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Peregrine Travel Centre

Best of Chile

Best of Chile

From $ 3,220 AUD

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Description

Awash with phenomenal landscapes, Chile stands every bit as tall as its photogenic neighbours Peru, Argentina and Bolivia. Set off from the cobbled streets of Santiago and venture up into the Andes and the Acatama Desert and spend a few days checking out hot springs, lagoons, hiking trails, geological oddities and high-altitude geyser fields. Hop over to the Casablanca Valley for a winery tour and explore what must be one of the most romantic (and good-looking) towns in South America – Valparaiso, before returning to the capital. Let Chile enchant and delight on an eight-day highlights adventure.

Trip Name
Best of Chile
Last Updated
2020-08-11
Days
8
Capacity
12
Highlights
  • Contrast Santiago’s historic city streets with the scenic vineyards of the Casablanca Valley – Chile’s fastest growing wine hotspot.
  • Head out to the Moon Valley in the Atacama Desert and climb to the top of a sand dune for an unforgettable sunset.
  • Visit the otherworldly El Tatio geyser on a guided tour – one of the highest elevated geyser fields in the world, standing at 4300 metres above sea level.
  • A free day in San Pedro de Atacama opens up a world of opportunities – lagoons, hot springs, hiking trails and more!
  • Explore the delightful port town of Valparaiso, where culture spills out into the streets and a rainbow of houses line the coast.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It is important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary seasonally to ensure our travellers have the best experience. Your tour leader will keep you up to date with any such changes once on tour. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your leader know you are interested in the Group Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and leaders are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Day 1 - Santiago
Welcome to Santiago, Chile. Your adventure begins with a short meeting at 2 pm, followed by an orientation walk around the city. The orientation walk will take 1-2 hours and you’ll see some main sights like La Moneda, Plaza de Armas and Mercado Central. For those unable to attend at this time, there will be another more comprehensive welcome meeting at 6 pm with the entire group. After your important meeting, why not get acquainted with your fellow travellers and get yourself some dinner – your group leader will know of some great places to go.
Day 2 - San Pedro de Atacama
This morning, join your group on an included flight to Calama and once arrived, travel by private vehicle to San Pedro (approximately 1.5 hours). When you get to San Pedro, your group leader will orientate you to the town on a short walk. In the afternoon, head out on an included excursion to the Moon Valley in the renowned Atacama Desert with a local guide. Located around 10 km away from San Pedro de Atacama, it has been declared a natural sanctuary as part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve within the Salt Mountain range. On this tour, you’ll get to see the myriad colours and rocky formations which create a geological spectacle quite similar to the moon’s surface. Visit the Tres Marias statues the salt cave and go up to the Gran Duna (Great Dune) where you'll get to admire a beautiful panorama as the sun sets and the sky deepens in colour.
Day 3 - San Pedro de Atacama
Today is as clear as the blue Chilean skies in the Atacama Desert. You’ve got the day to choose one of many optional activities on offer. Get your hiking shoes on and choose one of the local trails to embark on with a local leader. Otherwise, book yourself in on a day trip to the stunning Atacama salt flats (Salar de Atacama), or Chile’s Rainbow Valley (Valle del Arcoiris), both offer striking views of natural landscapes rarely seen on earth. The best thing is, today is all yours to choose your own adventure.
Day 4 - San Pedro de Atacama
This morning begins nice and early at around 4.30 am. Head out on an included excursion to the El Tatio geyser (located 4300 metres above sea level) in the Atacama Desert with an English speaking local guide. This is highest-elevation geyser fields in the world. Watch in awe as more than 100 geysers pulsate around you, shooting streams of water and gas into the air. The El Tatio Geyser Field stands just over 4267 metres (14,000 feet) above sea level in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile and getting here is half the fun. Travel up winding mountain roads surrounded by the snow-covered peaks of both active and dormant volcanoes. Magma trapped beneath the surface of the earth heats the water underground, resulting in an explosive release of pressure. Run-off from the geysers drains away into emerald-green geothermal ponds, while small streams trickle down towards lower altitudes. As you walk through the fields, steam rising all around you, keep an eye out for the geyser field's fascinating local wildlife, which shows that nature's beauty can thrive even in harsh conditions. This activity will finish around lunchtime and the remainder of the day is free. There are plenty of optional activities available including a visit to the hot springs or to one of the lagunas. Speak to your group leader for their recommendations and other options.
Day 5 - Santiago / Valparaiso
This morning, head west towards the coast. Arrive in the colourful city of Valparaiso, notable for its brightly hued houses spread across a series of hills overlooking the ocean. As a creative hub, the city has no shortage of options for a drink, so perhaps find yourself a place to sip a traditional Pisco Sour alongside locals for the evening.
Day 6 - Valparaiso
Embark on a leader-led walking tour of Valparaiso. It's a colourful and chaotically laid out town that's full of surprises, and much romanticised by poets such as Pablo Neruda. Your tour includes visits to Plaza Anibal Pinto, Paseo Gervasoni, Reloj Turri, Paseo Yugoslavo and Calle Serrano, with many more boulevards and areas of interest. Later on, the walk takes in the Lukas Museum, which houses the collection of works by the cartoonist and illustrator Renzo Pecchenino (Lukas). Continue to Muelle Prat (Prat Dock) – an ideal spot to watch sailors arrive in their lanchas (small ships) and to soak up the general buzz and bustle of harbourside life.
Day 7 - Santiago
En route back to Santiago, stop for a wine tasting in the Casablanca Valley, located about 45 minutes outside of Santiago. Sitting on a coastal plain between the capital and Valparaiso, the valley is Chile’s fastest growing wine region, with its rich soil and perfect climate making it a wine lover’s paradise. This visit (approximately one hour) is focused more on the sustainability and organic goals of the vineyard and the characters of biodiversity rather than tasting wine. Nice to know however that this area is known for crisp Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but also for stunning reds like Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah.
Day 8 - Santiago
With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave at any time after breakfast. This doesn’t mean that your adventure has to come to an end! If you would like to spend more time in Santiago, we’ll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
04-10-202011-10-2020AUD $ 3,220-

Accommodation

Hotel (7 nts)

Transport

Plane,Private vehicle

Map

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