Planning Multi-Day Trips Out of Santiago
Chile stretches over 4,000 km north to south, and Santiago sits roughly in the middle of it, which makes the capital a launch point rather than a place to spend a second week.
South, into Patagonia
Punta Arenas (PUQ) is a 3.5-hour direct flight from SCL; Puerto Natales (PNT) is a seasonal alternative closer to the park gate. Either puts you at the entrance to Torres del Paine National Park, where the W Trek or the full O Circuit needs 4 to 7 days, trekking season running October through April. Compare lodging in Puerto Natales on Booking.com well before you fly; refugios and campsites along the trail sell out months ahead in the summer window.
North, into the desert
A 2-hour flight from SCL to Calama (CJC), then a 75-minute transfer, reaches San Pedro de Atacama at 2,400 meters. This is genuine altitude, unlike Santiago itself, so pace the first day. Three to five days covers Valle de la Luna, the El Tatio geysers at 4,320 meters, and the salt flats around the town; chile.travel has current seasonal notes for each site. Multi-day Atacama itineraries are bookable on GetYourGuide .
South-southwest, to the lakes
Puerto Montt (PMC) is a 1-hour 40-minute flight from SCL, opening onto Lake Llanquihue, Osorno Volcano, Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, and the wooden UNESCO churches of Chiloé Island. Three to four days is enough for a first pass; this route moves at the pace of a lake-and-volcano road trip rather than a trek.
East, overland to Argentina
Turbus, Andesmar, and Cata Internacional run the 7 to 8 hour bus from Terminal Alameda to Mendoza, roughly USD 35 to 55 each way, over the Caracoles switchbacks of the Paso Internacional Los Libertadores at 3,200 meters, with Aconcagua visible from the road before the descent into Argentina’s Malbec country. Turbus international schedules are worth checking a few days out, since the pass closes for snow with little notice in winter.
Choosing between them
Atacama and Mendoza both fit into a trip without a long domestic flight dominating your schedule; Patagonia and the Lake District are trips in their own right and deserve a dedicated week rather than a tacked-on few days.
Before you go
Book the Punta Arenas or Calama flight early: both routes run fewer daily departures than Santiago’s domestic trunk lines, and fares rise fast inside the final two weeks before departure. For attractions inside the city itself before you head out, see the Santiago guide .