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Atacama is one of the main destinations in Chile for visitors. Its lunar type desert landscapes, scenic panoramas and impressive geography that includes arid desert, striking salt flats, thermal pools, geysers, marshes, lagoons, towering volcanoes and an endless starry sky. The chilled-out oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, in the heart of the desert, offers a wide range of adventure activities. Then there are the impressive and delicious valleys of the vineyards to sip away and sample the uniqueness of Chilean wines. The perfect combination for a Chilean vacation, all combined in one itinerary!
Special features of our Undiscovered Atacama and Central Wine Valley Tour:
Type of Tourism: Adventure, Cultural, Mountains and Nature, Geographical, Desert
Places to Visit: Santiago, Arica, Atacama desert and villages, Santa Cruz
Duration: 9 Days and 8 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 3 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is arrival day to Santiago. Your guide will be waiting at the airport to take you on the one hour journey to your hotel. Chile’s cosmopolitan capital, Santiago lies at the foot of the Andes and has a remarkable city centre and impressive modern neighbourhoods. Wherever you go in Santiago, you are surrounded by the snow-capped Andes, offering spectacular sunsets which turn the snow pink. You will have a free afternoon to explore this unique city.
Today your driver will collect you from your hotel and take you back to the airport for our onward flight to Arica. In Arica, our local guide will collect you for your scenic transfer to Codpa.
In the city of Arica, we will visit the central plaza, San Marcos Cathedral, Fisherman's wharf, Casa de la Cultura, and enjoy the panoramic view from El Morro. We will then head on to The Azapa Valley to visit the Alto Ramírez geoglyphs and The Cerro Sagrado with its archae...
Our tour takes us to the foothills stopping at the Ofragía and Cerro Blanco petroglyphs after breakfast. We will then head through the towns of Vitor, Tignamar and Belén. In the afternoon, we will make a stop in Chapiquiña and Putre, villages dedicated to livestock farming and agriculture, with fantastic terracing.
Today we will head out to the Lauca National Park, close to the Bolivian border and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Here we can appreciate a wide variety of Andean flora and fauna. We will stop at the ceremonial town of Parinacota, famous for its 17th-century Baroque-Mestizo style church. We will then visit the Cotacotani Lagoons and the Chungara Lake, which is one of the highest in the world. It is also blessed with spectacular views of the Twin Payachatas volcanos Parinacota and Pomerap...
Today, we will visit the remote towns of Socoroma, Pukara de Copaquilla, in the Atacama Desert before we continue to the Quebrada de Cardones to see the beautiful Candelabra Cactus. We will then head to The Lluta Valley and to the town of Poconchile where it is possible to see geoglyphs on the slopes of the Valley. We will make a stop at the Lluta River Wetlands to observe a large number and variety of seabirds and then we will travel along the coast until reaching Arica, where we will spend the evening.
In the morning we will head to the beaches of Arica before we go to the airport for the onward flight to Santiago. In the afternoon, we will head off on a city tour of Santiago
Where we will visit the city’s most outstanding attractions, including the downtown area, visiting the “Plaza de Armas”, the Cathedral, Ahumada Boulevard and the Government Palace “La Moneda”. We will then head to “old” Santiago, crossing the bohemian neig...
Today we will head to the city of Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley. Our first stop will be in the Montes winery. Renowned worldwide for their connection with the earth, their care of the vineyards, their experience in the winery and always seeking the finest quality in each of their wine… you will experience a true adventure in winemaking. You can visit the vineyards and the cellar, ending with a wine tasting. After lunch, you can visit Viu Manent winery, where you can walk t...
The day starts with a visit to the Santa Cruz winery where you can take a tour around the garden of grape varieties, then we will continue to the harvest patio, the tanks and wine cellar, where you will have the opportunity taste some wines. The visit to this winery also includes a tour by cable car to go up to the Chamán Hill, where we can see the indigenous villages, a replica of the Aymara, Mapuche and Rapanui culture. We will visit the Laura Hartwig Winery before we return to the hotel.
We will take you to the airport for your flight back to Santiago and on to your next destination!