Chile - Desert, Glaciers and Lake tour - 14 days
Group tour /
Monday departures
from Santiago
Accommodation in 3 and 4 star hotels
Santiago (2) - Atacama (3) -
Santiago (1) - Puerto Natales (1) - Puerto Arenas (2) - Puerto
Varas (2)- Temuco (2)- Santiago
(1)
Category:
Cultural group tour,
Day 01: Santiago de Chile (B)
Arrival in
Santiago
meet your greeter and transfer to the hotel.
Santiago de Chile is a city of contrasts with
remains of its colonial past to the ultramodern, high-rise
buildings of the financial centre; Chile’s
capital city will surprise you. You will visit the main
highlights in this half day city tour. Afterwards, you continue
the tour by driving up to the San Cristóbal Hill. From one of
the hill’s view points, you will have the finest views of
Santiago and the
Andes
Mountains.
To round off the tour, you will pass through the modern
residential areas of the city with their daring architecture
and, finally, the bustling Providencia shopping zone.
Day 02: Santiago de Chile (B)
Day free for leisure – the following optional tour can be booked
through your guide,
Optional: Full day excursion to
Valparaiso and Viña del Mar
The tour leaves
Santiago
in western direction. Arriving in
Valparaiso, you pass by the main square
where you can view the monument honouring the Naval Battle
fought in 1879. Driving towards the southern side of the city
and seeing the old funiculars you will drive up a hillside for a
most spectacular view of the bay seeing
Valparaiso’s downtown district and its
adjoining hills. Then proceed to the lower level of the city
through the commercial heart of the port, where you’ll take the
coastal highway that links Valparaiso with the resort city of
Viña del Mar. Reaching the Concón beach, you can admire various
fish stands displaying a great variety of seafood. Summer homes
and restaurants are spread out along the coast. Afterwards,
visit the main square Plaza Vergara and the shopping avenue
before returning to
Santiago.
Day 03: Santiago de Chile – Calama
– San Pedro de Atacama (B)
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Calama. Arrival and
reception by our local tour guide, transfer of approx. 1 ½ hours
to San Pedro de Atacama.
In the afternoon half day city walk of San Pedro de
Atacama. San Pedro de Atacama is the most important
Archaeological center in Chile situated 2,438 meters above sea
level and surrounded by a green fertile oasis picturesque, San
Pedro has been the center of a Paleolithic civilization with its
narrow streets that have preserved of its old style dating back
to the Spanish Conquerors and its beautiful colonial church that
was built in 1577. The village is the center for Indian culture
in the Atacama Desert.
Artifacts have been recovered and are now shown nowadays in the
Father Le
Paige
Museum, which
you will visit during the walking tour. There are over 4,000
skulls; weapons and stone sand potteries that are found on
display. Afterwards, you will visit the beautiful white church
of the town, with an inside construction of cactus. Later an
excursion to the
Moon
Valley.
Right in time for the beautiful sunset, you will drive to the
Moon
Valley
in the late afternoon. It fascinates with silence, moonscape and
the snow-capped volcanoes in the background. The last sun rays
reaching the ground color the valley in shining orange, red and
purple hues. Don’t miss this unique experience!
Day 04: San Pedro de Atacama (B, L)
Full day excursion to Salar de Atacama, Lagunas and Toconao
Today you will start your tour visiting the huge
Atacama
Salt
Lake,
an inland sea dating back millions of years. Enjoy a unique
experience viewing this doubtlessly driest desert in the world.
The flatness, clearness and emptiness here are overwhelming.
Following the road in direction to Argentina, you will get to know the
Lagunas Miscanti & Meñiques, set at the base of two immense
volcanoes. These alti-plane lakes are fringed with salt deposits
and surrounded by brilliantly colored clumps of “paja brava”,
creating a singular visual experience. Afterwards you continue
to the small Indian
village of Toconao.
The inhabitants of Toconao are producing beautiful small
sculptures out of a white volcanic stone that can be found in a
quarry near the village. Lunch is included. Return to the hotel.
Day 05: San Pedro de Atacama (B)
Full day at leisure.
Optional tours can be booked with your guide.
Optional: Excursion to visit
El Tatio Geysers
Early in
the morning (04:00 AM) you will depart for a drive of 78 miles
northeast to visit the impressive Tatio Geysers at an altitude
of 4.321m! The steaming geysers are at their best between 06:30
and 08:30 hrs. A breakfast-box will be served at the geysers.
Day 06: San Pedro de Atacama – Calama -
Santiago
de Chile (B)
Transfer from the Hotel in San Pedro to the Airport Calama
(without local guide). Flight to Santiago de Chile. Arrival at
the airport of Santiago de Chile and transfer to your hotel.
Half day wine tour Cavas de Maipo
In 1950, the Romagosa Machon family arrived in Chile leaving behind ancestral bonds with grape
growing in Cataluña, north of
Spain, a family tradition since
1714. They started to plant vineyards at the foothill of the
Andes Mountains.
Today, three generations have passed. “Don Jose”, the
grandfather, is in charge of the vineyards. His wife “Doña
Anita” is everyday at the wine shop by the entrance of the
estate. The rest of the family is busy with the wine making and
final distribution to the customers which most of them are with
direct home deliveries. It’s a little and charming winery where
everything is still handmade. This is a family business where
you can discover how wines are traditionally produced.
(Remark: The winery may change due to availability)
Day 07: Santiago de Chile – Punta Arenas
– Punta Natales (B)
Transfer to the airport
Santiago for your flight to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival
half day city tour of
Punta Arenas.
Punta Arenas,
which is the southern most continental town of
South America, founded in 1848 at the shores of the
Magellan
Strait.
You’ll see the Independence Avenue with many monuments placed
here and Cerro La Cruz vantage point offering a sweeping view of
Punta Arenas’ colourful roofs, the Magellan Strait and Tierra
del Fuego Island in the background.
Then transfer to the local bus terminal where you will
board the public bus to Puerto Natales, the starting point for
tours to the spectacular National Park Torres del Paine, passing
through the wideness of the Patagonian steppe with its huge
sheep farms and beech woods contrasting with the mostly
unadorned landscape.
Upon arrival in Puerto Natales you will be transferred
from the bus station to your hotel.
Day 08: Puerto Natales – Torres Del Paine N.P - Puerto Natales
(B)
Full day excursion Torres del Paine National park
Today you are going to see one of the most
spectacular scenic regions, nowhere found in the world, the
Torres del Paine National Park! It covers an area of 113,000
hectares and has been named Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in
1978. Cascading waterfalls, roaring creeks, shimmering lakes and
jagged spires of mountains are just a part of what Paine offers
you. On route you will visit the legendary
Milodon
Cave.
In this impressive natural cave a gigantic prehistoric fossil
has been discovered. A replica is on view inside of it. The road
you take borders majestic lakes. Have a glimpse at herds of
guanacos, foxes, swans, and several small-sized birds. Enjoy a
hike along the
Grey
Lake with
spectacular views of the Grey Glacier.
Day 09: Puerto Natales – Punta Arenas
(B)
Transfer from the hotel to the local bus
terminal where you will board the
public bus to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival you will be
transferred from the bus station to your hotel. Afternoon free
at leisure – the following optional tour can be booked through
your local guide:
Optional: Visit to the Penguin
Colony
Otway
Bay,
the habitat of the Magellan-Penguins respectively
Sphenicus Magallanicus,
OR visit to the
Nandu
Park,
where the South American flightless birds, which look similar to
the African ostrich, can be observed at close range.
Remark:
The excursion to the Otway
Bay
can only be operated during the period from Oct 15th tu March
15th. Therefore, the groups from March to September will be
offered the visit to the Nandu
Park
alternatively (subject to change)!
Day 10: Punta Arenas – Puerto Montt- Puerto Varas (B)
Transfer to the airport for the flight via
Santiago to Puerto Montt, main port of the
Lake
Region.
Arrival and reception by our local tour guide. Afterwards,
transfer to your hotel in Puerto Varas, the “city of roses"
overlooking Lago Llanquihue, one of Chile's
largest lake, where the reflection of the eternally snow covers
Osorno Volcano is mirrored in the clear waters.
En route short city tour of Puerto Montt including
Angelmo Market. Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Puerto Montt
founded by German settlers in 1852, whose influence still
remains in the style of the wooden houses. Afterwards, you will
pass through the town’s centre with its typical square and its
cathedral. Visit the picturesque cove of Angelmo, which has been
a source of inspiration for many painters, and the interesting
handicraft market. The afternoon is free at leisure.
Day 11: Puerto Varas (B)
Full day excursion to Osorno Volcano and the Petrohue Rapids.
You start this extraordinary excursion with one of
the most beautiful scenic trips through the soft lush green
countryside, past oxen and tractor-ploughed fields, weather
beaten clap-board barns and churches surrounding
Lake
Llanquihue.
You will enter the Vicente
Perez
Rosales
National Park,
and first of all visit the Petrohué Rapids, a fabulous dashing
and gleaming succession of azure blue cascades against a
backdrop of majestic mountains at the east. Then you reach
Petrohué, the eastern port of the spectacular
Lake
Todos los Santos, also called "Emerald" for its vivid
green color. Enjoy a walk along the lava fields or optional you
can book a short boat trip on the lake (not included, optional
service).
Afterwards you start your unforgettable drive up
the Osorno Volcano passing deep and untouched Lenga Forests.
Arriving at the sector of “La Burbuja” on approx. 4000 ft., you
can enjoy a short walk through unspoiled natural beauty offering
countless photo opportunities. High up, you’ll have spectacular
unique views of the snow-capped summit of the Volcanoes Osorno
and Calbuco and the shimmering
Lake
Llanquihue
deep down in the valley.
Day 12: Puerto Varas (B)
Day at leisure.
Optional:
Full day excursion to
Chiloé
Island
including Ancud, Penguin colony and oysters tasting.
Day 13: Puerto Varas – P.Montt -
Santiago
(B)
Transfer to the P.Montt airport for your flight to Santiago. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel.
Day 14: Santiago de Chile (B)
Transfer to the
Santiago
airport and return flight home. Thank you for visiting Chile.
End of Services
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