Explore Chile
More than a travel experience, this Humane Journey offers a unique opportunity to connect with meaningful global efforts that are improving animal welfare, strengthening communities and transforming lives one community at a time.
Join the team in providing essential veterinary care for companion dogs and cats in and around Santiago.
Take a day trip to the colorful port city of Valparaiso where we will search for resting sea lions and other marine life.
Enjoy an afternoon of sightseeing in the city or take a trip to Santiago’s most popular vineyard, Santa Rita.
Trip overview
As one of the southernmost countries in the world, with a vast and remarkably diverse geography, Chile faces a significant companion animal welfare challenge, with large populations of street dogs and persistent barriers to affordable veterinary care, particularly in rural and underserved communities. As a result, many animals lack access to essential services such as sterilization, vaccination and basic medical treatment. At the same time, limited access-to-care training continues to create obstacles to sustainable, community-driven solutions.
Humane World for Animals
Trip skill level: Easy
Humane Journeys
Humane World for Animals Humane Journeys offers authentic, cause-driven travel to unique destinations around the world. Each small group trip is guided by experts and designed to provide a comfortable, tailored and immersive experience into our efforts to protect all animals.
Sample itinerary
This sample itinerary is for informational purposes only. Schedule details will be provided to all registered guests in advance of each trip.
- Day 1: Arrival in Santiago and join the group for a welcome dinner.
- Day 2: Take part in preparing community support bags and learn about the meaningful impact Humane World for Animals is making across Chile.
- Day 3: Join our program experts in the remote areas around Santiago and witness first-hand how we are working to increase access to veterinary care and assistance in communities where such services do not exist or are prohibitively expensive.
- Day 4: Provide valuable support to the team during a community spay and neuter clinic and connect with passionate community members committed to creating a brighter future for animals in their area.
- Day 5: Take a day trip to the colorful port city of Valparaiso where we will search for resting sea lions and other marine life.
- Day 6: Departures.
N/A/Humane World for Animals
Registration information
To reserve your spot or get more information, please contact us. Space is limited to 10 people. Participation is $7,500 for single-occupancy accommodation and $13,500 for double-occupancy accommodation. Proceeds will benefit Humane World for Animals programs in Chile. Your contribution less $2,500 per person is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Ground transportation, plant-based meals and luxury accommodations are included. International flights, alcohol, gratuities and items of a personal nature are not included.
Program background
Chile has one of the highest human/animal densities in Latin America, with more than 16 million dogs and cats—an estimated four million of them are free-roaming. Access to veterinary care remains highly unequal, particularly in municipalities with limited services, rural communities and low-income households, leaving many animals without access to primary care, vaccination and spay/neuter services.
Significant territorial and socioeconomic disparities are particularly evident in rural, coastal and underserved urban communities, where access to veterinary care, caregiver education, spay/neuter services and enforcement of existing animal welfare regulations remains extremely limited or nonexistent. Research shows that more than 90% of free-roaming dogs in Chile have an owner or caregiver, indicating that the issue is not solely one of abandonment, but rather a complex challenge linked to cultural practices that allow free roaming, uncontrolled reproduction and limited access to veterinary care.
In areas with scarce services, these structural gaps contribute to growing free-roaming animal populations, increased zoonotic risks, environmental impacts and community conflicts, reinforcing cycles of vulnerability for both animals and people.
Interacting with animals on Humane Journeys
Humane Journeys maintains a responsible and respectful animal-watching program. You will be accompanied by program experts into areas where community dogs and cats are part of this itinerary and we will take necessary precautions to help ensure that you are safe and that our presence does not disturb the animals or the community in which they live.
Ready for the trip of a lifetime?
Humane Journeys offer the opportunity to travel to unique destinations throughout the world and support our cause.
Kent Gilbert/AP Images for Humane World for Animals