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After Argentina, my next destination this year was Chile. At the end of April, I arrived first to Pucón, where I climbed the Villarrica volcano and crossed off item #26 from my bucket list. From there, I started to head north. I spent a few weeks in Santiago and Valparaiso. I really enjoyed my time in those cities. After that, I was ready to get back to nature again and made my way to La Serena on the coast. From there, I went straight to San Pedro de Atacama; where I stayed for a few more weeks before crossing over to Bolivia.
These are my most popular Instagram shots from my days in Chile. Enjoy!
10. Santiago street art by Henruz, Mara, Shampú & Nebs
When I arrived to Chile, I was expecting Valparaiso to be an amazing destination for street art; but I was blown away by the beautiful street art that I saw in Santiago as well. I came across new artists that I’d never seen before, such as the guys who collaborated for this great piece: Henruz, Mara, Shampú and Nebs.
9. Sunset at Valle de la Luna
The Moon Valley in the Atacama Desert is one of the most beautiful spots to watch the sunset in Chile. The colours of the sky at dusk are just unreal and they go very well with the reddish rocks of the area; plus you get great views of the volcanos and the mountain range in the background.
8. Sunrise at Geysers del Tatio
This is one of the coldest spots I’ve been on my trip so far! This geysers field is located at 4320 meters above sea level. Most people get there in time to watch the sunrise, not only because the light is beautiful but because the geysers are most spectacular when there’s a big contrast between the hot water coming from the earth and the cold air.
7. Architecture in Valparaiso
The architecture in Valparaiso is very special, it’s a mix of styles brought over by a constant flow of immigrants during its golden years (1848 – 1914). In 2003, certain areas of the historical centre were declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. Ironically, today there are many gorgeous buildings in decay; because it’s just too expensive to maintain them while meeting the patrimony requirements.
6. Sunset at Laguna Cejar
The Laguna Cejar in the Atacama Desert is another popular day trip from San Pedro de Atacama. It also offers great spots to watch the sunset and admire the spectacular change of colours as the sky turns from bright blue to midnight dark. I got many cool shots from this excursion, so I’d recommend it.
5. Laguna Miscanti
Laguna Miscanti is a high altitude lagoon that sits at 4120 meters above sea level. It’s a beautiful and tranquil spot, the water is so still that it looks like a mirror; perfectly reflecting the sky above. When I visited, there was snow everywhere and it was not possible to get to Laguna Miñiques, which is a bit further.
4. Sunset in Pucón
Pucón was my first destination in Chile and I really liked it there. There are many outdoorsy activities to do in the area and the town is located by a nice lake. However, I still can’t see why this shot got so many likes in Instagram LOL. In my opinion, I took some better ones that should be on this list but didn’t get as many likes :s
3. Swimming at Laguna Cejar
The Laguna Cejar in the Atacama Desert is a small lagoon in the middle of nowhere that has a high salt concentration. Because of this, when you swim in it you float and can’t really sink. Also, it’s a bit bizarre because there are parts of the lagoon where the water is warm underneath the surface, but cold at the top.
2. Reflections at Laguna Cejar
Another scenic shot from my day trip to Laguna Cejar! I just loved the reflections on the waters of this very still lagoon, like a perfect mirror. The effect is even more stunning because of the contrast between the orange tone of the soil and the bright blue sky.
1. On the way back from Geysers del Tatio
Finally, this is my most popular shot in Instagram from my time in Chile. I took this one on the way back from the trip to the Geysers del Tatio, which you saw at the start of this post. I couldn’t resist the contrast between the yellow grass, the sky and their reflection on the water. How do you like this one?
Just like in Argentina, I really enjoyed the variety of landscapes that I found in Chile; they’re some of the most impressive I’ve seen on my travels. After leaving the Atacama Desert, I continued my trip through the Salar de Uyuni; another stunning site. To see the rest of my shots from Chile, visit my album. And for the latest shots of my trip, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!
amazing photos! Just added you on Instagram – I can’t wait to see more from you! I must get myself to South America at some point. :)