Health Precautions: Patagonia is considered to be a fairly clean and safe travel environment; however, it is always a good idea to drink bottled water while traveling abroad. Travel in Chile requires no specific immunizations; however, Global Descents recommends maintaining up-to-date Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Tetunus vaccinations.
Visa Requirements and Travel Fees: US and European citizens are required only to possess a passport, valid for a minimum of three months beyond the date of return to your home country, to enter Chile. There is a $100 USD reciprocation tax collected upon arrival at Santiago International Airport, which remains marked as paid through the expiration of your passport. There is also an $18 US departure tax collected upon departure from the Santiago airport. Travelers entering overland are not charged these taxes.
Money: The Chilean currency is the peso; upon this writing, the exchange rate was 585 Chilean pesos to 1 US dollar. There are Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) readily available in all banks and all major cities; however, there are no opportunities to exchange money in the Futaleufu Valley.
Baggage: There is a weight limit of 40 lbs (18.2 kg) per person on the charter flight from Puerto Montt to Chaiten. It is best to bring only what is needed for the trip. Additional belongings can be left in secure storage in the airport or in your hotel prior to the trip. Please call Global Descents for more information.
Shopping: There will be opportunities to purchase locally produced goods such as woolens and artwork in the small town of Puerto Varas. There are ATMs available in this town.
