Chile is made for adventure: from its active volcanoes to its Atacaman salt flats, it offers a wide variety of outdoor adventure sports opportunities.

It’s also currently preparing to host next year’s 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, the largest international multidisciplinary sports event in the Americas.

So what can adventurous and active individuals even do in Chile? Turns out, the list is long.

One of the most practiced adventure sports in Chile is actually canoeing and kayaking. Travelers both experienced and inexperienced can enjoy the best out of these sports, with Chile’s ample riverways, challenging coastline and, of course, its many lakes.

Another adventure sport that Chile offers plenty of opportunities for is climbing, whether it's rock climbing, ice climbing or urban climbing. From the Andes Mountains to the glaciers in Patagonia and the volcanoes and forests in between, travelers can choose whichever climate and climbing style they prefer, without having to compromise.

Trekking is another incredibly popular adventure sport in Chile; walking several days along mountainous areas or unmarked trails, it’s a sport for avid nature lovers or those wanting to truly challenge themselves for a longer period than they would climbing or canoeing. Some of Chile’s well-beloved trails include the W Circuit in the Torres del Paine National Park, the trails along the Villarrica and Osorno volcanoes and Dientes de Navarino in Patagonia.

There’s one more adventure sport that might be a bit surprising to hear about. Travelers who choose to cycle throughout Chile can find themselves just as immersed in the natural landscape and environments as those who choose to hike or climb.

Chile is a relatively safe country to explore, and it offers plenty of cyclotourist routes throughout every region of the long country. One of the most well-known is the Carretera Austral in the south, which can also be driven by car. It’s a scenic route that travels 1,200 kilometers through the southern portion of Chile, winding through Queulat National Park and the charming towns of Tortel and Villa O’Higgins.

To learn more about adventure tourism in Chile, please click here.