Read more about vaccinations, climate, transport, price levels and more in connection with your trip to Chile.
- Language: Spanish
- Capital: Santiago
- Population: 17, 5 million.
- Religion: Roman Catholic
- Currency: Chilean peso
- Surface: 756,102 km2
Before departure
About a week before departure, you will receive your final departure letter. The departure letter contains important information about the place and time of departure. It also contains a telephone and address list of the hotels we use on the trip and the tour guide’s name.
Health
Our trips in Chile can involve some hiking, which presupposes that you are in generally good physical shape and can move without help. The trips are not suitable for people who walk badly, use a walker or wheelchair.
Travel insurance
As the general health insurance does not cover the cost of travel home and care in Chile, you should definitely take out travel insurance that covers both the cost of care and any repatriation. Furthermore, we recommend that the insurance covers luggage in the event of damaged or lost luggage. Albatros Travel cooperates with Gouda Reseförsäkring and we are happy to help you take out travel insurance.
Time difference
The time difference between Sweden and Chile varies depending on whether it is summer or winter time:
Summer time -6 hours
Winter time -5 hours
The time difference between Sweden and Easter Island is:
Summer time -8 hours
Winter time -7 hours
Hand luggage
We recommend that you pack your hand luggage, so that you have what you need easily accessible should the rest of your luggage be delayed. Furthermore, we advise you to pack valuables and important medicine in your hand luggage. If you bring prescription medicine that you need to take during the flight, the name of the prescription and flight ticket must match.
Transport in Chile
Bus The
buses in Chile generally have about the same high standard as the one we are used to in Europe. Of course, our buses are of a good standard.
Flights
On our round trips in Chile, we often fly longer distances with domestic flights. Prior to such flights, the tour guide informs about the time of departure and what applies at check-in at the airport.
The price level in Chile
A main course with accessories costs around 150 Swedish kronor. When it comes to pocket money, we know from experience that you need at least SEK 200 per day. If you want to include extra drinks in that amount, you should expect an additional SEK 95-240 per day per person. It is enough, for example, for drinks, postcards, stamps, ice cream and tips. If you want to buy souvenirs or something else, you need to bring extra money in addition to this.
Tip
On our travels, you come into contact with everyday life in Chile, including conditions that may not appeal to you, or that you are not used to. Take for example the system of tips. In many countries, tips are a more organized phenomenon than we Swedes are used to, and you are expected to leave some tips to local guides and drivers during the trip. We enter an amount in our travel program so that you can count on this when you make up your travel budget at home. The price of the trip does not include the cost of tips as you decide how much you want to give during the trip. The tip system is part of the culture you visit and something you should therefore follow and respect. In Chile, tips are widely accepted in the tourism industry. It is normal for a traveler to pay tips to bus drivers, local guides, hotel piccolos, in restaurants, etc.
As a first-time traveler to Chile, it can be tricky to know how much you leave to different people. But with one or two dollars you get far! In practice, it is possible to arrange for the tour guide to collect money for the entire trip and ensure that the right people get what they need. We would like to emphasize that it is of course voluntary to tip, even if it is common practice.
Bars, cafes and nightclubs as well as restaurants in hotels often add 10-15% in service charge on the bill. This is stated in the bill, but in addition it is customary to tip the waiter an additional 5% of the entire bill.
Currency and credit cards
The Chilean currency is called the peso (currency code CLP) and is available in both coins and banknotes. Keep in mind that many banknotes and coins are similar and therefore easy to confuse. The most common currency is the US dollar, which can be exchanged for pesos anywhere. The tour guide will be happy to help you find suitable places to change money. MasterCard, Visa, Diners and American Express can be used as payment cards at most major hotels and in some stores. MasterCard and Visa can be used to withdraw cash (pesos) at ATMs in most cities.
The exchange rate for pesos is relatively unstable (SEK 100 = 7143 CLP in August 2011). You can possibly order pesos from your bank or at a currency exchange office. In Chile, you can change at the airport, at banks, exchange offices and at most hotels. Remember to check the money. It is a good idea to bring a suitable amount of banknotes to pay for taxis, local purchases and meals.
Electricity
Chile uses 220 volts, 50 Hz. The electrical socket has three legs with round pins. Most hotels are happy to lend an adapter, but they usually do not have enough for all rooms. You should therefore bring an adapter kit with many options.
Telephone and internet
According to allcitycodes, the international country code for Chile is +56. It is expensive to call home from Chile, so feel free to consult with your mobile operator regarding coverage and prices for calls from Chile.
Internet cafés are now available in most cities, but we know from experience that it can be difficult to manage to visit such places other than during your own time or after the end of the day’s program. Most hotels in Chile have internet service, but expect slower connection compared to home. Some hotels charge extra for this.
Hygiene
Hygiene conditions in Chile are worse than in Western Europe. Hotels and larger restaurants, on the other hand, usually meet modern / western standards. Out in the city and in the country, you can count on going to so-called pedal toilets, and that there is a lack of toilet paper. The standard of public toilets or in the countryside can thus be relatively primitive. Bring your own toilet paper, wet wipes and perhaps hand sanitizer (available at Swedish pharmacies, for example), so you will not be as dependent on access to water.
Customs and traditions
Chileans are generally open and treat tourists in a friendly way. Chileans do not like to get involved in how you behave. Instead, it is assumed that you as a visitor to the country have familiarized yourself with how to behave.
Although the locals are usually used to many tourists, it is expected that local customs and practices are respected. More important than anything else is nature conservation. Most often, the areas we visit are completely protected, and the preservation of these areas has the highest priority among the authorities and the local population. You should therefore listen extra carefully when the tour guide and local guide during the trip inform about nature reserves.
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited during all flights, train and bus transport. Smoking is also prohibited in most restaurants and hotels. If you are unsure, talk to your tour guide about what applies to smoking in Chile.
Passport and visa Chile
Read about passports and visas when traveling to Chile.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after returning from Chile. No visa to Chile is required for stays of 90 days, but you must send a copy of the photo page of your passport to Albatros Travel, so that we can send the necessary information to the airline.
Vaccinations Chile
Get more information about vaccinations in connection with trips to Chile.
Yellow fever
It has been observed that older people sometimes have a tendency to have more severe side effects and therefore one should be careful about vaccinating the elderly.
If you do not want to be vaccinated against yellow fever because of this, you should ask a doctor or the clinic where you are vaccinated to write in the vaccination card that you have not been vaccinated against yellow fever for medical reasons. This is accepted by the immigration authorities.
