Santiago, Chile in $490s-$540s RT

For such a skinny strip of land, Chile really punches above its weight when it comes to scenery. At 2,653 miles long and only 10 miles across at its narrowest point, the country's natural landscapes are almost like a cross-section of South America.

Grab winter dates (May-August) to check out the icing at the top of Chile's layer cake: the Atacama desert. Stark, wide open, and red-tinted, you might mistake it for somewhere in Utah or Australia... at least until one of these fellas nods on by.

Visit during the warmer months, and you can stop by one of the most beautiful regions in the entire world. I could wax poetic about Patagonia for ages (the glacial blue lakes, the lush valleys criss-crossed with streams, the craggy peaks), but it's easier just to show you :-)