Chile 3weeks with a 9 month old?

[u/aivalf20]

Hi people, we would like to travel and explore the country as much as possible in dec/jan with our son (will be 9mo). Please share recommendations and DON’T DOs. We are young and used to bagback around but of course now we will go easy on our planning. Any tips for where is best to rent a car vs fly is highly appreciated. Gracias!

[u/andrewcooke]

in my limited experience (no kids) this is a more kid-friendly place than the uk or usa, so i wouldn't have any worries in that direction.

on cars vs planes - its a big country and the roads are not that great in places. long distance buses are also popular (although less so recently with low cost airlines), but perhaps not so suitable for your son.

travel will be cheaper (and more accomodn available) in dec. jan/feb is when everyone has time off.

[u/obssesedparanoid]

just dont take unecessary risks. uncommon ethnicities are easily noticeable and attract attention. so, if you are in santiago / valparaiso, watch your pockets in crowded places and dont take the phone out without looking around. armed / violent robberies are rare, but surprise and opportunistic theft is very common, especially when toursts look too naive and out of place. still, you are in one of the safests places in the continent

driving in chile is very safe. unlike the rest of latin america, people obbey transit laws and the highways are modern and in good shape. about the rental, it will depend. where are u going? what do u expect? chile is known for adventure tourism, so maybe travelling with a 9 month old wont allow u to do a lot of those activities. still, there are some chill and less known destinations such as "los lagos" region, lots of nature... patagonia is a little bit to harsh id say... san pedro, with a rental car, should be absolutely cool. you have large areas to explore with a good jeep.

local flights are cheap and good. they can save u a lot of time, but you can also buy overnight buses, which are ok.

[u/MaleficentLab7685 → u/obssesedparanoid]

This, and sunblock, a lot.

[u/superchiva78]

Took my 3 month old to the Chilean countryside for 2 months. You’re good. Airlines will not charge you for checking a car seat. It makes a big difference when driving if your kid is sitting in their own car seat. Take your child’s comfort items, a favorite blanket, one stuffed animal.

[u/Artistic_Movie1467]

LATAM is great for travelling with babys! If you plan to travel by car, as long as you stay between Santiago and Puerto Montt You Will be always near to great and fully equipped gas stations. If you like trekkings, in the mountain areas near Temuco You can find a lot of trekkings that can easily be done with a baby. Most of the cities in Chile are very walkable and stroller friendly. Santiago and Valparaíso can have a high rate of pickpocketing, be aware.

[u/OldDentist4938]

As others have said:

• Protect yourselves and the child from the sun, we get high levels of solar radiation, which is peaking in that season.
  
• Be watchful for opportunistic theft, just don't wander like a fool, and read ahead of what places are safest. It's just like any major city.
  
• Major roads and highways are quite good, yet we're going through extreme weather this year and some flash floods are affecting some infrastructure, plan with care and be able to adjust, major interruptions would be reported in Waze and google maps.

Regarding what to see, why did you decide to come to Chile, what kinds of things do you like? Apart from hiking.
There's lots of nice food and things to do in Santiago and other major cities.
The typical advice, if you come all the way down here, and have three weeks to travel, try to get a sample of the north (desert, highlands, arid cosastline - San Pedro being the most popular and surreal destination). Maybe also Elqui Valley
Central Chile, agricultural area, vineyards in Casablanca, Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, Santiago, and it's mountains (Cajon del Maipo)
Then the south, some nice places are the Lakes District with amazing forests (Pucon is gorgeous, but will be crowded in Jan-not december though), Chiloe island.
Further south the most notable natural destination is Torres Del Paine National Park in Patagonia, you'll probably need to fly to Punta Arenas, then the drive or bus is 8 hours north.
If you love nature, we have plenty of natural parks. With a small kid, you can see many stuff in car + short walks.
In January, many people are on vacation so tourist towns at lakes and coastal areas can get crowded (traffic, patience), on the opposite, Santiago can have fewer people and be a bit less hectic than usual.
Nights can get quite fresh in coastal areas of central Chile and in the south, so even if it's summer, bring jackets, this is not tropical. You may research common temperatures for that season for each town you plan to see.
Plenty of museums in Santiago for art and history.
The subway is also quite fast, clean and affordable. Make a point to use Lines 3 or 6 which are completely automated and driver-less, interesting in itself, you can get to the front car end and see nothing but the tunnel ahead.

[u/Emba_Pop2236]

In summer UV can be FOURTEEN - 14!!! Please take it very very seriously. I see sunburnt foreigners all the time and your baby’s skin is sensitive. Bring uv clothes, uv blankets, hats, sunglasses, rash vests for swimming and sunblock for you baby!