Atacama, the Central Valley, Patagonia and the Pacific, one extraordinary country apart
Chile is a thin ribbon of extremes: the driest desert, the wine valleys, the lakes and volcanoes, and the glaciers of Patagonia. Each region feels like a different country. We plan Chile for travellers who want landscapes that change by the hour, wine country with character, and remote wilderness done well — with the timing, the routing and the rooms decided before you leave, and someone reachable while you are away.
A typical Third Door itinerary here leans on the Atacama Desert at altitude, with geysers, lagoons and star-gazing, the Colchagua and Casablanca wine valleys, Torres del Paine and the Patagonian fjords. We book direct with the properties we know, hold the details that matter — the room with the view, the table that is hard to get, the driver who knows the road — and keep the plan flexible enough to change once you are in it.
December – February
Best for Patagonia, the lakes and the south. High season.
March – May
Wine harvest, pleasant in the central valley, still good in Patagonia early on.
June – August
Skiing near Santiago and Portillo; Atacama is cold at night but clear.
September – November
Wildflowers in Patagonia, good weather returning, fewer crowds.
The driest desert on earth, with geysers, salt flats, volcanoes and some of the world's clearest skies.
Santiago's food and wine bars, Valparaiso's colourful hills and the nearby wine valleys.
Colchagua, Casablanca and Maipo. Small wineries, country lunches and serious Cabernet.
Torres del Paine, glaciers, pumas and the end-of-the-world feeling. Our favourite region.
Pucon, Villarrica, the Lake District and the German-Settler towns. Active and green.
San Pedro de Atacama
Private excursions, adobe suites and the best guiding in the desert.
Millahue
A wine and design estate in the Colchagua Valley, extraordinary architecture.
Torres del Paine
The original Patagonia lodge, with excursions from the doorstep.
Torres del Paine
Private villas with the best views of the Paine massif.
Land, unwind, and get your bearings with a private guide who sets the context rather than reading a script. The driest desert on earth, with geysers, salt flats, volcanoes and some of the world's clearest skies.
Santiago's food and wine bars, Valparaiso's colourful hills and the nearby wine valleys. This is where most of the trip's character lives, so we give it the most room.
Colchagua, Casablanca and Maipo. Small wineries, country lunches and serious Cabernet. A deliberate shift in rhythm before you travel home.
Private transfers, late checkout where we can arrange it, and a single point of contact from the day you land to the day you leave.
Santiago
Rodolfo Guzmán's Endémica tasting menu, foraging Chile from north to south.
Santiago
A relaxed wine bar in a city that has learned to drink its own bottles.
November to March for Patagonia; March to May for wine; year-round for Atacama is the window we recommend most often. Best for Patagonia, the lakes and the south. High season. We will steer you by what you actually want from the trip rather than by peak season alone.
10–14 nights for a multi-region trip; 7 for one region in depth. Shorter is possible and we plan it regularly, but the pace changes: fewer bases, less driving, one region done properly instead of three done quickly.
High; domestic flights and remote lodges are expensive, but the experience is exceptional. Once we understand your dates, party and the standard of stay you have in mind, we come back with a costed proposal rather than a range.
Most Western visitors do not need a visa for short stays. Domestic flights are essential. We plan altitude acclimatisation for Atacama. We flag entry requirements early, arrange ground transport and private transfers, and keep the day-to-day logistics off your plate.
Pet travel here needs more lead time and, in some cases, a different destination. We will tell you honestly what is workable and what is not, and suggest alternatives if the regulations make it unfair on the animal.
Yes, especially across Patagonia. The crossing near Torres del Paine is straightforward in season.
Tell us your dates, party and the feeling you want. We will come back with a first proposal built around this destination.