I am planning for a trip to Chile in November/December. With your travel experience, you will not have any problems in Chile. I have found it very easy to plan and I hope my trip will go as well. I am spending three weeks and I will be visiting the Atacama desert, the Lake district and Patagonia in addition to a few days in Santiago.

I think the Lake district would be a good option for you given your time and budget. You can either fly to the Lake district or take the train. John Rule is a moderator on Travelzine and has given me a lot of advice. If you search the archives on Chile, you can find several of his helpful posts.

In my research, the Lake district is more touristed but seems to have more budget options than Patagonia. There are a lot of adventure options for hiking, rafting, hot springs, etc. You can also travel into Argentina section of the Lake district. Patagonia which is farther away seems to have less budget options.

Do you have a special interest? We are interested in hiking and nature which is why we want to visit both areas. I am from Washington which has a similar climate to the Lake district.

Originally, I wasn't planning on visiting it but after research and feedback, I'm excited to visit the area.

I haven't been to Chile yet, but I'm willing to share my opinions.

Happy Travels, Marta from Washington State