Chile, a long and narrow coastal country on the west side of the Andes mountains in South America, is often called “the thin country.” It’s not much more than 100 miles wide in most places, making the trip less than a day’s journey from 20,000 foot volcanoes in the Andes to beautiful Pacific beaches on the coast. However, north to south the country stretches almost 2,700 miles, further than San Francisco to New York, leading to a remarkable variety of climates and landscapes.

The diverse climate of Chile ranges from the world's driest desert in the north, the Atacama, through a Mediterranean climate in the center, oceanic climates along the Pacific coast, and alpine climates with numerous glaciers in the south.

Chile is crossed by numerous rivers, most short in length with low flow rates. In the center-north of the country rivers form valleys of agricultural importance, nurturing Chile’s renowned vineyards. Further south the geography morphs into a web of abundant lakes, then an archipelago bordered by majestic mountain peaks.

The photos in this gallery were created during a three-week whirlwind exploratory journey in November 2023. All photos were created with an iPhone 15 Pro Max camera.