Organized Tours

The advantages of traveling with an organized group are plentiful, especially for travelers who have limited time and resources. Tour operators take the headache out of planning a trip, and they iron out the wrinkles that invariably pop up along the way. The language barrier is less of an issue when you have a guide to translate for you, and a guide can interpret the culture and history of Chile and the natural surroundings of your destination. Most tours include guides, ground transportation, accommodations, meals, and gear. Independent travelers tend to view organized tours as antithetical to the joy of discovery, but leaving the details to someone else does free up substantial time to concentrate on something else. Besides, your traveling companions are likely to be kindred spirits with similar interests.

The best tours limit group size to 10 to 15 people, which allows for personal attention and a bit of breathing room -- this is appreciated after a week on the road together. Of course, most tour operators can book a custom trip for a family or small group, but the cost will be far higher than a regularly scheduled tour. Ask about difficulty levels when you're choosing a tour. Most tours are focused on "soft" adventure, with light excursions that are suitable even for couch tubers; be truthful with yourself when considering more difficult journeys. A multiday adventure that includes trekking through virgin jungle might look great on paper, but are you physically up to it? Tour operators are responsible for their clients' well-being and safety, but that doesn't let you off the hook in terms of your own personal responsibility. Inquire about your guide's experience, safety record, and insurance policy. Remember, no adventure trip is 100% risk-free.

North-America Based Tour Operators

These agencies and operators specialize in well-organized, 7- to 15-day tours that allow travelers to pack a lot of action into a short period of time. (Tip: There's really no point in booking a tour that takes you to an all-inclusive lodge with its own guides and transportation, unless you just want someone to act as a minder-guide to solve any glitches from start to finish.) A few of the operators include luxury accommodations and gourmet dining as part of the travel itinerary, and are therefore very expensive. Remember, the tours shown below do not include international or internal airfare! Solo travelers in most cases will be charged the dreaded single supplement that can run an additional $500 to $1,500 (#250-#750). For more specific activity-oriented tour operators such as biking, see "Activities A to Z." Destination-specific chapters list local guiding services or tour operators.

• Abercrombie & Kent (tel. 800/550-7016; www.abercrombiekent.com), an award-winning tour operator that caters to the luxury market (world-class hotels and gourmet dining), offers mostly set trips that combine Argentina or Brazil with Chile, and many tailored trips for families and independent groups. Their new 15-day "Fire & Ice" trip takes travelers from Santiago to the Atacama Desert, then over the border to Mendoza, El Calafate, and Buenos Aires in Argentina for $11,490 (#5,745) per person; their Signature Series includes wine tasting, Patagonia, and the Atacama Desert for $8,190 (#4,095) per person.

• Backroads Active Vacations (tel. 800/462-2848 or 510/527-1444; www.backroads.com) has two trips in Chile: a walking/biking tour through the lake districts of Chile and Argentina, with stops in Puerto Varas, Bariloche, and Villa la Angostura (with an afternoon of rafting); and hiking in Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno national parks. The 9-day biking trip costs $4,698 (#2,349) per person ($1,300/#650 extra for single supplement). Though it concentrates on active travel, Backroads activities lean toward the easy-going, paired with stays at luxury hotels and inns.

• Bike Hike Adventures (tel. 888/805-0061; www.bikehike.com) is a Toronto-based company specializing in multi-sport adventures for travelers who are at least in moderate shape. Their 8-day "A Pure Natural High" takes place around Puerto Varas and Ensenada, rafting the Petrohue, climbing to the peak of Volcan Osorno, horseback riding, and hiking through Alerce Andino Park, with stays in moderate hotels and 1 night in a mountain refuge ($1,799/#900 per person). Bike Hike also has a 12-day, mountain refuge-based "Best of Patagonia" hiking trip including Chile and Argentina.

• Country Walkers (tel. 800/464-9255; www.countrywalkers.com) focuses on easy to moderate, 5- to 12-mile day hikes through the highlights of the Lake District and Patagonia, including Vicente Perez and Alerce Andino national parks, the emerald isles of Chiloe, and Torres del Paine, with overnights in high-end hotels. The 11-day trip costs $5,298 (#2,649) per person, and operates as early as October.

• Gap Adventures (tel. 800/708-7761; www.gapadventures.com) is a Canadian company that provides adventurous travelers with journeys that steer clear of "traditional tourism," offering trips tailored to all budgets and desires within 10 categories, from Expedition to Volunteer to Comfort to Family. Gap's "Roam" trips are a good bet for independent travelers who want to hit the road at leisure, stay in local homes, and tour with local operators, but are unsure how to go about planning their trip.

• Mountain-Travel Sobek (tel. 888/MTSOBEK or 510/594-6000; www.mtsobek.com), are the pioneers of organized adventure travel; their trips involve a lot of physical activity and combine camping with hotel stays, with an average of 12 nights. Sample trips include rafting the Futaleufu River and trekking in Torres del Paine, the latter of which costs, per person, $4,890 (#2,445) for five to six guests, $4,590 (#2,295) for seven to nine guests, and $4,190 (#2,095) for 10 to 15 guests. Sobek is a pricey outfitter, but their guides carry gear and set up camp for guests, and they are known for their knowledgeable and competent guides.

• Wilderness Travel (tel. 800/368-2794 or 510/558-2488; www.wildernesstravel.com) offers the most complete tour of the Lake District, visiting little-known national parks such as Conguilillo and Puyuehue. In addition to hiking in Patagonia, they have a hiking trip in the remote Futaleufu region with lodging in wooden cabins and tree houses, as well as a pricey cruise to Easter Island. The cost for the Lake District hiking tour is $3,095 (#1,548) for 12 to 14 guests, and $3,395 (#1,698) for 10 to 11 guests.

U.K.-Based Tour Operators

Journey Latin America (tel. 020/8747-3108; www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) is the U.K.'s largest tour operator that specializes in Latin American travel with a plethora of tailor-made and group tours. You'll really need to browse their website for ideas, which can be "Classic Tours" or "Original Adventures," focusing around active travel with stays in moderately priced lodging and can even include public transportation. Other trips include luxury hotels and dining.

Chile-Based Tour Operators

Remember that international tour operators without their own local offices often subcontract local tour operators or book stays in all-inclusive hotels. Operators based in Chile typically offer a wider variety of tours here -- after all, they operate within their own country. The following operators run a multitude of trips throughout the country; also see "Activities A to Z," for specialized tour operators.

• Altue Expediciones (tel. 2/232-1103; www.altue.com) is the oldest and most respected tour outfitter in Chile. Their specialties are rafting (rivers Futaleufu, Maipo, and what's left of the Bio-Bio) and horseback riding (Central Andes, La Campana National Park, Patagonia), as well as their terrific kayaking operation/lodge based in Chiloe (with trips around Chiloe and Parque Pumalin). They have exceptionally friendly guides and a solid operation. They can put together any kind of cultural tour or custom tour, including fly-fishing.

• Azimut Expediciones (tel. 2/235-1519; www.azimut.cl), a French and Chilean-run operation, is a top choice for adventure travel and traditional tours with an "avant-garde" itinerary -- that is, travel that takes you to off-the-beaten-path locations and overland tours. Like Latitud 90, this is a good choice for expeditions in the Atacama Desert.

• Cascada Expediciones (tel. 800/901-6987 in the U.S., and 2/217-5061 in Santiago; www.cascada.travel) offers an ample selection of active trips around Chile but is particularly active in Cajon de Maipo near Santiago, where the company is based, and in Torres del Paine, where it has an EcoCamp. Activities run the gamut, from soft adventure to hard-core mountaineering atop most of Chile's tallest and famed peaks, as well as rafting, kayaking, mountaineering, horseback riding, and trekking in Torres del Paine.

• Latitud 90 (tel. 2/247-9100; www.latitud90.com) is the most complete tour operator in Chile, offering soft and hard adventure trips and more traditional excursions such as wine tasting and cultural visits to areas outside of Santiago. It's a good outfit for mountaineering, and they also specialize in tailor-made trips, and incentive and group tours.

Other General Interest Tour Agencies & Package Deals

• Chile Discover (tel. 866/369-8046; www.chilediscover.com) puts together "Self-Guided" tours, whereby they book the car rental, hotels, and any other reservations; provide you with a map; and send you on your way on an independent tour. Research the hotels that they suggest as part of their itinerary -- they may not be the best available.

• Discover Latinamerica (tel. 888/887-8869; www.discoverchile.com) is another excellent resource, offering complete trip planning and set packages, custom tours, and lower-cost deals on flights. Discover Chile is owned by Chile's largest and most respected tour operator, Turismo Cocha, which often gets the cheaper prices for hotels and other packages.

• Ladatco Tours (tel. 800/327-6162; www.ladatco.com) organizes preprogrammed and custom tours in all regions of Chile, including theme-oriented tours such as wine tasting, fly-fishing, glaciers, and more. Ladatco has operated as a Central and South America tour operator for 30 years.

• PanAmerican Travel (tel. 801/364-4359; www.panamtours.com) is an outstanding company staffed by Latin Americans with firsthand knowledge of Chile. The company specializes in reasonably priced custom trips with unique itineraries, not set trips or standardized packaged vacations.

Ecotourism -- You can find eco-friendly travel tips, statistics, and touring companies and associations -- listed by destination under "Travel Choice" -- at the TIES website, www.ecotourism.org. Ecotravel.com is part online magazine and part eco-directory that lets you search for touring companies in several categories (water-based, land-based, spiritually oriented, and so on). Also check out Conservation International (www.conservation.org).