Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 375

information on Chile's natural
attractions, as well as maps and up-to-
date trekking conditions for specific
areas, you should head to the local Conaf
office (Corporación Nacional Forestal,
W conaf.cl), again found in most towns.
JLM Cartografía maps are usually accurate
and helpful, and can be found in most
bookshops; they cover both cities and
trekking routes in Chile. The Instituto
Geográfico Militar ( W igm.cl) produces
detailed topographic maps of the entire
country, but they can be pricey. TurisTel
guidebooks , published by Telefónica Chile,
are an excellent source of information on
the country (in Spanish); they come in
three volumes, covering the south, Middle
Chile and Santiago, and the north, and are
updated annually.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Air rescue (for mountaineering accidents)
T 138

Ambulance T 131
Coastguard T 137
Fire T 132
Investigaciónes (for serious crimes) T 134
Police T 133

CRIME AND SAFETY
The risk of violent crime in Chile is very
low; in larger cities pickpocketing and
petty thievery are minor concerns, but
assaults are practically unknown, and
there is very little corruption among
Chilean police.

HEALTH
There are no compulsory vaccinations for
Chile, though there have been reported
incidents of mosquito-borne dengue
fever on Easter Island; use insect
repellent. Hantavirus , caused by inhaling
or ingesting rat droppings, is uncommon
but deadly: when staying in rural
buildings that could potentially have
rodents, air them out thoroughly and do
not sleep on the floor. Chile has two
species of spider with a venomous and
potentially dangerous bite: the black
widow (found in parts of Torres del Paine
National Park, among other areas) and
the Chilean recluse spider (found
throughout Chile). The recluse - or araña
del rincón, literally “corner spider” - is
commonly found in houses. Though
bites from either spider are relatively rare,
they can prove fatal - if you think you
may have been bitten, seek medical
help immediately.

MONEY AND BANKS
he peso is the basic unit of Chilean
currency, and it comes in 1000, 5000,
10,000 and rare 20,000 denomination
notes, and 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 peso
coins. It is usually represented with the $
sign, not to be confused with US$. Few
places will accept US dollars or other
foreign currencies, though some hostels
and hotels may suggest you pay in dollars
to avoid the nineteen percent IVA tax
(value added tax) on accommodation,
from which foreigners are exempted
when paying in dollars. Chile is fairly
expensive compared to its Latin American
counterparts (besides Brazil), with prices
comparable to those in North America
and Europe.

4

STUDENT AND YOUTH
DISCOUNTS
ISIC International Student or Youth
cards can get you reduced airfares to
Chile with travel agencies such as STA
Travel. Some museums offer reduced
student rates. It may also be possible to
get reduced bus fares with certain bus
companies; enquire in advance. Having
a Hostelling International (HI) card
is very worthwhile, since you can get
member discounts in a network of hostels
around Chile.

INFORMATION AND MAPS
Official Sernatur tourist offices (Servicio
Nacionalde Turismo; W sernatur.cl) are
found in all the major cities and towns.
They produce a plethora of brochures on
local attractions, accommodation and
outdoor activities, though some are better
stocked than others. Some regions may
also have a municipal tourism o ce run
by the regional authorities. For