Category: Chile

 

My husband O and I celebrated our five-year wedding anniversary this past August 2019 by doing something new.  We went to South America when we could, which meant a five-day trip from Chicago to Santiago to San Pedro, Chile.  It might sound like a hot minute, but it felt like a full week’s vacation!

We both loved this trip.

Our travel time mostly consisted of sleeping on overnight American Airlines flights.  We started Friday night with a small layover in Miami, followed by an overnight flight (two meals included) and then arriving 4 am in Santiago.  We found showers in the VIP lounge ($45/person, included showers and food) and left via a $100 Sky airline flight to San Pedro, where the Atacama Desert is located.  We regret not paying the extra $100 to bypass the Saturday morning layover in Santiago and arrive sooner to the desert.  We arrived by 5 pm.

 

 

We then quickly got our rental (Econocar) and spent Saturday evening by checking into the beautiful Hotel Poblado Kimal, dining at their delicious restaurant, and exploring the desert around the town for sunset and star gazing.  The hotel and quaint town of San Pedro was close to everything.  We loved this little town.  Good night life, too.  Never have I ever seen so many people dancing and drinking in beanies and sweaters in a bar.

 

 

We then spent the next two days checking out:

1. Moon Valley
2. Lagoon chaxa (south- in Salar Atacama)
3. Lagoon Cejar (south- nearby San Pedro)
4. Salar de Tara (east)

 

 

We had a 7 am flight back to Santiago on Monday, and then a 1/2 day layover in the city.  During our layover in Santiago, we checked out:

1) Plaza del Armas

2) Saint Lucia

3) gelato!

 

 

 

Lessons learned:

1) pack more pants and sweaters for Chile when visiting in early September

2) American Airline flight attendants might be incorrect when they say the overnight flight only gives snacks, so don’t bring additional food on the plane

3) order the rica rica, but stay away from the governor

4) watch out for nausea as a result of higher elevations in Salar de Tara 🤢

5) enjoy your partner for as long as you can. everything can change in an instant.