If you have a week and Torres del Paine is the reason you are coming, collect your camper in the far south. If your ideal day involves a lakeside village, a short walk and an unhurried campsite supper, start in Puerto Varas. In Chile, choosing the right pickup point can give you several more days in the place you came to see. These are suggested routes for time on the ground, allowing for handover and return.
One week: pick a base and build a loop
For desert landscapes, plan around San Pedro de Atacama, reached from Calama. Spend a few nights in the same area and make day trips to places such as Valle de la Luna. Before committing to a camper, check where the handover takes place and whether the roads on your wish list are allowed. A pickup listed in Santiago may have to be delivered to Calama.
For the Lake District, collect in Puerto Varas and start on the shores of Lake Llanquihue. Frutillar and Puerto Octay make natural stops before you head towards Petrohué. If fishing towns and timber houses appeal more, spend the second part of your week on Chiloé instead. Choosing one extension gives you a day to spend somewhere you discover along the way.
Two weeks: islands, fjords or walking country?
Lake District and Chiloé. A return trip from Puerto Varas works well if you want a mix of lakes and coast. Cross to Chiloé, linger around Castro and leave time for the ferry back to the mainland. Flying into Puerto Montt? Ask whether the quote includes airport handover, a transfer to the Puerto Varas base, or collection at the depot.
The Carretera Austral. Start in Puerto Varas for the northern fjords, Hornopirén and Chaitén. Get your ferry dates in place before booking every overnight stop. If Lake General Carrera is the part you most want to see, consider flying to Balmaceda and arranging a handover in Aysén instead. Our Carretera Austral route and ferry guide explains how these two trips work.
Torres del Paine. Start in Punta Arenas, travel via Puerto Natales and keep several days for the park. A return to the same pickup point makes quotes easier to compare. Plan where you will sleep before setting off: overnight stays inside the park are restricted to designated areas. Check the park’s camping rules when planning your stops.
Three weeks: give one journey more room
With more time, you could follow the northern Carretera Austral towards Coyhaique and Cerro Castillo. Work backwards from the agreed return town and allow for the ferry legs. Alternatively, spend those weeks in southern Patagonia, using Punta Arenas as your starting point and considering an extension towards El Calafate. That extension enters Argentina. Read how cross-border camper rentals work before booking either end of the trip.
If your international flight lands in Santiago, a short stay in Santiago or Valparaíso before flying south lets you collect the camper when you actually need it. Rapa Nui is a separate island trip and needs its own travel arrangements.
Match the sleeping setup to the people travelling
For two people who like cooking outside, ask how the rooftop tent opens and where wet gear goes at night. With children or several cool evenings in the plan, look at the bed layout and whether there is enough sheltered space to sit and eat together. Then compare included mileage, the exact return location and the fee for your direction of travel.
Browse 4×4 campers for hire in Chile and send your dates, party size and preferred pickup and return towns. For examples of different setups, see a pickup camper based in Puerto Varas or a compact 4×4 listed in Punta Arenas.