Mountains, rainforests, beaches, valleys, lakes, deserts, glaciers, ski-resorts, modern cities, historic villages and even ancient landmarks; you name it and Chile has it.

Cities

There are many stunning cities in Chile. The capital, Santiago, was founded in 1541 and is steeped in colonial history and 19th century buildings. The city has now become a modern metropolis, including an extensive public transportation infrastructure, several universities, shopping centres and skyscrapers (including the Gran Torre Santiago, the tallest building in Latin America). From the city you can also see the Andes mountains.

Valparaíso is one of Chile’s most important ports, and in recent years it has become an important cultural centre in the region. In the 19th century, the city was a key stopover for trading ships travelling between the Atlantic and the Pacific, and was therefore home to a number of wealthy European immigrants. Thus the city contains a number of stunning colonial buildings, including Latin America’s oldest stock exchange and Chile’s first public library. Viña del Mar is a coastal city which boasts long white sandy beaches and is a picturesque tourist hot spot.

Natural landmarks

As already mentioned, the Atacama desert has proved to be a major draw for international filmmakers. The Atacama is the driest desert in the world, and at 41,000 sq miles, it contains a variety of stunning natural features, including composed salt lakes, sand dunes and lava flows. There are also interesting man-made structures in the desert, including the UNESCO world heritage site, the Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works, as well as two observatories, the La Silla Observatory and the Paranal Observatory.

The Andes mountains in northern Chile offers yet more amazing filming locations; there are imposing mountain faces, glaciers, internationally renowned ski resorts and lush national parks (the most famous being Conguillío National Park).

The country is home to areas of volcanic and geothermal activity, including the El Tatio Geysers and the Llaima and Chaitén volcanoes, and the conical Villarrica Volcano in the resort town Pucón. Easter Island, famous for its ancient monumental statues, is also a part of Chile, as well as Robinson Crusoe Island, so-named for the Alexander Selkirk who was a castaway on the island in the 18th century and the inspiration for the famous novel. Chile's second-largest island, Chiloé, has fairytale landscapes of green rolling hills and shingled homes on stilts, and centuries-old Jesuit churches considered unique in the world and UNESCO Heritage Sites.

Alongside all this, the country has opposite seasons to the northern hemisphere – so when it’s winter in the northern hemisphere, it’s summer in Chile - which can help aid shooting schedules.

Climate

Chile has a diverse range of climatic conditions and microclimates. The northern desert is the world's driest and sees very little rainfall during the year. When it does rain, it is usually from Dec. to Feb. during what is called the "Bolivian Winter."

The desert's high altitude means that days can be warm and evenings cool to frigid. The coastal desert area experiences plenty of fog year-round. The Andes run along Chile's eastern border, in the north the climate is typical of mountain areas with thin air, light rainfall and permanent snow and ice on the highest peaks, whilst in the southern Andes, rain and snowfall is heavier and can occur at much lower altitudes.

Central lowland areas of Chile have warm, dry summers (Nov-Mar) and mild winters with average rainfall. The southern part of Chile has a changeable cool, wet climate. The Patagonia region has a very highly changeable weather pattern that can bring cold weather and even rain and snow during the summer, with very strong wind from November to March

Clothing

Light clothes are needed for the northern and central areas during the spring and summer, with warmer wear for winter -- especially in the desert north. Much warmer clothing is needed for trips to the south, especially during winter and up into the Andes. Rainwear is advisable at any time when visiting the south or going to central areas during winter months (May-Sep).