I went to Chile in February 2025 for mid-winter break, and wow—it was a haul. About 20 hours each way for a 9-day trip! We landed in Santiago and explored Bellavista, the markets, and the old town. The city felt super modern with shiny skyscrapers pressed right up against the Andes. Some buildings looked like they could be in Hong Kong, but the vibe was totally South American.
After two full days, we flew five hours south to Punta Arenas. At lunch we looked out over the Strait of Magellan—windy, chilly, and very dramatic even though it was late summer. The next morning started at 5 a.m. for a tour to Torres del Paine: four hours up into the mountains, tons of guanacos (they look like llamas), bright-blue lakes, and glaciers that didn’t seem real. We also stopped at Cueva del Milodón (giant ground sloth!), which made me imagine ancient animals wandering a massive cave. Sixteen hours later, we ended the day in a cozy old sailors’ tavern that felt like time travel.
Another 5 a.m. day: Tierra del Fuego! We took a ferry across the strait and reached Porvenir just before lunch. We learned about the Selk’nam people and their tragic history, including the ethnic cleansing that happened in the 19th century. I was surprised to hear many were very tall—around six feet—while living as hunter-gatherers. It totally challenged my pre-conceptions about how pre-Columbian communities lived and thrived.
The absolute highlight was the penguin sanctuary on Tierra del Fuego. I could’ve watched them for hours (okay, I did). One penguin was actually a New Zealand species, and the staff said it either swam a ridiculous distance or maybe hitchhiked on a boat and got released later. Either way, the sanctuary put a lot of care into keeping the penguins safe, and it was awesome to see wildlife up close without bothering them.
We flew six hours back to Santiago and celebrated with an amazing Peruvian-Japanese (Nikkei) dinner. The food all trip was next-level: steaks, fresh seafood, empanadas, and lots of fun fusion dishes I hadn’t had in California. On our last full day, we visited Valparaíso to see the colorful hills around Cerro Concepción—so much street art!—and then Viña del Mar, where there’s a real Moai from Rapa Nui (Easter Island). My dad showed me a photo of my grandpa in front of the same statue 25 years ago, which made the whole place feel connected to our family. It was a “long short trip” (four travel days in nine!), but seeing the edge of the world for the first time was totally worth it.