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The Explora Experience
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14
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Traveling to South America promises an unforgettable trip and a grand experience. The explora experience takes it up a couple of notches... This vast and remote region has its backbone with the Andes mountain range and the Patagonia area best experiences with the best guides in Chile and the best accommodations and programs available, Vip and explorer offers a journey through history: the anthropological and archaeological wealth found here along with the vitality of present-day villages are testament to the past and guardians of traditions. We begin our adventure exploring the history and culture of the cosmopolitan city of Santiago. Explore Chile's fine wines at two of the vineyards near Santiago in The Colchagua Valley. Continue to the Southern Patagonia's gateway city Punta Arenas where you will be met by the staff of explora for scenic transfer to Paine Towers National Park in Torres del Paine for four night stay at the Hotel explora. Here all meals and drinks are included, well where else would we eat?, we are in the center of a National Park. Then we are off to our final destination, the explora lodge in the Atacama Desert. Here we explore the terrain by Walking, horseback riding, in a van or by bicycle and accompanied by guides, you can explore with emotion the nature or the history of San Pedro de Atacama.
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VIP Tours has no fixed departure dates. We plan One-of-a-Kind Luxury Travel completely designed for you. Call our travel
planners now to see how easy it is... 800.772.9188.
Day 1 - Santiago
Morning arrival and meeting
and transfer to hotel in Santiago for three night stay. Afternoon visit to the main points of interest in Santiago including the Pre-
Columbian Museum, a drive up Cerro San Cristobal for a bird's-eye panoramic view of the city and wine tasting at the Wine
House.
Day 2 - Santiago
Full day excursion to the Pacific
seasideto visit Isla Negra, the eclectic home-museum of the Nobel winning poet Pablo Neruda, and then drive up the coast to Vina
del Mar and its twin city, Valparaiso, Chile's main seaport, to visit the main points of interest. A stop for lunch is made (cost of
lunch is not included). Late afternoon return to Santiago.
Day 3 -
Santiago / Wine Valleys
Today sample some of Chile's fine wines at two of the vineyards nearby. Make a stop at Concha y Toro for
wine tasting and then continue on to Santa Rita vineyards for lunch at the well known Dona Paula's and afternoon visit to the
vineyards installations. Afternoon return back to Santiago.
Day 4 - Santiago - Punta Arenas - Paine Towers National Park
Morning private transfer to Airport, depart Santiago, flying south along the Andes to Punta Arenas where you will be met by the staff of Explora for five hour transfer to Paine Towers National Park in Torres del Paine for four night stay at the Hotel explora. During your stay you will enjoy all meals, an open bar and a daily menu of excursions. Each night the resident guides will discuss the options for activities the next day - they range from half day, easy excursions to full day, difficult excursions and include walks, hikes, treks, horseback riding and motorlaunch excursions. The excursions are designed to give you ample time to explore the beauties of the park. Explora also has its own stables and offers a variety of horseback excursions in the park.
Day 5-7: Paine Towers National Park
The purpose of explora is to provide its guests with the unforgettable experience of exploring the natural and cultural environment of remote regions at the Southern tip of America. It is a vital experience. A feast for the senses, and repose for reason. It is not irrational, but poetical. It
is done just for the sake of it. Out of passion for beauty. Almost every discovery is anticipated by a certain knowledge. Action
begins the moment one thinks about it. The rest is only the consequence of the idea, or the dream. Explora has designed a
complete program of explorations aiming at providing in-depth contact with the marvels of Torres del Paine National Park in Torres del Paine. Guests
will be able to choose from a menu of 5 to 6 programs each day. There are a total of 16 hikes or excursions and 6 explorations by
horseback. Each exploration is classified according to duration and fitness requirements. These explorations are designed for
persons of normal physical conditions that carry city-like lifestyles. Each evening before dinner the guides get together with the
guests in the bar of the hotel to explain in detail the next day's explorations. There are generally five explorations from which to
choose.
Hiking exploration contemplates a maximum of 10 guests. All travel is accessed via Ford Club Wagon vans for 12
persons. Appropriate clothing for explorations include a parka or waterproof windbreaker, good quality walking or hiking shoes
preferably leather or waterproof fabric, gloves, hat, sunglasses and protection from the sun.
Explorations
include:
• Hike to the Peninsula Lago Grey (easy; half day)
• Hike to Glaciar de Grey (difficult; full day; picnic)
• Hike to Laguna Azul (medium, half day, snack)
• Hike to Las Alturas del Toro (Medium; full day; picnic) excursion to the
north of the park with stop at Laguna Azul and barbecue luncheon at the Quincho (easy; full day; lunch)
• Hike to Mirador de
Nordenskjold (easy; half day; snack)
• Hike to Mirador del Toro (easy; half day; snack)
• Hike through Las Cornisas (Medium,
half day, snack) Hike to the base of Torres del Paine (difficult, full day, picnic)
• Hike to Glaciar del Valle del Frances (medium,
full day, picnic)
• Archaeological hike between Guarderia Sarmiento and Guarderia Laguna Amarga (easy; half day)
Hike to
Lago Sarmiento (easy, half day, snack)
• Laguna La Cal & Sarmiento Walk (Medium, full day, picnic)
• Rio Pingo Walk (easy,
half day with snack or full day with picnic)
• Mirador Condor Walk (medium, half day, snack)
• Horseback riding Mirador Donoso
(medium, full day, picnic)
Horseback riding Rio Serrano (easy, half day, snack)
• Horseback riding Laguna Linda (easy, half
day, snack)
• Horseback riding to Refugio Pehoe (medium, full day, lunch)
Horseback riding at the Quincho (easy, half day,
before or after Quincho lunch) Horseback riding at 2 de enero estancia (Easy, half day; trail snacks)
Day 8 - Paine Towers National Park - Punta Arenas - Santiago
Morning
departure by Hotel Explora van or five hour drive south along the rolling steppes of Patagonia to Punta Arenas airport where you
catch your flight north along the Andes to Santiago, private transfer to Hotel, overnight in Santiago.
Day 9 - Santiago / San Pedro de Atacama
Private Transfer to Airport. Take
morning flight to Calama / Atacama, explora will have a guide awaiting at the gate, one hour transfer via van ride, to explora en
atacama. Activities and overnight at explora atacama.
Day 10-13 -
Santiago / San Pedro de Atacama
Each day explora guests can join a variety of explorations which have been
carefully created. Every day you can choose from 5 to 10 different options specifically selected according to the weather, the
guest desires, the duration and the level of difficulty. Walking, horseback riding, in a van or by bicycle and accompanied by guides,
you can explore with emotion the nature or the history of Atacama. Built on the Ayllú (neighborhood) de Larache in San Pedro de
Atacama, the hotel develops along a main building and three patios. Rooms are lined up with corridors opening to a patio. Corridors
meet in the main building, crossed by two ample passages: the Pasaje de la Luz and the Pasaje del Agua. The architecture evokes,
from the materials used in its construction together with its form, the suggestions made by the nature and cultures of the area.
The hotel assures hospitable refuge inviting to enjoy in freedom and security. More than a home, the hotel is an experience, an
open balcony towards the surrounding beauty. The have 50 luxury rooms, (335.2 square feet), jacuzzi and sitting area. Each room
has marvelous wood and tile accents, fabulous linens, custom-designedfurnishings and spectacular views. Our programs have a
minimum 3 nights available year round at explora en atacama.
Programs include:
• Transfer between
Calama Airport and explora en atacama.
• Transfer schedules subject to change without prior notice.
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Accommodation.
• Full board. 3 meals per day. Bar.
• Daily explorations through Atacama’s natural
environment and to
the sites of pre-Columbian, colonial and contemporary cultures offered according to occasion. • Groups no larger than 10, with
bilingual guides, equipment, horses, vehicles and food.
Trekking Tours
Horseback riding explorations that
are described here have been devised for people with riding experience and who feel comfortable riding for several hours in the
desert. Guests must know how to trot and/or gallop. explora has the finest Chilean and English saddles, leather gaiters, and
helmets. Those who do not know how to ride a horse and would like to learn to do so, or those who have some experience but
would like to improve their riding skills, can take 1-hour lessons in the morning (for no more than six people) before the walking or
biking explorations they choose for each day. After at least two lessons, the instructor will determine whether the person is
qualified to go horseback riding on these explorations. Half-day horseback riding explorations will be combined with trekking and
bicycle explorations.
Tours By bicycle
explora offers the opportunity to travel along desert trails and
ridges on a mountain bike. Using the equipment we provide to assure comfort and safety, biking allows our guests to fully enjoy the
geography of Atacama. The use of helmets, gloves, sunglasses and adequate footwear are an important element for each of these
outings. Half-day bicycle explorations will be combined with trekking and horseback riding explorations.
Day 14 - San Pedro de Atacama / Santiago
Transfer out to Calama Airport,
flight to Santiago and International connection home.
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LAND ONLY - Price per person based on double occupancy
INCLUDES: Accommodations include breakfast. Some lunch & dinner. Guides, transports, entrance fees and airport
transfers. Hotel accommodations with hotel taxes and service charges, Meals as indicated in this itinerary, the Explora
en Patagonia portion of the program includes all meals, open bar and all activities and excursions.
Not Included:
Airport departure taxes, Chilean Reciprocity tax (entry visa), Tips to drivers, guides, hotel bellboys, meals not specifically indicated
as included.
This is a general itinerary, which does not necessarily incorporate the special interests that you may have
personally. Please contact our specialists to customize this trip for you. Call us at 800.772.9188 to speak with an expert now.
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