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Chile in June with a teen

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I have been to Chile before, but it has been about 20 years! We have a week. Just me and my 17-year-old daughter. What do you suggest as "can't miss" and "definitely avoid"? How safe does it feel? Anything new in this area (I only mostly worried about pick-pockets when I went).

She does not remember ever leaving the US (she was little), so I really want this to be a fun trip and open her curiosity to more world travel. She is not naturally adventurous, especially after the pandemic, so I'm hoping to give her a nudge and some confidence. Any websites that might be geared toward teen travel?

Finally, where do I get info on cell phones, rental cars, etc? When I last went I was still checking into internet cafes to communicate.

Thank you for any advice!!

Posted by
7680 posts

We have been to Chile three times and love that country. However, we have never visited during their Winter.

Santiago is worth spending a few days. Also, we did a cruise around the Horn that stopped in ports south and north of the Valparaiso port. Those cruises don't operate in the Winter.

Posted by
6569 posts

Chile is a huge country, so “can’t miss” would be determined by which area of the country you intend to visit. We spent a week in Santiago in 2014 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Most days were spent in town, but we did take the local bus over to Valparaiso one day and took two winery tours another day.

Places we visited while there are on my website.

Posted by
6913 posts

June starts to get wintry in Santiago and points south, also, the south is rainy at that time of the year. I would stick with the north; 1 week is good for a couple of days in & around Santiago (Valparaiso can be a day trip) plus Atacama desert (San Pedro de Atacama is a great base). Do expect freezing nights up there, but daytime temps should be nice.

If you have been to Santiago before, the city has taken a marked downturn in recent years. I visited in June 2023 and the contrast with my 2013 visit was stark, the city centre has become quite gritty. Still safe by Latin American standards, but those are not the highest standards, and still worth a visit, but just a brief one IMO.

Posted by
427 posts

We did a spring trip (April--so fall there), and ours was a while ago too--2007. We did Santiago at the start and the end, Temuco, Pucon, Puerto Varas, and the Cruce del Lagos route across the Andes to Bariloche, Argentina.

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