From the colourful markets, interesting museums and lively streets of the capital, Santiago, you’ll find yourself traveling to the arid dryness of the Atacama region with its fierce deserts, dazzling salt flats, active geysers and dramatic beauty.
From the desert you’ll journey to tranquil lakes, wildlife and Pacific beaches around Puerto Varas, before flying into the Punta Arenas for a camping experience in Torres del Paine National Park. And the culmination of your Chilean adventure will be relaxing at an organic winery deep in the heart of the Rosario Valley.
After catching an overnight flight, arrive in Santiago the following morning, and be taken to your hotel.
Later you’ll take in Santiago’s bustling Los Dominicos market, the Mercado Central and the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino.
Stay: One night in a superior room in the Lastarria Boutique Hotel.
Prepare to be astonished. A short flight and road trip will take you to the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, where you’ll be surrounded by the harsh but astoundingly photogenic landscapes of the Atacama Desert.
Expect shimmering white salt flats, cacti rearing up from the desert and a sprinkling of verdant oases. You can visit active geysers and hike, climb, ride horses or mountain bikes in the aptly named Moon Valley.
Stay: Three nights in a standard room in Tierra Atacama.
Puerto Varas
Now it’s time to exchange the arid desert for panoramic views of Llanquihue Lake and the Osorno and Calbuco volcanos. The pretty town of Puerto Varas is your starting point for trips to wonderful Pacific beaches, penguin colonies, fishing villages, Alerce Andino and Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. You can visit Puella by bus, and Reloncavi Fjord or go horse riding, rafting and sea kayaking.
Stay: Two nights in a superior lake view room at Cabanas del Lago.
After flying to Punta Arenas you’ll embark on a drive of over five hours through beautiful countryside to enjoy an at-one-with-nature camping experience in the impressive Torres del Paine National Park.
You’ll be awe struck by views of the Cuernos del Paine and star-gaze from the comfort of your yurt. Open wooden walkways, kayaking excursions, walks to nearby waterfalls and trekking in lenga forest will all enhance the sensation of living close to nature.
Stay: Four nights in a yurt at Patagonia Camp.
Rosario Valley
Fly back to Santiago and you’ll be taken by car to the Rosario Valley, just 90 minutes away. Here you’ll be staying at a small but acclaimed organic winery with a wild garden setting. It’s the perfect base for exploring the natural beauty of the valley on foot, horseback or bicycle.
Tours of the winery and the family’s cheese-making plant are a must, with a trip to Valparaiso – just 50 minutes further along the valley – giving you another insight into life in Chile.
Stay: Two nights in a standard room at Matetic Vineyard.
Santiago – Home
This morning you’ll be driven to Santiago Airport for your overnight flight home.
