Day by day...

Day 1 : SANTIAGO DE CHILE / ARRIVAL – CITY TOUR

Arrival to Santiago de Chile in the morning (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Meeting with your English-speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. First glance of the Chilean capital, metropolis located at the Andes bottom, with an unequal charming. Even if throughout the years it has become a modern city, certain neighborhoods still have an ancient and romantique atmosphere. Visit of the Plaza de Armas, the Bellavista neighborhood and the Cerro San Cristobal.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 2 : SANTIAGO – CASABLANCA - VALPARAISO

Departure from the hotel at 9:00 a.m. in a private vehicle for the cities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, located 120 km from Santiago. We cross the Casablanca Valley, the star of the Chilean white wine. The valley is known for its high-quality Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyards started their developing process in the 80’s, which explains their modern style. Our first stop will be at the Viñedos Orgánicos Emiliana. Here we learn about the biological and biodynamical wines and we taste some exceptional wines, produced by the winegrower Alvaro Espinoza, without any doubt the most famous winegrower in Chile. Nearby, we will find the restaurant Morande Vineyards and its adjoining tasting room. Pablo Morande has been a pioneer of the wine–growing developing in Chile, the first one to plant its vineyards in the valley. An interesting wine-tasting session is awaiting us, followed by lunch.
In the afternoon we continue towards the coast. Valparaiso, Cultural Humanity Patrimony, inspires, even today, numerous artists such as writers and poets. We walk through the picturesque streets of the city and visit May 21st viewpoint, which offers a splendid view of the Valparaiso bay. Then, we continue on to the neighbor city of Viña del Mar, the biggest seaside resort in Chile.
In 1855, the first tramways traveled between Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. This created a dependency between these cities and allowed the development between both of them. The City of Viña del Mar was founded on May 31st 1878 by the Chilean Government. The city center, the oldest part of the city, is located above the Marga Marga River splitting the city in half. Little by little the city has grown, and the inhabitants have built their houses on the hills. After the beginning of the 20th century, the city started welcoming the upper classes and was converted in a resort town.
Meals not included.

Day 3 : VALPARAISO – CACHAPOAL VALLEY - RANCAGUA - SANTIAGO

Cachapoal Valley is one of the biggest wine regions in Chile and the most developed one. It produces varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec red wine.
We leave at 9:00 a.m. for the Cachapoal Valley. Our first stop is the Château Los Boldos, belonging to the Massenez family, producer of an exceptional “eau de vie” in Alsace, France. Their slogan “wine must have a soul, without a soul, it is empty”, is the philosophy that characterizes this Chilean “French” vineyard. After this visit we continue to the innovative and modern Gracia Vineyard for a wine tasting. Finally we visit Altaïr to try their Sideral & Altair – a great Vintage Chilean wine. Altaïr is the best known cellar of the valley.
It is in fact, an association between San Pedro and le château Dassault in Saint Emilion vineyards. Both French, they produce two of the best-quality wines. Located at the Cachapoal Valley, this vineyard provides fantastic viewpoints of the central valley. We then stop for a nice Chilean lunch at the local favorite restaurant, El Encuentro. We then keep heading towards Santiago. We cross the Maipo valley, which is the most ancient and known wine region in Chile. The biggest and most traditional wine establishments are Concha y Toro, Cousiño Macul and Santa Rita. However, many wine establishments have been born the last ten years, producing newer and excellent quality wines.
We visit Perez Cruz with its ultramodern architecture, its state of the art technology and its lands blessed with diverse conditions. There are produced a very appreciated Malbec, a very good Carmenère as well as a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon.
Arrival in Santiago at the end of the day. Night in a hotel. Meals not included.

Day 4 : SANTIAGO (FLIGHT) – CALAMA– SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

Departure from your hotel and transfer to the airport 1.30 hours before scheduled departure to Calama (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). After a flight slightly over 2 hours, we meet your guide at Calama airport and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, a small village nestled at 2,500 meters above sea-level.
Checking into the hotel. Spare time. Night at the hotel. Meals not included.
Optional: At nightfall, we follow an astronomer to a semi-professional astronomical observatory in San Pedro for a discovering session of the Austral sky, the clearest sky in the world. After 2 hours of observation, we finish by listening to the explanations of our guide while drinking a hot drink, before going back to the village.
Note: Excursion open to others participants (15 people maximum in total). Impossible during harvest moon.

Day 5 : SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA / SALAR DE ATACAMA - CHAXA, MISCANTI AND MIÑIQUES LAGOONS

Departure from your hotel at 8.00 am.
Day fully dedicated to the discovery of the Atacama salt flat and its surrounding attractions. The Toconao and Socaire villages, Fertil de Jere canyon, Chaxa, Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons with their volcanoes, are the “must” of this visit. Return to San Pedro around 6.00 pm. Night at your hotel.
Lunch in a restaurant in Socaire village, included. Dinner not included. Note: the excursion lasts approximately 10 hours.

Day 6 : SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA / ALDEA DE TULOR – PUKARA DE QUITOR – CATARPE – MOON VALLEY

In the morning, our vehicle takes us to the archaeological site of Aldea de Tulor (2,800 B.C) and its surprising shelters, preserved in the sand during close to 5 millenniums.
We continue our visit through “Devil’s Canyon” until we reach the pre-Inca fortress of Quitor. This last place was the theatre of gory battles during the Spanish conquest. There, all the cacic atacameños (local chiefs) were decapitated.
We then follow Rio San Pedro over a few kilometers until we reach the archaeological ruins of Catarpe before returning to San Pedro for lunch. At 3.30 pm, departure to the Cordillera de Sal (salt mountains) and Moon Valley to have a walk in a magnificent landscape made of sand dunes and sculpted calcareous mountains. We admire the sunset (superb colors over the contorted scenery) before going back to San Pedro.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 7 : SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA - TATIO GEYSERS - CASPANA - LASANA - CHIU-CHIU – CALAMA (FLIGHT) – SANTIAGO

Departure at 4 a.m. towards the Tatio where we admire the geysers roaring in the cold air of the Altiplano. The valley looks like a giant pot. Water spurts here and there. This geological curiosity mixes a ground still frozen to clear water springs at more than 70°C.
We observe numerous volcanic formations. We continue with an excursion to the village of Caspana, beautifully nestled in a canyon of the same name. We then visit the village of Chiu Chiu and the Fortress of Lasana. And finally we descend towards the town of Calama, owing its wealth to the largest open pit copper in the world. From there transfer to the airport (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Pick up at Santiago airport and transfer to the hotel.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 8 : SANTIAGO (FLIGHT) – EASTER ISLAND

Transfer to the international airport 1.30 hours before scheduled departure to Easter Island (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Reception at the airport with garlands of flowers and transfer to your hotel.
Easter Island is considered as the Polynesian centre of the world. Shrouded in mystery, it features countless archaeological sites, volcanoes, white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, exotic vegetation and semi-tropical climate. Unveiling the island’s mysteries will be a unique lifetime experience.
In the afternoon, we will head for Ahu Akivi and its seven Moais. This is a very special place, indeed. The photo of the seven rock Moais, facing the sea, often appears in travel guides. Later on, we head for the Puna Pau crater.
Return trip back to the hotel in the late hours of the afternoon. Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 9 : EASTER ISLAND

Morning dedicated to visit the village of Hanga Roa, its museum and the sites of Tahai.
In the afternoon, visit of the Pukau quarry, the Te Pahu cave and the site of the seven explorers Ahu Akivi and Puna Pau. Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 10 : EASTER ISLAND

Full day excursion to discover the Anakena beach, the sites of Ahu Nau Nau, Ovahé, Ahu Te Pito Kura, Ahu Tongariki and the impressive statues’ quarry of the Rano Raraku Volcano.
Return following the coast which offers inexhaustible interesting sites, such as Ahu Tetenga, Ahu Aka Hanga and Ahu Vaihu among others. Night at the hotel.
Box lunch included. Dinner not included.

Day 11 : EASTER ISLAND

Morning open to relax or walk to the village and meet with the natives. The Island inhabitants are very good hosts, it is a very warm and open population like most of the people in the South Pacific.
In the afternoon we depart for a half day excursion at the Rano Kau Volcano, the ceremonial sites of Orongo and at Ahu de Vinapu. Nice panorama of the island and the Pacific Ocean.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 12 : EASTER ISLAND (FLIGHT) - SANTIAGO DE CHILE

Transfer to the airport 1.30 hours before scheduled departure to Santiago (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Reception at Santiago airport and transfer to your hotel.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 13 : SANTIAGO (FLIGHT) – TEMUCO – PUCON

A change of scenery leading us to some beautiful nature “paintings” is at our program.
Private transfer to Santiago airport (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). After a 1h30min flight, reception at Temuco airport and transfer to Villarrica lake (a 1h30min drive). That’s it, we are officially in the lakes and volcanoes district, there is no doubt about it. On our way we get a chance to see the Volcanoes Llaima and Villarrica. Arrival in Pucon for lunch. Afternoon open on the shores of the lake.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 14 : PUCON – LAKES ROUTE / 1st PART - FUTRONO

This region is very quiet throughout the year, however in January and February the population doubles. The “Interlagos” road has been specially made to feature the beauty of each one of the lakes. This journey is full of photo stops or refreshing ones on the shore of the lakes or at a hot spring, which naturally springs from the bottom of the earth in this volcanic area. Nowadays, the lakes are called: Calafquen, Panguipulli, Riñihue and Ranco, the last one being located nearby the hotel where we spend the night, in the village of Futrono.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 15 : FUTRONO - LAKES ROUTE / 2nd PART - PUERTO VARAS

Today we first drive around the entire length of Ranco lake, before heading South towards Puyehue and Rupanco Lakes where we make a short stop. Finally we get to Llanquihue Lake, the 3rd biggest natural lake in South America, where we enjoy the splendid point of view of the imposing Osorno Volcano. Then we go to Petrohue waterfalls before finishing our journey in the city of Puerto Varas. Night at the hotel.
Meals not included.

Day 16 : PUERTO VARAS – PUERTO MONTT - CHILOE

Morning departure for the city of Puerto Montt, which we reach in about 15 minutes. After Puerto Montt and its sights we take route 5 to the port of Pargua were we board a ferry that takes us to the Chiloé Island. The crossing lasts 30 minutes and we disembark at the villages of Chacao and Ancud. We visit the penguin reservation of Puñihuil before descending to the South, to the Island’s capital: the village of Castro.
We taste an exquisit Curanto, typical Island’s dish, made of meat, potatoes and seafood. Night at the hotel in Castro. Meals not included.

Day 17 : CHILOE – PUERTO MONTT

The particularity of Castro is its pile dwellings; very practical for those who live near the coast and even fort those who live far from the sea, because of the heavy rain. The Chiloe’s churches are classified as Humanity Patrimony by the Unesco. We visit some of them during our trip, which comprises the capital city of Castro, full of wooden houses. We also cross fisherman villages. Fishing and agriculture are the main activities on the Island. At the end of the day, we return to the continent on the very same ferry that brought us here. Arrival in Puerto Montt, the biggest port of the South of Chile, at the end of the day.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 18 : PUERTO MONTT (FLIGHT) – PUNTA ARENAS – PUERTO NATALES

Departure from your hotel and transfer to the airport of El Tepual in Puerto Montt 1.30 hours before scheduled departure to Punta Arenas (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Pick up at the airport and transfer to Puerto Natales, city next to Senoret Canal and entryway to Torres del Paine National Park.
Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 19 : PUERTO NATALES / CRUISE - BALMACEDA & SERRANO GLACIERS

Departure from your hotel at 7.00 am. Boarding at 8.00 am to discover the Mount Balmaceda, 2,035 meters of altitude, in the park of O’Higgins, almost untouched, except by those arriving by boat on the Ultima Esperanza Sein. The trip begins at the port of Puerto Natales. We can observe from the boat the Coïhues, Canelos and Lenga forests. We approach the coast, near the sea lions to disembark at the North side of Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers. We visit this impressive location and enjoy this landscape until 1.00 pm. Then we take the boat again to stop at the Monte Balmaceda hostel to have a typical Patagonian barbecue.
Return to Puerto Natales at the end of the afternoon. Night at the hotel. Lunch included, dinner not included.
Note: 9-hour excursion in group, possible everyday from September to March and, on Sundays only from April to August.

Day 20 : PUERTO NATALES / TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK

Departure from your hotel at 7.45 am to Torres Del Paine National Park. This trip across the Patagonian pampa lasts approximately two hours. On our way, we visit Milodon caves, Amarga Lagoon, Salto Grande waterfall, Nordenskjold and Pehoe Lakes. You will be marvelled at the Park’s massif and its turquoise lakes. Return to Puerto Natales at the end of the day. Night at the hotel. Meals not included.

Day 21 : PUERTO NATALES - PUNTA ARENAS (FLIGHT) – SANTIAGO

Departure from your hotel and transfer to Punta Arenas airport 1.30 hours before scheduled departure to Santiago (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Pick up at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Night at the hotel. Meals not included.
Optional: Theme Dinner : Colors of Chile in Santiago. To end with your trip, enjoy a cultural and gastronomic moment during a typical dinner with traditional dances and songs.

Day 22 : DEPARTURE FROM SANTIAGO

Transfer from your hotel to the international airport three hours before your scheduled departure (flight time and number to be confirmed, flight not included, see flight options down below). Meals not included.