Farm Stay in Chile

With Farm Stay we refer to our programs abroad in Chile that take place in the countryside on local farms. Work places are ranches, horse farms, riding centers, farms, touristic stud farms, or similar places. Farm Stay is not about „farm holidays“ but real, sometimes hard physical work, in the stables and grounds of the farm. You will also live on the farm in a private or shared room. In exchange for your work you will be get free meals and accommodation, so that the cost of living during your stay in Chile is covered.

The Farm Stay programs in Chile can theoretically be organized throughout the country. Geographically, our program locations are located mainly in the central region of Chile, as well as in southern Chile, from the lake region down to Patagonia. In central Chile you will find mainly fruit and vegetable cultivation, horse breeding and wineries, in the lake region dominate livestock and dairy farming and in Patagonia you can expect "estancias" with huge herd of sheep or cows breeding in the endless steppes. Farms with touristic operations can be found in all regions. So, you can do your farm work both near big cities and in complete seclusion (like Patagonia).

The accommodation is provided directly by farm. In most cases, accommodation takes place directly on the grounds of the farm. This can be either in the house of the landowner, in the employer's house or in the house of the farm manager and his family.

For the participation in a farm work in Chile no special previous knowledge is required. Anyone who wants to spend some time abroad, who likes being close to nature, and does not scare from physical work can take part. You should be prepared to go without the leisure activities of big cities for a while or, in some cases, to live in a secluded, but yet wonderful, place.

The range of farms we work with is very large. Program sites on horse farms, equestrian centers, on horse stud farms, and in horse breeding farms are very popular. Riding on these farms requires riding skills and experience in working with horses. Participants without this requirement will not be disapproved, but the placement process may take longer. There are also interesting places on farms (sheep farming, cattle breeding, milk production, traditional agriculture, fruit production, etc.) where riding skills are irrelevant.

We require a minimum age of 18 years. There is no maximum age. The majority of our Farm Stay participants are between the ages of 18 and 40 years old.

Many Chileans, especially in rural areas, do not speak foreign languages. In order to ensure a full integration in the working and everyday life on the farm, Spanish skills are needed at least at a basic level. If you do not have enough Spanish, that does not mean that you can not participate. Our Spanish courses in Chile will prepare you for your Farm Stay programs so that you meet the language requirements.

We also can place friends or couples in our programs. In the case of a "double placement" we will always try to place you in the same farm, but we can not always give a guarantee. Friends or couples therefore should be open to plan B, which would mean two differnent farms, but in the location. So, both can make their own international experience and are still close to each other to share experiences or to do spare time activities together.

The application process at Chile Inside is simple and straightforward. The starting signal to start the placement process falls with the payment of the registration fee. With your CV, a current photo and the completed application form, we will translate your documents and create your internal application profile in Spanish in order to introduce you the farms. Once we have received the confirmation for you, we will prepare the booking documents and the payment of the program costs will be due.

More information can be found here: Application process

We need between 1 and 3 weeks to organize your farm stay in Chile. The processing time depends on the availability of places, the number of applicants and our current workload. Please send us your application documents at least 3 months before your desired start date.

Upon receipt of your application documents, we will charge a registration fee (see registration form) in order to get started with our work (translation and preparation of your application profile, selection and contacting of farms, etc.). The placement fee itself is only due when the placement process has been completed successfully. 

The working hours depend on each farm. Furthermore, they are influenced by the weather and seasonal factors. Farming or livestock is generally carried out 7 days a week as the harvest must also be brought in on a weekend and the animals must also be cared for on Saturday and Sunday. On touristic farms (such as horseback riding centers, farms with guest houses), work is also done on weekends as the majority of tourists arrive on weekends. As a result, you may have to work at the weekend, and your days off may be between Monday and Friday. Our farms generally try not to exceed a maximum working time of 40 hours / week.

Chile Inside takes care of your placement on a suitable farm and the in-country support. The farm will give you free board and a room. The costs for your flight and local travel must be borne by yourself.

The journey to the farm takes place on your own. The team from Chile Inside will rovide you with detailed information and assistance. The farms are literally spread all over the country. In addition, many participants attend a Spanish course in one of our 6 language courses prior to Farm Stay. Therefore, there is no general driving instruction, but we coordinate the journey individually with each participant.

The minimum participation time is 4 weeks and the participation is limited to 6 months.

Each farm takes a lot of time to review the application documents of the participants. Likewise, they prepare for the arrival of participants and usually establish a work schedule. They count on your support over the booked participation period. So, following the work instructions and activities as well as the adherence to the working hours is important to ensure that the program runs smoothly and that it is beneficial both for you and the farm.

On request, we will issue you a certificate of participation. Likewise, all our program places are willing to issue a kind of work certificate, which gives a little more information about your activities and work performance.

To participate in a stay abroad in Chile you need at least a travel health insurance, so you are insured in case of illness or accident. For this purpose, you can book your travel insurance online with us, at reasonable rates. For more information see here: Travel Health Insurance

As long as you do not do paid work or permanent employment in Chile, you do not need a special work visa, unless your program place requires it. With the so-called "tarjeta de turismo" (tourist card), that you receive when you enter Chile, you can stay in the country for 90 days. This period can be extended. Please contact us for further information regarding the visa requirement.

In-country support is given by our friendly, multilingual team in theIn-country support is given by our friendly, multilingual team in the Chile Inside office in Santiago de Chile. We are at your disposal for questions, problems or information, also in English.

Chile is considered a safe travel destination, even for women traveling alone. Violent attacks on tourists are extremely unlikely. However, in Chile, as everywhere else in the world, you have to pay close attention to your valuables as pickpockets can occur. You can protect yourself from these kinds of incidents by being careful and cautious.

No special vaccinations are required for entering Chile. Tropical diseases such as malaria, yellow fever or dengue fever do not exist in Chile. For medical advice, however, we always recommend to consult with your doctor, as he knows your health condition best.

In the unlikely event that problems occur during your stay in Chile, we are always at your side. No matter if the problems are related to your program or are of a different nature, we are always happy to help. With the booking confirmation you will receive our 24-hour emergency number so that you can reach us outside of our business hours in case of emergency.