The beauty of Chile begins to appear on the horizon well before you arrive in Santiago. The snow-capped spine of the Andes comes into view as you approach the Chilean coast. As you get closer to Santiago the plains between the coast and the Andes roll into hills that slowly grow into green mountains and deep valleys. As you near Santiago the mountains rise toward the majestic crest of the Andes forming a wall between Chile and Argentina. Near Santiago the mountains extend all the way to the coast and hilly towns like Valparaiso. Traveling back north of Santiago and east of the Andean crest, all green disappears and the landscape becomes a barren but beautiful desert punctuated by steep-sided volcanoes and the deep colors of the lakes and sky.
© Carmen Photography