10 Day Off The Beaten Path Chile Itinerary
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Do you want to get off the beaten track in chile?
Chile has long fascinated me, drawn to the weird skinny shape on the map. Being the longest (north to south) and narrowest country in the world, the shape stands out.
With the Pacific Ocean running the entire length of the country on one side and the Andes mountains all along the other, Chile has no shortage of beautiful places to discover. Add in Atacama the world’s driest desert, the glaciers of Patagonia, the Chilean Lakes District, subtropical Easter Island with its mysterious Moai statues, and world class wineries there are no shortage of beautiful places to go in Chile!
I finally got the chance to visit this year. While catching up with a friend of mine, she told me she was going for the entire month of February and invited me along…..only 2 weeks before it started. Being a spontaneous person I jumped at the opportunity! Grabbing a last minute flight using points and miles I committed to 3 weeks in Chile with her.
Spontaneity allowed me to get off the beaten path
Being such a last minute trip this didn’t give me much time to plan. Little did I know she was actually going to be visiting a Chilean friend. This means I lucked into the kind of adventure I love best, the kind where I naturally get to experience the culture. We went in (Southern Hemisphere) summer, a time when local families enjoy vacations to the coast. I feel so blessed that we were basically adopted into their Chilean family for this trip!
While this meant I missed some of the big attractions (for now) it also meant I got to experience more off the beaten path parts of Chile. This was a slower pace trip for me spread out over 3 weeks, but you can do it on a 10 day trip to Chile with this epic 10 day off the beaten path Chile Itinerary. If you like exploring destinations off the radar of most travelers then dive in below.
Get off the beaten path with this 10 day Chile itinerary
Santiago – 3 Days
Day 1 –
Spend a full day exploring the best of Santiago. You won’t be bored in this city! There’s amazing parks and viewpoints, a funicular and cable cars, colorful neighborhoods with an art vibe, and unique restaurants (including a very instagramable Alice in Wonderland cafe).
Read More: The Top 20 Things To Do In Santiago Chile
Day 2 –
Get out and enjoy the mountains for a day. Go for a day hike or even horseback riding. Explore on your own or take a convenient day tour like this one to Cajón del Maipo where you can enjoy the hot springs, a waterfall, and a Chilean BBQ under the stars!
Read more: 9 Day Trips From Santiago, Chile
Day 3 –
Taste Chilean wine and go winery hopping. Even if you’re renting a car I recommend taking a day tour as Chile has a zero tolerance policy for drinking and driving where even a single glass of wine can put you over the legal limit. Unless you have a travel partner willing to be sober cab, to me it’s just not worth risking the potential 61-301 day prison sentence. Viator has a great option that will take you to 4 different wineries.
Where to stay
Check out my suggestions for the 5 Best Boutique Hotels In Santiago.
Guanaqueros – 2 Days
Day 4 –
Get off the beaten track! Take a drive to the coast and experience some places few travelers to Chile get to experience. Spend a day at the beach in the small coastal town of Guanaqueros. This is the only place in the world (so far) where I’ve personally seen a penguin in nature AND he swam so close to me! Maybe you’ll be lucky like me and get to swim with a penguin too.
You can also explore the open art art museum that a local resident created on his property. It’s open to the public to walk around and enjoy.
Day 5 –
Explore nearby Tongoy for the freshest seafood of your life! Run, don’t walk, to the boardwalk and get in line for the most delicious seafood straight from the ocean. It’s prepared right in front of you and served only with lemon to squeeze on top. A full plate was also very cheap. While we tried the oysters and clams too, I recommend what they called ostiones!
Tongoy and it’s seafood is a true off the beaten path gem in my opinion!
Once you’ve enjoyed your fill, drive up the coast to Totoralillo, a place we decided looks kind of like Joshua Tree by the sea. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and exploring the unique shaped beach there. If you’re feeling up to it you could also try a surf lesson!
Where to stay
While I was lucky and got to stay in the family house of my Chilean friend, I recommend staying in nearby Coquimbo.
The most beautiful option close to the beach is Hotel Diego de Alamagro La Serena
and it includes free breakfast! Consider spending an extra day and enjoy the amenities and explore Coquimbo as well.
For a budget option I recommend Hotel Chagual which also includes free breakfast.
How to get here
Chile’s bus system is pretty cheap and has an extensive network, however I recommend renting a car for this part of the trip. It’s about a 4 ½ hour drive from Santiago.
Valparaiso – 3 days
You could cut down this part to 2 days if you’re short on time, but this is where I spent the bulk of my time and became absolutely enamored with Valpo! In my opinion it’s one of the most beautiful places in Chile.
Day 6 –
Valparaiso was once an important port before the opening of the panama canal. Now it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with beautiful street art almost everywhere you look, and one of the best cities in Chile to visit. Explore both the lower and upper neighborhoods and feel like you’re in a giant open air museum. Be sure to take the funicular to the upper neighborhoods both to save your legs and enjoy the view from this outdoor elevator. You can also take a free walking tour of the city everyday at 10am or 3pm. Just remember to tip your guide!
Day 7 –
Spend the day in neighboring Viña del Mar, known for its gardens and beaches. Check out the giant flower clock on the hill, Wulff Castle perched just above the sea, and if you’re lucky possibly see some sunset circus happening right on the beach! You can take a free walking tour at 10am Wed-Sun and see all the highlights.
As an aerialist, I was very excited to meet and become friends with several local circus artists right on the beach and enjoyed practicing aerial arts and partner acrobatics with them. My friend and I went every night for sunset and they were always there, so it’s likely if you head towards the bridge at the end of Playa Caleta Abarca you may catch an organic free show!
**Word of caution:
While the circus folk are absolutely wonderful, on occasion there were some sketchy people hanging out under the bridge. I recommend you don’t go alone, and only stick around the bridge area if you see the circus artists.
Day 8 –
Take a day trip to the nearby Casablanca Valley Wineries. Check out the beautiful Viña Cases del Bosque and sip on Chilean wine outside then enjoy lunch at one of their top notch restaurants. Depending how much wine you’ve had, head back to the coast and consider switching up the pace with an adventurous evening of sandboarding in Concon.
Another option if you’re not into wine is to check out a penguin colony on Cachagua Island nearby!
Where to stay
For a cool and quirky option that really captures both the history and current street art vibe of Valparaiso I recommend Winebox Valparaiso. You’ll love the unique style of the place, resembling shipping containers, and all the artwork throughout. The beautiful rooms also have balconies where you can take in the views of Valpo with your morning coffee.
Your best budget option is Hotel Casa Esmerelda. There are some options for dorms and plenty of options for private rooms that can accommodate a varying number of people.
Getting there
If traveling by bus you will most likely have to return first to Santiago and transfer to Valparaiso. Renting a car is much more convenient and will save you tons of time. It’ll be around 4 ½ hours to reach Valpo by car from Coquimbo.
Pichilemu – 2 Days
Day 9 –
Enjoy some time at the beach in a spot loved by Chileans for a family summer vacation. Pichilemu is known for its surfing. While most of the surf spots here are for experienced surfers, there is a spot chill enough for beginners. This is where I had my first surf lesson ever! After a day at the beach head to Pulpo for dinner and enjoy some delicious pizza.
Day 10 –
Start the day with some coffee and breakfast at a cafe in town. Afterwards, check out the views from Punta de Lobos and watch the really bad ass surfers doing their thing! Take the path down to the water and see where they enter, navigating rocks as they head out to the break before heading back to Santiago to catch your flight home.
Where to stay
The best option is to stay in the beautiful Cuarzo Lodge, a stunning property that includes free breakfast.
The best budget to midrange option is Viento Bravo which also includes free breakfast.
Or if you’re in full on budget mode you can stay in a dorm at Pichilemu Apart Hotel for around $13 USD per night.
Getting there
If traveling by bus you will have to return first to Santiago and change buses there. The much quicker option is renting a car and driving yourself. You can reach Pichilemu from Valparaiso by car in around 3 ½ hours.
Off The Beaten Path Chile is full of wonders to Discover
Spontaneity really worked in my favor on this trip (as I find it often does when traveling). The regions and highlights of Chile that I was familiar with from reading about it years ago were not the places that I went, meaning every day and every city was a surprise for me.
In the past I’ve really struggled with huge travelers FOMO and felt like I had to try and fit absolutely everything into one trip, almost like I could never go back after leaving the country. Now I’ve chilled out a lot and have learned to let go more, and have switched my mindset to allowing myself to save even some of the biggest highlights for future trips. I absolutely CAN return and will definitely be going back to Chile in the future for more!
If you’ve already been to some of the biggest highlights of Chile, or if you’d just love to explore lesser known spots that are loved by locals on your Chile trip, this itinerary is for you!
Happy exploring, and remember to Be Free and Travel! 🌏✈️
