Our partner network keeps growing in Chile, adding extra vehicle availability so you can finally live out your dream of Atacama or Patagonia in a fully equipped vehicle.
A new partner for exploring Chile
CoolDrive Nomad is teaming up with Alpacas Adventures, a Chile-based rental company, to expand our vehicle offering in a country where the classic motorhome simply isn't the norm. On the ground, the 4x4 camper truck naturally accounts for 80 to 90% of fully equipped vehicles available.
This "adventure" destination is increasingly sought after, but vehicle supply falls badly short, and until now we could only say yes to 10 or 15% of requests. This new partnership lets us turn a few more dreams into reality.
For you, this means more availability and more choice when booking, without changing your habits: the booking still happens with us, under our conditions. You keep our preferential rates, instalment payment, and cancellation cover included in the Pack Serenity. The Pack Mobility still includes eSIM and the Park4Night app, particularly handy over Chile's long distances.
To learn more about the rental company before booking, head to their website: alpacasadventure.com.
The camper truck: a 4x4 pickup with a livable cabin
In practice, a camper truck starts life as a 4x4 pickup fitted with a livable cabin at the back, removable on some models, fixed on others. Inside, you'll find the essentials of a classic motorhome in a more condensed form: sleeping area, kitchenette, shower, toilet. Nothing superfluous, everything designed to fit within a compact volume sitting on a pickup chassis.
It's precisely this base that changes everything. Higher ground clearance, four-wheel drive, a chassis built to absorb washboard tracks without every vibration reaching the bed: where a classic coachbuilt motorhome slows down or turns back, the camper truck keeps going.
Let's be clear about what this format isn't. It isn't the vehicle of maximum comfort or generous space to spread out your belongings. It's the one that gets through. It suits two people perfectly, possibly with one or two young children; some models can sleep up to three or four adult travellers, provided you accept the close quarters that come with it.
The Nomad tip
If your route alternates between tracks and paved highways, test how the 4x4 handles a rut as soon as you pick up the vehicle, before heading onto an isolated track where turning back would be difficult.
Why Chile calls for this kind of vehicle
Chile stretches roughly 4,300 km from north to south, one of the longest countries in the world. Along the central axis, the Pan-American Highway is paved and smooth. As soon as you leave it, the tarmac disappears fast.
The Atacama Desert and the altiplano
In Atacama, you drive at altitude, on desert tracks where sand and stones replace asphalt. Temperature swings between day and night are considerable, enough to test a poorly insulated vehicle, and enough to make ground clearance that shrugs off rocks without losing an exhaust pipe genuinely valuable.
The Carretera Austral and Patagonia
Further south, the Carretera Austral links the country along a legendary route, largely unpaved on certain stretches. It requires ferry crossings at certain break points, such as between Hornopirén and Caleta Gonzalo. Here, 4x4 isn't a comfort option: it's what lets you finish the route.
The Nomad tip
On the Carretera Austral, book your ferry crossings in advance: sailings are limited, and an itinerary built around missed schedules can cost you an entire day.
Booking an Alpacas Adventures camper truck with CoolDrive Nomad
Once you're sold on the format, booking happens in one place: our dedicated landing page. That's where you'll find the available models, rates, and dates.
Which vehicle for this trip?
Fancy driving a 4x4 on Chile's tracks? Discover the Alpacas Adventures camper trucks, bookable directly through CoolDrive Nomad with our usual conditions: preferential rates, instalment payment, and Pack Serenity included.
For rates, availability, and booking, head to our dedicated Chile page. Enjoy our usual conditions: same packs, same guarantees, same CoolDrive Nomad customer service to support you before, during, and after your trip.
Frequently asked questions
What licence do you need to drive a camper truck in Chile?
It depends on where your licence was issued. With a licence issued in the European Union, the general rule is sufficient in most cases. With a North American licence, the situation is similar, but some agencies ask for an additional document. If your licence is written in a non-Latin alphabet, an international driving permit or a certified translation is generally required. In all cases, check the exact conditions with Alpacas Adventures before booking, as practices can vary between local rental companies.
What's the best season to drive a camper truck in Chile?
It all depends on the region you're visiting. In the Atacama Desert, conditions remain manageable for much of the year, with significant temperature swings to plan for. In Patagonia and along the Carretera Austral, the favourable window narrows considerably outside the austral summer, with roads sometimes made tricky by the weather.
Do you need off-road driving experience before setting off?
Standard driving experience is enough for most paved-road journeys. On tracks, however, the handover session when you pick up the vehicle is invaluable, especially if you've never driven a loaded 4x4 on washboard surfaces before.
