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🇨🇱 Itinerary · Chile · 14 days

2-week Chile itinerary 2026: the ideal route

14 days of extremes: Santiago, the Atacama desert and Patagonia with Torres del Paine. The full itinerary, 2 domestic flights, costed budget and detailed transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

5 places

Average budget

€2,800-4,000

Total distance

~6,500 km

Profile

Nature and contrasts

Season

Nov-Mar

Santiago 2d · Atacama 4d · Punta Arenas 1d · Torres del Paine 4d · back to Santiago 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Chile 2-week itinerary map: Santiago, Atacama, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

5 days, day by day

1

~€70/day

Santiago · D1 to D2 · Andean capital

  • D1 Arrival in Santiago, Lastarria district, Cerro San Cristóbal.
  • D2 Plaza de Armas, Mercado Central, Museum of Memory, Valparaíso day trip possible.
🛌 🛌 Lastarria · e.g. central boutique hotel (2 nights)·🚇 Metro + 🚖 Uber·Chile guide →
2

~€80/day

Atacama desert · D3 to D6 · The driest in the world

  • D3 Flight Santiago → Calama (2h), transfer to San Pedro, Valley of the Moon at sunset.
  • D4 Altiplano lagoons, pink flamingos on the Atacama salt flat, Laguna Cejar.
  • D5 El Tatio geysers at 4,320 m at sunrise, thermal baths, Machuca.
  • D6 Stargazing, cycling in the Valley of Death, rest.
🛌 🛌 San Pedro de Atacama · e.g. adobe lodge (4 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight + 🚐 transfer
3

~€90

To Patagonia · D7 · Punta Arenas

  • Morning Transfer to Calama, flight to Punta Arenas via Santiago (~5h total).
  • Afternoon Arrival in the far south, Strait of Magellan, penguins in season.
  • Evening Bus to Puerto Natales (3h), gateway to the Torres del Paine.
🛌 🛌 Puerto Natales · e.g. hotel facing the fjord (1 night before the trek)·✈️ Domestic flight + 🚌 bus
4

~€95/day

Torres del Paine · D8 to D11 · Chilean Patagonia

  • D8 Enter the park, base of the Towers trek (iconic granite).
  • D9 Lago Grey by boat, glacier view, wildlife (guanacos, condors).
  • D10 Cuernos viewpoint, French valley for the hikers.
  • D11 Lagoons, pumas optional, last day in the park.
🛌 🛌 Refuge or eco-dome in the park (4 nights)·🚐 Park shuttle + 🥾 hike
5

~€70/day

Back to Santiago · D12 to D14 · Vineyards and departure

  • D12 Bus Puerto Natales → Punta Arenas, flight to Santiago (~3h30).
  • D13 Cajón del Maipo or Maipo Valley vineyards, carménère tasting.
  • D14 Last purchases, return flight from Santiago to Europe.
🛌 🛌 Santiago · e.g. hotel near the airport (2 nights)·🚌 Bus + ✈️ domestic flight

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€2,800

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €1,000
  • 🏨 Hostel/refuge: €35/night
  • 🍽️ Set lunch: €14/day
  • ✈️ 2 domestic flights: €350
  • 🎫 Park + tours: €300
Recommended

Comfort

€3,400

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €1,050
  • 🏨 Hotel/lodge: €80/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €30/day
  • ✈️ Domestic flights + transfers: €450
  • 🎫 Guides + excursions: €400

Premium

€6,500

per person

  • ✈️ Business class: €1,900
  • 🏨 All-inclusive lodges (Tierra, Explora, EcoCamp): €350/night
  • 🍽️ Renowned tables: €60/day
  • 🚖 Private transfers + private guides
  • 🎫 Private Atacama + Paine excursions: €700

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Santiago, Valparaíso and the Atacama desert. The essential format.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

Of extremes: Atacama in the north, Patagonia and Torres del Paine in the south.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, from Atacama to Patagonia and Easter Island.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

Chile stretches 4,300 km from desert to glacier. Over 14 days, the itinerary rests on 2 to 3 domestic flights (Santiago, Calama, Punta Arenas) and buses in Patagonia. Budget ~€350 to €450 for domestic transport.

✈️

Flight Santiago → Calama

€90 · LATAM, Sky, JetSMART · 2h

✈️

Flight Calama → Punta Arenas

via Santiago · ~€150 · book early

🚌

Bus Punta Arenas → Puerto Natales

~€12 · 3h · Patagonian steppe

🚐

Torres del Paine shuttle

transfers from Puerto Natales into the park

🥾

Treks in the park

base of the Towers, Lago Grey, French valley

Adapt by season

Patagonia sets the season

In Chile, it is Patagonia that dictates the calendar. To hike the Torres del Paine, aim for November to March (southern summer): long days, open trails, refuges in operation. The wind stays strong all year in the south. Atacama, by contrast, can be visited almost year-round thanks to its stable climate. December to February is the heart of the Patagonian season but also the busiest: book early.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In January 2025, at the foot of the Torres del Paine, I started the base of the Towers trek at 6am to reach the viewpoint at dawn: the three granite peaks turning pink at sunrise, almost alone, remain my best Patagonia memory. The wind had dropped, rare in the morning.
  • • Lining up Atacama then Patagonia: from the driest desert to the glacier, the contrast is striking.
  • • The Lago Grey boat to the glacier: the blue ice up close is worth the detour.
  • • Book the park refuges months ahead: they fill up in the southern summer.
  • • Keep a buffer day in Santiago: Patagonia flights are sometimes delayed by wind.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Add El Calafate (Argentina, Perito Moreno glacier) if you have 2 extra days.
  • • Fly Calama → Punta Arenas straight via Santiago rather than stopping in the capital.
  • • Pack windproof clothing: Patagonia is windy even in high summer.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is two weeks enough for Chile? +
Yes to link the two extremes: the Atacama desert in the north and Patagonia (Torres del Paine) in the south, via Santiago. With a month, you add the Lake District, Chiloé or Easter Island.
When can you hike the Torres del Paine? +
From November to March, the southern summer: long days, open trails, refuges in operation. The wind stays strong all year. December-February is the peak, to book very early.
How many domestic flights do you need? +
2 to 3 on this itinerary: Santiago-Calama (Atacama), then Calama/Santiago-Punta Arenas (Patagonia), and back to Santiago. LATAM, Sky and JetSMART serve these routes.
What budget for 2 weeks in Chile? +
Budget €2,800 backpacking and €3,400 in comfort per person, flight from Europe included. Patagonia and the Atacama lodges drive up the bill.
Do you need a guide for Torres del Paine? +
Not mandatory for day hikes (marked trails), but a guide enriches wildlife watching (pumas, condors) and adds safety in strong wind. The full W circuit can be done self-guided or guided.
Do you need a visa for Chile? +
No for most Western travellers: no tourist visa for a stay up to 90 days. Passport valid for the length of the stay. No mandatory vaccine.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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