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Horseback riding vacations in
Chile
Imagine a long, thin slice of California with a patch of the Sahara desert glued onto the north. Let some of New Zealand’s fjords wash against the south. Press all of this stunning beauty against the spine of tall rugged mountains. This is Chile, home to some of the world’s most varied and dramatic landscapes! Hidden Trails have brought together some of Chile’s most awe-inspiring horse riding holidays – including horseback vacations in Northern Chile and the Torres del Paine National Park.
Horse Riding in Chile
Parts of Chile, especially the Torres del Paine National Park, truly feel like you have reached the end of the Earth. Yet Chile is one of the most modern and convenient travel destinations in South America. In many places, it even has a European feel — along with European prices.
Chile is 2,705 miles/4,329 km long, but interestingly averages only 100 miles/160 km in width. Desert dominates the north while tundra governs the south. The center of the country contains many fertile valleys and lovely scenery. The nation’s coastline is indented by many bays and fjords, while the eastern regions terminate in the Andes.
From Chile's north to Southern Patagonia you will find perfect horseback riding country. Unhindered by fences, roads or urban development, riders can canter for miles and miles across open deserts or pampas surrounded by the immense beauty of this breathtaking landscape. Our wonderful horseback vacations can easily be combined with wine tours or beach vacations in the region.
Hidden Trails offers a number of Chilean horseback riding vacations, including the Chile to Argentina Ride in the Lake Disctrict. In Northern Chile there’s the Norte Chico Adventure and Northern Chilean Getaways on the Inca trails of the Andes. In Torres del Paine National Park, we offer a beautiful riding excursion in comfortable accommodations.
Chilean Horses
Horses in Chile are generally Criollos and Criollo crosses. Descendants of the Spanish, Barb and Arab, the Criollo is a sturdy, sure-footed and willing ride. Generally fairly small by North American standards at between 14.2 and 15.0 hands, they are very strong nonetheless.
After riding from South America to Washington in the 1930s, A F Tschiffely wrote: “I have been able to prove that the Criollo horse is worthy of the reputation he has always held among the few that really know him, namely that of being second to none for continuous hard work under any conditions.”
Chile Weather and Climate
In Chile you can expect winter temperatures between 10 - 15 degrees Celsius. Summers are around 25 degrees Celsius, but can reach 30 degrees Celsius.
Easter Island experiences a Pacific Island climate – so can reach 28 degrees Celsius in the summer time. Rain falls steadily throughout the year, but showers are sporadic and short.
Explore more South America Horse Riding Holidays
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Holidays on horseback in Chile
See Mini Country Guide
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Below is a list of our trips in this area with video clips.
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Chile
Travel restrictions
Beginning October 1st 2021, non-residents of Chile may enter, as long as they comply with the requirements below.
On October 1st 2022, the requirements to enter Chile were updated. Now, at the time of embarking to Chile, travelers must comply with the following:
- Travelers can enter Chile with government-issued identification and a vaccination certificate issued by the country in which they were vaccinated. Unvaccinated travelers must present a negative PCR test taken within a maximum of 48 hours at their last point of departure prior to their arrival in Chile.
- Only Chilean nationals (including dual nationals) returning from abroad will be randomly tested at the airport upon arrival.
- Proof of Health Insurance is no longer required. However, it is recommended to travel with health insurance that has coverage for SARS CoV 2 (COVID19).
- Masks are no longer required, except inside medical facilities (clinics, hospitals, laboratories, etc.).
- Meanwhile, those who are under 18 years of age do not have any requirements to enter Chile.
As of April 14th 2022, the Chilean government no longer requires travelers to obtain a Mobility Pass (“Pase de Movibilidad”) in order to enter Chile. However, a valid Mobility Pass will still be required in many situations, including but not limited to the following:
- Domestic travel (by plane, bus, etc.)
- Indoor dining at restaurants
- Access to theaters and cinemasParticipation in organized tours
- Attendance at large public events (sporting events, concerts, etc.)
The U.S. Embassy highly encourages travelers who may engage in any of the above activities during their stay in Chile to obtain a Mobility Pass prior to arrival in Chile. Obtaining the Mobility Pass may take a minimum of 4 weeks. The approved Mobility Pass should have all vaccinations (including booster shots) individually registered.
Travelers who test positive prior to departing Chile will be required to quarantine in a location determined by the Ministry of Health. Travelers should follow all quarantine instructions provided by the Ministry of Health.
Measures taken by the government
The level and type of activities permitted in each neighborhood (comuna) depends on what level of the “Paso a Paso” re-opening plan the comuna finds itself it. Details about activities permitted at each state of Paso a Paso may be found here: https://www.minsal.cl/plan-seguimos-cuidandonos-paso-a-paso/ (Spanish only).
Chile’s Ministry of Health announced that the following new measures will be effective on October 1st 2022:
- The use of masks is no longer required except for spaces inside health facilities. Masks are recommended in public transport and other closed crowded spaces but not required.
- Mobility passes will no longer be required for in-country travel, at restaurants, movie theaters, or other public events
Testing
Travelers can obtain a COVID-19 test in any public hospital or in private clinics. A doctor’s note is not required to request a test. The cost of the test is approximately CLP $25,000. Travelers are responsible for paying for their own tests.
Travelers can request to receive test results by email. A physical copy of the test results may also be obtained - travelers should consult the medical facility where they have the test taken
Emergency number (related to COVID-19) while visiting the country
For specific questions, the Ministry of Health’s hotline is available at 600-360-7777. The Ministry of Tourism answers questions at 600 600 6066 or by email at turismoatiende@sernatur.cl
Source:
US Embassy in Chile https://cl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/covid-19-information/
Published on March 28th 2023 (checked on April 5th 2023)
For more information please visit our COVID-19 Updates page at https://www.hiddentrails.com/article/covid19update.aspx
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Chile
At A glance
Capital City: Santiago
Land size: 743,812 sq km
Population: 18,430,408 (2022 est.)
Official language: Spanish
Currency: Chilean Peso ($ / CLP)
UNESCO properties and sites:
- Churches of Chiloé
- Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
- Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
- Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Road System)
- Rapa Nui National Park
- Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture in the Arica and Parinacota Region
- Sewell Mining Town
Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/chile/
Chile is full of surprises. From the mystical beauty of the Atacama Desert, to the majestic peaks of the Andes Mountains, without forgetting the wilderness of Patagonia, Chile is a true paradise for nature lovers. Chile is a destination that will captivate your heart and leave you longing for more.
Ride through the rugged landscapes of Patagonia, feeling the wind on your face as you traverse vast grasslands, pristine rivers, and snow-capped mountains. Discover the ancient Araucaria forests of the Lake District, riding amidst towering trees and crystal-clear lakes. Chile's diverse geography provides a captivating backdrop for your equestrian adventure, whether you are riding through lush valleys, or into remote wilderness areas.
A horse riding tour allows you to explore the best of Chile's natural beauty, cultural heritage, and warm hospitality.
Brief History
Indigenous groups inhabited central and southern Chile for several thousands of years, living in mixed pastoralist and settled communities, ending with the Inca ruling the north of the country for nearly a century prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.
The Captaincy General of Chile was founded by the Spanish in 1541, lasting until Chile declared its independence in 1810. The subsequent struggle became tied to other South American independence conflicts, with a decisive victory over the Spanish not being achieved until 1818.
In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia to win its current northernmost regions. By the 1880s, the Chilean central government cemented its control over the central and southern regions inhabited by Mapuche Indigenous peoples.
Between 1891 and 1973, a series of elected governments succeeded each other until the three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by General Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a democratically elected president was inaugurated in 1990.
Economic reforms, maintained consistently since the 1980s, contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.
Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/chile/
Cultural Insights
Food has a very special place within Chilean culture. Chileans normally eat four times a day. The first meal of the day is breakfast, which mostly consists of rather light fare including toasted bread with butter and instant coffee with milk. Lunch (served between 1:00 and 2:00 P.M. ) is the big meal of the day. Traditionally two main dishes are served. The first course may be a salad of some kind. The second dish generally includes beef or chicken, accompanied by vegetables. Around 5:00 P.M. Chileans take once, an afternoon tea with bread and jam, that often also includes cheeses and palta (avocados). Once, which means "eleven," is evidently named after the British tea time—11:00 A.M. Around 9:00 P.M. most families serve dinner, which is usually a single but substantial dish, most often accompanied with wine grown in the many Central Valley vineyards.
Chilean cuisine has both Indian and European influences..
Chilean etiquette does not differ very much from that of Western societies. Although Chileans are in general less formal than other Latin Americans, they definitively follow certain rules in social gatherings. During formal occasions people shake hands in a restrained way, while good friends may shake hands and embrace. Chilean women normally salute acquaintances (both male and female) with one kiss on the right cheek.
Chileans commonly use the formal "you" ( usted ) to address persons, independently of the interlocutor's social status. Also parents-in-law are respectfully addressed with usted and with don or doña before their Christian name. The informal "you" ( tú ) is largely used between people who know each other very well and among youngsters, but it is avoided when one speaks to an elder.
Chileans are generally quite punctual for their business appointments. When invited into a home for dinner, however, it is expected that the guest will not show up before some twenty minutes after the agreed time.
Chileans are quite restrained in public spaces and restaurants and it is particularly bad form to talk too loudly. Waiters are called "señor" and are addressed in formal "you" form. It is also considered imprudent to talk about the authoritarian past, Pinochet, the armed forces, and the like in social gatherings, as Chileans are quite divided on these sensitive subjects.
Source: https://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Chile.html
Transportation
By Air
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport serves Chile's capital and largest city, Santiago de Chile, and is also known as Santiago International Airport or Nuevo Pudahuel Airport.
Halfway through the 20th century in Chile, the need arose for improving the existing airport network. In Santiago, the then so-called Los Cerrillos International Airport was no longer able to cope and the idea took shape to build a new facility to handle domestic and international flights. Construction works began in 1961, and on February 9, 1967, the “Pudahuel Airport" was inaugurated. A new international terminal opened on February 14, 1994.
Santiago is among the top 10 Latin American airports in terms of passengers and movements, and is one of only two airports on the continent with direct connections to the Oceania.
Source: https://www.nuevopudahuel.cl/history?language=en
https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airports/santiago-international-airport-scl
Money
ATMs are widely available.
Credit cards are accepted in most large shops and hotels.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/chile
Health
Medical care in Chile is generally good, though it may not meet U.S. standards in remote areas. Major hospitals accept credit cards.
Private clinics and hospitals are expensive. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 131 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.
If traveling with prescription medication, check with the government of Chile to ensure the medication is legal in Chile. Always carry a sufficient supply of your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription.
Please note the following health concerns:
• Air pollution is a concern in many parts of Chile including Santiago, Rancagua, Talca, Chillan, Los Angeles, Temuco, Osorno, and Coyhaique, and is most severe in winter (May-August).
• The ozone layer is especially thin over parts of Chile. Protect yourself from ultraviolet radiation.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/chile
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Chile.html
Electricity
Chile operates on a 220V supply voltage and uses type C and L plugs.
The Type C electrical plug (or Europlug) is a two-wire plug that has two round pins. It fits into any socket that accepts 4.0 – 4.8 mm round contacts on 19 mm centres. They are being replaced by E, F, J, K or N sockets which work perfectly with Type C plugs.
There are two variations of the Type L plug, one rated at 10 amps, and one at 16 amps. The 10 amp version has two round pins that are 4 mm thick and spaced 5.5 mm apart, with a grounding pin in the middle. The 16 amp version has two round pins that are 5 mm thick, spaced 8mm apart, as well as a grounding pin.
Source: https://www.iec.ch/world-plugs
Communication
Time zones in Chile: Chile Standard Time (GMT-4) & Easter Island Standard Time (GMT-6)
International country code – 56
The market for fixed and mobile telephony is highly competitive and rapidly evolving. The mobile rate is among the highest in South America.
LTE infrastructure is extensive and 5G spectrum auctions which took place in February 2021 are expected to prompt the deployment of 5G networks by the end of the year.
Fixed broadband is relatively high for the region, with services among the fastest and least expensive in Latin America.
Government initiatives such as the National Fiber Optic project and Fibra Óptica Austral are providing high-capacity connectivity across the country and will further increase fixed-line broadband.
Traditional fixed-line tele density continues to fall as consumers switch to mobile networks and to fixed broadband for voice and data connectivity. (2021)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/chile/
Phrasebook
| English |
Spanish |
| Hello! |
Hola |
| Goodbye |
Adiós |
| Good morning |
Buenos días |
| Good evening |
Buenos tardes |
| Good night |
Buenas noches |
| Please |
Por favor |
| Thank you |
Gracias |
| Yes |
Sí |
| No |
No |
Source: https://www.linguahouse.com/phrasebook/english-spanish/basic-words-and-phrases/basic-words-and-phrases
Entry Requirements
To visit Chile, you only need to show your identification document (identification card or passport), and depending on your country of origin, your stamped visa.
If you are a citizen of South America, the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia, you do not need a tourist visa. However, some countries must pay a cash fee (reciprocity tax) upon arrival at the airport of Chile.
Source: https://www.chile.travel/en/about-chile/
Embassies and Consulates
U.S. Embassy in Santiago
Av. Andrés Bello 2800
Las Condes
Santiago, Chile
Phone: (56) 2-2330-3000
Embassy of Canada in Santiago
Nueva Tajamar 481, Torre Norte, 12th Floor
Las Condes,
Santiago, Chile
Phone: (56) 2-2652-3800
Source: for USA https://www.usembassy.gov/
For Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates
UNESCO Sites
Churches of Chiloé
The Churches of Chiloé represent a unique example in Latin America of an outstanding form of ecclesiastical wooden architecture. They represent a tradition initiated by the Jesuit Peripatetic Mission in the 17th and 18th centuries, continued and enriched by the Franciscans during the 19th century and still prevailing today. These churches embody the intangible richness of the Chiloé Archipelago, and bear witness to a successful fusion of indigenous and European culture, the full integration of its architecture in the landscape and environment, as well as to the spiritual values of the communities.
Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
The colonial city of Valparaíso presents an excellent example of late 19th-century urban and architectural development in Latin America. In its natural amphitheatre-like setting, the city is characterized by a vernacular urban fabric adapted to the hillsides that are dotted with a great variety of church spires. It contrasts with the geometrical layout utilized in the plain. The city has well preserved its interesting early industrial infrastructures, such as the numerous ‘elevators’ on the steep hillsides.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
Humberstone and Santa Laura works contain over 200 former saltpeter works where workers from Chile, Peru and Bolivia lived in company towns and forged a distinctive communal pampinos culture. That culture is manifest in their rich language, creativity, and solidarity, and, above all, in their pioneering struggle for social justice, which had a profound impact on social history. Situated in the remote Pampas, one of the driest deserts on Earth, thousands of pampinos lived and worked in this hostile environment for over 60 years, from 1880, to process the largest deposit of saltpeter in the world, producing the fertilizer sodium nitrate that was to transform agricultural lands in North and South America, and in Europe, and produce great wealth for Chile. Because of the vulnerability of the structures and the impact of a recent earthquake, the site was also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger to help mobilize resources for its conservation.
Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Road System)
This site is an extensive Inca communication, trade and defence network of roads covering 30,000 km. Constructed by the Incas over several centuries and partly based on pre-Inca infrastructure, this extraordinary network through one of the world’s most extreme geographical terrains linked the snow-capped peaks of the Andes – at an altitude of more than 6,000 m – to the coast, running through hot rainforests, fertile valleys and absolute deserts. It reached its maximum expansion in the 15th century, when it spread across the length and breadth of the Andes. The Qhapac Ñan, Andean Road System includes 273 component sites spread over more than 6,000 km that were selected to highlight the social, political, architectural and engineering achievements of the network, along with its associated infrastructure for trade, accommodation and storage, as well as sites of religious significance.
Rapa Nui National Park
Rapa Nui, the indigenous name of Easter Island, bears witness to a unique cultural phenomenon. A society of Polynesian origin that settled there c. A.D. 300 established a powerful, imaginative and original tradition of monumental sculpture and architecture, free from any external influence. From the 10th to the 16th century this society built shrines and erected enormous stone figures known as moai , which created an unrivalled cultural landscape that continues to fascinate people throughout the world.
Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture in the Arica and Parinacota Region
The property consists of three component parts: Faldeo Norte del Morro de Arica, Colón 10, both in the city of Arica, and Desembocadura de Camarones, in a rural environment some 100km further south. Together they bear testimony to a culture of marine hunter-gatherers who resided in the arid and hostile northern coast of the Atacama Desert in northernmost Chile from approximately 5450 BCE to 890 BCE. The property presents the oldest known archaeological evidence of the artificial mummification of bodies with cemeteries that contain both artificially mummified bodies and some that were preserved due to environmental conditions. Over time, the Chinchorro perfected complex mortuary practices, whereby they systematically dismembered and reassembled bodies of deceased men, women and children of the entire social spectrum to create “artificial” mummies. These mummies possess material, sculptural, and aesthetic qualities that are presumed to reflect the fundamental role of the dead in Chinchorro society. Tools made of mineral and plant materials as well as simple instruments made of bone and shells that enabled an intensive exploitation of marine resources, have been found in the property which bears a unique testimony to the complex spirituality of the Chinchorro culture.
Sewell Mining Town
Situated at 2,000 m in the Andes, 60 km to the east of Rancagua, in an environment marked by extremes of climate, Sewell Mining Town was built by the Braden Copper company in 1905 to house workers at what was to become the world’s largest underground copper mine, El Teniente. It is an outstanding example of the company towns that were born in many remote parts of the world from the fusion of local labour and resources from an industrialized nation, to mine and process high-value natural resources. The town was built on a terrain too steep for wheeled vehicles around a large central staircase rising from the railway station. Along its route formal squares of irregular shape with ornamental trees and plants constituted the main public spaces or squares of the town. The buildings lining the streets are timber, often painted in vivid green, yellow, red and blue. At its peak Sewell numbered 15,000 inhabitants, but was largely abandoned in the 1970s.
Source: https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/cl
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