Country Info Chile

Chilean peso

1 € are approx. 745 CLP

The entry was handled via Intime Ham (https://www.intime-ham.com/#) and lasted (the customs officer was two hours in the lunch break in between) almost the whole day. Thanks again to Ronny Tesch (local contact in Valparaiso, speaks German) for the support.

We left Chile to Peru at the border near Arica. Coming from Arica, one leaves the first official building on the left and passes it on the right. In front of the next big white building you park your motorbike or car. For larger vehicles/ buses/ expedition vehicles etc. there is a parking lot on the right.

First you walk right of the building through the border and enter the canteen (comedor) on the right and buy a document at the cash desk (we don't know the exact name). Cost approx. 1 €. Fill in this document (information about the drivers and the vehicles will be entered there). The document is needed during the departure from Chile and/or entry to Peru and is stamped several times in different places and retained at the end.

Next you enter the building through the left entrance "PDI Chile". There you will be stamped out of Chile (stamp in passport).

For Chile a vehicule insurance is needed. We decided in advance to take the one from Claudia Metz and Klaus Schubert (info@abgefahren.info). This applies to several countries, including Chile, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia.

Outside bigger towns, e.g. Santiago, you often are alone on the road. The roads are mostly very good, as soon as you move away from the main roads, the roads are no longer asphalted. The Chileans (except busses) follow the traffic rules and let you cross the street as a pedestrian on zebra crossings.

In Chile, toll is paid on the highway. For the motorcycles the price was mostly between 1-3€.

The network of gas stations in Chile is very good. Also the gasoline corresponds to European standards with alternatively 95 or 97 Octan.

In low season camping sites cost about 14-23€ per night. In the high season (end of December to partly March) the prices probably increase considerably.

Hostels were approx. 25-36€ per night (double room) still very cheap compared to Germany, but more expensive than tent camping. Sometimes it was difficult to find a campsite and on our way through, so it was easier for us to stay in a hostel than to put up the tent for one night in the evening.

We didn´t do wild camping in Chile. Many spots or areas are private, so it is difficult to find public sections. We were mostly at kite- or surfspots or in very touristic areas, there was always a cheap camping site. In the south it could be easier, but Pichilemu was our most southern point.

• Cheapest beer: Escudo, Cristal or Baltica are quite drinkable for the small purse. A six-pack (0,5ltr. cans) costs between 3 and 4 €.

• Cheapest wine: 120er or Gato for about 3 € (2,5ltr.)

• Food recommendation: Empanadas (approx. 1€), Miraflores (rice ready meal for approx. 80 Cent, different flavours)

• Supermarkets with a large selection: Jumbo or Lider. Here you can get most camping articles, such as cool boxes, tents, tarps, camping chairs but also gas cartridges or small gas bottles with screw thread. Gas bottles for the camping kitchen are also available in the "Ferreteria".