10 Days in Chile - 5 Family-Friendly Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Chile's Natural Wonders for Families: Atacama Desert & Lake District

Split your time between exploring the otherworldly wonders of the Atacama Desert and the lush landscapes surrounding Puerto Varas on this 10-day family-friendly adventure in Chile. Throughout, pack in memory-making activities, including a dune buggy excursion, treks to impressive waterfalls, and a visit to a penguin colony. Plus, with four-night stays in two different family-friendly accommodations, you can look forward to having comfortable bases to relax and regroup between epic days out. This trip is best suited to older children eight years and up.

Welcome to Chile! Your family adventure begins in Santiago, the ideal place to introduce young travelers to a new culture while wandering Mercado Central and Plaza de Armas alongside your private guide. Then, transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, where you'll check into a family-friendly hotel for four nights. Over the following days, discover the many highlights of the sprawling Atacama Desert while enjoying exciting activities, including an El Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) tour, a trek along Río Vilama searching for waterfalls, a full-day traverse of the famous Salar de Atacama (Atacama Salt Flats), and an adrenaline pumping dune buggy ride.

Spend Day 6 traveling to Puerto Varas, a charming town on the shores of Lago Llanquihue, and enjoy an evening exploring as a family. Next, you'll delve into the surrounding landscapes, first by a guided excursion into Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, complete with a kayak excursion, then boat to Isla Chiloé, where wildlife-loving kids will delight in spotting unique birds at the Caulín Bird Sanctuary. You'll also treat young explorers to an incredible day trekking alongside a winding river in Alerce Andino National Park before flying back to Santiago and catching your onward flight. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Family-Friendly Chile Highlights: Santiago, Atacama Desert & Valparaíso

Perfect for families looking for an introduction to Chile's natural highlights, culture, and coastal charms, this family adventure takes you from Santiago through the Atacama Desert and ends in colorful Valparaíso. Engage young minds (six years and up) with activities like stargazing in San Pedro de Atacama, swimming in the Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache, and a cooking class in Cerro Mariposa. Adults will also love the opportunity to sip wine in the Casablanca Valley and relax on the beaches of Viña del Mar.

Kick off your family adventure in the buzzing capital city of Santiago, where you'll treat antsy plane legs to an afternoon exploring Bicentenario Park. Next, head north to San Pedro de Atacama and expand young ones' curiosity during a stargazing experience. With two more days to discover the Atacama Desert's unique landscapes, you'll have plenty of time to explore the Valley of the Moon and spend an afternoon swimming in the salty waters of the Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache (Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache). Afterward, return to Santiago for a fun-filled day at Araucano Park. 

While using Santiago as your base for two more days, you'll embark on a trip into the Andes, complete with a stop at the tempting Chocolate House, and broaden young palates during a street food tour around Plaza de Armas. Then, make your way to Casablanca Valley, where parents can sip wine while kids hand-feed alpacas before continuing to Valparaíso. Here, a private cooking class, a leisurely afternoon hopping between Viña del Mar beaches, and a visit to the quirky house of poet Pablo Neruda mark the end of a memorable family getaway. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Chile Outdoor Adventure for Families: Santiago, Valparaíso & Patagonia

Crafted for families (with children six plus) looking to pack in adventures, this kid-friendly trip includes time in Santiago, Valparaíso, Punta Arenas, and Puerto Natales. Wildlife-loving young ones will especially love the opportunity to ride horses at an authentic Chilean ranch, walk among a colony of penguins on Isla Magdalena, and bird watch in a private reserve. Other epic highlights include a boat trip to witness the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers, dinner at a revolving restaurant, and plenty of free time to explore as a family.

After arriving in Santiago and taking a free day to settle into your new surroundings, you'll hit go on your family adventure during a 3.5-hour guided tour of the city's main sights, including La Moneda and the kid-friendly Parque Forestal, and while enjoying dinner at the revolving Giratoria restaurant. Next, grab the bus to Valparaíso and spend an afternoon exploring as a family before delighting young animal lovers with a full day at a traditional Chilean estancia (ranch), where they can ride horses and feed chickens, donkeys, and rabbits. Then, rise early to catch a flight to Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia.

From Punta Arenas, you'll ferry to Isla Magdalena and watch kids squeal excitedly as they wander among a colony of 60,000 penguins. Continue to Puerto Natales afterward, serving as your base to explore the beautiful Torres del Paine National Park. Over the following days, you'll pack in plenty of kid-friendly activities, including a boat trip to the impressive glacier of Balmaceda and Serrano and hiking, biking, or horseback riding in Estancia Bahía Esperanza. Then, after a free morning in Puerto Natales to explore as a family, you'll catch a return flight to Santiago for a final celebratory evening. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Family Tour of Chile's Lake District & Patagonia

This 10-day family adventure brings you from the forested landscapes of the Lake District to the dramatic glaciers and mountains of Torres del Paine and Bernardo O'Higgins National Parks. Ideal for families looking to introduce young ones to adventure travel, you'll embark on hikes catered to everyone's fitness level, spend a day exploring Reloncaví Fjord on single or tandem kayaks, and experience the power of glaciers from the comfort of a boat. (Depending on hiking and swimming skills, this itinerary is perhaps best suited to children eight and older.)

Begin your family adventure in Santiago, where you'll hand over the reins to a guide to get to know the city's highlights. Then, wake the kids early for a flight to Puerto Montt in Chile's Lake District and settle into your three-night accommodation in Puerto Varas. After a day of getting your bearings during a guided tour, you'll embark on your first big adventure, which has been catered to your family's experience and fitness levels, in Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. Next, spend a day gliding along the Reloncaví Fjord in single or tandem kayaks before flying south to Punta Arenas. 

After discovering the city as a family, you'll boat across the Strait of Magellan to visit Chile's largest penguin colony on Isla Magdalena. Continue to Puerto Natales for a relaxing evening, then spend the following days exploring the many remarkable landscapes surrounding you. Start by admiring Torres del Paine National Park highlights on foot, including Lago Grey and Cueva del Milodón; next, boat to see Balmaceda Glacier up close and end your stay searching for wildlife near Lago Sarmiento. On your final day, a short flight back to Santiago marks the end of your memorable family adventure. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Active Family Fun in the Atacama Desert & Chilean Patagonia

Experience Chile's remote and dramatic landscapes on this 10-day trip crafted especially for active families looking to spend uninterrupted time outdoors. Between a stargazing experience, time to explore the Valley of the Moon and Tatio Geysers, and a full-day adventure in Torres del Paine National Park, children and adults alike will discover a newfound appreciation for nature's power. There's also plenty of time to bond as a family while exploring Santiago and Punta Arenas. (Depending on hiking and swimming skills, this itinerary is perhaps best suited to children eight and older.)

After arriving in Santiago and taking a day to explore as a family, it's back to the airport for a short flight to Calama and a transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. Over the following four days, you and your family will immerse yourselves in the surreal landscapes of the Atacama Desert. Start with a stargazing excursion, then surprise young explorers with a swim in the Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache and a wander in the Valley of the Moon. Next, discover the power of the Tatio Geysers and enjoy an educational hike along the Río Vilama before ending your stay with a free day.

Halfway through your family trip, you'll trade the vast desert for the towering mountains of Patagonia. It's a full-day journey, but soon, you'll have arrived in Punta Arenas with an evening to wander the city. Then, spend an afternoon meeting penguins on Isla Magdalena before continuing to Puerto Natales. The following days are packed with adventures, including a guided tour of Torres del Paine National Park's highlights and a boat trip to Grey Glacier. However, after a hike from Lago Sarmiento to Laguna Amarga, it'll be time to bid farewell to Chile and catch your onward flight. Learn more

More Great 10-Day Chile Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Chile? Check out these other 10-day Chile itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.