Chile - Land of Extremes tour - 11 days
Group tour /
Guaranteed departures
from Santiago
Accommodation in 3 and 4 star hotels
Santiago (2) - Atacama (3) -
Santiago (1) - Puerto Natales (1) - Puerto Arenas (2) - Santiago
(1)
Category:
Cultural group tour
Day 01: Santiago de Chile (B)
Arrival in
Santiago
meet your greeter and transfer to the hotel.
The city tour begins with the visit of the church San Francisco, which was build between 1572
and 1618. You will pass through the Barrio Paris & Londres which
is characterized by its European architectural style and its’
narrow cobbled street. Then you will pass by the sector of Club
Hípico, one of the most beautiful horseracing tracks in
South America, privileged by its architecture of the
early centuries.
Continuing your tour to the Barrio Concha y Toro where
you will immediately notice that the constructions of the
buildings are very similar to those in the Barrio Paris y
Londres. While walking through the main street you will recover
vestiges of the aristocratic past of the capital. 1989 this
district was declared as “Zona Tipica”. You will be impressed by
the gothic, neocolonial and Bauhaus constructions.
After that you will visit the Plaza de Armas and
the cathedral. Just around the corner, you will find the main
post office, the National History museum, the Metropolitana and
the
town hall of Santiago.
From here you head along the famous Alameda, Santiago’s colorful main
avenue, to the heart of the city, seeing the “Palacio de la
Moneda” (seat of government), various monuments and public
buildings.
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.
Afterwards, you will visit the beautiful white church of the
town, with an inside construction of cactus. Half day 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 –
Santiago
de Chile (B)
Transfer to
Punta Arenas
airport. Return flight to Santiago,
arrival in Santiago and transfer to
your hotel.
Day 11: 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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1
888 377 1632
