Holidays with Downtown

Day 1: Santiago

Welcome to Santiago! Our guide will pick you up at Santiago Airport to take you to your hotel. This afternoon, we invite you to discover Santiago, a cosmopolitan city which has become one of South America’s most modern hubs. The tour will take you to visit the heart of the city and its emblematic sites such as the Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, Santiago’s Central Postal Office and its Municipality. We will also visit the Moneda Palace, which is the government’s headquarters as well as the traditional neighborhoods of the historic city center. The tour also includes a visit to the Santa Lucia Hill or San Cristobal Hill. After downtown, we’ll arrive at Barrio Lastarria, famous for its cultural heritage and gastronomy. Return to the hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Santiago (Matetic Vineyards)

Pick up at the hotel for a 60-mile drive to Matetic Vinyards in the Valparaiso region. When you arrive, you may choose one of the activities like biking, horseback riding or hiking, to enjoy a unique experience that will take you to discover the essence of the Chilean countryside, between native forests, sheep and alpacas in an unforgettable atmosphere of tranquility. Then, enjoy a tour starting at the wine cellar, where you’ll be warmly welcomed by a bilingual guide who will invite you to a panoramic view of the vineyards and take you through the wine process using organic and biodynamic agriculture and culminating with a Corralillo wine tasting. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious Rosario menu lunch or country barbecue at the Restaurant Equilibrio. After lunch, we drive back to your hotel in Santiago [B/L]

Day 3: Santiago (Viña del Mar, Valparaíso)

Viña del Mar and Valparaíso are known as "Garden City", for being originally surrounded by large green areas and preserving beautiful and extensive gardens in its urban area. Viña del Mar is undoubtedly one of Chile's must-see destinations, with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. It highlights the beauty of its architecture, its imposing palaces and its famous Flower Clock, photographed by visitors from all over the world. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the city, where you can find varied options with delicious seafood products. Then, travel along the coastal edge to Valparaíso, the country's main port. Its colorful beauty and its unique location between hills, like a true natural amphitheater facing the sea, earned it the declaration of World Heritage by UNESCO. Visit Cerro Alegre to appreciate the city’s picturesque elevators, multicolored neighborhoods and unforgettable sea views. After, visit the Monument to the Heroes of Iquique in Sotomayor Square. Once in the port, you sail the bay to appreciate its hills and city colors from another perspective. Return to Santiago for overnight. [B/L]

Day 4: Santiago, Calama, San Pedro de Atacama (Moon Valley)

Morning transfer to the airport to board your flight to Calama Airport where you’ll be met and driven to your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. In the afternoon, a couple of miles away, between the jagged rocks and unusual shapes of the Salt Mountains, is the driest desert in the world and the spectacular Moon Valley, a geological wonder of the Los Flamencos National Reserve. During the tour, you can take in the extraordinary shapes of the landscape, which will make you feel as if you were walking on the moon. Enjoy the unbeatable views of the Andes and its volcanoes. As dusk falls you will be overwhelmed by the red and golden colors of the desert sky. All this results in a simply unforgettable day. Return to the hotel for overnight. [B]

Day 5: San Pedro de Atacama (Rainbow Valley, Atacama Salt Flats, Toconao)

Today, we travel west to the Domeyko hills, a spectacular range formation that runs parallel to the Andes. First, visit Yerbas Buenas, an area of great historical importance due to its prehistoric rock art, one of the most important groups of petroglyphs in the region. You’ll be taken back in time to when the indigenous people lived there, a fantastic historical and cultural experience. Then, cross over to Matancilla, with its rich flora and fauna, to see the Rainbow Valley, named after the various colors of the surrounding hills. Its red, green, white, yellow, brown and earth colored tones combine with the blue sky and the white salt flats to create a truly unique setting. In the afternoon, we visit the Atacama Salt Flats, where the Los Flamencos Natural Reserve is located, a surprisingly large and arid landscape stretching 62 miles from north to south. Marvel at the amazing Chaxa Lagoon, a spectacularly beautiful setting, which is split into various clear water lagoons, inhabited by both Andean and James flamingos. We then head to Toconao, a traditionally colonial-style village declared as a National Monument, famous for the bell tower of the San Lucas church. Agriculture and crafts are the principal source of income for its inhabitants who offer proudly crafted gifts made from volcanic rock. Return to the hotel for overnight. [B]

Day 6:  San Pedro de Atacama (Tatio Geysers & Machuca)

Our journey to the Andean plateau starts in the early hours, so we can watch the sun rise in one of the most important geothermic fields in the world at an altitude of 13,123 feet: the Tatio Geysers. There are over 70 geysers with pools of boiling water spurting vapor. It is best to see them first thing in the morning, so you can truly appreciate the beautiful contrast of colors between the intensely blue sky and the pristine vapor from the geysers. We will then enjoy a deserved breakfast in this amazing setting, in the shadows of the Andes. This will allow us to warm up, as the temperatures in the zone can range from 28° to 78°F. On our way back to San Pedro de Atacama, we will travel through some beautiful landscapes, seeing the valleys, flora and fauna and maybe spot some of the local vicuñas and vizcachas – a real highlight. We will then stop off in the village of Machuca, a truly atacameño village of just 20 houses built from clay, straw and cactus wood. All the inhabitants dedicate themselves to tourism and will offer hand crafted Andean souvenirs, as well as typical food from the region such as llama meat, sopaipillas (a traditional bread made from squash) and empanadas. While there, we will also visit the beautiful San Santiago Church, named after the patron saint of the village, as well as the wetlands where we can see flamingos, ducks and other birds. Return to San Pedro de Atacama for overnight. [B/L]

Day 7: San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago

A shared-premium car will pick you up at the hotel for your transfer to Calama Airport to board your flight to Santiago where you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel near the airport. The rest of the day id free to rest and enjoy the hotel facilities. [B]

Day 8 Santiago, USA