Guide Pedro Niada, Mandy Levin and Brice Williams hike to Selkirk's lookout; Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile

Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile

• The novel Robinson Crusoe is based on the real-life story of Scotsman Alexander Selkirk, who survived four-and-a-half years of solitary existence on this deserted island in the early 1700s and died in Scotland in 1721 at the age of 45.
  
• Today, Robinson Crusoe Island has a population of about 600.
  
• It is 415 miles west of Chile in the Pacific Ocean.
  
• Most of the island is a national park, and local guides offer tours to all parts.
  
• The two-mile trek to Selkirk's lookout ascends to 1,800 feet.
  
• Air service to the island operates two to four times a week, depending on the season — remember that summer is October through March in the Southern hemisphere.
  
• The only way from the airstrip to town is a 90-minute boat ride, and the best way to get to the hotel from town is by water taxi.
  
• English is not widely spoken on the island, so it helps to know a little Spanish before you go.

Santiago, Chile

• Santiago is home to about 5 million people, which is about one third of Chile's total population.
  
• Santiago's Pre-Columbian Museum houses an extensive collection of rare South American ceramics and fabrics.
  
• Flying time from Santiago to Robinson Crusoe Island is two and a half hours, and flights cost $440 per person.

Radisson Plaza Santiago Hotel
Santiago, Las Condes, Chile
$125-$310/night, depending on the room and season
888-201-1718
www.radisson.com

LanChile Airline
$440, round trip from Santiago, Chile to Robinson Crusoe Island
800-735-5526
www.lanchile.com

Chilean Tourism Promotion Office
1732 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
866-YESCHILE (937-24453)
www.visitchile.com