Often when I travel for work, I like to bring my wife along. It’s a great way to combine work and leisure by adding extra days to explore a new area together. If you come to Chile to meet with your counter-season provider and tour the trials, you can escape winter back home, enjoy our summer weather, and discover our landscapes culture, wine and cuisine.
Chile is unique because it is a long thin strip running over 4000km north to south (not considering Antarctica), with mountains to the east and the ocean to the west. You can go from hiking in the mountains to swimming or surfing on our beaches in just 90 minutes.
CIS Agro’s facility is located near Chile’s capital city, Santiago. It’s worth taking at least a day to explore the city’s beautiful architecture, visit one of the museums and dine at the incredible restaurants. Cerro San Cristobal, located in Santiago’s largest city park, features a statue of the Virgin Mary at the top of a hill and offers stunning views of the city.
Our region features a Mediterranean climate, which is perfect for growing counter-season crops and grapes –that means wine country. There are many vineyards and wineries to visit, and my top recommendation is Concha y Toro, the largest wine producer and exporter in Latin America, located on the outskirts of Santiago.
From Santiago, a short flight north takes you to the world’s driest desert and a region steeped in ancient civilizations and history. A short flight south takes you to Patagonia, which is a region you should not miss.
Patagonia has glacial fjords, mountains and temperate rainforest. Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the 8th Natural Wonder of the World is the most treasured protected wildlife area in Chile, and one of my favourite places. You can wander through grasslands with views of glaciers, pristine waters, and rugged mountain peaks.
In this southern region you can take a ferry between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, which is the entrance to Torres del Paine National Park. You will journey through narrow channels, glaciers and unexplored fjords, and the vistas are incredible. There is one tiny fishing town along the way, but otherwise, the landscape is untouched.
And finally, if you travel to Punta Arenas and visit Magdalena Island between November and February, you can see Magellanic penguins in their breeding grounds.
If you’re planning to travel to Chile for any reason, reach out. I’d be more than happy to share more of my insider knowledge of this beautiful, friendly country.
