by car.
Similar to Punta Arenas, there isn’t a huge amount to do in Puerto Natales. An afternoon in this small but seriously charming little town is more than enough.
Sights in Puerto Natales
- Muelle Historico: The pier is the town’s landmark.
- Cerro Dorotea: A hike up the local mountain with great views.
- Monumento al viento: Two statues hanging from poles along the Puerto Natales waterfront promenade.
- Monumento de la mano: Hand sculpture on the promenade.
- Cueva del milodon: A 200-meter-long cave about 25 kilometers from Puerto Natales.
Our hotel recommendation for Puerto Natales
Hotel Martín Gusinde: Great place to stay in the city center. Excellent value for money and free parking available.
Day 6: Torres del Paine
Day 6 brings what is, for us, the absolute standout of any Chile road trip: the hike to Mirador Base las Torres in Torres del Paine National Park.
Buy your ticket for Torres del Paine National Park at least one day in advance on pasesparques.cl.
You can drive to the trailhead and park for free. The drive takes just under an hour and a half.
The hike is approximately 20 kilometers round trip. The panoramic view of the three towers and the brilliant blue mountain lake at the end of the trail is simply breathtaking.
In a separate article, we cover all the important details about getting there, buying tickets, and hiking in Torres del Paine National Park.
Our hotel recommendation for Torres del Paine
We recommend spending the night inside the national park. That way you’ll have a little more time the next morning to explore more of Torres del Paine. Alternatively, you can drive back to Puerto Natales — lodging there is considerably cheaper.
Konkashken Lodge: One of the few more affordable places to stay in Torres del Paine. Great location and a wonderful atmosphere.
Day 7: Torres del Paine and drive to El Calafate
On Day 7, use the morning to discover a few more corners of Torres del Paine National Park. There are plenty of viewpoints right along the main road, so you can easily visit them by car.
All the viewpoints have free parking, meaning this day is all about short walks and soaking it all in.
Viewpoints we recommend
- Mirador Condor
- Mirador Salto Grande
- Mirador Cuernos
- Mirador Nordenskjöld Lake
Drive from Torres del Paine to El Calafate
After your mini road trip through the park, you’ll head to El Calafate in Argentina. First, you’ll stop at Chilean border control in Cerro Castillo. You’ll need to show your passport, your temporary visa (issued when you entered Chile), and your vehicle registration documents.
Important: To cross the border by car, you’ll need written authorization from the rental car company. You must apply for this in advance.
After receiving your exit stamp, you’ll drive across the border to Argentine passport control.
In Argentina, you won’t get a stamp in your passport or a temporary visa, but you’ll need to show the same documents as in Chile. Plan for about an hour for both checkpoints combined.
By the way, the first few kilometers on the Argentine side are gravel road — but don’t worry, after a few minutes the rest of the route is entirely on asphalt.
Be sure to take the route through the village of Esperanza. Your GPS may suggest a “shortcut,” but that route is all gravel and full of potholes — anything but a shortcut.
Including border control, the drive to El Calafate takes approximately 5–6 hours. In the evening, check into your hotel and exchange some money right away. You’ll get the best rate by converting euros into Argentine pesos (ARS).
Our hotel recommendation for El Calafate
Hotel ACA El Calafate: Centrally located, with modern and spacious rooms. Great value for money and free parking.
Day 8: Perito Moreno Glacier
On Day 8, head out early from El Calafate to the Perito Moreno Glacier — one of the top sights in Argentina. The drive takes about an hour. The national park entrance fee is 45,000 ARS, and parking at the glacier is free.
The glacier has several viewpoints connected by short, easy walking paths. If you want to see all of them, plan for about two hours.
Beyond the viewpoints, you can also take a boat tour or go on a glacier hike at Perito Moreno.
If you’d rather leave the car behind for the day, a guided tour is a great option too. Either way, plan your visit so you’re heading back toward Chile by midday.
Glacier hike and boat tour at Perito Moreno
Tour to the viewpoints with optional boat ride
From the glacier, you’ll drive directly back to Puerto Natales. Plan for 6–6.5 hours for the return trip. Border control closes around 9 PM, so aim to arrive at the Argentine border by 8 PM at the latest.
Keep in mind that hours can vary significantly, especially during the off-season.
Day 9: Flight to Calama
Day nine is a travel day. In the morning, drive from Puerto Natales back to Punta Arenas airport and return your rental car. From there, you’ll fly across the full length of Chile to Calama Airport in the Atacama Desert.
Direct flights are unfortunately rare, so you’ll usually have a layover in Santiago. The flight costs around 120 euros and takes approximately seven to eight hours including the connection.
At Calama Airport, we recommend picking up another rental car — public buses are hard to come by in the Atacama Desert.
From the airport, it’s about an hour’s drive to San Pedro de Atacama. This popular town is the perfect base for day trips into the desert.
Our hotel recommendation for San Pedro de Atacama
Hotel Jardin Atacama: Beautiful, stylish accommodation with a pool and a great central location. Free parking is available but must be reserved in advance.
Days 10–12: Atacama Desert
Days 10, 11, and 12 are all yours to explore the Atacama Desert. There’s a seriously impressive number of attractions to discover on half- or full-day trips by car.
The desert offers stunning valleys, salt lagoons, volcanoes, and so much more — you won’t be bored for a second. It’s best to pick the sights that interest you most and plan around those.
We’ve written a dedicated article covering all the highlights of the Atacama Desert.
Days 13–14: Santiago de Chile
On Day 13, it’s time to head back to Santiago de Chile. Return your rental car at Calama Airport. Flights to Santiago cost around 50 euros and take two hours.
In Santiago, treat yourself to a great last evening. The city has some fantastic restaurants and bars — a perfect way to wrap up your trip.
Day 14 is your departure day.
That was our suggested chile itinerary for a two-week road trip. If you have more time, here’s the best route through Chile for three to four weeks.
Our route through Chile in 3 weeks
With three weeks, we recommend using the two-week itinerary as your base and adding one or two more highlights — plus generally moving at a more relaxed pace.
Here are our suggestions for making the most of those extra seven days.
- 4 days Easter Island: Even though the island itself is quite small, the flight takes about five hours, so plan for one arrival day, two full days exploring, and one departure day.
- 3 days W-Trek: In our two-week chile travel itinerary, we allocated 1.5 days for Torres del Paine. With more time, you can tackle the famous W-Trek instead — a four-day hike that also passes the Mirador Base del Torres.
- 4 days El Chaltén: El Chaltén is Argentina’s premier hiking paradise, just about three hours by car from El Calafate. If you love hiking, this is an absolute must on your route.
- 3–4 days La Serena and Elqui Valley: La Serena is about seven hours north of Santiago and has beautiful beaches. Nearby is the Elqui Valley, famous for its remarkably clear night skies.
Our route through Chile in 4 weeks
With four weeks, there are two great ways to structure your chile road trip.
4-week road trip: Option 1
Take the 14-day itinerary as your base and add all the suggestions from the three-week version. That means you can do the W-Trek in Torres del Paine and still fit in El Chaltén, Easter Island, and the Elqui Valley.
Here’s what your 4-week road trip could look like:
- Days 1–2: Santiago
- Day 3: Valparaíso
- Days 4–6: La Serena and Elqui Valley
- Day 7: Punta Arenas
- Day 8: Puerto Natales
- Days 9–12: Torres del Paine W-Trek
- Day 13: Torres del Paine and El Calafate
- Day 14: Perito Moreno Glacier
- Days 15–17: El Chaltén
- Days 18–22: San Pedro de Atacama
- Days 23–27: Easter Island
- Day 28: Santiago
This itinerary is heavily focused on sightseeing and involves a lot of travel. If that sounds too hectic, here’s an alternative that involves fewer flights and more time out in nature.
4-week road trip: Option 2
- Days 1–2: Santiago
- Day 3: Valparaíso
- Days 4–5: Pucón
- Days 6–9: Puerto Varas and Chiloé
- Days 10–15: Partial stretch of the Carretera Austral to Los Antiguos
- Days 16–19: El Chaltén and El Calafate
- Days 20–21: Torres del Paine
- Days 22–26: San Pedro de Atacama
- Days 27–28: Santiago
You can cover the entire stretch from Day 4 to Day 22 by rental car, driving all the way from Santiago to Punta Arenas with stops along the way. We cover all the places on this route in our article on the 10 most beautiful sights in Chile.
Here are the driving legs for this four-week chile road trip:
- Santiago – Pucón: 8 hours
- Pucón – Puerto Varas: 4 hours
- Puerto Varas – Chiloé: 4 hours
- Chiloé – Start of Carretera Austral (Puerto Montt): 4 hours
- Carretera Austral – Los Antiguos: 19 hours (split over six days)
- Los Antiguos – El Chaltén: 9 hours
- El Chaltén – El Calafate: 3 hours
From El Calafate, you’ll rejoin the base route from the two-week itinerary.
Chile road trip by bus
You can do our entire chile itinerary — except for Option 2 of the four-week route — without a rental car. You should, however, add a few extra days to the same schedule. Getting around by bus simply takes a bit longer than driving.
Here’s an overview of the most important bus connections and prices in Chile
| Origin | Destination | Duration | Prices (per trip) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago | Valparaíso | 2 hours | 4,000 CLP |
| Punta Arenas | Puerto Natales | 3 hours | 8,000 CLP |
| Puerto Natales | Torres del Paine | 2 hours | 14,000 CLP |
| Puerto Natales | El Calafate | 6 hours | 35,000 CLP |
| El Calafate | El Chaltén | 3 hours | 50,000 ARS |
| Santiago | La Serena | 6 hours | 15,000 CLP |
| La Serena | Elqui Valley | 1.5 hours | 5,000 CLP |
Your best bet is to buy bus tickets directly at the terminal. During peak season (January and February), some buses can fill up fast.
Many connections can be booked on recorrido.cl. For Patagonia specifically, use recorrido sur. Unfortunately, not all connections are available online.
If you want to save money on accommodation, here are some great hostel picks:
Eco-Hostal Tambo Verde (Santiago)
La Casa Piola (Valparaíso)
Aska Patagonia (Punta Arenas)
Puma House (Puerto Natales)
America del Sur Calafate Hostel (El Calafate)
Rancho Grande Hostal (El Chaltén)
Hostal Campo Base (San Pedro de Atacama)
El Arbol Hostel (La Serena)
Is it possible to skip domestic flights in Chile?
Yes, you can absolutely travel through Chile without taking a single flight. We’d only recommend this, though, if you have more than a month and plan to make lots of stops along the way.
Here’s a rough idea of how long it takes to travel by bus from north to south (San Pedro de Atacama to Punta Arenas):
- San Pedro de Atacama – Santiago: 24 hours
- Santiago – Osorno: 10 hours
- Osorno – Punta Arenas: 24 hours
If you have more than a month in Chile, another great option is to drive the entire country by car. You can split the journey into shorter legs at your own pace and with total flexibility.
For a trip that long, we’d actually recommend buying a car and selling it at the end. A rental car gets very expensive over such an extended period.
General tips for a Chile road trip
A few more important things to know so you’re truly well-prepared for your chile itinerary.
Read all our travel tips for Chile
#1 Costs for a road trip in Chile
How much you spend depends entirely on your travel style. Here’s a rough breakdown of the costs for our two-week road trip:
- Flights: 1,000 euros
- Rental car: 400 euros
- Gas: 50 euros
- Accommodations: 350 euros
- Food: 300 euros
- Sights: 100 euros
Total costs: Around 2,200 euros
Average daily costs: Around 150 euros
For detailed information on travel costs, withdrawing money, and currency in Chile, check out our article on travel costs in Chile.
#2 Best time to visit Chile
For your chile road trip, we recommend the months of November, December, January, March, and April — summertime in Chile.
We’d avoid February if possible. It’s peak vacation season for Chileans, it gets unbearably hot in Santiago, and the Atacama Desert sees its highest chance of rain.
During the winter months, a classic road trip to Patagonia is basically out of the question due to heavy snowfall. That’s why we don’t recommend May through October if Patagonia is on your list.
We’ve written dedicated articles on the best time to visit Chile and the best time to visit Patagonia, where we break down the climate in more detail.
#3 Safety in Chile
You don’t need to worry too much about safety in Chile, as long as you follow a few basic rules. Overall, Chile is a safe country to travel in. Santiago and the cities further north are somewhat less safe than the south.
As a general rule: keep a close eye on your valuables and avoid wandering into deserted areas at night.
We share more safety advice in a separate article on safety in Chile.
