Cosmopolitan Santiago, beautiful beach resorts and famous vineyards in the Central Valley; then flight to the Southern lake Region to marvel at majestic snow-capped volcanoes, great rivers and exuberant vegetation…
Departs: Daily Oct-01-04 / Sep-30-05
Day 1 USA/SANTIAGO: Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Santiago. Dinner and breakfast served on board.
Day 2 SANTIAGO: Morning arrival with meeting and transfer to your hotel. Balance of day at leisure for personal exploration of Chile's charming capital city.
Day 3 SANTIAGO: Tour around Santiago visiting the city’s most outstanding attractions, including the city center visiting the main square “Plaza de Armas”, Santiago’s Cathedral, Ahumada Boulevard, the Government Palace “La Moneda”. Then by vehicle visit the main avenues of the old Santiago, crossing the bohemian neighborhood of Bellavista and drive up the San Cristobal Hill, for a magnificent panoramic view of the city and the Andes Mountain Range. Then visit the modern part of Santiago including its elegant neighborhoods, shopping and financial centers. This tour ends at the artisan village of “Los Graneros del Alba”, where artisans can be seen at work, having plenty of time to walk around or do some shopping.
Afternoon at leisure. B
Day 4 SANTIAGO / VINA DEL MAR/ VALPARAISO: Depart on your full day tour driving towards the central coast crossing the most beautiful and fertile valleys of Curacaví and Casablanca. Upon arriving in Valparaiso, we will pass beautiful neighborhoods such as Gran Bretaña which still maintains its lordly European style. Later in Viña del Mar we will be able to admire its beaches and modern buildings, as well as the well-kept parks and gardens which give this city the pseudonymous of "garden city". Among these parks is Quinta Vergara, internationally known for its musical festival held every year and also for its palace and school of fine arts. Return to Santiago. B
Day 5 SANTIAGO/ CENTRAL VALLEY: Head south from Santiago towards the Maipo River and Pique where you will visit Concha y Toro vineyard, founded in 1883, the country’s largest wine exporter. A complete guided tour of the facility begins in the vineyards, some of which were planted by founder (and noted winemaker) Spanish nobleman Don Melchor de Concha y Toro himself, covers every step of the wine-making process and includes a wine tasting. The trip continues to the Maipo Canyon, a great place to examine the Andes in all their stunning. Return to the hotel
Balance of day at leisure. B
Day 6 SANTIAGO/ PUERTO MONTT/ PUERTO VARAS: Transfer to the airport for your flight to the fishing port of Puerto Montt. Meeting and transfer to your hotel in Puerto Varas located at the shore of Llanquihue lake and in front of Osorno volcano. In the afternoon tour the city with its quaint streets adorned with rosebeds. Visit Phillipi Hill offering incredible views of Llanquihue Lake and Osorno Volcano. Continue to Puerto Montt and the fisherman's cove known as Angelmo. Return to Puerto Varas for overnight. B
Day 7 PUERTO VARAS/ PETROHUE: Today Our full-day excursion takes us along the southern shores of Llanquihue Lake to admire the beauty of the Osorno and Cabulco volcanoes. Arrive later at Petrohue Waterfalls for views of the rapids and surrounding virgin forest. Continue to Petrohue, boarding point for cruising of Lake Todos Los Santos in the Lake District area. After lunch return to Puerto Varas. B L
Day 8 PUERTO VARAS/ ANCUD/ CHILOE: Departure from Puerto Varas on our full day excursion to Ancud – Chiloe Island. Board the ferry at Pargua to cross the Chacao Channel. After 30 minutes of sailing you reach Chacao and continue by land up to the lovely city of Ancud. Our tour includes a visit to the Chilotur Cultural Center that exhibits relics, photographs, embalmed birds and replicas as well as displays explaining the myths and legends of Chiloé Island. Then continue around the city including a visit to the San Antonio Fort, an old fortress that dates back to the 18th century. After lunch return to Puerto Varas.
Overnight. B L
Day 9 PUERTO VARAS/ USA: Transfer to Puerto Montt for your flight to Santiago and your connecting flight back to the USA. B
ALTURA’S Included Features:
* Meeting and assistance service at airports.
* Roundtrip transfers between airports, piers and hotels including baggage
handling.
* Choice of hotel accommodations for 7 nights.
* 9 Meals: 7 Buffet Breakfast (B) and 2 Lunches (L) as specified in itinerary.
* Sightseeing and excursions including entrance fees per itinerary.
* Hotel taxes and service charges
* Assistance by a local English-speaking Altura Tours representative
Selected Hotels:
SANTIAGO
Standard - Eurotel, First Class Superior - Regal Pacific
PUERTO VARAS
Standard - Bellavista , First Class Superior - Cabanas del Lago
Great CHILE Extensions!
ALTURA'S Included Features:
* Hotel accommodations; meals and sightseeing (SIB) as specified on each
package
* Private Roundtrip transfers (unless specified otherwise); hotel taxes and
service charges.
PATAGONIA – 4 Days
Departs: Daily
Sep-15-04 / Apr-15-05
DAY 09 PUNTA ARENAS – PUERTO NATALES
Flight to Punta Arenas. Reception at the airport in Punta Arenas and transfer to the bus station to take a regular line bus with destination Puerto Natales (the trip takes 3.30 hours approx.). Reception in Puerto Natales and hotel transfer. Overnight.
DAY 10 PUERTO NATALES
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Full day Torres del Paine National Park Departure from Puerto Natales and after a drive of almost 3 hours arrive to the Paine National Park, declared UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1978. This park covers a surface of 160,000 hectares. The impressive Andean massifs, whose peaks and landscape give this park a unique touch, surrounded by glaciers, lagoons, waterfalls and the varied flora and fauna makes it famous worldwide due to the magnificence of its natural beauty. On the way back to Puerto Natales a stopover at Milodon Cave where a replica of this prehistoric herbivorous can be admired. The Milodon lived in this area 12,000 years ago and some remains of this prehistoric animal were found in this cave.
Overnight. (B)
DAY 11 PUERTO NATALES
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Full day boat trip to Balmaceda-Serrano glacier
Early morning transfer to the dock to embark at a local boat and start crossing the Ultima Esperanza Sound. On the way sea lions, swans and unique fauna can be seen. After almost 3 hours navigation arrival to Balmaceda Mountain where the glacier of this mount can be admired. Then continue towards Serrano Glacier. Here a 15 minutes hike up to the north slope of this mount to take good shots of this fabulous glacier. Return to Puerto Natales.
Overnight (B)
DAY 12 PUERTO NATALES – PUNTA ARENAS - USA
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the bus station to take a regular line bus directly to the airport in Punta Arenas for your return flight back to the USA (B)
Rates per person , double occupancy
Departs: Sep-15-04 / Apr-15-05
Standard Hotels
Saltos del Paine - Double $432 Single Supplement $89
First Class Superior Hotels
Cost Australis - City view room , Double $439 Single Supplement $205 Ocean City view room,
Double $439 Single Supplement $205
Please inquire about best available airfare!
THE ATACAMA DESERT – 4 Days
Departs: Daily Year Round
DAY 09 CALAMA – SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Flight to Calama. Reception at airport and SIB transfer to San Pedro de Atacama through the Domeyko Mountains and the vast Atacama Desert. After 1:15 hours driving, arrival to your selected hotel. Overnight.
DAY 10 SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Breakfast at the hotel.
Full day Altiplanic lagoons, Toconao & Atacama Salt lake
Departure towards Toconao village, a place of volcanic stone artisans. Then a trekking in Jeri Valley and continues to Meñique and Miscanti lagoons located at 4500 mts. These lagoons are surrounded by impressive volcanoes originated by the rising of the Andes in ancient geological times, they get their underground water from thaws. After a box lunch, return to San Pedro with a stop in Chaxa Lagoon, located in the Atacama salt lake, the pink flamingoes habitat
Overnight. (B/L)
DAY 11 SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Breakfast at the hotel.
An Archaeological walking tour (SIB):
Guided visit to Quitor, a native fortress located in a hill at shore of the river. Then, going to the furthest away oasis, to visit the archaeological village of Tulor, an Ayllus which is made up by round houses that are connected with each other. The village has been covered by sand, with no signs of its inhabitants so far.
Note: Ayllus is an ancient rural system as well as the San Pedro Society. Its peculiar features depict an interesting evolution degree just as the social system of the town
Pm: Mars & Moon valleys (SIB)
Valley of the Mars, also known as “Death Valley”, it ´s located in the salt mountain range, whose most important attractions are the strange rock shapes and the unusual atmosphere, then, proceed to the valley of the moon, attractive and impressive geological formations of diverse shapes and colors, giant dunes and beautiful salt crystal on the crunching ground make you feel like in another planet or the moon itself. This stage turns more attractive during sunset
Overnight. (B)
DAY 12 SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA - CALAMA - USA
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Full day El Tatio, Caspana, Chiu-Chiu & Lasana (SIB):
(Not recommended for people with heart problems – 4.500 mts a.s.l.)
Departure at dawn (4.00 AM) to El Tatio Geysers. Breakfast box in the Geysers. Then begin a soft guided walking tour around the geothermal fields to watch how these spectacular jets of steam shoot up. Time at leisure to enjoy a thermal bath in natural pool. The trip continues to Caspana, a village known for its terrace farming system and its old inca architecture that represents the wealth and the heritage of the Andean culture in the area. The proceed to Chiu-Chiu to visit the 17th-century church, one of the oldest in the area. Next, walk along the edge of the Loa River to study ancient Rupestrian etching on the cliffs hanging over the river bank. After a box lunch, travel on to the hilltop fortress of Lasana. This village, which dates back to the 12th century, is the best preserved remnant of the Atacamena people complete with solid stone architecture—all rooms, barns, and narrow alleys—typical of the period.
Transfer to airport for your return flight back to the USA (B/L)
Rates per person , double occupancy
Departs: Daily Year Round
Standard Hotel - Kimal - Double $432 Single Supplement $89
Standard Superior Hotel - San Pedro de Atacama - Double $439 Single Supplement $205
Please inquire about best available airfare!
EASTER ISLAND – 4 Days
Departs: Year round, according to the flight schedules
DAY 09 EASTER ISLAND
Flight to Easter Island. Reception at Mataveri airport and hotel transfer to your hotel. Overnight
DAY 10 EASTER ISLAND
Continental breakfast at the hotel.
Am Rano Kau, Orongo and Vinapu:
Departure towards Rano Kau Volcano where Orongo is located. Here it is possible to admire houses built from flagstone and the petroglyphs on the quarries. Here there also is a magnificent panoramic view of the islets (Motu) Nui, Iti and Kao-Kao as well as the huge crater of the Rano-Kau Volcano at the foot of Orongo.
Pm: Ahu Akivi and Puna Pau:
Departure to visit Ahu Akivi, ceremonial site located in the area of Roihi, this site was the first one to be restored in the 60s; this Ahu is curious due to its location inland, these 7 Moais are also famous for their legends. Then visit Puna Pau, archeological site where the hats of the Moais were carved on rocks. It is also possible to observe the transportation path the islanders used in the past, where some vestiges of these hats can be seen.
Overnight. (B)
DAY 11 EASTER ISLAND
Continental breakfast at the hotel.
Full day excursion to Tongariki, Rano Raraku & Anakena beach:
Departure to visit Vinapu with the ruins of two Ahu, one of which bears a striking resemblance to Machu Pichu's stone masonry work. The moai that used to sit at the top of this structure was toppled, one of them is lying semi-buried and staring the heavens. Afterwards visit to Vaihu where stone hats of the moais can been seen. Continue then to Rano Raraku Volcano located northeast of the town of Hanga Roa, considered one of the most important archeological sites of the island, where almost all of the moais were built. In the quarry, around 300 stone statues in different stages of construction give the impression of a statue factory. Climbing to its crater inside we find the Totora Lagoon and in the distance the Ahu Togariki can be seen; recently restored and with its 15 Moais is the largest ceremonial statue center in the island. Continue to Anakena beach, where the Ahu Nau-Nau and Ature Huki are located. This tropical beach is perfect with its palms, white sands and cool waters. Box lunch en route. Return
Overnight. (B/L)
DAY 12 EASTER ISLAND
Continental breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to airport for your return flight back to the USA (B)
Rates per person , double occupancy
Departs: Year round, according to the flight schedules
Oct-01-04 / Apr-30-05 and Aug-01-05 / Sep-30-05
Budget Hotel - Manavai - Double $432 Single Supplement $89
Standard Hotel - Yorana - Double $439 Single Supplement $205
Standard Hotel - Taha-Tai - Double $439 Single Supplement $205
Please inquire about best available airfare!
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