Santiago de Chile & Essential San Pedro de Atacama (8 Days)

Introduction

Luxury Chile Vacations

Palacio de la Moneda, Santiago de Chile

Casablanca Valley, Chile

Casablanca Valley, Chile

Atacama Desert, Chile

Machuca Town - San Pedro de Atacama

El Tatio Geysers

Moon Valley, San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama Town

El Tatio Geyser - San Pedro de Atacama

Luxury Chile Vacations

Palacio de la Moneda, Santiago de Chile

Casablanca Valley, Chile

Casablanca Valley, Chile

Atacama Desert, Chile

Machuca Town - San Pedro de Atacama

El Tatio Geysers

Moon Valley, San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama Town

El Tatio Geyser - San Pedro de Atacama

• 1

  Day 1

  Arrive into Santiago de Chile

  Located centrally in the center of country, equal distances from the Andes and Pacific Ocean, Santiago is Chile’s capital city. This busy cosmopolitan metropolis surrounded by many of the world’s best wineries is home to 6-million residents and is famous for its neoclassical colonial center. On arrival at Santiago’s International Airport, we will collect you and transfer you to your hotel for the evening.

• 2

  Day 2

  Morning Panoramic Tour of Santiago de Chile

  Today you’ll explore both colonial and modern Santiago with a local expert guide. The tour starts with a visit to the view point of San Cristobal Hill (2640ft / 880 mts), before heading to Plaza de Armas where the city was founded by Spanish Conqueror Pedro de Valdivia in 1541. Visit the most important colonial buildings such as the Metropolitan Cathedral, the City Council Building and the Central Post Office. The tour also includes visits to original colonial neighborhoods, where you can visit famous landmarks such as Concha y Toro Square and later some of the modern neighborhoods on the eastern side of the city.

• 3

  Day 3

  Wines of the Casa Blanca Valley

  Driving towards the port city of Valparaiso, you’ll leave the cityscapes of Santiago to explore the surrounding wine country. Passing through Chile’s longest tunnel – Lo Prado Tunnel – you’ll emerge into the Curacavi Valley, before continuing onto the famous Casablanca Valley. Established in 1993 by descents of Italian immigrants, the Casas Bosque Vineyard is now one of the finest producers of wine in Chile. Covering 580 acres, this family run boutique vineyard now produces some 1.2 million bottles of wine a year. Famous for its world class chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and syrah wines, the Casas Bosque Vineyard is considered to be one of the best vineyards in Chile. Lunch is included at Tanino – the vineyards own award-winning restaurant. After lunch you’ll visit the vineyard’s wine cellars for a tasting session.

• 4

  Day 4

  Fly to Calama, Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama

  From Santiago you’ll take a 2-hour flight to Calama, the capital of El Loa Province in northern Chile. From Calama you’ll continue by road for a 90-minute drive to San Pedro de Atacama, a dusty remote oasis town perfect for exploring the Atacama Desert. Located on a high Andean altiplano, the Atacama Desert receives about 1/32” (1 mm) of rain per year, making it one of the driest places on the planet. Its dramatic landscapes made up of salt-flats, volcanoes, geysers and hot-springs beckon to be explored. You’ll have the late-afternoon to relax in your luxury lodge accommodation on the outskirts of the town.

• 5

  Day 5

  Morning Tour of Moon Valley & Death Valley, Evening Stargazing

  Start your Atacama Desert adventure with a morning excursion to Moon Valley and Death Valley. After a 30-minute drive we’ll arrive at the Salt Mountain Range, one of the main attractions in the area. Here between the Andes and the Cordillera Domeyko, we find Death Valley and Moon Valley. The Moon Valley is a place like no other; rugged rock formations jutting up from the earth in deep ochre colors form a unique moonlike landscape from which the valley takes its name. Learn about the area’s mining past, its canyons formed by water millions of years ago and its rock salt, selenite and clay formations. We will visit the Los Flamencos National Reserve, the Central Crater, the Three Marys geological formations and for the best photo opportunities the Kari lookout.

  The Atacama Desert is known to be one of the best places on earth for stargazing. So, armed with a powerful telescope and the knowledge of our expert guides, we include a fascinating evening of astronomy. The night sky changes constantly throughout the year, so depending on when you visit you might view Saturn’s rings, craters on the moon, nebulas and even supernovas.

• 6

  Day 6

  Full Day Tatio Geyser & Machuca Town

  The natural wonder of the Tatio Geysers is our destination today. Located on a high Andean Plateau at more than 14,000 feet above sea level, this geothermal field is the largest in the southern hemisphere. Ejecting powerful and steamy jets of water turbulently from the ground, the Tatio Geysers field is a memorable spectacle found in only a few places in the world. The journey continues to Pozón Rústico, where you’ll have the opportunity to bathe in thermal waters the mountain range provides for us. On the return to San Pedro de Atacama we’ll stop at Machuca village, an ancient town known for the extraction of llareta (a plant that you might see in a science fiction film) and sulfur. This interesting place, with houses built from adobe, straw and cactus wood is like no other. See the real Chile and connect with people from a completely different walk of life.

• 7

  Day 7

  Morning Horseback Ride, Free Afternoon to Relax

  Soak up the stunning scenery as you walk, trot, or canter along, feeling closer than ever to nature on whichever route you opt for. The difficulty level and duration of the horseback rides are up to you, they can take between 2-4 hours and be as easy or challenging as you like! As part of our commitment to sustainability, we always work with small, local providers; our guides are true experts in their field and take great care of their beautiful horses. So, saddle up and prepare for an energizing half day excursion deep into the Atacama Desert.

  We leave the afternoon free for you to rest. Take a trip into San Pedro de Atacama, have lunch and pick up a few souvenirs to take home. Or, simply enjoy some relaxation time by the pool with a cool beer or a fine glass of Chilean wine.

• 8

  Day 8

  Transfer to Calama, Fly to Santiago, International Departure

  Following breakfast, you’ll return to Calama by road, where you’ll catch a domestic flight to Santiago de Chile and connect to your international flight home.