Soft Adventure in Santiago, San Pedro de Atacama, Easter Island and Torres del Paine
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Duration: 16 days/15 nights
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Excursions: Shared
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Lodging: Included
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Starting Point: Santiago International Airport
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Language: Spanish/English
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Departure: Daily (October to April)
Description
Soft adventure and excursions in a circuit which lead you to the best of Santiago and surroundings, San Pedro de Atacama, Easter Island, Torres del Paine and the Chilean Patagonia.
- Kimal Hotel is not available for long weekends and holidays
- This program is not available for Meeting and Congresses season
Itinerary
Day 01: Santiago Airport - Santiago
Reception at the Santiago Airport and transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation in Santiago.
Day 02: Santiago – Casablanca Valley Wine Tour
Breakfast at the hotel. The visit starts in your hotel in Santiago and continue in a 60-kilometer trip toward the Pacific Ocean, arriving in the William Cole Vineyard where we will visit its facilities and taste its best wines. The William Cole Vineyard is located in the heartland of the Casablanca Valley. After a successful career in the United States, William Cole decided to carry out a long-time vision of creating fine wines, mixing technology and expert handcraft. The result of this beautiful dream is a wine cellar and winery in the Casablanca Valley.
Later, we will visit the Veramonte Vineyard, featuring organic wineries and which cellars represent a Napa Valley vineyard in United States, a place for meetings and where it is possible to experience several activities regarding wine.
Return to Santiago. Accommodation.
Day 03: Santiago – Santiago Airport – Calama Airport – San Pedro de Atacama – Astronomic Tour
Departure from the Santiago Airport in order to take the flight to Calama. Transfer from the Calama Airport to San Pedro de Atacama.
Departure from your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama to carry out the astronomic tour.
In the first part of the star gazing, we will watch the sky with naked, using a green laser to point the stars, the expert will lecture us about constellations, the rotation of the sky, how the sky changes regarding the latitude, among others.
Then, we will have time to spend with the telescopes, our 10 telescopes have different orientation. At that time, we will be able to watch different types of nebulae and clusters of stars. Ending our tour, we will share a hot beverage, usually a hot chocolate and we spend time making questions to the experts.
Return to San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 04: San Pedro de Atacama – Archeological Tour to the Tulor Village and Pukará de Quitor
Departure from your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama.
We will meet the past of the Likan Antai (people of this land), its customs, traditions, and memoirs from the arrival of the first inhabitants of the Atacama Salt Flat to the Colony.
We will start in a Atacameña Farm where we will se how a family mixes the old techniques of farming and cattle rising.
After that, we will visit the oldest residential vestige and one of the first proof of sedentism in this area: the miraculously preserved Village of Tulor, consisting of small rounded houses joint by passages and holds, well-kept due to climate conditions and being covered by sand. Then, we will pass by the Ayllu de Coyo where we will e received by a tasting of typical products of Sendero de Coyo.
We will continue our tour to the Pukará de Quitor, fortress built in 1536 and invaded by the Spanish conquistador. It features a stunning view of the Mountain Range and the Ravine. Our excursion ends in San Pedro de Atacama, with a visit to the Church. Return to the hotel.
Accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 05: San Pedro de Atacama – Moon Valley Trekking
4-hour soft trekking to the Salt Mountain Range, visiting geological formations, caves and valleys.
This tour will lead us to the Moon Valley, Sanctuary of Nature and National Monument, protected by its unique landscape. It is formed by a valley surrounded by small hills with stunning sharp-shaped tops. This tour is a science fiction journey through landscapes not belonging to our world, but other planets. At this valley we will see salt sculptures known as Tres Marías, formed by the air erosion. We will visit the old salt deposits where we will be able to appreciate “sal gema” mineral which resemble the quartz and it is only petrified salt inside the salt deposits at ground level in some places.
This is the perfect place to enjoy the sunset surrounded by astonishing colors.
Return to San Pedro de Atacama at 7:00 PM approximately
(Schedule can be modified according to the time of the year)
Day 06: San Pedro de Atacama – Tatio Geysers – Calama Airport – Santiago Airport
We leave at dawn from San Pedro de Atacama hotel to go to the Tatio Geysers.
The Tatio Geysers is a geothermal center, located in the Andes Mountain Range, being the highest in the world (4,200 meters of high) and 89 kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama. Early in the morning, it features a stunning steam "fumarola" produced by the high temperatures of its craters. It is surrounded by hills of 5,900 meters of high. At 07:00 am the ultimate expression of these fumarolas with temperatures of 85°C, strongly emerging from the ground, rising up to 7 or 8 meters. During the way and in this place, we will be able to watch local flora and fauna. With its owe-inspiring background and amazing landscapes, the Tatio Geyser are one of the most incredible locations to visit. During our way back, we will witness the stunning Andes Mountain Range.
After that, we will find Machuca, a small settlement of llama shepherds. This village is full of houses made of adobe and straw roofs. Its inhabitants are dedicated to tourism and handicraft works. As an architectural and historical attraction, we will visit the Church of San Santiago, patron saint of the town.
Transfer to the Calama Airport in order to take the flight to Santiago. Accommodation in a hotel in the Airport.
Day 07: Santiago Airport - Mataveri Airport – Hanga Roa (Easter Island) – Ahu Akivi (Seven Explorers)
Arrival in the Easter Island Airport. Reception in the Airport with flower necklace and transfer to your selected hotel.
We initiate the tour about 3:00 pm from Hanga Roa, visiting Ahu Vinapu, that it was used by the islanders in the year 1.200 A.C. including 3 Ahu. The first one has 6 Moai statues demolished and painted in red. The second one has a supposedly feminine Moai which had two heads. Finally, the third Moai, the oldest one, features only removed stones. We will continue our way to the quarry of Puna Pau, archaeological site in the eastern side of Hanga Roa. It is a small crater of red slag, from where the Pukao or hats of the Moai statues were obtained. Along its old exit, there are some incomplete and abandoned Moai. We will head to Ahu Akivi, the first Ahu restored by the science in the island in the year 1960. The platform with 7 Moai is characterized by being one of the few ones located in the center of the island, with its statues facing the rising sun. According the legend, these 7 Moai would represent 7 young explorers sent before Hotu Matua'a's arrival to investigate the island. Our adventure leads us to the cavern of Te Pahu, a place used as housing and temporary refuge in war times. Then, we will return to Hanga Roa, total duration 3,5 hours.
Accommodation in Easter Island.
Day 08: Easter Island – The Hotu Matua Route: Ahu Akahanga – Tongariki – Rano Raraku Volcano – Anakena Beach
Departing from Hanga Roa's town at about 9:30 am, going to the southeastern and northeastern coast of the Island visiting the Ahu Vaihu temple, which is located 10 km from Hanga Roa. It consists of a stone platform with 8 Moai statues and 8 pukao dispersed in the proximities. Then, we will go to Ahu Akahanga, so- called the "Platform of the king". The legend tells that Hotu Matua'a's tomb is near this place. There, we will find 4 platforms, 12 Moai statues, 8 Pukao and towards the interior of this Ahu; it is possible to see the best-preserved village of the island.
Later, we will go to Ahu Tongariki, with 15 Moai being the largest Ahu of the island. After that, we will meet Ahu Te Pito Kura, which possesses the highest statue of the island raised in an Ahu, the Moai Paro (10 meters of height and 85 tons with a Pukao of 11,5 tons). Near this ceremonial temple is the great spherical stone that is identified as the Center of the World (Te Pito o Te Henua), as the legend tells, it was brought to the island by Hotu Matua'a in his craft.
After that, we will arrive in Ahu Nau Nau, temple of a complex construction due to its different levels where we will find 5 Moai statues with Pukao. There, we will see petroglyphs in the backs of the statues. We will continue our excursion to the Rano Raraku volcano and quarry, where there was carved most of the Moai of the island, using the volcanic rock of its hillsides. There are an estimated number of 400 Moai in several stages of carved. Finishing our adventure, we will go to the Anakena Beach. It is a beach of white sands chosen for the arrival of the Ariki Hotu Matua'a and his sister Avareipua. Anakena is the name of a small cave in an adjacent gully.
Return to the town of Hanga Roa, total duration 8 hours.
Accommodation in Easter Island.
Day 09: Easter Island – Orongo Ceremonial Village
Breakfast in our hotel in Easter Island.
We start our tour at 09:30 am from Hanga Roa heading to the Tahai Archaeological Complex. This ceremonial center features 3 ahus: Ahu Vai Uri with 5 Moai statues, Ahu Tahai with 1 Moai statue and Ahu Le to Riko with 1 Moai statue. From this site, we will be able to appreciate inspiring landscapes. After that, we will visit the Ana Kai Tangata natural cave where it is possible to appreciate some rupestrian art representing birds such as the manutara, and where it is possible to watch waves breaking upon the cliff. We will continue our tour by visiting the Rano Kau volcano where we will be able to see the largest crater on the Island and one of the largest sweet water reservation of the area. Finally, we will visit the Orongo Ceremonial Village, old and magnificent ceremonial city located in the western side of the Rano Kau volcano. It features 53 elliptical houses made of sandstone and a small square window looking to the sea. In this place, the most important ceremony of the second period of Easter Island was carried out: the election of the Tangata Manu (Bird-Man), this ceremony stopped being performed 150 years ago, due to the arrival of the first Christian missioners.
At 01:00 pm approximately, we will return to the village.
Accommodation in Easter Island.
Day 10: Easter Island – Maunga Terevaka
Breakfast at the hotel in Easter Island.
We will be transferred by vehicle to the Vaitea estate and we will start our walking ascending to the Maunga Terevaka volcano, reaching its highest level (530 meters). From here we will be able to appreciate the 3 vertexes of the island and 360° of horizon. We will know also the Rano Aroi volcano and its lagoon with several types of native flora.
After that, we will descend to the area of Ahu Akivi where we will be picked up by the vehicle in order to lead us back to the Hanga Roa village.
Day 11: Easter Island – Mataveri Airport – Santiago Airport
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport and typical farewell.
Accommodation in a hotel in the Santiago Airport.
Day 12: Santiago Airport – Punta Arenas – Puerto Natales
Reception at Punta Arenas Airport (we recommend the first flight to reach Punta Arenas before 12:00 hrs.) Transfer to the city and to the local terminal to take regular bus for the city of Puerto Natales. Duration 03:15. Arrive in the city. Transfer from terminal to hotel and lodging.
Day 13: Excursion to Torres del Paine National Park.
Breakfast. At 07:30 hrs. departure from hotel to connect with a trip to Torres del Paine National Park, where we will have a nice panoramic view of the Paine Mountains. In addition, we will admire lakes such as Sarmiento, Nordenskjold and Pehoé. Its fauna will be present through guanacos and foxes, among others, and big variety of birds of easy observation during the trip. A short trek will take us to a big waterfall called Salto Grande, which is part of park hydrographical net. Later, retaking the main way, it accesses to CONAF central office, to continue to the Grey Lake, where after a 30-minute walking through a thousand-year forest, we will get to its beach to admire great number leading offs floes from glacier. A box lunch is included in the service. At the end of tour, we will reach the hotel in the National Park. Lodging.
Day 14: Torres del Paine National Park
Today, we will be able to carry out one of these optional tours (not included) in Torres del Paine National Park:
Base Torres Trekking: Depart from your hotel to start our guided excursion to the footsteps of Torres del Paine. It`s an 8-hour trekking (high exigence) following the Ascencio River towards the Ascencio Valley by trail paths through beech forests. After crossing the forest, we will start the last part of trekking ascending a huge big rocks moraine produced by glacier action. Weather permitting, you will be a privileged visitor who can admire these three giant granite towers (South, Central and North towers) and Torres snowdrift. After 1 hour being awed by the landscape, we will start our return following the same path back to your hotel. A box lunch type is included. Lodging in Hostería.
Sailing to the Grey Lake: This is a must-see in Torres del Paine, this 3-hour sailing is carried out onboard a catamaran that lead us to meet the Grey Glacier located in the Southern Ice Field, featuring a beautiful blue-colored surface. During our way to the Glacier we will enjoy an owe-inspiring landscape made up by floating icebergs, imposing mountains and untouched nature.
Day 15: Sailing through the Serrano River - Punta Arenas. (21 de Mayo Ship)
Breakfast. At 9:00 am, we begin our downstream sailing along Serrano River on a zodiac type vessel. This sailing includes all personal sailing equipment. We will sail by approximately 4 hours along 32 kms of river, where will be able to observe nice panoramic views of Tyndall, Geike Glaciers, beech native forests and a lot of everlasting snow-covered peaks. At the end of navigation on zodiac, we will approach land on Puerto Toro docking area in the Bernardo O´Higgins National Park, from where we will start a short trek to Serrano Glacier crossing a native forest and the lake´s shore. A box lunch type or lunch is included. At approximately at 02:00 pm we will connect with larger vessel to return to Puerto Natales city. Once in the city transfer to terminal to board intercity public bus to Punta Arenas. Reception at bus station and transfer to hotel. Lodging.
Day 16: Punta Arenas - Punta Arenas Airport
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport (according to your flight schedule).
End of services.
Accommodations
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Basic
or similar category, depending on availability.
Important note: In the event that one of the hotels does not have availability, it will be exchanged for a hotel with similar characteristics.