Classic Chile
Suggested Itinerary
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Overview
Covering over half the length of the South American continent, Chile is endowed with a staggering profusion of highlights. Squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean it stretches for over 4,300 kilometres, spanning a landscape that encompasses everything from barren deserts to frozen glaciers.
This incredible journey will take you from the harsh, surreal landscapes of the Atacama in the north, the world’s driest desert, to the windswept beauty of Patagonia in the ...
Covering over half the length of the South American continent, Chile is endowed with a staggering profusion of highlights. Squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean it stretches for over 4,300 kilometres, spanning a landscape that encompasses everything from barren deserts to frozen glaciers.
This incredible journey will take you from the harsh, surreal landscapes of the Atacama in the north, the world’s driest desert, to the windswept beauty of Patagonia in the south, with its glittering lakes and snow-capped mountains. The journey begins in Santiago, Chile’s historic capital, where you’ll have a chance to explore its colonial architecture and modern culture before flying up north to the small town of San Pedro de Atacama, home to salt lakes and lava flows of the most arid spot on earth. Covering some 1,000 kilometres, your stay in the Atacama offers a chance of traversing in the Salt Mountains, hiking in the Moon Valley and enjoying a sunrise breakfast at the Tatio Geysers.
In stark contrast, the second leg of the journey sees you flying down south, first to the verdant volcanos and forests of Chile’s Lake District and then to Puerto Natales, your gateway to the Torres del Paine National Park, where you’ll have two full days of touring its glacial landscapes. The adventure then ends back in Chile’s capital.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Suggested Itinerary
This is a suggested itinerary. Our experts have all travelled widely in the region and will be happy to tailor any of our itineraries to suit your tastes, or build a trip from scratch.
Day 1 Arrive Santiago
Day 1 Arrive Santiago
After arriving to Chile's capital, your private guide will be waiting at the airport to meet and welcome you to the country, before taking you to your hotel in the city centre and helping you to settle in. You’ll have the rest of today to relax and settle in after your international flight.
Day 2 Santiago: Architecture, Viewpoints & Handicrafts
Day 2 Santiago: Architecture, Viewpoints & Handicrafts
This morning, head out on a tour of the city’s historic sites exploring the area around the central plaza, such as the Metropolitan Cathedral, and other notable buildings integral to the capital's foundation. You'll also be taken to some of the city's best viewpoints for wonderful panoramas over central Santiago, before making your way down to the Bella Vista neighbourhood, known as the bohemian quarter of the city, to peruse some of its handicraft shops. Stopping to speak with some of the independent shop owners and craftsmen about their goods is a great way to meet some of the locals and learn about local culture and life.
Day 3 Santiago - San Pedro De Atacama
Day 3 Santiago - San Pedro De Atacama
This morning you'll board a flight to Calama where, upon arrival, you'll catch a transfer to your hotel in the small town of San Pedro de Atacama. Settle in and enjoy some free time for lunch and a stroll around the town this afternoon, before your first desert activity tonight. There are few places in the world where the sky is as clear as in Northern Chile. Astronomers from all over the world are regularly drawn to the region for research, one of the reasons being that its space observatory is situated close to the Tropic of Capricorn. Your astronomy tour tonight will introduce you to astronomical basics. Explained by an expert guide and aided by an extra strong laser pointer, the peculiar features of the southern hemisphere will be highlighted. Conclude the night with an unforgettable glimpse of the distant stars and galaxies looking through a telescope.
*Please note: the tour is subject to weather conditions and lunar cycles.
Day 4 The Atacama Desert: Salt Flats & Lagoons
Day 4 The Atacama Desert: Salt Flats & Lagoons
Head out to explore the lagoons of the Altiplano. Driving south along lonesome unpaved roads, you'll eventually reach an altitude of 4,700m (15,420 ft) to be rewarded with the sight of the spectacular blue-black twin lagoons Meñiques and Miscanti, edged by a white crust of salt and surrounded by almost-violet volcanoes. Next, visit one of the largest salt lakes in the world’s driest desert - the Salar de Atacama (Atacama Salt Flats). The desert is a series of salt basins stretching beyond the horizon; dry, barren and empty, it is also one of the most spectacular and dramatic landscapes on earth, home to various species of flamingos and other birds. The Laguna Chaxa, part of the Flamingo National Reserve, offers a terrific opportunity to get close to these birds in their natural habitat. The area is surrounded by impressive volcanoes and pools of emerald-green water. In the evening, return to your hotel in San Pedro.
*Please note: the tour is subject to weather conditions. Health considerations should be taken for those with underlying problems due to the high altitude.
Day 5 The Atacama Desert: Geysers & The Moon Valley
Day 5 The Atacama Desert: Geysers & The Moon Valley
Set off very early this morning for a chance to catch bursts of water gushing from the famous El Tatio Geysers (4,320m), a geothermal field flanked by soaring peaks, most active at sunrise. The steam hurling up from the geysers in the early morning light along with the spectacular scenery make this an unforgettable experience. For the trouble of the early morning rise, you can enjoy a unique breakfast next to the active geysers, and a walk around the natural wonders once their excited activity has lulled. Head back to the hotel for lunch and perhaps a bit of time to catch up on sleep, before exploring the iconic Moon Valley by foot this afternoon. One of the most spectacular phenomena in the Atacama Desert, due to its geomorphic features and bizarre structures of salt and clay, these shapes have been eroded and calved out over thousands of years.
Day 6 San Pedro De Atacama – Puerto Varas
Day 6 San Pedro De Atacama – Puerto Varas
This morning you will transfer back to the airport in Calama to fly to Puerto Montt in the Lake District, where your driver will be waiting to take you to your lakeside accommodation, reminiscent of a Swiss-style hotel, alpine hotel in Puerto Varas, Chile’s Lake District.
Day 7 Puerto Varas: Osorno Volcano Hike
Day 7 Puerto Varas: Osorno Volcano Hike
The drive to the trailhead begins around the border of the Llanquihue Lake. On the way, you will pass by the mouth of Rio Pescado as well as the villages of La Poza and Los Riscos until you reach Ensenada, a small village from where the Osorno Volcano climb begins. Reach the Ski y Montaña Volcan Osorno Center (1,240m) before continuing on to the Petrohué Falls to walk on the boardwalks. See how the river flows over large masses of crystallized lava, formed by the volcano’s eruptions. Lovely views can be admired of the river's beautiful turquoise-blue waters. The trip ends at Todos los Santos Lake, from where you will be taken back to your hotel.
Day 8 Puerto Varas - Torres Del Paine National Park
Day 8 Puerto Varas - Torres Del Paine National Park
Head back to the airport in Puerto Montt in time for a flight down to Puerto Natales, the entry town into Chilean Patagonia, where your transfer will be waiting to take you two hours through some incredibly stunning scenery to your lodge, just a short drive from the park’s entrance. Spend the rest of the day enjoying some downtime and wonderful meals provided by the lodge within this stunning setting.
Day 9 Torres Del Paine National Park: Private Hiking
Day 9 Torres Del Paine National Park: Private Hiking
Breaking away from the lodge's other guests for the day, a local guide will pick you up this morning for some private-guided hiking to a few very special viewpoints in the national park. Beginning in the Pehoé region, the walks are not particularly strenuous or high and afford you incredible views of the icy Paine River and turquoise Pehoé Lake facing the magnificent Paine Massif. Of the many viewpoints in the park, this one has the unique draw of being home to a popular take-off platform used by condors whilst teaching their young to take flight. After a stop for lunch, the second part of the day will see you park up in another area of the park and begin hiking the path up to the Salto Grande Viewpoint. Here, the Patagonian steppe landscape is carpeted with species of calafate and mata barrosa trees. Up at the viewpoint, your eyes will immediately be spoilt for choice with the impressive vista of Lake Nordenskjöld set below a scene of the dramatic Cuernos del Paine mountains; to the left you can feel the chilling presence of Paine Grande calling your gaze whilst views of the stocky Almirante Nieto mountain await your attention patiently to your right. After a climactic end to the tour, head back to the hotel for an early evening rest before dinner.
Day 10 Torres Del Paine National Park: Grey Glacier
Day 10 Torres Del Paine National Park: Grey Glacier
Today you’ll see the formidable Grey Glacier marking its territory at the end of the Southern Ice Field. To get an up-close look at this wonderful specimen of nature, you’ll be taken to board a boat and cross Grey Lake for approximately 35 minutes before approaching the glacier’s front wall. Landing on a small central island that divides the ice wall in two, here you’ll take time to admire its colours and shapes as your guide narrates the dramatic scenes before you with historical, geological and geographical explanations. If you’re lucky, you may even witness ice calving from the glacier and falling into the lake below before floating away. During the tour, each guest can also look forward to an ice cold Pisco Sour drink, the national cocktail, and cheers to a wonderful trip through Chile.
Day 11 Torres Del Paine – Depart Santiago
Day 11 Torres Del Paine – Depart Santiago
This morning, transfer back to the airport in Puerto Natales in time for your direct flight back to Santiago airport, where your time in Chile comes to an end.
*Depending on the timing of your international flight back home, extra tours and hotel nights can easily be added to this trip.
SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Cumbres Puerto Varas, Puerto Varas
This huge chalet was strategically constructed on the perfect spot to afford sweeping views over Lake Llanquihue and the volcanoes of Osorno and Calbuco. Views can be enjoyed from the rooms, the restaurant and the garden. Draws to the hotel (other than the views) include big, airy rooms with understated, high-quality furnishings and a great breakfast and warm, friendly service. This is Puerto Varas’ most famous hotel located a short walk from the town centre.
Rio Serrano Hotel + Spa, Torres Del Paine
With spectacular views of the Paine Massif, the four-star Rio Serrano Hotel + Spa is just a short transfer to the Torres del Paine National Park entrance and an idyllic place to relax and unwind. Rooms are spacious and comfortable with rustic touches and beautiful views, creating no need for a TV or Wi-Fi in the rooms. Buffet-style meals are served in the dining room and guests can enjoy a glass or two of world-renowned Chilean wine at the hotel bar.
Luciano K, Santiago
Originally designed by the architect Luciano Kulczewski in the 1920s, blending period and art deco design, this apartment block has since been converted into a boutique hotel. Look out for the gargoyle on the roof as you step into what was once the tallest building in Chile and the first to have central heating and a lift. Take the restored lift ‘capsule’ or original marble staircase to your room, admiring the beautiful tiling and wooden doors as you go. The 38 rooms are styled in an art deco design, giving a sense of 1920s glamour and elegance, yet with modern amenities to match. The 300m² rooftop terrace and bar with plunge pool provides spectacular views over Forestal Park.
Hotel Desertica, San Pedro de Atacama
Although Hotel Desertica is located on San Pedro de Atacama’s principal street, a five-minute walk from the main square, the hotel aims to evoke a sense of the surrounding desert (as the name suggests) away from the buzzing restaurants, shops and cafés which can be reached from outside its door. The rooms are housed in circular, thatched-roofed buildings inspired by pre-Hispanic, adobe Atacameño buildings. The café serves international dishes and snacks using local, exotic ingredients. There is an outdoor pool connected to the café and rooms via a beautiful stone walkway, whilst massages and bicycles are also available for leisure time. The rooms or “turis” come in either Standard or Superior and offer a stylish setting with high-end amenities such as 300-thread count, cotton sheets and organic, biodegradable toiletries.
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Accommodation listed here is intended as a guide only, to give you a taste of what we can do. Our experts can tailor any aspect of this itinerary and accommodation to suit your budget and tastes.
GUIDELINE PRICE & WHAT'S INCLUDED
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EXPERT TEAM
ACCOMMODATION
WILD MILES
ACCOMMODATION
Wild Miles Club
When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:
| Blue | More than 10,000 points | 2.5% discount |
| Bronze | More than 30,000 points | 5% discount |
| Silver | More than 45,000 points | 7.5% discount |
| Gold | More than 60,000 points | 10% discount |
This itinerary is aimed to give you an idea of what we can offer. The price shown above is per person, based on two people travelling outside of peak periods. As this itinerary is only a suggestion and can be tailor-made to suit your interests and budget, your final price may differ.
Positive Impact of this Trip
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Whether you are looking for a boutique hotel, homestay, local guesthouse, luxury spa, tented camp or heritage hotel, our experts can select the perfect property for you.
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Our local agents are there to help you on the ground should you need any assistance, and in addition you will be given a 24-hour UK emergency phone number.Meet the expert, Richard
Richard is our Latin America expert, who has travelled extensively in the region.
Speak to Richard by calling
1(833) 200-4640