Chile is a country of startling contrasts and extreme beauty, with attractions ranging from the towering volcanic peaks of the Andes to the ancient forests of the Lake District. There are a multitude of very good parks here, and plenty of opportunities for fine adventure travel. Chile is justly famous as the location of Torres del Paine, considered by many to be the finest nature travel destination in all of South America.
Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Santiago
On arrival at Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, Santiago, meet and greet with airport representative and transfer to your hotel. On arrival at hotel, check in to your room. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Santiago.
Day 02: Santiago (City Tour)
After breakfast, proceed for Santiago City tour. Your tour will start in the city’s colonial sector, where O’Higgins Park and the Horse Racetrack stand out; going through Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins Ave. we will reach the Presidential Palace of La Moneda, nearby is the Palace of Justice, the Plaza de Armas or Main Square, the old Post Office and the Cultural Center on the banks of the Mapocho River with the Palace Museum of Fine Arts beside the Forest Park. We will leave the city’s civic center behind and visit Cerro Santa Lucia, the founding place of Santiago and the picturesque barrios (neighborhoods) called Paris and Londres, to then access the modern business centers of the barrios Providencia and El Bosque and the elegant residential and commercial barrios of Vitacura and Las Condes. Late afternoon return back to your hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Santiago.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 03: Santiago (Tour Valparaiso and Viña del Mar)
After breakfast, proceed to visit the City of Valparaiso, a picturesque city rich in autochthonous architecture, inspiration to artists and poets, which has been declared Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO; this city is located 120 km away from Santiago and stands facing the Pacific Ocean.You will be able to appreciate the outstanding view of the wine producing valleys of Curacavi and Casablanca during the trip. The tour across the City of Valparaiso begins at the Pratt Pier, where you can see the ceaseless port activity along with the steep hills through which the narrow streets and funiculars climb. The tour continues visiting the most important plazas in the city, the Senate building, and lastly, a stop at the Mirador 21 de Mayo, a vantage point that allows appreciating the city and bay of Valparaiso. Then we will visit the neighboring City of Viña del Mar, called The Garden City; during our tour across this traditional beach resort we will be able to see the beautiful residential barrios from the early XX century, the monumental Flower Clock, the Presidential Palace and the Quinta Vergara with its gorgeous gardens and amphitheater, where the popular song festival of Viña del Mar takes place. Continuing through the coastal front we will reach the modern beach resort of Reñaca and the rather traditional Con Con. We will stop on the way to have lunch. Late afternoon return back to Santiago. Stay overnight at hotel in Santiago
Meals: Breakfast
Day 04: Santiago – Easter Island
After breakfast, check out from your hotel and transfer to airport to board your flight to Easter Island. On arrival at Easter Island, meet and greet with airport representative and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Easter
Island.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 05: Easter Island (Full-day tour to the Rano Raraku Volcano)
After breakfast, proceed for full day tour of the Rano Raraku Volcano. On this day we will tour the island on a search for the mystery involving the construction of the Moai. The first stop after leaving your hotel will take us to a non restored Ahu, the Vaihu Ahu, located on Hanga Tee Bay, on the southern coast of the island, witness to a phase of destruction a few centuries ago. We will continue toward the region of the Akahanga Ahu, whose legend goes that the tomb of the famous King Hotu Matua is located beside the Ahu. We then continue toward one of the most important places of Rapa Nui culture, the quarry of Rano Raraku, located on the slopes of the homonymous volcano, where a total of approx. 900 statues were carved, 397 of which are still lying or standing on different moments of their construction and transportation process. We will then go to the Tongariki Ahu, restored in 1995, with its 15 standing statues. After that we will visit the archaeological remains known as The Navel of the World. Finally we will arrive in Anakena Beach, where we will find the Nau Nau Ahu and the Ature Huki Ahu, both restored. We will also be able to appreciate the warm waters of the Pacific and rest on a beach of pink sand under palm trees. Late evening return back to your hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Easter Island.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 06: Easter Island (Orongo and Akivi Ahu Tour)
After breakfast, proceed for Orongi and Akivi Ahu Tour. On this day we will climb the extinct Rano Kau Volcano, from where we will enjoy a vista of the island with its coastlines and volcanoes, and the Town of Hanga Roa. We will reach a vantage point from which the Rano Kau crater and its one mile-diameter lagoon can be seen, and at its shores the ceremonial Village of Orongo, where the ceremony and competition of the Bird-Man Tangata Manu took place. We will continue bound for the Vinapu Ahu, with its architecture reminding us of pre-Incan constructions. Towards the end of this excursion we will visit the Ana Kai Tangata Cave, where it is possible to appreciate rock paintings with seabird motifs. Late afternoon, return to your hotel.
Later proceed for half day tour of Akivi Ahu, archeological center in the Roihi Sector; it was the first one restored scientifically in the 1960s. It is a particularly interesting ceremonial place not only because of its location (center of the island), but also because of the legends regarding its seven Moai, which represent the first seven explorers sent by King Hotu Matua to scout the island. Later continue to the caverns of Ana Tepahu and the quarry of Puna Pau, a place located east of Hanga Roa, a small crater of red stones, from where the pukao or headwear crown the Moai were obtained. There are some unfinished and abandoned Moai along its ancient trails of removal.Late evening return back to your hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Easter Island.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 07: Easter Island - Santiago
After breakfast, check out from your hotel and proceed to airport to board your flight to Santiago. On arrival at Santiago, meet and greet with airport representative and transfer to your hotel. On arrival at hotel, check in to your hotel room. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Santiago.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 08: Santiago – Punta Arenas (Navigation Magdalena Island Penguin Reserve) (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
After breakfast, check out from your hotel and proceed to airport to board your flight to Punta Arenas. On arrival at Punta Arenas, check in to your hotel. On arrival at hotel, check in to your hotel room. After freshen up, proceed to Magdalena Island which along with Marta Isle conform this natural monument called The Penguins, natural habitat to more than 120.000 Magellanic penguins and one of the largest penguin nesting place in southern Chile, paradise for birdwatchers. Arriving in the island is a spectacle. It is two-hour navigation across the Strait of Magellan where you can watch spectacular panoramic views of Punta Arenas, the plains of Tierra del Fuego and the oil fields of Cabo Negro or Laredo Bay. Arrive in this place 35 km away from the City of Punta Arenas and deep into the proper strait. Once there, the landscape is even more beautiful, where penguins, cormorants and sea lions, among others, are the main players. For an hour you will be able to watch thousands of penguins and their nesting places going through paths running from the coast up to the top of the island, where there is a lighthouse along with the Center of Environmental Interpretation with the history of the strait and the fauna of the place. Late evening return back to your hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Punta Arenas.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 09: Punta Arenas – Torres Del Paine
After breakfast, proceed to Puerto Natales. On the way we will visit Rhea Park (Parque Ñandú), where you will be able to watch and take pictures of the local fauna. Continuation toward Puerto Natales, where we will be arriving at 12:30 hours approx. Time off for lunch. Continuation toward Torres del Paine with stops at the Natural Monument Milodon Cave and the Town of Cerro Castillo. We will enter the park at approx. 17:00 hours through Laguna Amarga, the inner route runs across different sectors of the park, always accompanied by majestic vistas of the Paine Massif and the lakes of the park. Late evening transfer to your hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Torres Del Paine.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Torres Del Paine
After breakfast, the day is free at leisure. You can take an Optional tour depending on the hotel you have chosen and its location inside the park, you will be able to choose from an ample variety of tours. From tours on vehicles alternated with short hikes to visit waterfalls, lakes and vantage points, up to demanding hikes or horseback rides to reach to the most hidden places in the park, visit the base of Las Torres or navigate up to Grey Glacier to take a walk on ice. Stay overnight at hotel in Torres Del Paine.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Torres Del Paine – Puerto Natales
After breakfast, proceed for excursions tours in the park. Late afternoon, check out from your hotel and transfer to Puerto Natales. On arrival at Puerto Natales, transfer to your hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Puerto Natales.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12: Puerto Natales – Punta Arenas – Santiago
After breakfast, check out from your hotel and proceed to airport to board your flight to Santiago. On arrival at Santiago, meet and greet with airport representative and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure. Stay overnight at hotel in Santiago.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13: Santiago
After breakfast, check out from your hotel and proceed to airport to board your flight homebound.
Meals: Breakfast |