Chile or Peru?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 245 410
UNESCO listings among them 13 21
Cost level Mid-range Budget
Busiest month in our write-ups March June
Currency Chilean peso (CLP) Sol (PEN)
Plugs and voltage C, L - 220 V A, B, C - 220 V
Everyday languages Spanish Spanish, Quechua
Driving side right hand side right hand side
Region South America South America
Capital Santiago Lima
Chile
Reserved, orderly and proud of it - the un-Caribbean end of Latin America.
What we have written up
- Achao town
- Ahu Tongariki ceremonial platform
- Alberto de Agostini National Park national park
- Aldea de Tulor archaeological site
- Alerce Andino National Park national park
- Alerce Costero National Park national park
Worth knowing before you go
- Cards are universal in cities
- Tipping: the 10% propina sugerida on bills is standard to accept
- Domestic flights beat buses for the huge north-south hops
Peru
Andean patience and pride; altitude sets the tempo and coca tea is the welcome.
What we have written up
- Abra Málaga mountain pass
- Abra Patricia Reserve private reserve
- Aguas Calientes town
- Ahuashiyacu Falls waterfall
- Ajà Pepper Heritage ingredient
- Albufera de Medio Mundo coastal lagoon
Worth knowing before you go
- Cash for markets and villages; cards fine in cities
- Tipping 10% is appreciated in restaurants
- Colectivos and comfortable buses (Cruz del Sur class) link the coast and sierra
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.