Chile is a long and narrow South American country with a massive coastline. There’s so much to do in this country, but unless you have several weeks, it’s just not possible to see it all. So, you’ll need to pick and choose what is important to you. At least, that’s what I had to do when I planned out my 9 day Chile itinerary. While my trip was great, I left feeling like I had barely scratched the surface of what this country has to offer. So, keep that in mind as you plan your trip.
But, if you’re looking for a Chile itinerary to get you started, try this. You’ll start in the capitol of Santiago, venture west to the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, and then fly south to the Chilean Lake District.
So, let’s get started.
9 Days in Chile
I designed this Chile itinerary as a point-to-point itinerary so you’ll need multi-city plane tickets. You’ll fly into Santiago (SCL) and out of Puerto Montt (PMC). While this may be a little more expensive, you’ll likely save precious time. However, for me, the multi city ticket actually turned out to be about $50 USD cheaper than a round trip flight from Santiago.
Day 1 – Hello, Chile
This 9 day Chile itinerary starts in Santiago. If you’re flying in from anywhere outside the country, odds are good you’ll end up in Santiago. While it wasn’t my favorite destination of the trip, you’re already in Santiago, so take just a little time to explore the city.
From the airport, catch a bus to the center of town. Depending on where your hotel is located, you’ll want either Santiago Parajitos or Santiago Alameda. Centropuerto buses will get you to Parajitos whereas Turbus will get you to both terminals. Buses cost 1800 to 2000 CLP and can take 20 to 30 minutes depending on your final destination. Note that both bus stations offer connections to the metro that can help get you the rest of the way to your hotel.
Drop your bag at your hotel and then it’s time to hit the ground running. Visit Constitution Park and see La Moneda Palace. A few blocks away is Santiago’s Plaza de Armas along with the stunning Cathedral of Santiago de Chile and the informative (if you know Spanish or have a background in Chilean history) National Museum.
For lunch, head to the Central Market and stop at any restaurant that looks good. With your belly full, jump on the metro to Santa Lucia Hill for nice views of the city before heading to San Cristobal Hill. Here you can get a cable car for even better views of the city.
Don’t stay out too late though. Tomorrow will be an early morning.
Sleep: Santiago
Day 2 – El Cajon del Maipo
One of the things I loved most about Chile was its nature. Between the mountains and the beaches, Chile is full of natural beauty. Today, we’re getting our first taste of the stunning nature in Chile, but we’ll see so much more on this itinerary. So, rather than spending another day exploring the city, we’re going to venture out into nature. Today is all about El Cajon del Maipo, one of the best day trips from Santiago (at least according to my tour guide).
El Cajon del Maipo, or Maipo Canyon, is a stunning piece of nature located about a two hour drive east of Santiago. The views of the surrounding mountains are incredible. Yes, they are cool as you drive through the mountains, but the actual view of this canyon is spectacular. With is amazingly blue water and picturesque mountains, it’s a wonderful visit. Plus, nearby, you’ll find a powerful waterfall (although El Cajon del Maipo is better).
El Cajon del Maipo as a Guided Tour
While it is possible to visit El Cajon del Maipo on your own, you’ll need a rental car to do it. For this 9 day Chile itinerary, it just makes more sense to join a guided tour. If you search on Viator or GetYourGuide, you’ll find a handful of options, but before you book, I have a few warnings.
First, this will be an early day. You will likely be picked up at your hotel between 5:30 and 6:00 am. When I booked my tour, the online form said the tour started at 6:30. The night before, I got a message stating my pick up time was 5:45. They apologized for the inconvenience, but it was necessary to avoid traffic in Santiago and maximize our time at the various stops.
Second, even if you book an English tour, you may not get a lot, if any English. On other tours in Chile, this wasn’t a problem, but my tour of El Cajon del Maipo was different. Despite, selecting English when booking my tour and having my pick up arranged in English, my guide only spoke Spanish. I speak just enough Spanish that I could figure out what time we needed to be back to the van and how long it would be to our next stop, but I missed nearly all of the other information he provided.
So, if you want to take this tour, I’d recommend talking to your hotel or a tourist agency. They will likely be able to help you arrange a tour where you’ll at least get a little English (or whatever language you need).
The tour will take all day, so when you get back to Santiago, grab some dinner and call it an early night. You were up early!
Sleep: Santiago
Day 3 – Santiago to Viña del Mar
Today you’re changing hotels, but since the bus ride is short, you get a little extra time in Santiago. The morning is yours to explore so visit any sights you had to skip on your first day in Chile.
Around lunch time, grab your bags from your hotel and head to the bus station to buy a ticket to Viña del Mar. Buses regularly depart from both Santiago Parajitos and Santiago Alameda stations, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing a ticket ahead of time. Just show up at the bus station, walk up to the counter and purchase a ticket. Buses depart every 15 to 20 minutes so no matter when you show up, you won’t have to wait long.
From Santiago Alameda, the journey to Viña del Mar takes two hours, but from Parajitos station, it takes just over an hour and a half. Either way, the drive is not long and in no time, you’ll be on the western coast of Chile. Head to your hotel, drop your bags, and head out to explore.
If you didn’t get lunch in Santiago, pick up lunch in Viña del Mar. There are plenty of delicious options. I don’t typically recommend restaurants, but if you don’t mind a little bit of a pricier option, Donde Willy was probably my best meal in Chile.
After lunch, take some time to explore the city. Visit the Flower Clock, the Maoi at the archeology museum (Museo Fonck), Woluff Castle, and Vergara Pier. Of course, don’t forget to spend a little time strolling down along the beach. Viña del Mar is a great town to relax and go a little slower.
Sleep: Viña del Mar
Day 4 – Valparaiso
Today we’re venturing to a popular tourist destination nearby: Valparaiso. Jump on the metro (or take one of the local buses) to head just a little bit south to Valparaiso. This colorful town is a favorite among many travelers.
While the town itself feels light on sights, the highlight is wandering its colorful streets and taking in the street art and murals that cover this city. To get the most out of your visit, consider joining a walking tour (and there are plenty of English speaking tours offered). If you don’t want to join a tour, you’re free to explore on your own as well. Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion are both neighborhoods full of colorful art that are fun to explore.
I do feel the need to add a caveat here. As I researched Chile, I saw a lot of positive comments about how much travelers enjoyed Valparaiso. Was the city nice? Yes. I loved the bright and colorful street art. However, I didn’t fall in love with the city like I expected. As much as I loved all of the color of this city, I found myself enjoying the views of the Pacific Ocean in Viña del Mar more. You may feel different, but I want to be honest. And this is not to say that Valparaiso isn’t worth visiting, but rather, I think that it is a slightly overhyped destination.
In the evening, hop back on the metro (or local bus) to return to your hotel in Viña del Mar.
Sleep: Viña del Mar
Day 5 – Traveler’s Choice
Today is the halfway point of this Chile itinerary and it’s a free day. You get to pick what you want to do, but I’ll still give a few options. These aren’t all of the options available to you, but these are either popular options. For more information, I wrote an entire post about day trips from Viña del Mar.
Option 1: Relax. Take a day and just lounge on the beach in Viña del Mar.
Option 2: Hike. Venture north to Olmué and go hiking at La Campana National Park.
Option 3: Sandboard. Hop on a local bus and visit the Concón Dunes.
Option 4: Drink. Take a tour of the local Valparaiso Wine Region.
There’s really no wrong answer here, but everyone travels differently so you get to choose what is the best way for you to spend this itinerary.
Sleep: Viña del Mar
Day 6 – Viña del Mar to Santiago to Puerto Varas
Today is a the biggest travel day of this Chile itinerary (outside of your travels into and out of Chile). By the end of the day, you’ll be in Puerto Varas in the Chilean Lake District.
There’s a few different and distinct steps to this travel day, so let’s talk about each of them.
Viña del Mar to Santiago
In the morning, start by catching a bus from Viña del Mar to Santiago Parajitos. Buses leave frequently, but you’ll want to check the schedule against your flight times. If you select an early flight, buses may not be running at the time you need to leave, so keep an eye on it. Remember, it’s an hour and a half bus ride from Viña del Mar to Santiago, another 20 to 30 minutes to transfer to the airport, and then you still need to be at the airport 2 hours before your flight.
At an absolute minimum, you’ll want to leave Viña del Mar 4 hours before your flight (although I recommend giving yourself a little bit of a buffer). My flight from Santiago left at 11:20 am and I caught a 5:55 am bus from Viña del Mar. I made it in plenty of time.
Santiago to Puerto Montt
At the Parajitos bus stop, transfer onto an airport bus. As a note, if you’re coming form Viña del Mar, you don’t actually go into the bus station. The bus pulls over at what feels like the side of the highway. Most of the passengers will probably get off here, so follow the crowds to the walkway over the highway and to the bus station. Then, look for an airport bus. You can use either Centropuerto or Turbus. You just need to get to the airport.
From Santiago’s airport, you’ll have a two hour flight to Puerto Montt. There’s several flights throughout the day on both Latam and Sky airlines. Just pick a flight that works in your schedule and your budget.
Pro tip: Try to get a window seat on the left side of the plane. If you have a clear day, you’ll get a great view as you arrive into Puerto Varas.
Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas
When you land in Puerto Montt, take a taxi to your accommodation in Puerto Varas. It’s a thirty minute drive, but prices are fixed at 22,000 pesos (as of fall 2023) for all transfers between the Puerto Montt Airport and Puerto Varas. I actually arranged a shuttle for the same price through my hostel in advance.
If that’s out of your budget, you’ll have to get a bus from the Puerto Montt airport to the town of Puerto Montt. Then, you can get another bus to Puerto Varas. There are no buses between the Puerto Montt airport and Puerto Varas.
Drop your bags at your hotel, get some lunch, and wander the town. While we didn’t do much sightseeing today, you’ll probably feel tired by the end of your day.
Alternative
A bus and flight combination is not the only way to get to Puerto Varas. More budget focused travelers can utilize a series of buses to get to Puerto Varas. In the afternoon, take a bus from Vina del Mar to Santiago. Then, grab an overnight bus (11+ hours) to Puerto Varas. You’ll save money (mostly because you won’t have a hotel that night), but you need to decide if it’s worth the savings. If you go with an overnight bus, leave Viña del Mar on Day 5. This will effectively eliminate Day 6 from your itinerary and give you an extra day to use elsewhere.
Once you arrive in Puerto Varas, the rest of the day (which may not be much) is yours to explore. Take in the views along the lake, take a stroll through Philipe Park, dine with a view, or wander through the park at Monte Carlo.
Sleep: Puerto Varas
Day 7 – Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls
There are so many good day trips from Puerto Varas and we’ll do two on this trip (since that’s all that fits into this 9 day Chile itinerary). The first is the one that I feel you have to take when you’re in Puerto Varas. It’s a day trip to the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls. On a clear day, you can see the Osorno Volcano from the town of Puerto Varas, but there’s something so much cooler about seeing the volcano close up. Combine your visit to the Osorno Volcano with a visit to Petrohué Falls, a nearby waterfall.
Travelers with their own car can do this on their own, but for travelers without, you’ll want to look into a tour. I booked a guided tour through my hostel that took us to Petrohué Falls, Lago Todos los Santos, and the Osorno Volcano. At the time, the tour cost about 25,000 pesos, plus an additional 13,000 pesos for entrance fees and 15,000 pesos for lunch.
As a note, the 13,000 pesos for entrance fees are mandatory. The 15,000 pesos for lunch is technically optional, but you’ll stop at a restaurant and have to wait for the rest of the group if you don’t eat. So, altogether, I spent 48,000 pesos for my tour (which included hotel pick up and drop off) and lunch for the day.
Sleep: Puerto Varas
Day 8 – Chiloé
It’s the last full day on this Chile itinerary and it’s another day trip today. While there is flexibility for you to choose your own day trip, I’m going to make a case for the island of Chiloé. If you read other blogs, people will say that Chiloé is not worth a day trip. Rather, you should dedicate extra time to your trip and make Chiloé a destination on its own. While its true that I agree that Chiloé deserves more than one day, sometimes one day is all you have.
As a caveat, there is a lot of driving today. I love scenic drives, so for me this isn’t a big deal. For others, this might be considered a boring day, so keep that in mind and feel free to change your day trip here.
To get to Chiloé, you’ll drive south toward Puerto Montt and board a ferry. From there, you’ll visit the small town of Chacao before heading to Piñuhuil where you’ll board a boat to try to catch a glimpse of wild penguins. My group got lucky and we saw eight penguins and a sea lion during our trip. It was the highlight of my day.
Then, you’ll stop at the market in Ancud before visiting the last Spanish Fort in Chile and returning to the mainland and Puerto Varas. It’s a long day, but it was definitely one of my favorites in Chile. The views were incredible and even I, a self proclaimed animal un-enthusiast, loved seeing wild penguins.
Alternative
If Chiloé still doesn’t sound appealing to you, you have a few more options. For DIY travelers, take a local bus and visit the towns of Frutillar and Puerto Octay. Or for those looking for another tour option, look at the Renoclavi Estuary. This was actually my first choice, but my accommodation (who helped me book both tours for my time in Puerto Varas) couldn’t find any English tours. So, I took a tour to Chiloé instead.
Sleep: Puerto Varas
Day 9 – Goodbye, Chile
This 9 day Chile itinerary ends here. Head back to the Puerto Montt airport and head home.
Pro tip: If your flight home, or to your next adventure, involves flying back to Santiago, try to get a window seat on the right side of the plane. If you have a clear day, the views will be fantastic as you take off from Puerto Montt.
Recap and Hotels Needed
Note that this recap assumes you’re taking the entire day to travel to Puerto Varas. If you take an overnight bus, you’ll have an extra day. It’s your choice where to add it.
Day 1 – Explore Santiago. Sleep Santiago.
Day 2 – El Cajon del Maipo. Sleep Santiago.
Day 3 – Santiago to Viña del Mar. Sleep Viña del Mar.
Day 4 – Explore Valparaiso. Sleep Viña del Mar.
Day 5 – Day trip from Viña del Mar. Sleep Viña del Mar
Day 6 – Viña del Mar to Santiago to Puerto Varas. Sleep Puerto Varas.
Day 7 – Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls. Sleep Puerto Varas.
Day 8 – Puerto Varas Day Trip. Sleep Puerto Varas.
Day 9 – Fly Home.
Hotels
Day 1-2: Santiago. 2 nights.
Day 3-5: Viña del Mar. 3 nights.
Day 6-8: Puerto Varas. 3 nights
Modifications to This Chile Itinerary
If the Puerto Varas and the Chilean Lake District doesn’t appeal to you, consider flying north to visit the Atacama Desert. This is a popular destination for many first time travelers to Chile and I saw it on so many itineraries when I was researching my trip. Obviously I skipped the Atacama Desert (as I have plans to visit in the coming years), but it’s a totally valid (and very common) switch to make.
With More Time
Lucky you!
With 10 days, I’d add a day to either Santiago or Puerto Varas. For travelers who arrive later on Day 1, consider adding just a little more time in Santiago.
However, for me, I’d add an extra day to Puerto Varas. There are so many amazing day trips from this city that I was bummed that I couldn’t do them all. I ended up with about a day and a half in Santiago and that was good for me. Any extra time would be added to Puerto Varas.
With Less Time
I think 9 days is ideal for this Chile itinerary, but I realize not everyone has that time. For travelers with less time, you’ll need to make some cuts.
If you only have eight days, I’d cut either the day trip from Santiago (El Cajon del Maipo) or a day trip from Viña del Mar. Which day trip you cut is up to you.
If you only have seven days, you’ll likely need to cut two day trips, both El Cajon del Maipo and a day trip from Viña del Mar.
When to Do This Chile Itinerary
This 9 day Chile itinerary could theoretically be done all year round, but some seasons will be better than others. I’d avoid the Chilean Winter (June through August) as many sights in Puerto Varas close for the season. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Chilean Summer (December through February) is peak season in southern Chile. My guide in Chiloé said that when the cruise ships are in town, it’s not uncommon to have 2,000 people at Petrohué Falls. I’d try very hard to avoid that!
Shoulder season can offer a great balance. I visited in October 2023 and had a phenomenal visit. Temperatures were pleasant around Santiago and Viña del Mar. It was warm without being too hot. In Puerto Varas, by some miracle, I had clear skies and sunshine every single day (this is not the norm—the area has 238 days of rain per year). Temperatures were always cold in the morning in Puerto Varas but warmed up to a comfortable temperature in the afternoon (although I still had a sweatshirt on).
Final Thoughts
Chile is a great country to visit, even if I experienced some struggles with a language barrier during my trip. This Chile itinerary is a great introduction for anyone looking to visit this country. With cities, beaches, and mountains, you’ll see a little bit of everything in this beautiful country.
Continue Your Adventure
Santiago: Spend just one day in Santiago to experience the highlights of this city. Visit Plaza de Armas and ride to the top of San Cristobal Hill. For a dose of nature, take a day trip to El Cajon del Maipo for a beautiful blue lake and stunning mountain views.
Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: Two cities that routinely get added to Chilean Itineraries are Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. They are great but don’t miss out on some of the region’s day trips, including a visit to La Campana National Park.
Puerto Varas: Visit the charming town of Puerto Varas, but also take advantage of some of the awesome day trips, including the Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls and a visit to the island of Chiloé.
Chile Travel Guide: Check out my Chile Travel Guide for everything you need to start planning your trip, including itineraries, city guides, travel tips, and a detailed budget.
More Nature Focused Itineraries: For trips focusing heavily on nature, check out 9 Days in Costa Rica, 5 Days in Iceland, 10 Days in Colorado, or 10 Days in the American Southwest.
City and Nature Itineraries: For an itinerary that balances nature and cities (like this one!), try my 11 Day Road Trip from Washington DC to Savannah.