Magic of Chile (13 days)

Arrival at Santiago Airport and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon we will enjoy a city tour to see the most interesting attractions of the Chilean capital. Overnight in Santiago.

After breakfast a transfer will take us to the airport to board our connecting flight. Upon arrival at the airport of Calama, we will be provided assistance and a transfer to San Pedro de Atacama.

San Pedro is an unusually colourful village at 2,000 m / 6,560 ft above sea level, in the middle of a green oasis. In the afternoon we will enjoy the eerily silent moonscape of Valle de la Luna with its backdrop of snow-capped volcanoes; here we will observe the beauty of the scenery intensify during sunset. We will return to the hotel afterwards and stay overnight in San Pedro de Atacama.

After breakfast we will visit San Pedro de Atacama – the centre of a Palaeolithic civilization that built impressive rock fortresses on the mountains encircling the green valley. The colonial church was constructed in 1577 and is the largest and most beautiful church in the region. The extraordinary archaeological museum (closed on Mondays) of Padre Gustavo Le Paige shows, among its many archaeological pre-Hispanic artefacts, several amazingly well preserved mummies, including one known as “Miss Chile”.

After this visit you drive 4 km / 2.5 miles to reach the pre-Columbian village Tulor with an approx. age of 3,000 years. The archaeological remains are the oldest evidence of human settlement in the valley. We will then continue our morning tour to Pukara de Quitor, a fortress, which was conquered in 1540 by the Spanish conquistadores defeating the Incan troops who, in turn, had captured it from the pre-Incan cultures and extended the fortification.

In the afternoon you will start your tour to Toconao, a village where the locals dedicate themselves to the manufacture of white volcanic stone sculptures. You continue to the huge Atacama Salt Lake, an inland sea formed millions of years ago. You will be overwhelmed by the vast emptiness with the white salt crusts stretched out in front of you as far as your eyes can see. It simply is one of the most spectacular and dramatic landscapes in Chile. Return to the hotel. Overnight in San Pedro

Today we will depart at 04:00 hours in order to see the El Tatio Geysers, a geothermal field flanked by soaring peaks. Powerful spurts of steam shoot out at dawn from various blowholes and condensate in the cold air. The steaming ponds are encrusted with brilliant salt crystals that reflect the metal blue sky at dawn; along with the rising columns of steam they make for a breathtaking sight.

On the way back from the geysers to San Pedro, we will visit the settlement Machuca, located at 3,400 m / 11,150 ft above sea level. Only a few shepherds still live in this former rest place for the ancient llama caravans that travelled the Inca Trail. It is an amazing place in the middle of the highland with a spectacular view of the Andes and the Atacama Salt Lake. In the afternoon we will return to San Pedro. Overnight in San Pedro de Atacama.

After breakfast a transfer will take us to the airport of Calama to board our connecting flight. Arrival in Puerto Montt Airport, directly followed by a short city tour of Puerto Montt; a transfer will then take us to Puerto Varas, also known as the "City of Roses"; located on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, Chile's second largest lake, with the volcanoes Osorno and Calbuco reflected in the crystal clear water. Overnight in Puerto Varas.

In the morning we will depart from the hotel and drive along the shoreline of Lake Llanquihue to Petrohué in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. We can make an optional short stop to look at the famous Petrohué Falls. We proceed to Petrohué to board the catamaran to sail across Lake Todos los Santos to Peulla enjoying beautiful views of the surrounding mountains on the way. We will have time for lunch at the Hotel Peulla and/or a walk to the nearby waterfalls. Return to Puerto Varas and hotel. Overnight in Puerto Varas.

Departure to Pargua and crossing of Chacao Channel by ferry to Chiloé Island. We will either visit Ancud, famous for its traditional market featuring a wide range of seafood and crafts, or the well known houses built on stilts in Castro and other sights of interest in this town.
If weather conditions allow, we will be able to visit the penguin islands “Islotes Puñihul”, situated on the north-western coast, about 30 minutes from Ancud. During the 30-minute ride in our zodiac to the islands we will be able to see Humboldt and Magellan penguins. In the late afternoon we return to Puerto Varas.

Day at leisure in Puerto Varas. Optional excursions can be easily arranged.

In the morning, transfer to the airport in Puerto Montt to catch your flight to Punta Arenas. Arrival at Punta Arenas Airport and transfer to Puerto Natales.

Early departure to Torres del Paine National Park. On the way we visit the Milodón Cave where archaeologists have found the 12,000 year old remnants of a giant sloth. In the Torres del Paine we will pass Laguna Amarga and Lake Pehoé and enjoy the beautiful views of the Paine Massif, Almirante Nieto, and the famous Torres (towers) del Paine. We will be able to observe local wildlife such as guanacos, ñandus, foxes, skunks, black-necked swans, flamingos, condors, and eagles. Overnight in the park.

The morning will be at leisure, we have time for a stroll in the surroundings of our hotel. In the afternoon we leave the park and drive to Puerto Natales. Overnight in an authentic Patagonia sheep farm halfway between Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas.

Transfer to the airport of Punta Arenas and flight to Santiago. Overnight in Santiago de Chile.

Transfer to the airport of Santiago for your departure flight.