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Chile Highlights
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11
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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 your tour to Puerto Montt, gateway to the scenic Lake District. Visit the main points of interest in Puerto Montt including Angelmo's fish market, colorful handicraft market, then a short trip to Puerto Varas, on the shores of Lake Llanquihue with snow-capped Osorno Volcano as a backdrop. Our final Excursion takes us 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 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 in Torres de Paine. 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. This is an excellent tour for couples or small groups of friends enjoying culture, wines and Patagonia in style.
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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 Ritz Carlton 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
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 / Puerto Montt / Puerto Varas
Transfer for morning flight south along the Andes to Puerto Montt, gateway to the scenic Lake District. Meeting upon arrival and visit the main points of interest in Puerto Montt including Angelmo's fish market and colorful handicraft market. Then transfer 20 minutes north to Puerto Varas, on the shores of Lake Llanquihue with snow-capped Osorno Volcano as a backdrop.
Day 5 - Puerto Varas
Spend the day exploring this side of the Lake District. Enjoy a drive along scenic Lake Llanquihue with a visit to the monument to the first settlers en route to Frutillar where you will visit this picturesque city and its small but excellent museum. Frutillar was settled by the Germans and with a distinct alpine atmosphere, and then continue on to Octay on the Centinela Peninsula. (Lunch not included).
Day 6 -Puerto Varas
Today you'll enjoy a day trip to the island of Chiloe. Drive from Puerto Montt to the ferry port for hour's crossing to Chiloe and then drive to Ancud, on the north coast 30 km west of the Strait of Chacao. Founded in 1767 to guard the shipping route, it was defended by two fortresses on opposite sides of the Bay. Visit the San Antonio Fort built in 1770, and the Museo Regional with an interesting collection of artifacts from Chiloe's early history. The Jesuits arrived on Chiloe in 1608 and by the time they were expelled in 1767 the island had 69 churches. The island is famous for its traditional handicrafts, wollens and basketware. Visit all the main points of interest and time for lunch (cost not included) before return ferry and drive back to Puerto Montt.
Day 7 - Puerto Varas - Puerto Montt - Punta Arenas - Paine Towers National Park
Morning transfer to Puerto Montt for flight 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 de 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 8-10: 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. 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 duation 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 11 - 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 where you make connections to your international departure flight 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, 5-day/4-nights 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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