The long and narrow country of Chile follows South America’s west coast, bracketed by the Pacific Ocean and the imposing monoliths of the Andes, across parched deserts and glacial plains, collecting all the hallmarks of this remarkable continent. From smooth and sophisticated Santiago to the remote southern lands of Patagonia, South America's most affluent country also has a long list of essential experiences. Chile is a bewitching place of extremes: millennial glaciers in the southernmost part of the planet, enchanted forests, fjords, lakes reflecting massive volcanoes, sparkling blue glaciers, islands full of legends, winemaking traditions, the modern city of Santiago and every variation of wonder in between. Chile’s wide-open landscapes are on a scale of symphonies, and they flood you with feeling of being alive, in the spirit of "buena onda," or "good vibes".
During our once-in-a-lifetime Chilean journey, we’ll start in the multi-faceted and cosmopolitan city of Santiago, set against the striking backdrop of the Andes which frame Chile's capital. From here, we’ll venture out to tour the photogenic vineyards surrounding the city and producing some of the world’s best wines. We’ll spend a day in the atmospheric town of Valparaiso, facing the Pacific and pulsating with a bohemian vibe and intense colors of some of the best street art in the world, and we'll enjoy a traditional Chilean cooking class here. We'll then spend four days exploring the untouched and remote Patagonia, a mythic land of fjords, mountains and glaciers hidden among green landscapes that give way to the horizon that disappears at the end of the world. For centuries, Patagonia was the end of the known world. Cut off from the world by great natural barriers of the sea, the mountains and the ice fields, it is still vast, exotic, wild and infinite in its beauty. Endless stars are scattered across the immense sky over the Atacama Desert.
Framed by the formidable grandeur of the Andes, this is the driest place on Earth, yet it is dotted with fertile oases and its otherworldly landscapes sustain an abundance of life. The ancient cultures of this region are still present in the photogenic adobe homes and old plazas of San Pedro de Atacama, while active geysers, stunning salt flats, and gorgeous lagoons redefine the perception of a desert, and the nightfall reveals a location so renowned for stargazing that there are 40 astronomical observatories found here. Exploring the& Atacama Desert will take us from the rich cultural heritage of San Pedro across desert lands that have been likened to the surface of the moon for their strange beauty, so alien in appearance and conditions that this is where NASA tests their Martian rovers. Unlike any other environment you'll find in Chile, or indeed anywhere else on the planet, a visit to Atacama is like taking a step into another world entirely.
Per person; includes airport transfer and care of the tour director before the tour. No roommate matching guarantee on the pre-tour night.
Per room; includes airport transfer and care of the tour director prior to the tour.