Templo Bahá'í de Sudamérica — Attraction in Peñalolén

As our two-week stay in Santiago was coming to an end, my fiancée and I wanted one last memorable outing. The Marriott Hotel recommended the Bahai Temple, and after checking Tripadvisor, we booked a four-hour small group tour with Gems of Chile. We were the only guests that day, which meant a private guide and vehicle, exactly how we like to travel. Choosing a Sunday proved wise, as traffic was light and the drive took only about forty minutes each way.

Our guide, Daniel, arrived on time and immediately impressed us with his excellent English. Having lived abroad for several years, he had mastered the language, and his fluency made the tour far more engaging. He shared fascinating historical context about Chile throughout the drive, making sure no time was wasted.

The first stop was at Gems of Chile’s workshop and showroom, where the family owners craft jewelry from lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone found only in Chile and Afghanistan. We toured the workshop, enjoyed a taste of pisco, and browsed their creations. I tried to buy something for my fiancée, but she preferred to continue on to the temple. After about fifteen minutes, we were back in the van and heading toward the foothills.

When we arrived, the temple grounds were lively but not overcrowded. Visitors are welcomed with an orientation from a Bahai member, who explains the faith and its history. Since there were few English-speaking visitors that day, we were given a private orientation in a conference room. I had expected a high-pressure pitch, but it was nothing of the sort, just a thoughtful and informative introduction. When I offered a donation for his time, our guide politely declined, which I found refreshing.

Daniel then explained the layout and visiting protocols, and we explored the grounds and interior at our own pace for about thirty minutes. The temple’s architecture and setting were serene and inspiring, making it a highlight of our trip.

The entire tour lasted two hours and forty minutes at the pace we set. Back at our hotel, we thanked Daniel for his professionalism, knowledge, and insights into Santiago’s fascinating political past. I told him I only review tours I truly enjoy, so here it is. Thank you, Daniel, and I highly recommend Gems of Chile for anyone...

This is an incredibly beautifully designed temple that's at the end of a private road up in the hills, which serves as a fantastic lookout point to the entire city of Santiago. Please remember that you need to make an appointment to see the place - thankfully, there are almost always slots available for reservation and the website is pretty instantaneous in issuing you a ticket (which is free). I actually booked my ticket while I was in the cab on the way to the temple and I still got in 😂 But Just to be safe, do it the day before. There will usually be a member of the face present to explain the history behind the temple as well as a little bit about the Baha'i faith. They are all super nice about it (not preachy or weird cult-y so don't worry) and it's all very interesting to learn about. Worth a visit in my opinion. I took an Uber and I was lucky enough to get an Uber back as well because someone was just being dropped off when I was leaving - But otherwise I'm not really sure how easy it is to get public transport up to the place. It's fairly out there in the outskirts...

Architecture is beautiful and so is the background landscape but sadly the foreigner staff members aren't very nice. I hated being watched during my entire visit (for having a camera strapped) and honestly they almost kicked me out for stepping less than a foot outside the pavement path, on a patch of dry dirt, claiming I was ruining "vegetation" (literal dirt with dead dry grass).

They let you know of a few rules on the main entrance (be quiet, no dogs, no bicycles -they have bicycle stands, no smoking, no alcohol), but theres a lot more that can get you in trouble with no signs whatsoever.

Overall, I recommend it. Parking lot is free, entrance is free, bathrooms are free—so I can't really complain too hard about their policies inside their property.

PS You're not allowed to take photos inside the temple (but you can be sneaky with...