City: Chile
Top Things to do in Chile
Top Hotels in Chile
Things to do in Chile, Chile: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas
Coordinates: 30°S 71°W / 30°S 71°W / -30; -71
Restaurants in Chile
1. Parque Pumalin
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 94 reviews
Reviewed By annaviola - Bonn, Germany
Instead of going to the Torre del Paine like everybody else, we choose to explore this much less known parc, and it is an emerald of nature! Very good hiking paths, not crowded and so many things to explore!!!
2. Salar de Tara
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,226 reviews
Reviewed By Birdsocks - Boston, United States
This was one of my favorite spots in the Atacama - partly because it is absolutely breathtaking, and partly because it was one of the less crowded spots I visited. It's location makes it impossible to access with a bus - so it is limited to a handful of sprinter vans and camp trucks like mine at any given time. This is accessed via the Monks (Monjes de Pacana) and there is no "road" leading to it. For those not part of a tour, who are looking for the Monks and Salar de Tara on their own - here's some important advise: There weren't any signs letting you know you were close to the Monks...or any signs for the site at all, on the road from San Pedro. The cartoony map from town had them in a slightly different spot on the curves of the road than where they were - we were worried we'd missed a turn off. But not to worry - they are there and you really cannot miss them - they're adjacent to the road and very recognizable. Side note: You will be sharing the curvy and mostly uphill road from SPdA to this location with LOTS of trucks transporting cars to Bolivia/Argentina (maybe from the coast?). They are super slow on the hills and you'll be often stuck behind them when the road is too curvy to pass. Once at the Monks - to get to Salar de Tara requires a 20-30min off road drive. There are lots of car tracks going every which way - some may lead to completely different places, so I would not suggest trying to find this on your own. Even with a GPS app, it is not a direct route, and tourists get lost in the area a lot trying to find the site. We followed one of the sprinter van tours from Monjes de Pacana, and then did the same thing to get back afterwards. The tour guides seem very kind and happy to lead the way so you don't get lost! At the Salar, there are lots of animals, a gorgeous landscape, a baño, and smaller crowds - definitely worth the drive! This is one of the higher altitudes in the area - the weather is super dodgy/undpredictable! We saw sun, rain, hail, and snow on our day trip to visit these. A guide advised that rain often starts in the area around 2 or 3pm, and suggested leaving by that time. He was spot on, as it started raining around 2pm as we headed out.
3. Reserva Punta Curinanco
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 147 reviews
Reviewed By good_ants - Santiago, Chile
The drive out here is nice. The location is picturesque. The "gate-keeper" (Jorge?) is a kind, welcoming man. Then you actually enter the park! Birds, (big) trees, flowers, bees, and much more, it's definitely worth making it out to Curinanco. Get outside of the city and enjoy this swath of coastal rainforest.
4. Reserva Nacional China Muerta
5. Reserva Nacional Cerro Castillo
6. Desierto Florido
7. Region IX Ltd
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
8. Chiloe Island Penguin Colony
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 140 reviews
Reviewed By MarcheseMJ - Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Well organized, safe and clean, local fishermen turn their boats into tourist ships during summer time to go and see the penguins and some of the other local attractions. Worth every minute of the visit
9. Reserva nacional Magallanes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 124 reviews
Reviewed By S3391SOelenas
The reserve is near Punta Arenas and you can get there by public transport. Just go to the small bus station in Chiloé with Carrera Pinto where the local buses departs (estación municipal). It only costs 300 pesos and takes less then half an hour (as per 2020). The route is "el Andino" and is an orange minibus. The timetable can be found in their Facebook or in the station. I took it on Sunday and actually stopped at the entrance of the park so there was no need to be dropped at the junction of Y-570 with Y-580 as other reviews mention, so check with the driver. Entrance to the park is 5000 pesos for foreigners, but it's worth it. I did the longest hike they offered called circuito las Lengas which is about 10km in addition to Mirador de las Minas. Highly recommended. The hike for people with reduced mobility is interesting as well as it have signs with info of the park and local vegetation and animals.
10. Posada del Parque
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 45 reviews
“40 hectáreas para una aventura en la naturaleza” Posada del Parque, es un lugar único de alojamiento y actividades en el Humedal Mantagua en la región de Valparaíso, a solo 90 minutos de Santiago y 20 minutos de Viña del Mar y 8 minutos de Concón. Se caracteriza por estar rodeado de 6 ecosistemas diferentes ( Playa de Ritoque,Dunas, Humedal, Bosque Nativo,Albufera,Bosque esclerófilo) debido a lo cual posee una alta biodiversidad. Te invita a realizar nuestras actividades de manera entretenida, segura y sustentable tratando de producir el menor impacto posible, esto nos ha llevado a ser reconocidos el año 2015 como la empresa Pyme mas sustentable de Chile. Actividades que puedes realizar tanto en familia como con los amigos o solo.: Cabalgatas, Kayak, Caminatas o Trekking aventureros, Avistamiento de aves.
