Chilepros Travel, a new downtown Vancouver Travel Tour Company, is happy to announce the grand opening of its business office as of August 2nd, 2005.

Chilepros Travel is committed to providing specialized planning, booking and value added Travel Agency services to Chile, South America; services that educate, stimulate and bring a unique lifetime experience to both the leisure and adventure seeking traveler in one of the most exiting, safe untapped tourist friendly countries in the world. Chilepros Travel is proud to offer a full complement of customized special interest tours in a variety of geographic settings throughout the whole of Chile; tours that include local Culture, Nature, Mountaineering, Wine, Camping, Hiking, Fishing and much more.

Barbara Kenchington, owner/operator of Chilepros Travel, is not only Chilean born but has also traveled extensively throughout Chile having experienced the adventure and excitement first hand while actively engaged in the countries tourist industry for many years. Now in Vancouver, Barbara brings with her the same passion and commitment to share with Vancouver area travelers the opportunity of exploring and experiencing Chilean adventure, entertainment, history and culture...the opportunity of having a unique and memorable vacation dream come true.

Chilepros Travel is committed to providing the best in quality vacation tour packages by undertaking continuous extensive research of new Chilean opportunities; a commitment that shows the discerning traveler just how marvelous this thin strip of land is. We encouraged you to contact your local Travel Agency. Telephone calls to (604) 678-3525 and a review of Chilepros Travel website @ www.chilepros.com is welcomed and encouraged.

Backgrounder Page

Chile is divided into 13 regions including the Chilean Antarctic Territory.

The country encompasses a land area of some 2 million plus km2, stretching a total length of some 8 thousand kilometers from north to south thereby engaging the traveler to experience many different climates. Travelers experience vistas ranging from desert to ice fields & mountains to seashores while passing through a plethora of rich central valleys, canyons, lakes, forests, islands and canals including the tropical Arica, Altiplano and the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world.

The Tropic of Capricorn dissects Chile from east to west while the Andes Mountain Range provides a natural eastern border to Argentina and Bolivia, and the Pacific Ocean provides a natural western border. Chile's Southern Lake District and Patagonia are rich with numerous volcanoes, rain forest, lakes and rivers. Further south, Chile encompasses part of the polar circle of Antarctica, which separates the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans lands full of glaciers, forest and untouched nature.

Of Chile's Pacific Ocean islands the best known to the North American traveler is the magic of Easter Island, with its friendly, welcoming government as well as the peaceful trustworthy charm of its people and natural resort setting. Other islands include Chiloe and Juan Fernandez Archipelago, the home of Robinson Crusoe.

Chile's National Airline, Lan Chile, provides comfortable timely foreign and domestic travel. Other modes of ground transportation include rail, bus, car rental and taxi as well as ferries, cruise boats and fishing boats for transportation over water. The official language throughout Chile is Spanish as it is in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina its northern and eastern neighbours.

Historically the Inca rule touched Chile, however northern Aymara and Atacameno farmers and herders predated the lords of Cuzco, while Changos fished coastal areas and Diaguitas farmed the interior of Coquimbo (beyond the central valley). In 1540, during the Colonial Times, Pedro de Valdivia, an important part of Chile's history, left Peru to found Santiago, the country's capital city.

The Araucanos and Polynesics, Quechuas, Aymaras, Mapuches and Pascuenses people make up the plateau ethnic groups while the Archeologycal studies concluded they were the first men to reside on the extreme south of the continent. Together they make up an exotic and attractive group of people that attracts permanent interest from travelers around the world. Of interest is the national dance called the Cueca or Zamacueca, a dance where the man (using a handkerchief as if it were a soft lasso) pursues the woman who anxiously flees from him. Today, Chile is a republic governed by a democratic government. Ricardo Lagos Escobar is both President and head of state, exercising executive decision-making.

The country has a strong European influence with many descendents from England, Spain, Italy, and Yugoslavia, as well as a strong settlement of Germans in the south. Whether it is shopping for groceries or looking to dine out, local food is quite accessible in Chile. It is very easy to find fresh, great tasting and economical fruits and vegetables. Fresh baked bread is available daily. Very popular is the wide range of grape harvesting for wine making.

Due to its geographical location, Chile has been acknowledged for and has won awards for having some of the best wines in the world. Some popular name brands are Santa Carolina and Concha y Toro. Available throughout Chile is a hard liquor called Pisco, Grape Brandy produced in northern Chile, used to make a typical cocktail drink called Pisco Sour. Accommodations throughout Chile are first class, comfortable and affordable making the Chilean adventure and experience on all fronts most inviting.

The Consulate of Chile in Vancouver is located at 1185 West Georgia St., Suite 1250. For information you visit their website @ http://www.chilevan.ca