Field Trips for Santiago, Chile

Field trips are subject to change. Please contact us for more information.

You are encouraged to participate in the organized field trips, which are included in your program fees. In addition to the included program field trips, you'll also have field trips as part of many of your courses and have numerous informal activities that expose you to the local culture as well. Destinations may change at the discredtion of the Resident Director.

The following are possible destinations, view term calendars for specifics. Due to continually evolving COVID-19 regulations some tours and field studies may or may not be available during the term you choose to study abroad.

Valparaíso and Viña del Mar

Valparaíso is considered one of Latin America’s most original cities, with a colorful, bohemian vibe and breathtaking architecture left from European immigration in the 19 century. Given its history involving multiple immigrations, architecture, and geographical location, “Valpo” was nominated to be a Cultural Inheritance to Humanity protected by the United Nations. Its distinct urbanism and transportation via “elevators” on the steep hillsides make it one of the South Pacific’s most legendary cities. The coastal city of Viña del Mar is considered one of the most attractive tourist cities in the country. The coastal city of Viña del Mar and neighboring Concón are considered some of the most attractive tourist cities in the country. With lovely gardens, parks, cliffs, and beaches (and infamously cold water), Viña del Mar is about an hour and a half from Santiago, making it a longtime popular weekend and getaway destination.

Ocoa Valley

This trip to the first national park of the central region of Chile features an attractive valley in the coastal mountain range. Ocoa has great biodiversity and was the source of much of Charles Darwin’s research work in South America. The trip includes a 12 km hike in the Palmar de Ocoa, the most important palm tree reserve in the country and we finish the trip with empanadas, a traditional meal from South America.

Pomaire and Isla Negra

Pomaire represents an urban and cultural synthesis of ancient indigenous communities from Chile’s central zone and the influence of the Spanish conquest. It is also one of the country’s most important craft centers for pottery. You can purchase the signature red clay pieces inexpensively for souvenirs and try your hand at the potter’s wheel. Isla Negra is only the name of a coastal town -not an island- where Pablo Neruda lived and where he spent his last days. The house itself is a whole museum of all Neruda’s collections and the visit itself is a mixed of poetry, memories, views of the ocean and local history.

San José de Maipo

San José is a small and beautiful town in the valley with the same name and it is in the pre-Andean region only 60 minutes away from Santiago. The trip gives all its visitors a fascinating view of the life up in the mountains, with nature all around. Apart from handcrafts and local food, the trip includes a hike by the river, surrounded by the Andes, a visit to San José town, and group rafting in the San José river, as well as a traditional Chilean meal.