Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 370

Smaller local buses and minibuses
( micros ) connect city centres with
outlying neighbourhoods and smaller
towns with villages. In some parts of
Chile, especially in the north, colectivos
(shared taxis with fixed fares) provide
a faster and only slightly pricier service
between towns than local buses.

country, the only places where it may
make sense to rent a 4WD vehicle is on
Easter Island, and perhaps to some
national parks. To rent a car, you need to
be over 21 years old; take your passport
as ID, and have a national driver's licence
and major credit card on hand.

HITCHING
Hitchhiking is popular in Chile and widely
practised by locals, especially in rural areas.
While it's never an entirely safe method of
travel, Chile is the safest country in Latin
America in which to hitch, although it's
always best to do so at least in pairs.

BY FERRY
South of Puerto Montt, where Chile
breaks up into a plethora of islands and
fjords, you will have to take a ferry ,
whether to continue along the Carretera
Austral or to work your way down to
Southern Patagonia. Travelling south by
boat is more expensive than going by bus,
but it allows you access to some of the
remotest and most beautiful parts of
Chile. Popular routes include Puerto
Montt to Puerto Natales, Puerto Montt
to Chacabuco and Chacabuco to Laguna
San Rafael.

BY BIKE
Cycling can be a good way of getting
to the more remote national parks,
some of which are inaccessible by public
transport. It's a good idea to carry spare
parts, although bike repair shops are
found in most medium-sized towns.
While in the south of Chile drinking
water can typically be acquired from
streams, in the northern half of the
country it is highly advisable to carry
your own, and essential if cycling
anywhere in the arid Atacama region.
There are few cycle lanes, and for the
most part cyclists share the road with
motorists; at least traffic outside cities
tends to be light. Stray dogs can also be
a nuisance in populated areas.

4

BY CAR
Car rental is costly (CH$19,000-35,000
per day) and complicated, with expensive
insurance due to the varying condition
of the dirt roads. Carrying spare tyres,
a jack, extra petrol and plenty of drinking
water is essential for driving around more
remote parts of Chile, and punctures
are frequent. Since public transport is
perfectly adequate in most parts of the

PACHAMAMA BY BUS
The hop-on, hop-off Pachamama by
bus service is especially tailored for
independent travellers and designed to
cover the most scenic spots in the Lake
District and the Atacama Desert. You
purchase a pass for the number of days
you wish to travel - a seven-day pass
costs CH$119,000 - and you can stay at
any of the given stops for as long as you
want. You are responsible for booking
your own accommodation, which the
guides can assist with. There are weekly
departures on both routes; check the
website for exact dates. To book a pass,
contact the o ce inside the Casa Roja
hostel in Santiago at least 48 hours in
advance (see p.388; T 2 26888018,
W pachamamabybus.com).

ACCOMMODATION
Chile has a wide range of budget
accommodation , often of great quality,
occasionally not so great. Prices are highest
during the peak season from December to
February, when Chileans go on summer
holiday; in shoulder seasons, they generally
drop by around twenty percent. Many
lodgings in the south of Chile close down
during the winter months, so check ahead.
Prices are normally listed inclusive of tax
but it is best to establish this at the start
of your stay.

RESIDENCIALES, CABAÑAS AND REFUGIOS
Residenciales are the most commonly
available budget lodgings, found in both
large cities and villages. Typically they