Is it possible to travel to Chile all year round?
Yes! Santiago and the surrounding region, as well as the beach resorts, have a very pleasant Mediterranean climate and enjoy mild weather, even during the Chilean winter, between June and September. The Andes, meanwhile, get covered in snow at that time, and become a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. Easter Island is pleasantly warm all year round, with an average temperature of 21ºC/70ºF. There are no clearly differentiated seasons, and the island is a special holiday experience all year round. Northern Chile enjoys a great deal of sun, and can also be visited all year round. The north Chilean city of Arica is known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ due to its pleasant climate. In the Atacama Desert, a constant of warm days and cold nights can be expected. In Chile’s south, the summer begins in October and ends in April. September and May can also be wonderful months for travelling to Patagonia and the Chilean Lake District, the latter offering a bouquet of flowering blossoms during spring, and southern beech trees tinged by red during the autumn. It should be noted, however, that visitors to southern Chile can often experience all four seasons in a single day. Patagonians like to say: ‘If you don’t like the weather, just wait half an hour.’

Do I need a Visa?
You do not require a visa if you come from western Europe, North America, South America (excluding Bolivia), Australia, New Zealand or Japan. Nationals of all other countries should please consult the relevant Chilean embassy. In ALL cases, visitors require a passport to enter Chile, which must be valid for a minimum of another 6 months, from the date of arrival. Citizens of the following countries must pay an entry fee: USA (US$103), Canada (US$132), Australia (US$61), Mexico (US$23), and Albania (US$30). Fees are subject to change. Visa requirements can also change at any time. Every traveller is therefore personally responsible for arranging appropriate travel documentation. In case of queries, you are strongly advised to contact or visit the Chilean embassy in your home country.

How do I book with travelArt?
There are several options: For tailor-made journeys, you outline your wishes and we provide you with a detailed offer. Alternatively, you can design your own package with the travel planner (Travel Module, Wine&Gourmet, Cruises, Hotels, Active Holidays, Chile à la Carte) and we will immediately send you the relevant information and prices. If you prefer to travel in small groups, our Fixed-date Group Holidays are the right choice. Dozens of emails are often forwarded between our customers and ourselves before the perfect holiday plan, complete with hotels and specific features, has been agreed. We only make reservations once you are entirely satisfied with the holiday we have designed for you. Please be aware that the research and planning undertaken to design your holiday is very time consuming. The first holiday plan we offer you, based on your requests, is free. If you then decide that we are the right partner for you, we provide additional developments and changes to your original holiday plan for a flat fee of 50 Euros, included in the final bill.

Can I book individual excursions or transfers with travelArt?
We specialize in arranging high quality holidays and do not offer individual excursions or transfer services. The excursions listed under Chile à la Carte can only be booked as part of a complete holiday package.

How do I book my flights?
We are happy to book your internal flights for Chile. Your international flight to and from Chile needs to be booked by you, please.

What if I just require general information for arranging my own Chile holiday independently?
You will find lots of links in our webpage to Chile travel related webpages, where you find all kind of information. You also can contact Sernatur the National Tourist Board. We, as a private travel company unfortunately can not assist everyone with general information about Chile. Our efforts to provide cultural and historical information about Chile are dedicated to improving our trips and offerings for our travellers.

How can payment be made?
As soon as you have received our reservation confirmation, we request that you pay a deposit of US$100. We accept the following credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express. We can also process payments by bank transfer. The total fee is payable (and must be received) at least 60 days prior to your travelling dates. All prices are given in US Dollars and we reserve the right to make changes to prices. For holiday reservations made at short notice, with less than 60 days between booking and travel dates, we request payment of the full amount due, as soon as you have received our booking confirmation.

How will I receive my travel documentation?
You will receive a detailed travel schedule together with our booking confirmation. On arrival in Chile, you will be met by a travelArt member of staff at the airport, who will present you with your travel documentation and our complete information pack. This includes *vouchers for every hotel and every booked service, *a detailed holiday schedule with the latest up-to-date information and a precise time table for internal Chilean flights (if they have been booked with us), *our 24-hour telephone helpline numbers, *city information (tips on sights and leisure planning) and, depending on your type of holiday, *a map of Chile and *an informational brochure on Chile.

What if I have to cancel?
All cancellations of the travel contract must be made in writing. The level of cancellation fees is dependent on the date we receive your written cancellation prior to departure. The following customer guidelines apply for cancellation fees: up to 46 days prior to departure, you will receive a full refund minus a US$100 processing fee. From 45 to 30 days prior to departure, cancellation fees are 30% of the total holiday price. From 29 to 15 days prior to departure, cancellation fees are 50% of the total holiday price. 14 days or less prior to departure, or by failure to take up the holiday, the cancellation fee is 100% of the total holiday price. Special cancellation conditions apply to Patagonian holiday packages: Up to 61 days prior to departure, you will be refunded the entire holiday price, minus the US$100 processing fee. 60 to 30 days prior to departure, the cancellation fee is 30% of the entire holiday price. 29 days or less, or by failure to take up the holiday, the cancellation fee is 100% of the entire holiday price.

Do you make refunds?
travelArt does not make refunds for services, such as hotel nights, meals, city tours etc that customers have not taken up during their holiday.

Our legal liability to the customer
As we are only the procurers of the travel services provided – which applies particularly to all transport by rail, car, bus, ship or airplane, and also to hotel accommodation etc – we accept no liability whatsoever. Each individual service provider is liable to the customer. Nor does travelArt accept liability for lost items. The customer is solely responsible for making use of the travel services offered. Should customers chose not to make use of travel services they have booked, they are not entitled to any refunds. We reserve the right to amend individual holiday services in a manner that customers can reasonably accept (for example, by changing hotel reservations, but keeping to the same category, or by slight amendments to travel routes). We also reserve the right to cancel holiday contracts prior to departure dates. In those cases, the customer is refunded the full price of the holiday. Unused services during a holiday are not refunded. We reserve the right to accept or decline contracts with customers, and also to decline customers’ inclusion on any given holiday. Customers are solely responsible for their luggage. The receipt and use of vouchers is understood as the customer’s agreement to the above conditions.