Before You Book

PREPARING TO GO TO CHILE

 

CAPITAL

Santiago

LANGUAGE

Spanish is the official language of Chile. English is generally used for official and business purposes.

RELIGION

The major religion in Chile is Roman Catholicism, accounting for 90% of the population. Small numbers of Protestants, Jews and Muslim’s also live in Chile.

ELECTRICITY

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs and screw-type bulbs are used.

LOCAL TIME

The standard time for Chile is calculated from Santiago. Chile Standard Time (CST) is 4 hours behind GMT.

PASSPORT & VISA

A valid passport is required by all nationals. All Passengers are responsible for securing proper documentation prior to joining the tour. Please ensure that passport/s are valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the intended date of return and contain between 2-6 blank “Visa” pages. You should have at least two free pages in your passport. Please access the Travel & Visa Requirements Section on the top of this page for the latest visa entry requirements for the country/ies you are visiting. Passports are required; in addition, travelers are also advised to check with local consulates for full details regarding visa requirements. Please note securing a valid visa for entry is the sole responsibility of the traveler.

LOCAL CURRENCY

The monetary unit in Chile is the Chile Peso (CLP; symbol CH$) = 100 centavos. The local symbol is simply $. Notes are in denominations of CH$20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of CH$500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1, although the latter is no longer in circulation.

XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

CREDIT CARDS

Visa and MasterCard are commonly accepted – although Diners Club and American Express slightly less so - in towns and cities, where ATMs are also largely available. Outside of the larger, more tourist-centered towns, currency exchange can be tricky.

ATM’S

Credit/debit cards (Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard and sometimes American Express) are widely accepted in towns and cities, where ATMs (also known as redbancs) are also largely available.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE

Foreign exchange transactions can be conducted through commercial banks, casas de cambio, or authorized shops, restaurants, hotels and clubs. Casas de cambio are open daily 0900-1900 (Mon-Sat) and 0900-1400 (Sun). Ask to be given smaller denomination bills as these will be easier to spend, and you may run into trouble trying to get change from larger notes.

CLOTHING

As a general guideline, clothing should be lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed. In the hot summer months, cotton clothing is much more comfortable than man-made materials like nylon. It can get very cold, especially in the south or at altitude, so bring warm clothing. Be prepared for cooler evenings even in summer - for this reason you will generally find it better to pack several thin layers rather than one thick layer. A fleece can be invaluable.

COMMUNICATION

Phone

Public phone boxes are unreliable, and visitors will find it cheaper to use phones in centros de llamadas (call centres) in towns, or at internet cafes. Phones in Chile are very good with cheap rates. They operate via a complicated system of telecoms companies, each with their own access code. You can buy an international phone card from kiosks which come in denominations of CH$3000, CH$5000 and CH$10,000.

National numbers

Emergency        131

Fire       132

Police    133

Directory's Assistance      103

Chile's Country Code        0056

Internet
Chile is the most connected country in South America when it comes to internet access. Internet cafés are common, most with broadband and are open all hours in the main towns and tourist areas. Many hotels and hostels will have access to the internet which is relatively cheap at around US$1 for 30 minutes, while free Wi-Fi is also becoming increasingly popular, with many hotels offering this.

Post
The Chilean postal service, Correos de Chile (www.correos.cl), is reasonably reliable and is good for international mail but can be erratic for local post. Airmail to Europe and the USA takes anything from four days to a week.

MEALS

In Chile eating out is slightly more expensive; you can get a good set menu for $US 5; a la carte is more expensive. Obviously, this depends on what you order and if you have wine or other drinks which will certainly increase the bill.

DRINKS

Chilean wine is justifiably famous. Fizzy drinks are widely available, as are fresh fruit juices. Coffee tends to be instant only, and tea is not often encountered.

FOOD
While Chile in the past was never exactly known for its sophisticated cuisine, there have been notable signs of improvement in recent years, particularly in Santiago and other areas visited by international tourists. The capital has a wide range of options for eating out, from excellent vegetarian restaurants to hearty, good-value grills. However, you can also find sushi, Indian, Middle Eastern, seafood and Peruvian restaurants. Borago, Astrid y Gaston, Puerto Fuy, Sukalde, El Jardin de Epicuro and and Osaka are consistently named as some of the city’s finest restaurants. Plenty of economical set lunch deals are to be had downtown, and cheap eats can also be found near the university.

Once outside of Santiago, options tend to be limited for vegetarians. Seafood, red meat (including lamb), and chicken dominate the menu in the provinces. For carnivores, any chance possible to experience a leisurely countryside asado (barbeque) or curanto (shellfish stew) is an opportunity to participate in a cherished Chilean tradition. If you have the good fortune to be invited to a local’s home to eat, you should show up with something to share - a bottle of decent wine or a dessert would be appropriate and appreciated.

MEAL COST

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant   -    6.18 € 

Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course -   36.03 €    

McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) -  5.15 € 

Specialties:

• Empanada (a combination of meat, chicken, or fish, with vegetables, eggs, raisins or cheese inside a flour pastry).
• Seafood, including clams, sole, sea bass and oysters – especially when cooked as a curanto (a seafood stew traditional to the island of Chiloe, where heated rocks line the bottom of a large hole, and the food, wrapped in large leaves, is buried to slow-cook).
• Cazuela de ave (soup with rice, vegetables, chicken, and herbs).
• Bife a lo pobre (steak with french fries, onions, and eggs).
• Parrillada (selection of meat cuts grilled over hot coals, often including delicacies such as intestines, udders, and black pudding).
• Pastel de choclo (a typical, hearty Chilean casserole dish made of ground corn, usually with chicken and basil).
• Pebre (a simple salsa, including coriander, delicious accompanied by bread as a starter).

Regional drinks:

• Wine, especially the Carmenère grape (originally a French varietal killed off in Europe but protected in this corner of South America by its isolation).
• Pisco (a powerful brandy distilled from grapes after wine pressing and used to make pisco sours – a potent lemon-based cocktail that Peru also claims as its own).
• Chicha (a sort of traditional alcoholic drink which can made from maize, grapes, apples or other fruits. It is drunk in huge quantities during fiestas patrias in September).
• Popular local beers Kuntsman, Cristal and Escudo (the Lakes Region of Chile is home to a lot of German immigrants who have influenced the area with small, high-quality microbreweries).
• Cola de mono (literally monkey's tail - a coffee and chocolate-based liqueur, usually associated with Christmas time).

TIPPING

Chile is a tad relaxed about tipping and who and what you tip, and it is left very much to your discretions. The golden rule is to add 10% to the bill if you are happy with the service. Some restaurants and bars automatically add this. It is a good idea to have some small bills on hand for tipping doorman, about 600 pesos per bag. If you are planning on taking a taxi, then round up

It is a way of showing your appreciation and will be welcomed by the recipient, although if you decide not to tip in a particular circumstance, this doesn’t mean you’ll receive a lower level of service. Ultimately, tipping is discretionary and should be done at a level that feels comfortable.

Here are some guidelines that you may find helpful:

WEATHER & CLIMATE

With its long, thin shape stretching down the coast of South America, Chile has some dramatic variations in climate. In the north lies the Atacama Desert, where the town of Arica has the lowest rainfall figures in the world. Even so there can be heavy rainfall between December and February elsewhere in the north. Summer and winter temperatures range from 15-25° (Celsius). Central Chile has more pronounced seasonal changes with average daily highs of 29° (Celsius) from December to March, to around 14° (Celsius) in June. Rainfall is heaviest in the winter months. The far south sees heavy snowfall in winter and Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego can be very cold.

Santiago: (approx)

Punta Arenas: (approx)

HEALTH & MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES

As a general recommendation, it is advisable to check with your family doctor or travel clinic for latest health information.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance. Your home country health plan may only provide limited coverage while traveling outside of the country. Indus Travels can offer you a complete travel insurance package. Some credit cards do offer travel insurance; however, they do not always provide adequate coverage. Review and understand the terms of your credit card insurance policy. Extra travel insurance can be purchased. Most insurance companies do have exclusions in their coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are not insurable.