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Luxury Chile Tours & Travel
Altiplano, Atacama Desert, Lake District, Torres del Paine & Easter Island
Grey Glacier, Torres
del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Tony Costa. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Revel in the pleasures of this exquisite journey of discovery...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com, September 2003
Land Price (22 days/21 nights)
Imperial US$ 15,825 De Luxe US$ 15,035
The land price includes escorted transfers, private excursions with professional guides and chauffeurs, entrance fees, indicated accommodations (Imperial is shown first; if De Luxe is different, it appears afterward), all meals except beverages, all transportation except air flights, and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years. Over that age, there is a supplementary fee. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see About Our Tours. Season: September through March.
Intra-Tour Air Flights & Fares
Air fares are in addition to the land price:
Santiago - Arica - Calama - Santiago - Puerto Montt - Punta Arenas - Santiago
Santiago - Easter Island - Santiago
Valley of the Moon,
Atacama Desert, Chile
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury
Chile Tours & Travel.
This study of natural beauty in environmental extremes begins among the snow-covered Andean volcanoes of the Altiplano, or Highlands, of northern Chile, where sand-preserved mummies and pre-Incan artifacts evidence human occupation dating back to 5,000 BC and where pre-Columbian fortresses, settlements and geoglyphs mark the Incas' caravan route from the coast to the highlands. The incomparable beauty of the Lauca National Park forms the setting for this land that time forgot -- a spectacular scenery of exotic flora and wild fauna -- vicuñas, alpacas and Andean flamingos, among other species -- and a bird watcher's paradise. Then, there is Chungara, the highest lake in the world.
Descending from the Altiplano to the Atacama Desert, the driest on earth, one confronts the paradox of its unusual manifestations of water. First is the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama, the center of a Paleolithic civilization that built impressive rock fortresses on the steep mountains encircling the green valley. Nearby is the eerily silent landscape of the Valley of the Moon, with its small but exquisite salt ponds and backdrop of snow-capped volcanoes. At the huge Atacama Salt Lake, an inland sea formed millions of years ago, it's a unique experience to view the vast plain of salt crusts formed of octagonally-shaped crystals, with lagoons reflecting the volcanoes. Finally, there are El Tatio Geysers, a geothermal field of fumaroles, small geysers and multicolored craters. So many forms of water in the world's driest desert!
Descending further in elevation and latitude to the Lake District, we arrive at Lake Llanquihue, Chile's largest, with the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes reflected in its clear waters, reminding us of scenes in the Altiplano and the Atacama Desert. Volcanoes and lakes, we realize, are emblematic of this country. Along Llanquihue's shores, we come to the magnificent Petrohue Falls and the millennial forest of the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. Tomorrow, we'll sail across Lake Todos los Santos on a catamaran, under the magnificent presence of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes. The following day, we'll cruise to the bucolic Great Chiloe Island, off the mainland.
The grand finale of our tour is at hand as we head ever further south, until we're not far from the end of the world. Driving through the pampas steppes of Patagonia's Magellan Province, we begin to encounter distinctive fauna -- ostriches, foxes, skunks, ducks, black-necked swans, flocks of flamingos, condors, eagles and herds of guanacos. Going back quite a few millennia at the Milodon Cave, we see the remains of an herbivore animal that lived there around 12,000 years ago. The Paine massif, Almirante Nieto and the Torres del Paine come into view as we pass by the Amarga Lagoon and Lake Pehoe. Soon, we'll be hiking in the Torres del Paine National Park; bewitched by its lakes, waterfalls and snowy spires. After navigating past icebergs to massive glaciers, we return to Santiago and stay overnight in The Ritz-Carlton.
After exploring the ecological grandeur of mainland Chile, the tour reaches its denouement during five days on rarely-visited Easter Island, one of the world's most enigmatic archaeological sites, where you can ponder ancient idols and a lost civilization.
Upon returning to Santiago, proceed to the Santa Rita Winery, one of the famous vineyards that surround the capital. Wander in the antique botanical garden, have a gourmet dinner and stay in a suite of the century-old owner's mansion. In the morning, tour the vineyards and winery before winetasting and lunch in the Restaurante Doña Paula, a national monument.
Our chosen hotels embody luxury and history. You'll stay in the finest establishment at each destination, enjoying a deluxe room in our De Luxe category or a suite in our Imperial category (there are exceptions -- see the itinerary for the exact accommodations). In Santiago, our hotel is the 5-star Ritz-Carlton; in Arica, the 4-star Hotel Arica & Resort; in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, the 4-star Hotel Petrohue; in Puerto Varas, the 4-star Hotel Cabañas del Lago; in Puerto Natales, the 4-star Hotel Costa Australis; and in the Central Valley, the 5-star Casa Real of the historic Santa Rita Winery. In addition to luxury and history, we have chosen other establishments that provide a unique experience of traditional culture or ecology: in Putre, the 3-star Hotel Qantati; in the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama, the rustic yet sophisticated 3-star Hotel Awasi; in the Torres del Paine National Park, the 3-star Hosteria Lago Grey, on the shore of Lake Grey overlooking Grey Glacier; and on Easter Island, the 3-star Hotel O' Tai, favored by visiting archaeologists.
What Luxury Link has to say about The Grandeur of Chile.
Parinacota Volcano and
Lake Chungara, Altiplano, Chile.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo,
Chile. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Highlights
Santiago
Day 1: Flight to Santiago de Chile. International arrival in the afternoon or evening, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in an Executive Suite (or De Luxe Room) with a city view in the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Santiago.
Altiplano
Intra-tour flight to Arica, 2:10 pm - 5:40 pm, Lan Chile 392
Day 2: Santiago - Arica. Morning tour of the Chilean capital's cultural attractions. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Arica. Lunch on board. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Dine out at a selected restaurant. Overnight in a Superior Room with an ocean view in the 4-star Hotel Arica & Resort.
Day 3: Arica - Putre. Head toward the Altiplano village of Putre. Entering the Lluta Valley, observe geoglyphs that mark the old Inca Trail from the coast to the highlands. Visit Poconchile, the pre-Columbian fortress of Pukara de Copaquilla, Zapahuira, Belen and Putre, all but Belen dating back to pre-Hispanic times. Box lunch. Dine out at a selected restaurant. Overnight in a Double Room in the 3-star Hotel Qantati.
Day 4: Putre - Lauca National Park - Lake Chungara - Arica. Departure to discover the incomparable beauty of the Lauca National Park. Visit Chungara, the world's highest lake, and later the village of Parinacota. Drive back to Arica. Box lunch. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room with an ocean view in the 4-star Hotel Arica & Resort.
Atacama Desert
Intra-tour flight to Calama, 6:20 pm - 8:20 pm, Lan Chile 383
Day 5: Arica - Calama - San Pedro de Atacama. Walking tour of Arica. Afterward, drive to historical Morro, the Azapa Valley and the Miguel de Azapa Archaeological Museum. Typical lunch. Continue to the airport (Wednesday and Thursday only). Flight to Calama. Reception and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Day 6: San Pedro de Atacama - Valley of the Moon. Walking tour of San Pedro, the center of a Palaeolithic civilization. Visit the Father Le Paige Museum; Tulor, a 3,000-year-old village; and the Pukara de Quitor, a 12th century Inca fortress. Typical lunch. In the afternoon, enter the eerily silent landscape of the Valley of the Moon for sunset. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Day 7: Toconao - Altiplano Lagoons - Atacama Salt Lake. Start with the white volcanic stone sculptures in Toconao, then continue to the Miscanti and Meñiques lagoons, in the highlands. Typical lunch in Socaire. On the way back, proceed to the huge Atacama Salt Lake, an inland sea formed millions of years ago. At Laguna Chaxa, we may be able to observe flamingos. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Day 8: Full-Day Hike from Machuca to Rio Grande. Drive to the village of Machuca, a former rest place for the ancient llama caravans that traveled the "Inca Highway". We start our trek here, following the Peñaliri River to reach our final destination of Rio Grande, a small village. Along the way, you'll be fascinated by the changing landscape and panoramic views. Box lunch. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Santiago
Intra-tour flight to Santiago, 6:00 pm - 7:55 pm, Lan Chile 353
Day 9: El Tatio Geysers - Pukara de Lasana - Santiago. Early departure for El Tatio Geysers, a geothermal field of fumaroles, small geysers and multicolored craters. On our way back to the Calama airport, we visit the typical villages of Caspana and Chiu Chiu, the Indian Cemetery and the Pukara de Lasana, a 12th century fortress. Typical lunch. Transfer to the Calama airport. Flight to Santiago. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in an Executive Suite (or De Luxe Room) with a city view in the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Santiago.
Lake District
Intra-tour flight to Puerto Montt, 7:30 am - 9:10 am, Lan Chile 081
Day 10: Santiago - Puerto Varas - Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Puerto Montt. Reception and transfer to Petrohue, in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. Box brunch. Morning excursion in the park, with a visit to the famous Petrohue Falls. Continue to the Hotel Petrohue, on the shores of Lake Todos los Santos, for lunch and a private ecoadventure. Horseback riding is available if requested in advance. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room with a lake view in the 4-star Hotel Petrohue.
Day 11: Petrohue - Peulla - Puerto Varas. At Petrohue Pier, the catamaran awaits to sail across Lake Todos los Santos to Peulla (September through March, Monday through Saturday only). During the navigation, enjoy the magnificent presence of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes. Upon arrival, time for a typical lunch at Hotel Natura and to explore the beautiful surroundings. Return to Petrohue for an early evening drive to Puerto Varas. Dinner at the Sirocco Hotel-Restaurant. Overnight in a Suite (or Superior Room) with a lake view in the 4-star Hotel Cabañas del Lago.
Day 12: Chiloe Island. Depart to Pargua, where we cross the Chacao Channel by ferry to explore Great Chiloe Island. Visit Ancud, noted for its traditional market, the local museum and the San Antonio Fortress. After a typical lunch, continue to the Penguin Islands (November - March only). On a thirty-minute cruise around the islands, we see Humboldt and Magellan penguins, sea lions, pelicans and cormorants. Return to the mainland and your hotel. Dinner at the Hotel Meliá. Overnight in a Suite (or Superior Room) with a lake view in the 4-star Hotel Cabañas del Lago.
Torres del Paine
Intra-tour flight to Punta Arenas, 9:40 am - 11:50 am, Lan Chile 081
Day 13: Puerto Varas - Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Punta Arenas. The city was once the boomtown of southern Chile because of the trade passing through the Strait of Magellan. Arrival, reception, city tour and private excursion to the Torres del Paine National Park. Driving through the typical pampas steppes of Patagonia's Magellan Province, we begin to encounter distinctive fauna. Arrival in Puerto Natales. After lunch in the Hotel Costa Australis, continue to the Milodon Cave to see the remains of an herbivore animal that lived 12,000 years ago. At Lake Sarmiento, we catch our first glimpse of the Paine massif. Finally, we arrive at the Grey Peninsula, from where we can see the Grey Glacier. Dinner and overnight in a Double Room with a glacier view in the 3-star Hosteria Lago Grey.
Day 14: Navigation to Grey Glacier & Torres del Paine Explorations. Depart across the lake on our vessel, the Grey II, for Grey Glacier, a natural marvel of impressive dimensions and millennial age. After sailing among icebergs, each with its unique shape and color, we'll approach the glacier's front wall, which is divided in two by a central island, where we land. Typical lunch in the hotel. In the afternoon, a private exploration of Torres del Paine, according to your preferences and the weather. Dinner and overnight in a Double Room with a glacier view in the 3-star Hosteria Lago Grey.
Day 15: Torres del Paine Explorations - Puerto Natales. A full-day of private explorations in the national park, visiting Lakes Pehoe, Nordenskjold and Sarmiento, glaciers and the great waterfall of Salto Grande. Box lunch. Continue to Puerto Natales. Dinner and overnight in a Suite (or Superior Room) with a sea view in the 4-star Hotel Costa Australis.
Santiago
Intra-tour flight to Santiago, 12:40 pm - 4:55 pm, Lan Chile 080
Day 16: Puerto Natales - Punta Arenas - Santiago. Private excursion toward Punta Arenas, admiring the magnificent scenery and the penguin colony at Otway Sound (October to March only). Box lunch. Arrival at the airport. Flight to Santiago. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Observe the city lights from atop Cerro San Cristobal as you dine at the Camino Real. Overnight in an Executive Suite (or De Luxe Room) with a city view in the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Santiago.
Easter Island
Intra-tour flight to Easter Island, 8:40 am - 12:20 pm, Lan Chile 841*
Day 17: Santiago - Easter Island. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Easter Island. Brunch on board. Drive to Hanga Roa and the Hotel O' Tai. The rest of the day is free. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Day 18: Easter Island (Rano Raraku - Te Pito Kura - Anakena Beach). Full-day excursion. Drive along the coast to the "Camino de los Moais" and hike up the Rano Raruku Volcano, with its crater lake, gigantic quarries of tuff, where the stone statues were carved, and about 300 statues in different states of completion. Catered lunch. Hike to Ahu Tongariki, a restored "ahu" (platform) with 15 erected moais, and nearby petroglyphs. Go by car to "Te Pito Kura", or "navel of the world", and Anakena Beach, with two ahus, including Ahu Naunau. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Day 19: Easter Island (Rano Kau - Orongo - Ahu Akivi). In the morning, drive up to the Rano Kau Volcano and the ceremonial village of Orongo. Our guide will tell you the legend of the birdman and its culture and show you the petroglyphs with images of Tanga Mau (bird man), Make Make (the god that created him) and Komari (fertility symbol). Typical lunch. Afternoon horseback ride through the ceremonial place of Tahai and the hills and meadows to Ana Te Pahu and Ahu Akivi, with its famous seven moais. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Day 20: Easter Island (Maunga Terevaka). This morning, drive to Maunga Terevaka and hike to the the highest point on Easter Island. Typical lunch. The rest of the day is free. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Santiago
Intra-tour flight to Santiago, 1:20 pm - 8:00 pm, Lan Chile 842*
Day 21: Easter Island - Santiago (Santa Rita Winery). Transfer to the airport. Flight to Santiago. Lunch on board. Reception and transfer to the historic Santa Rita Winery. Stroll the grounds before enjoying a gourmet dinner. Farewell dinner and overnight in a Superior Suite (or Suite) in the 5-star Hotel Casa Real.
Home
Day 22: Santiago (Santa Rita Winery). In the morning, visit the vineyards and winery. Afterward, have a typical lunch with wine in the Restaurante Doña Paula, a national monument. Afternoon tour of the surrounding wine country before transferring to the Santiago airport for your Overnight Flight Home.
Day 23: Santiago - Home. Flight and arrival home.
*Flights are not daily. A Tuesday departure from Santiago and Saturday return is shown. Other days of the week are possible.
New and old on the Plaza
de Armas, Santiago, Central Valley.
Photo: Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile
Tours & Travel.
Day 1: Flight to Santiago de Chile
International arrival this afternoon or evening in Santiago, the capital of Chile. Reception and escorted transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in an Executive Suite (or De Luxe Room) with a city view in the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Santiago.
Chilean flamingo, Altiplano, Chile.
Photo: Walter H. Wust. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 2: Santiago - Arica
Breakfast. In the morning, tour the Chilean capital's cultural attractions, including the colonial quarter, the Bohemian Bellavista district and the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Arica, in the Altiplano, or Highlands of the Andes. Lunch on board. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dine out at a selected restaurant. Overnight in a Superior Room with an ocean view in the 4-star Hotel Arica & Resort.
Pre-Columbian geoglyphs,
Lluta Valley, Altiplano, Chile.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury
Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 3: Arica - Putre
Breakfast. Today, we leave Arica and head toward the Altiplano village of Putre, at an elevation of 3,500 meters. Entering the Lluta Valley, you will observe geoglyphs that mark the old Inca Trail from the coast to the highlands. In Poconchile, we visit the Church of San Geronimo, which was built in 1605 and has a huge cemetery. Candelabra cactus are scattered over the landscape just before we reach the pre-Columbian fortress of Pukara de Copaquilla. In Zapahuira, we leave the main road and drive on a secondary one to Belen. This highland village of 120 inhabitants, at 3,300 meters above sea level, was the only village founded by the Spaniards. We then return to the main road and continue to Putre. A few kilometers ahead, the landscape opens up and the wide Putre Valley can be seen beneath the massive, snow-capped Putre Peaks. Putre is the capital of the Parinacota Province and dates back to pre-Hispanic times. You have the rest of the day to visit the village, with its intriguing, traditional, colonial-style houses, featuring carved-stone portals and 17th century window frames. Box lunch on the way. Dine out at a selected restaurant. Overnight in a Double Room in the 3-star Hotel Qantati.
Twin Pallachata Volcanoes and Lake Cotacotani, Lauca National Park, Altiplano, Chile.
Photo: Dominic Sawyer. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 4: Putre - Lauca National Park - Lake Chungara - Arica
Breakfast. Morning departure to discover the incomparable beauty of the Lauca National Park, a spectacular scenery of exotic flora and wild fauna -- vicuñas, alpacas and Andean flamingos, among other species -- and a bird watcher's paradise. We then visit Chungara, the world's highest lake, and later the village of Parinacota, whose church dates back to the 17th century. We'll take our time driving back to Arica, passing through the Lluta Valley and again admiring the geoglyphs left by the pre-Columbian inhabitants on the arid hillside. Box lunch on the way. Arrival in Arica. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room with an ocean view in the 4-star Hotel Arica & Resort.
Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Miranda Loh. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 5: Arica - Calama - San Pedro de Atacama
Breakfast. We will show you the sights of Arica, such as San Marcos Church and the former Customs Building (now an art museum), both of which were designed by the celebrated French architect Gustave Eiffel. Walking through Colon Square and down the shopping streets will give you an idea of modern life in the area. Afterward, we will lead you back into the history of Arica. First, we drive up to historical Morro, a headland that was the scene of one of the greatest feats of the Chilean Army during the Pacific War, and then into the Azapa Valley and the Miguel de Azapa Archaeological Museum. The museum collection includes sand-preserved mummies and pre-Incan relics dating back to 5,000 BC. Typical lunch. Continue to the airport (Wednesday and Thursday only). Flight to Calama. Arrival, reception and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, an unusually colorful village, 2,440 meters above sea level and surrounded by a green oasis. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Huge sand dune in the
Valley of the Moon, Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Richard Alleman. Luxury Chile
Tours & Travel.
Day 6: San Pedro de Atacama - Valley of the Moon
Breakfast. We visit San Pedro, the center of a Palaeolithic civilization that built impressive rock fortresses on the steep mountains encircling the green valley. Its colonial church was constructed in 1577. The village is the center of the native culture of Atacama, where mummies and artifacts have been excavated. You can admire them in the Father Le Paige Museum. Over 4,000 skulls, innumerable mummies, weapons, stone tools and ceramic objects are on display. Close by San Pedro is Tulor, a 3,000-year-old village that evidences the earliest human habitation in the valley, and the Pukara de Quitor, a 12th century pre-Inca fortress. Typical lunch.
In the afternoon, we take you into the eerily silent landscape of the Valley of the Moon, with its backdrop of snow-capped volcanoes. We will enjoy this scene during sunset. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Laguna Meñiques,
Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Jorge Tutor. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 7: Toconao - Altiplano Lagoons - Atacama Salt Lake
Breakfast. We start with a visit of the white volcanic stone sculptures in Toconao village, then continue to the highlands and the colorful Miscanti and Meñiques lagoons. Typical lunch in Socaire. On the way back, we proceed to the huge Atacama Salt Lake, an inland sea formed millions of years ago. It's a unique experience to view the vast plain of salt crusts formed of octagonally-shaped crystals, in the middle of the driest desert on earth. The flat emptiness here is overwhelming. At Laguna Chaxa, we may be able to observe flamingos. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
Valley of the Moon,
Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury
Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 8: Full-Day Hike from Machuca to Rio Grande
Breakfast. We depart early in the morning and drive to the village of Machuca, at an elevation of 3,400 meters. Three people are still living at this former rest place for the ancient llama caravans that traveled the "Inca Highway". It is a breathtaking place in the middle of the highland. We start our trek here -- going downhill almost the whole day -- following the Peñaliri River to reach our final destination of Rio Grande, a small village of only fifty inhabitants. Along the way, you will be fascinated by the changing landscape and panoramic views. Box lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Round Cottage (or Round Cottage) in the Hotel Awasi.
El Tatio Geysers, Atacama
Desert, Chile.
Photo:
Jorge Tutor. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 9: El Tatio Geysers - Pukara de Lasana - Santiago
Early 4:00 am departure for an excursion to El Tatio Geysers, a geothermal field flanked by soaring peaks. We drive toward the high Andes, across the High Plateau, crowned by the superb Putama Volcano, ascending to the geysers, at an elevation of 4,300 meters. After breakfast, we hike, observing fumaroles, small geysers and multicolored craters. At dawn, powerful spurts of steam shoot out from various blowholes. The steaming ponds are encrusted with brilliant salt crystals, which reflect the metal-blue sky at dawn. Alongside rising columns of steam, they make a breathtaking sight. On our way back to the Calama airport, we will visit the typical villages of Caspana and Chiu Chiu, with Chile's oldest known church, built by the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century. Continue to the Indian Cemetery, where mummies' bones have been kept intact by chuca, dry desert dust, for over 20 centuries. Following the Lao Riverbed, we visit the partially rebuilt Pukara de Lasana, a 12th century fortress. Typical lunch. Transfer to the Calama airport for the flight to Santiago. Dinner and overnight in an Executive Suite (or De Luxe Room) with a city view in the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Santiago.
Osorno Volcano and Petrohue
Falls, Lake District, Chile.
Photo: Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 10: Santiago - Puerto Varas - Vicente Perez Rosales National Park
Breakfast. Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Puerto Montt. Arrival, reception and a drive to Petrohue. On the way, we pass through Puerto Varas. The "City of the Roses" is located on Lake Llanquihue, Chile's largest, with the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes reflected in its clear waters. We proceed east along the lake shore to Enseñada, just after which the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park begins. Box brunch. Morning excursion in the park, with a visit to the famous Petrohue Falls. Continue to the Hotel Petrohue, on the shores of Lake Todos los Santos, for lunch and a private ecoadventure. Horseback riding is available if requested in advance. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room with a lake view in the 4-star Hotel Petrohue.
Petrohue Waterfall, Lake District, Chile.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 11: Petrohue - Peulla - Puerto Varas
Breakfast. At Petrohue Pier, the catamaran awaits to sail across Lake Todos los Santos, also called "Emerald Lake" due to its deep green colors (September through March, Monday through Saturday only). During the navigation you can enjoy the magnificent presence of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes. Upon arrival in Peulla, at the eastern end of the lake, time for a typical lunch at Hotel Natura and to explore the beautiful surroundings, including a rainforest walk to the Cascada de la Novia waterfall. Return to Petrohue for an early evening drive to Puerto Varas. Dinner at the Sirocco Hotel-Restaurant. Overnight in a Suite (or Superior Room) in the 4-star Hotel Cabañas del Lago.
Fjords, Lake District,
Chile.
Photo:
Dominic Sawyer. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 12: Chiloe Island
Breakfast. Depart to Pargua, where we cross the Chacao Channel by ferry to explore Great Chiloe Island. We visit Ancud, noted for its traditional market that features seafood and crafts, the local museum and the San Antonio Fortress. After a typical lunch, we continue to the Penguin Islands (November - March only). The "Islotes Puñihul" are on the northwest coast, a half hour from Ancud . On a thirty-minute cruise around the islands, we see Humboldt and Magellan penguins, sea lions, pelicans and cormorants. In the early evening, return to the mainland and your hotel. Choose between a dinner of Chilean cuisine in the Alerce Restaurant or Mediterranean cuisine at the Ebro Restaurant, both in the Hotel Meliá. Overnight in a Suite (or Superior Room) in the 4-star Hotel Cabañas del Lago.
Cuernos Mountains and
Lake Pehoe, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile
Tours & Travel.
Patagonia's Magellan Province & Torres del Paine
Day 13: Puerto Varas - Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine
Breakfast. Early transfer to the airport for the flight to Punta Arenas. The city was once the boomtown of southern Chile because of the trade passing through the Strait of Magellan, a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific discovered in 1520 by Ferdinand Magellan during his search for a western route to the Spice Islands (India, Ceylon and the Moluccas). Punta Arenas is still filled with buildings erected in its glory days -- mansions now converted to hotels and government buildings. An important visit will be the Museo Regional Salesiano, a collection gathered by Salesian monks in the early days of European exploration and colonization. It covers what little is known about the former residents of this far-off land, in addition to exhibits on local flora and fauna. Arrival, reception, city tour and private excursion to the Torres del Paine National Park.
Riders, Torres del Paine,
Patagonia.
Photo:
Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Driving through the typical pampas steppes of Patagonia's Magellan Province, we begin to encounter distinctive fauna -- the native ostrich, called the ñandu, black-necked swans, flocks of flamingos, condors and eagles. Arrival in the picturesque city of Puerto Natales, situated on the banks of the Bay of Ultima Esperanza, or Last Hope. After lunch in the Hotel Costa Australis, continue to the Milodon Cave to see the remains of an herbivore animal that lived there around 12,000 years ago. After the border crossing at Cerro Castillo, look up to the sky -- we are entering condor territory. As we get closer to the park, we see the first guanacos, which will accompany us for the next few hours.
At Lake Sarmiento, we catch our first glimpse of the Paine massif. Driving along the shore of Lake Nordenskjold, we have magnificent views of the Paine massif before visiting the administration center to get a better idea of the national park. Finally, we arrive at the Grey Peninsula, where a walk along the beach at Grey Lake allows us to see the Grey Glacier. At the beach, in a primordial scene, huge blocks of ice are stranded like battleships run aground. Dinner and overnight in a Double Room in the 3-star Hosteria Lago Grey.
Navigation to Grey Glacier,
with boat in distance, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Radek
Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 14: Navigation to Grey Glacier & Torres del Paine Explorations
Breakfast. This morning, we depart across the lake on our vessel, Grey II, for Grey Glacier, a natural marvel of impressive dimensions and millennial age, that constitutes the end of the Southern Ice Field. Weighing anchor from Hosteria Lago Grey and after sailing for a half-hour among icebergs, each with its unique shape and color, we'll approach the glacier's front wall, which is divided in two by a central island, where we land. Here, it is possible to appreciate the glacier's true magnitude and its apparent infinitude of crevasses.
Typical lunch in the hotel. In the afternoon, your guide will arrange a private exploration of Torres del Paine according to your preferences and the weather. Choose among hiking, trekking or a 4 x 4 excursion. Horseback riding and kayaking are available at additional cost. Dinner and overnight in a Double Room in the 3-star Hosteria Lago Grey.
Salto Grande, Torres
del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Claudio Almarza. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 15: Torres del Paine Explorations - Puerto Natales
Breakfast. A full-day of private explorations in the national park; visiting Lakes Pehoe, Nordenskjold and Sarmiento, glaciers and the great waterfall of Salto Grande, ever under the enchanting gaze of the Paine mountain range and the incredible, vertical spires of the Torres del Paine. Box lunch on the way. Continue to Puerto Natales. Dinner and overnight in a Suite (or Superior Room) with a sea view in the 4-star Hotel Costa Australis.
Torres del Paine, Patagonia,
Chile.
Photo:
Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 16: Puerto Natales - Punta Arenas - Santiago
Breakfast. Depart on a scenic private excursion toward Punta Arenas, admiring the magnificent scenery and the penguin colony at Otway Sound (October to March only). Box lunch. Upon reaching the airport, board the flight to Santiago. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. Observe the city lights from atop Cerro San Cristobal as you dine on international or Chilean cuisine at the Camino Real restaurant and wine bar. Overnight in an Executive Suite (or De Luxe Room) with a city view in the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Santiago.
Moai at Rano Raraku, Easter Island, Chile.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 17: Santiago - Easter Island
Breakfast. Early transfer to the airport for the flight from Santiago to Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, as it was called by the natives. Brunch on board. Upon arrival at the Mataveri airport, we greet you with the traditional flower necklace, or lei. A short drive brings you to the town of Hanga Roa and the Hotel O' Tai, with its lovely garden, swimming pool and friendly atmosphere. The rest of the day is free. We recommend visiting the village church, where a close look at the diverse statues reveals traditional Roman Catholic symbols combined with indigenous ones. On Sunday morning, you are welcome to attend mass. Next to the church is the art market, and not far away is the local museum. It is worth a visit, but mainly features reproductions of Rapa Nui artifacts, because the originals were removed from the island. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Statue on slope of Rano Raraku, Easter Island, Chile.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 18: Easter Island (Rano Raraku - Te Pito Kura - Anakena Beach)
Breakfast. We depart from the hotel for a full-day excursion by car, driving along the coast to "Camino de los Moais" (trail along which the moais were moved). A hike takes us up the Rano Raruku Volcano, with its crater lake and gigantic quarries of tuff, where the stone statues were carved. There are still about 300 statues in different states of completion, standing and lying around. Some are half-carved, many are broken, and many seem to have been abandoned in mid-transportation. Most remarkably, at the base of the quarry, moias stand half buried on the slope -- up to their chins and noses -- from years of erosion. It is as if the production of moais where abandoned from one moment to the other -- was it the war or the lack of any more palm trunks to roll them on? Nobody knows for sure. We will have our catered lunch here.
Further on, we hike to Ahu Tongariki, a spectacular and more than 200-meter-long, restored "ahu" (platform) with 15 erected moais, and nearby petroglyphs. We will go by car to "Te Pito Kura", or "navel of the world", and finally to Anakena Beach. The white sandy beach with coconut palm trees and a calm blue cove of warm Pacific water makes this the most Polynesian-looking part of the island. This perfect spot also offers us the sight of two ahus. Ahu Naunau is particularly interesting because the moais on it have carvings on their back sides. After this relaxing break, we drive back to Hanga Roa on the main road, passing Vaitea, the only eucalyptus forest on the island. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Erected moai with red lava rock headdress, called pukao, Easter Island, Chile.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 19: Easter Island (Rano Kau - Orongo - Ahu Akivi)
Breakfast. In the morning, we drive up to the Rano Kau Volcano and the ceremonial village of Orongo. It is a breathtaking view -- to stand in front of the perfectly round crater 1,600 meters in diameter and over 200 meters deep -- a view you will never forget. Our guide will tell you the legend of the birdman and its culture and show you the petroglyphs with images of Tanga Mau (bird man), Make Make (the god that created him) and Komari (fertility symbol). This site looks out over the three island rookeries, Motu Nui, Moto Kau and Moto Iti. Typical lunch. In the afternoon, transfer from your hotel to our horses for a ride through the ceremonial place of Tahai and the beautiful hills and meadows to Ana Te Pahu. After visiting Ahu Akivi, with its famous seven moais, we return to the hotel. (This riding excursion is offered only with a Spanish speaking guide.) Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Birdman petrogylphs at Orango, Easter Island, Chile.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 20: Easter Island (Maunga Terevaka)
Breakfast. This morning, we drive to Maunga Terevaka and hike to the top for a rewarding, 360-degree view from the highest point on Easter Island. You will always remember this moment, because you will recognize that you are on a small piece of land in the middle of an endless ocean. Typical lunch. The rest of the day is free. Dinner and overnight in a Superior Room in the 3-star Hotel O' Tai.
Hotel Casa Real de Viña
Santa Rita, Central Valley, Chile.
Photo: Hotel Casa Real. Luxury Chile
Tours & Travel.
Day 21: Easter Island - Santiago (Santa Rita Winery)
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago. Lunch on board. Afternoon arrival, reception and transfer to the historic Santa Rita Winery. At various times in its history, the winery has been an important cultural, political and spiritual center. The imposing manor house and its splendid park still retain echoes of magnificent receptions, memories of important visitors and many of the themes which inspired prominent Chilean artists of the time.
The old, master house, owned by Domingo Fernandez Concha, who founded Viña Santa Rita, has a 100-acre park created in 1882 by Guillermo Renner, a French landscape designer. The largest bougainvillea in the Americas and hundred-year-old trees of the most diverse varieties -- chestnut, cedar, olive, almond, orange and lemon -- dress and perfume this peerless park. Innumerable statues, some of mythological inspiration and others representing the four seasons, accompany the visitor, showing the beauty of each corner offered by this immense and magnificent garden, cared for by 15 gardeners.
The century-old, family mansion is now the 12-room, 5-star Hotel Casa Real. Stroll the grounds before enjoying a gourmet dinner. Farewell dinner and overnight in a Superior Suite (or Suite) in the 5-star Hotel Casa Real.
Curico Valley wine route, Central Valley.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 22: Santiago (Santa Rita Winery)
Breakfast. In the morning, visit the vineyards and winery. Afterward, have a typical lunch with wine in the Restaurante Doña Paula, a national monument. The building served as a refuge for General Bernardo O'Higgins, a founding father of the country, and his soldiers during their fight for independence from Spain in the mid 1800s, and is now a national monument. Afternoon tour of the surrounding wine country before transferring to the Santiago airport for your Overnight Flight Home.
Day 23: Santiago - Home
Flight and arrival home.
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