Should you rent a car in Chile?
Chile is a hugely diverse country where the landscape and scenery changes dramatically from one area to the next. For example it boasts the driest desert in the world near San Pedro de Atacama however around Patagonia you can find glacial fields, fjords, snow capped peaks and beautiful waterfalls. Hiring a car in Chile is definitely the most comfortable and convenient method of traversing this vibrant country and seeing as many of it's sights as possible.
If you are travelling around Chile and trying to keep the costs down, then choosing a hire car from our economy range would be the cheapest option. We have models available such as the Opel Corsa and Ford Focus. If you need a larger vehicle, with the ability to go off road and handle more demanding terrain then we have some capable SUV's on offer to hire such as the Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Rav4.
Most popular locations to collect car hire in Chile:
Chile Mini Guide
Like the backbone of a huge animal, Chile runs it long, thin course down the South American continent's broad back - the Pacific coast for 4200 km (2610 miles), and is never more than 400 km (about 250 miles) and usually less than 200 km (about 125 miles) in width. It has every kind of climate, from deserts to icy wastes. The most hospitable area are in the centre of the country, around the capital, Santiago, especially the coastal lowlands and the great valley which lies between the double chain of the Andes. In the north lies the Atacama Desert, a hostile expanse of sand and pebbles stretching for 1000 km (620 miles). The south, by contrast, is one of the stormiest places, 1000 km (620 miles) of mountains, forest, volcanoes and desolate islands a rain drenched wilderness of fire, sea and ice.
The teeming sea along the coast is rich in tuna and sardines, which are processed by numerous fish-canning factories. The sea also brings to the coastal towns a climate that is more moderate, though still hot, than the extreme conditions inland. The Peruvian Current sweeps cool water northwards along the coast preventing the formation of rain clouds - the cause of the conditions inland. In the foothills of the Andes, the height cools the weather and people grow oranges, lemon and mandarins.
Chile's territory does not end at Tierra del Fuego. There are islands in the Pacific and Antarctic that arc also possessions of Chile, among which perhaps the most interesting are the Juan Fernandez archipelago, about 640km (400 miles) west of Chile, and Easter Island, 3,780km (2,350 miles) out in the Pacific.
Do you need a rental car in Chile
Chile is a long sliver of a country located on the west coast of South America which borders Argentina to the east and Bolivia to the north. It has plenty of beach resorts along the South Pacific Ocean coastline such as Vina del Mar and thousands of Chileans flock there every summer to enjoy the sea and relax on the beach.
Hiring a car is the best way to see the dramatic Chilean landscape in the Patagonia region in the south, the eerie landscape of the Atacama Desert in the north and the many national parks such as the Llanos de Challes and the Laguna del Laja. Some of the best ski resorts in Chile are El Colorado, Portillo, La Parva and the Valle Nevado. If you are planning on skiing in Chile we have a range of optional extras you can add onto your rental booking that would be useful, including ski rack, snow tyres and snow chains.