A Gentle Encounter with Glaciers and Desert Itinerary
Experience Chile's stunning scenery, from giant glaciers to lunar desert, and explore the cosmopolitan cities of Santiago and Valparaiso
13 days from £4930pp plus international flights.
Full itinerary
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Call: 01473 890499
Start planning your tailor-made holiday now. Tell us what you want, and we will tailor make your perfect trip.
Day 1
Arrive In Santiago
Your flight lands at the international airport in Santiago where you are greeted by a local representative and transferred to The Singular Hotel in the historic Lastarria district, for your initial 2 night stay. With nothing planned for the remainder of the day you are free to take life easy. Head up to the rooftop terrace for a relaxing drink at the bar or a refreshing swim in the pool - lovely ways to unwind after your journey. Later you can decide whether to venture into Lastarria and take your pick of the eateries there, or stay put and dine at the hotel's elegant restaurant.
Day 2
In Santiago
You have a free day to explore Santiago at your leisure. One of the best places to start is the Plaza de Armas at the heart of the city. It's surrounded by grand buildings such as the cathedral and the royal palace, which houses the national history museum. The neighbourhood around the hotel is well worth exploring. Barrio Paris-Londres centres around the Iglesia San Francisco and is named after its two main cobbled streets, and the public parks of Barrio Brasil are a good place to rest and watch the world go by. If you're feeling energetic you can climb Cerro Santa Lucia for panoramic views of the city, or you may prefer to relax on the hotel's terrace after your morning's sightseeing.
Breakfast
Day 3
Fly To Punta Arenas And The Singular Patagonia
You have breakfast at the hotel before your transfer to the airport for the flight to Punta Arenas, at the southern tip of the country. The flight takes about 4 hours and on arrival you are transferred to your hotel in Puerto Natales. During the drive you can expect to see a range of wildlife including guanacos, foxes and nandus, a type of rhea. Your hotel, The Singular Patagonia, sister property of the Santiago hotel, has a commanding location overlooking Last Hope Sound. Facilities include a spa, an indoor pool, two restaurants and a bar. You don't need to travel far for dinner tonight, as it's included in your stay.
Breakfast, dinner
Day 4
In Patagonia
Patagonia awaits! Glaciers, jagged mountain peaks, lakes and rivers form a stunning backdrop to a variety of activities offered by the hotel. You liaise with a guide to select the excursions that best suit you and make the best use of your precious time. You might opt for a forest hike or a trek to the base of Torres del Paine, after which the national park is named, go kayaking on a fjord, explore on two wheels or on horseback. Half and full day trips are available, and all are included in your stay. Whatever you decide to do, you'll have a full and rewarding day exploring Patagonia.
Full board
Days 5 & 6
Activities In Patagonia
Two more days to experience Patagonia. The hotel offers a full day trip to Torres del Paine National Park, with walks to lookout points and opportunities to observe guanacos, nandus and foxes, watch Salto Grande waterfalls and see icebergs in Grey Lake. Alternatively you might like to take a half day cruise through the fjords, leaving the afternoon free to relax. En route you can spot cormorants and sea lions, and you stop at viewpoints to get excellent views of the impressive Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers.
Full board
Day 7
Fly To Santiago
Following breakfast you head back to the airport in Punta Arenas for the flight back to the capital. On arrival you are transferred to The Singular Santiago. Relax in the now familiar surroundings, or maybe set off for a little independent exploration. Parque Florestal is nearby and is a great place to stretch your legs, and includes the Fine Arts Museum and Mercado Central with its markets and seafood restaurants. You might prefer to take the cable car up to the top of Cerro San Cristobal for fabulous views of the city below. For dinner tonight you can select your favourite restaurant of the many in the hotel's vicinity, or remain at the hotel to enjoy its fine cuisine.
Breakfast
Day 8
Fly To Calama And Alto Atacama
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before being collected for the transfer to the airport where you board a flight of just over 2 hours to Calama in the north of the country. From here it's a drive of about 90 minutes to your hotel on the outskirts of San Pedro de Atacama. Depending on your arrival time, it may be possible for a first venture into the Atacama Desert this afternoon. If not, you can enjoy the facilities at Alto Atacama which include several outdoor plunge pools, meticulously designed gardens and a lavish spa, all in a stunning setting in the Catarpe Valley.
Breakfast, dinner
Day 9
In The Atacama Desert
Your stay at Alto Atacama includes either 2 half day or 1 full day excursion each day, selected with the help of a resident guide from a menu of over 30 tours that span a range of activities and endurance levels. You can go walking, take longer hikes, and explore by bike, see the El Tatio geysers, the strange lunar landscape of the Cordillera de la Sal, and see flocks of flamingos at Laguna Tara. You'll definitely need your camera at the ready to capture the varied scenery.
Full board
Days 10 & 11
Exploring The Atacama Desert
More time to enjoy the other-worldly environment of the Atacama Desert. With the help of your guide you can plan each day carefully, achieving your desired balance of action and rest. You might like to spend the morning out exploring salt lakes, sand dunes or archaeological sites, returning for lunch and a quiet afternoon at the hotel enjoying spa treatments and cooling dips in the pools. Alternatively you can select a full day trip into the desert for an in-depth insight into its topography and history. Either way, you should have time to visit the hotel's open air observatory for some top quality star gazing in the company of an expert guide.
Full board
Day 12
Fly To Santiago And Drive To Valparaiso
It's time to leave the desert and head to the ocean! Today you fly back to Santiago and from there travel by road to the historic port of Valparaiso, about an hour and a half from the capital. Your destination is Palacio Astoreca, a grand Victorian style mansion in the smart Cerro Alegre neighbourhood. Make yourself at home. The hotel has a lovely terrace where you can sit and take in views of the Pacific Ocean as you enjoy some refreshments and rest after your travels. There's a spa where you can indulge in a massage, hammam or soak in the jacuzzi. And all in the most stylish of surroundings.
Breakfast
Day 13
In Valparaiso, Depart
Breakfast at Palacio Astoreca is followed by a free day in Valparaiso. The hotel is close to the historic Passeo Yugoslavo, one of the city's first streets, which contains many shops, cafes and the Palacio Baburizza, home to the Fine Arts Museum. The views from the hilltop are superb. On another hill, Mount Florida, you can visit La Sebastiana, former home of Pablo Neruda and now a museum in his honour. If you want to explore downtown Valparaiso, take the El Peral funicular down to Plaza Sotomayor. In the afternoon you are collected from the hotel for the drive to the international airport in Santiago to check in for your flight home. Precise timings will vary according to flight times.
Breakfast
Call: 01473 890499
Start planning your tailor-made holiday now. Tell us what you want, and we will tailor make your perfect trip.
