Legacy of the Incas
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Machu Picchu - Lake
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Sacred Sites of the Incas
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Empire of the Sun
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Machu Picchu - Lake
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(14 days/13 nights)
Ancient Civilizations of Peru
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Colca Canyon - Machu
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Grand Tour of the Inca Empire
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(22 days/21 nights)
Ancient & Colonial Capitals
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Machu Picchu
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Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
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Machu Picchu
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Machu Picchu & Galapagos
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Galapagos & Machu Picchu
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Manu National Park
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Enchanted
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Galapagos
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Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
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Galapagos - Andes
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Galapagos
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Galapagos - Amazon
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Historic Haciendas of the Andes
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Cotopaxi - Antisana
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Luxury Chile Tours & Travel
Atacama Desert, Lake District, Torres del Paine & Easter Island
Cuernos Mountains and
Lake Pehoe, Torres del Paine, Patagonia.
Photo: Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Revel in the pleasures of this exquisite journey of discovery...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
5-Star Luxury Tours
Sustainable Nature ToursSustainable Cultural ToursRegions of ChileMap
Land Price (19 days/18 nights)
De Luxe US$ 11,810 Imperial US$ 13,115 per person
The land price includes escorted transfers, private excursions with professional guides and chauffeurs, entrance fees, selected category of accommodations (De Luxe is shown first; if Imperial is different, it appears afterward in parenthesis), gourmet cuisine (see details), all land and water transportation, 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 Opulent Itineraries. Season: September through March.
Intra-Tour Flights & Fares
Air fares are in addition to the land price:
Santiago - Calama - Santiago, Santiago - Puerto Montt - Punta Arenas - Puerto Montt - Santiago & Santiago - Easter Island - Santiago
Grey Glacier, Torres
del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Tony Costa. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
This study of natural beauty in extreme environments begins in the Atacama Desert, the driest on earth, but where 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 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 will sail across Lake Todos los Santos on a catamaran, under the magnificent presence of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes.
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 a giant sloth 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 will be hiking in the Torres del Paine National Park; bewitched by its lakes, waterfalls and spires. After navigating Lago Grey past icebergs to massive glaciers, we return to Santiago.
Our exploration of the ecological grandeur of Chile 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.
Returning to mainland Chile, proceed to the Matetic Vineyards, in the Rosario Valley, near the Pacific Ocean, have a gourmet dinner and stay in La Casona. In the morning, tour the vineyards and winery. In the afternoon, enjoy winetasting and lunch before departing to the airport for your flight home.
Our chosen hotels embody luxury and history. You will 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 may be exceptions -- see the itinerary for the exact accommodations). In Santiago, our hotel is the 5-star The Aubrey; in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, the 4-star Hotel Petrohue; in Puerto Varas, the 5-star Cumbres Patagónicas; and in the Central Valley, the 5-star La Casona at Matetic Vineyards. In addition to luxury and history, we have chosen other establishments that provide a unique experience of traditional culture or ecology: in the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama, the rustic yet sophisticated 4-star Hotel Awasi; on a traditional sheep ranch on the border of the Torres del Paine National Park, the 3-star Cerro Guido Lodge; in Puerto Natales, the 4-star Hotel Altiplanico Patagonia; and on Easter Island, the 4-star Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui.
What Luxury Link has to say about The Grandeur of Chile.
Valley of the Moon,
Atacama Desert, 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 (on your own) at Pasta e Vino. Overnight in the 5-star The Aubrey -- Marinelli Terrace (or San Cristóbal Suite).
Atacama Desert
Intra-tour flight to Calama, 7:00 am - 9:05 am, Lan Chile 344
Day 2: Santiago - San Pedro de Atacama - Valley of the Moon. Departure to the airport. Flight to Calama. Reception and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama and the Hotel Awasi, where guests will develop individual outings in consultation with their guide. A possible excursion today: 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. Lunch. In the afternoon, enter the eerily silent landscape of the Valley of the Moon for sunset. Dinner and overnight in the 4-star Hotel Awasi -- Superior Round Suite (or Premium Round Suite).
Day 3: Toconao - Altiplano Lagoons - Atacama Salt Lake. A possible excursion today: Start with the white volcanic stone sculptures in Toconao, then continue to the Miscanti and Meñiques lagoons, in the highlands. Lunch. 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 the 4-star Hotel Awasi -- Superior Round Suite (or Premium Round Suite).
Day 4: Full-Day Hike from Machuca to Rio Grande. A possible excursion today: 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 will be fascinated by the changing landscape and panoramic views. Box lunch. Dinner and overnight in the 4-star Hotel Awasi -- Superior Round Suite (or Premium Round Suite).
Santiago
Intra-tour flight to Santiago, 6:00 pm - 7:55 pm, Lan Chile 353
Day 5: El Tatio Geysers - Pukara de Lasana - Santiago. A possible excursion today: 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. Lunch. Transfer to the Calama airport. Flight to Santiago. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Dine at El Caramaño. Overnight in the 5-star The Aubrey-- Marinelli Terrace (or San Cristóbal Suite).
Day 6: Santiago (Colonial Architecture & Museums). City tour, admiring the colonial monuments of Santa Lucía Hill, La Iglesia de San Francisco and El Palacio de la Moneda; the Plaza de Armas, and the Catedral Metropolitana. Lunch at Akarana. Afternoon visits to the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, the 19th century Palacio Cousiño and Bellavista, the Bohemian quarter, to see La Chascona, once the home of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. Dine at Astrid y Gastón. Return to your hotel. Overnight in the 5-star The Aubrey -- Marinelli Terrace (or San Cristóbal Suite).
Lake District
Intra-tour flight to Puerto Montt, 7:30 am - 9:10 am, Lan Chile 081
Day 7: 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 the 4-star Hotel Petrohue -- Superior Lake View Room.
Day 8: 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 lunch at Hotel Natura and to explore the beautiful surroundings. Return to Petrohue for an early evening drive to Puerto Varas. Dinner at Alerce. Overnight in the 5-star Cumbres Patagónicas -- Luxury Room (or Suite).
Torres del Paine
Intra-tour flight to Punta Arenas, 9:40 am - 11:50 am, Lan Chile 081
Day 9: 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. After lunch at Restaurante Las Llanuras, we reach Puerto Natales. Continue to the Milodon Cave to see the remains of a giant sloth that lived 12,000 years ago. At Lake Sarmiento, we catch our first glimpse of the Paine massif. Finally, we arrive at the Cerro Guido Lodge. Dinner and overnight in the 3-star Cerro Guido Lodge -- Standard Room (or Superior Room).
Day 10: 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. Lunch. In the afternoon, a private exploration of Torres del Paine, according to your preferences and the weather. Dinner and overnight in the 3-star Cerro Guido Lodge -- Standard Room (or Superior Room).
Day 11: 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 at Cormorán de Las Rocas. Overnight in the 4-star Hotel Altiplanico Patagonia -- Standard Room.
Santiago
Intra-tour flight to Santiago, 12:40 pm - 4:55 pm, Lan Chile 080
Day 12: 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. Dinner at Como Aqua para Chocolate. Overnight in the 5-star The Aubrey-- Marinelli Terrace (or San Cristóbal Suite).
Easter Island
Intra-tour flight to Easter Island, 8:30 am - 11:50 am, Lan Chile 841
Day 13: Santiago - Easter Island. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Easter Island. Brunch on board. Drive to the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui. After a lunch of typical cuisine at the hotel, visit the Padre Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum to see the only intact moai eye ever found. Return to the hotel. Tonight and any night, star gazing on Easter Island is an unforgettable experience. Bring your handbook of the Southern constellations. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui - Standard Room.
Day 14: 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 Raraku Volcano, with its crater lake, gigantic quarries of tuff, where the stone statues were carved, and about 300 statues in different states of completion. 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. Picnic lunch on the beach. Dinner at Hetu´u (not included). Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui - Standard Room.
Day 15: 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). The precisely carved and fitted stone walls at Ahu Vinapu may evidence a voyage to the west by Inca king Tupac Yupanqui. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon horseback ride through the ceremonial site of Tahai and the hills and meadows to Ana Te Pahu and Ahu Akivi, with its famous seven moais. Dinner at Au Bout de Monde (not included). Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui - Standard Room.
Day 16: Easter Island (Maunga Terevaka). This morning, drive to Maunga Terevaka and hike to the the highest point on Easter Island. Lunch at the hotel. The rest of the day is free. Dinner at Aringa Ora (not included). Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui - Standard Room.
Santiago
Intra-tour flight to Santiago, 1:10 pm - 7:50 pm, Lan Chile 842
Day 17: Easter Island - Santiago (Rosario Valley). Transfer to the airport. Flight to Santiago. Lunch on board. Reception and transfer to the Matetic Vineyards, withiin its own Rosario Valley, near the Pacific. Enjoy the innovative recipes created by chef Matiás Bustos using the freshest local ingredients. Farewell dinner and overnight in the 5-star La Casona at Matetic Vineyards -- Standard Room (or Superior Room).
Day 18: Santiago (Rosario Valley). In the morning, visit the vineyards and winery. In the afternoon, wine tasting and a typical lunch before transferring to the Santiago airport for your Overnight Flight Home.
Home
Day 19: Santiago - Home. Flight and arrival home.
Details
New and old on the Plaza
de Armas, Santiago, Central Valley.
Photo: Radek Tezaur.
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 (on your own) of Italian fusion cuisine by chef Veronica Alfageme at internationally-acclaimed Pasta e Vino. Overnight in the The Aubrey.
Huge sand dune in the
Valley of the Moon, Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Richard Alleman. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 2: Santiago - San Pedro de Atacama - Valley of the Moon
Breakfast. Morning departure to the airport for the 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. At the Hotel Awasi, guests will develop individual outings in consultation with their guide. A possible excursion today:
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. Lunch.
In the afternoon, go into the eerily silent landscape of the Valley of the Moon, with its backdrop of snow-capped volcanoes, and enjoy this scene during sunset. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Awasi.
Laguna Meñiques,
Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Jorge Tutor. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 3: Toconao - Altiplano Lagoons - Atacama Salt Lake
Breakfast. A possible excursion today: 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. Lunch. On the way back, 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 the Hotel Awasi.
Valley of the Moon,
Atacama Desert, Chile.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 4: Full-Day Hike from Machuca to Rio Grande
Breakfast. A possible excursion today: 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, be fascinated by the changing landscape and panoramic views. Box lunch. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Awasi.
El Tatio Geysers, Atacama
Desert, Chile.
Photo:
Jorge Tutor. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 5: El Tatio Geysers - Pukara de Lasana - Santiago
A possible excursion today: Early 4:00 am departure to El Tatio Geysers, a geothermal field flanked by soaring peaks. 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, hike among 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, 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, visit the partially rebuilt Pukara de Lasana, a 12th century fortress. Lunch. Transfer to the Calama airport for the flight to Santiago. Dine on Chilean fusion cuisine by chef Don Vicente Gómez at the bohemian El Caramaño. Overnight in the The Aubrey.
Atacama Desert.
Photo: Miranda Loh. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 6: Santiago (Colonial Architecture & Museums)
Breakfast. Begin a cultural tour of the city by heading west on the Alameda, the main avenue, to the lavishly landscaped Santa Lucía Hill, where Santiago was founded on behalf of the Spanish crown by Pedro de Valdivia in 1540. Pass the 16th century La Iglesia de San Francisco and the 18th century El Palacio de la Moneda (originally the Royal Mint) on your way toward the old neighborhoods of Santiago. Afterward, cross Santiago's Plaza de Armas or main square, which dates back to 1541 and is surrounded by historic structures, notably the 18th century Catedral Metropolitana. Lunch at Akarana. Afternoon visits to the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, the 19th century Palacio Cousiño and Bellavista, the Bohemian quarter, to see La Chascona, once the home of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. Dine on the gourmet fusion cuisine of chefs Gastón Acurio and Astrid Gutsche at Astrid y Gastón. Return to your hotel. Overnight in the The Aubrey.
Osorno Volcano and Petrohue
Falls, Lake District, Chile.
Photo: Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 7: 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 the Hotel Petrohue.
Petrohue Waterfall,
Lake District, Chile.
Photo: Servicio Nacional de Turismo, Chile. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 8: 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 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 of Chilean cuisine at Alerce. Overnight in the Cumbres Patagónicas.
Riders, Torres del Paine,
Patagonia.
Photo:
Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Patagonia's Magellan Province & Torres del Paine
Day 9: 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.
Grey Glacier, Torres
del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
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. After lunch at Restaurante Las Llanuras, we reach the picturesque city of Puerto Natales, situated on the banks of the Bay of Ultima Esperanza, or Last Hope. Continue to the Milodon Cave to see the remains of a giant sloth 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 Cerro Guido Lodge. In 1905, German pioneers as well as others of British, French, Chilean and Spanish nationality formed large sheep ranches in the territory of Ultima Esperanza. These "estancias" made it possible for Chile to establish sovereignty over one of the most attractive and rich areas of Patagonia. Cerro Guido Lodge was developed by the owners of the Estancia Cerro Guido in order to preserve the estancia's historical patrimony and traditions. It continues to be a fully functioning farm with some 220,000 acres and 50,000 sheep. The estancia has conserved the English style and structures which characterized its first years in the early 1900s. Any modernization carried out has not affected the taste of that era. Dinner and overnight in the Cerro Guido Lodge.
Navigation to Grey Glacier,
with boat in distance, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Radek
Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 10: Navigation to Grey Glacier & Torres del Paine Explorations
Breakfast. This morning, 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. We depart across the lake on our vessel, Grey II, for the glacier, a natural marvel of impressive dimensions and millennial age, that constitutes the end of the Southern Ice Field. Weighing anchor from the pier 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.
Lunch. 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 the Cerro Guido Lodge.
Salto Grande, Torres
del Paine, Patagonia, Chile.
Photo: Claudio Almarza. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 11: 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. Continue to Puerto Natales. Dinner by chef Alexis Paredes at Cormorán de Las Rocas. Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Patagonia.
Torres del Paine, Patagonia,
Chile.
Photo:
Radek Tezaur. Luxury Chile Tours & Travel.
Day 12: 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. Box lunch. Upon reaching the airport, board the flight to Santiago. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. A dinner of creative Latino cuisine by chef Raúl Yévenes at Como Aqua para Chocolate. Overnight in the The Aubrey.
Moai at Rano Raraku, Easter Island.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Easter Island Tours & Travel.
The Dream at the End of the World...
-- Edward Albee, The New York Times, April 30, 2006
"What really makes Easter Island unique among the ancient places of the world is its preservation of the lifecycle of Neolithic ritual. Most realms of antiquity, like Pompeii or Machu Picchu, are frozen in time or represent the final manifestation of a culture, its zenith. But on Easter Island you can see the birth, life, and death of the ancient culture - the womb of the moai in the statue quarry, the stately triumph of the moai on their platforms, and the solemn (some might say pitiful) decadence of their fall from grace ... the moai lying deaf, dumb, and blind in the volcanic dust whence they came."
-- Shawn McLaughlin, The Complete Guide to Easter Island, 2004
Easter Island Pre-Departure Information
Rano Raraku caldera, Easter Island.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Easter Island Tours & Travel.
Day 13: 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. Drive beyond the town of Hanga Roa to the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui, with its view over the ocean, swimming pool and friendly atmosphere. After a lunch of typical cuisine at the hotel, visit the Padre Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum to see the only intact moai eye ever found. It is carved from white coral and has a red scoria pupil. Most of the other artifacts are reproductions of originals that were removed from the island. Return to the hotel. Tonight and any night, star gazing on Easter Island is an unforgettable experience. Bring your handbook of the Southern constellations. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui.
Statue on slope of Rano Raraku, Easter Island.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Easter Island Tours & Travel.
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is an open-air, archaeological museum of a fascinating but vanished culture, a stark lesson in what can happen when humans fail to live in harmony with nature. We still do not know for sure how or why the first inhabitants carved, transported and raised their monolithic stone statues, or why the "moai" gaze inland instead of out to sea. But, as you walk with your private guide, you can contemplate the enigma of almost 900 mysterious idols created over a period of five centuries by a civilization that later tried to destroy them.
Day 14: 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 Raraku 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. Picnic lunch on the beach. After this relaxing break, we drive back to Hanga Roa on the main road, passing Vaitea, the only eucalyptus forest on the island. Dinner at Hetu´u (not included). Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui.
Erected moai with red lava rock headdress, called pukao, Easter Island.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Easter Island Tours & Travel.
To the many mysteries of Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, add one more: Inca oral history tells of a voyage to the west by Inca king Tupac Yupanqui. The precisely carved and fitted stone walls at Ahu Vinapu may evidence that visit. Other mysteries are revealed in Nova's Secrets of Easter Island.
Day 15: 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. To the many mysteries of Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, add one more: Inca oral history tells of a voyage to the west by Inca king Tupac Yupanqui. The precisely carved and fitted stone walls at Ahu Vinapu may evidence that visit. Lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, transfer from your hotel to our horses for a ride through the ceremonial site 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 requires a high level of physical activity and is offered only with a Spanish speaking guide.) Dinner at Au Bout de Monde (not included). Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui.
Birdman petrogylphs at Orango, Easter Island.
Photo: Cliff Wassmann. Luxury Easter Island Tours & Travel.
Day 16: 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. Lunch at the hotel. The rest of the day is free. Dinner at Aringa Ora (not included). Overnight in the Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui.
La Casona at Matetic Vineyards, Rosario Valley, Chile.
Photo: Matetic Vineyards.
Day 17: Easter Island - Santiago (Rosario Valley)
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Santiago. Lunch on board. Arrival, reception and transfer to the Matetic Vineyards, withiin its own Rosario Valley, near the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy the innovative recipes created by chef Matiás Bustos using the freshest local ingredients. Farewell dinner and overnight in the 5-star La Casona at Matetic Vineyards -- Standard Room (or Superior Room).
Matetic Vineyards, Rosario Valley, Chile.
Photo: Matetic Vineyards.
Day 18: Santiago (Rosario Valley)
Breakfast. In the morning, visit the vineyards and winery. In the afternoon, wine tasting and a typical lunch before transferring to the Santiago airport for your Overnight Flight Home.
Day 19: Santiago - Home
Flight and arrival home.
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