Fascinating Chile: Santiago & San Pedro de Atacama

• Arrive - Santiago - City Tour

  Welcome to Santiago! Upon arrival, you will be welcomed outside of Customs by an English-speaking assistant holding a sign with your name on it. This representative will direct you to your awaiting vehicle and driver, we will accompany you to your hotel to assist you with check-in.

  We invite you to discover Santiago, a Cosmopolitan city which has become one of South America’s most modern hubs. Described by the international media as a surprising destination, Santiago stands out for being a cosmopolitan and modern city that perfectly combines its traditions with a modern outlook. The tour will take you to visit the heart of the city and its emblematic sites such as the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, Santiago’s Central Postal Office and its Municipality. We will also visit the Moneda Palace, which is the government’s headquarters as well as the traditional neighborhoods of the historic city center. The tour also includes a visit to the Santa Lucia hill, named Huelén by the natives. It is a real urban oasis in the center of the city. There we will learn more about Chile’s history and enjoy some of the best views in the city. After knowing Santiago, we will arrive to Barrio Lastarria, famous by it cultural, inherited and gastronomical offer. The second part of the tour will take you to the eastern side of the city, to the financial heart of Santiago, known for its modern buildings, impressive glass skyscrapers and its impressive sculptures designed by prominent national architects. There, you will see exactly why this area is known as “Sanhattan” among the locals.(Private Transfer)

• Santiago - Valparaiso & Viña del Mar

  This morning after a delicious breakfast, passengers will be picked-up from their hotel to enjoy an exciting tour in this unmissable destinations, Viña del Mar and Valparaiso.

  Known as the “Garden City”, for originally being surrounded by largely green areas and for now preserving its extensive and beautiful urban gardens, with the Pacific Ocean as its backdrop, Viña del Mar is undoubtedly one of Chile’s unmissable destinations. Viña del Mar stands out for its beautiful architecture, its impressive palaces and famous Flower Clock, photographed by tourists from all over the world. During the tour, you will have the option to have lunch in one of the numerous restaurants in the city, with a variety of delicious sea food on offer. We will travel along the sea front, and enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean, before arriving at the most important ports in Chile; Valparaiso. It was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site thanks to its colorful beauty and the uniqueness of its location on the hills, which create a natural Amphitheatre with the ocean as its stage. We will visit Cerro Alegre, where you can truly appreciate the magic of the city, with its picturesque funiculars, multi-colored neighborhoods and unforgettable sea views. We will then head to the Sotomayor Square, to see the Monument of the Heroes of Iquique. Once in the port, there will be the option to take a boat out around Valparaíso’s bay to enjoy the views of the colorful hills from a different perspective.(B.)(Shared Guide)

• Santiago, Calama, San Pedro de Atacama: Moon Valley

  After a nice breakfast, you will be transferred from your hotel in Santiago to the airport to board a flight to Calama and later transfer to the hotel in San Pedro de Atacama Town.

  We leave San Pedro de Atacama to take the highway number 23 and then, after 19 kilometers (12 miles), reach the Salt Mountain Range, one of the main attractions for tourists visiting this pre-Andean oasis. Within this mountain range, between the Andes and Domeyko, we find the "Dinosaur Valley", the "Death Valley" full of interesting stories, dunes for some fun sandboarding and lookouts with views of the mountain range and its volcanoes. We also find the "Moon Valley", previously called Las Salinas because of its mining past, where we will have the opportunity to learn about its canyons formed by water millions of years ago, while rock salt, selenite, and clay will show us the essence of the Moon Valley. We will be in one of the seven sites that make up Los Flamencos National Reserve, since such beauty that is admired by visitors from all over the world must also be protected. We will visit the Central Crater to have a better view of the valley, the amphitheater and, of course, the best photo opportunities. We will then go on to visit the Three Mary's, geological formations named so by famous Father Gustavo Le Paige many years ago. Finally, from the Kari lookout, one of the highest in the Salt Mountain Range, it is ideal to see how the sun hides giving way to a beautiful and colorful sunset.(B.)(Shared Guide)

• San Pedro de Atacama: Altiplanic Lagoons

  Good morning! today you will explore the Salar de Atacama & Toconao Town.

  Your tour will begin with a tour on the vast plain area, allowing you to reach “Gran Salar de Atacama”, white and rough surface where shallow lagoons are home to a large number of flamingos that choose this water as a nesting place, allowing you to observe these wonderful birds.
Geological studies consider this salar flat as the most important reserve of lithium of the planet, requiring it on a 40%.

  Under weak water furrows small villages are born. One of the most picturesque of these is Toconao, where you can appreciate an original architecture made of Liparita stone, highlighting the ancient church. It is a town that will motivate you to walk the streets and meet the local people who dedicate their days to handicrafts in fine wool. You can buy a souvenir if you wish. (B.)(L.)(Shared Guide)

• San Pedro de Atacama: Tatio Geysers

  After a nice rest of great adventures, today you will explore Tatio Geysers and Machuca Town!

  On this excursion you will visit the Tatio Geyser - located at 4,300 meters above sea level - steam fumaroles, which reach 50 meters high, mix with the imposing beauty of the Andes, enjoy an exquisite breakfast prepared in the Geysers. After returning to San Pedro de Atacama, you will be delighted with copper-colored lands, incredibly blue and clear skies, vegetation at first sight almost non-existent but offering all kinds of surprises and plague of other shades of color such as straw brave , where vicuñas move and live, the lone culpeo fox and variety of birds. Continue the trip to the village of Machuca, place of shepherds of ancestral llamas, llareta extraction and sulfur. Currently, this town of houses made of adobe, straw and cactus wood is dedicated to tourism offering local products such as Andean crafts, llama meat, sopaipillas and empanadas (B.)(Shared Guide)

• Depart to Santiago

  After a good rest and nice breakfast, at the scheduled time, you will be transferred to the Santiago airport to board your flight.(B.)(Private transfer)

The below hand-picked properties feature a good location, superior service, and all facilities necessary for your comfortable stay:

Santiago

• Novotel ***
• Intercontinental ****
• The Ritz Carlton *****

San Pedro de Atacama

• Altiplanico ***
• Cumbres ****
• Tierra *****

NOTES:

• Hotel accommodation quoted in lead-in hotel guest rooms unless specified otherwise.
• Hotels can easily be changed at the customer request. We have a wide selection so you can be assured of a great place to stay
• Occasionally due to circumstances out of our control, hotels quoted may not be available at the time of booking. In these circumstances when hotels are unavailable, South America Tours Pty Ltd will provide the best possible alternative.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Accommodation with private facilities as mentioned in the itinerary
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary:

(B.) = Breakfast

(L.) = Lunch

(D.) = Dinner

• All transfers, transport, sightseeing, and excursions as per the itinerary unless specified otherwise:

(Private Transfer / Transport) = Your own exclusive driver. No queuing for taxis, no stopping en route at tour booking agencies. All private transfers/transport are operated on a private basis – i.e., you won’t be sharing with others

(Semi-Private Transfer) = transport provided by the hotel or lodge to their guest only

(Private Tour) = Your own, personal tour guide and an exclusive vehicle

(Shared Guide) = Meet other like-minded travelers and share the services of a guide/vehicle during the planned activity. The typical group size is 10 travelers which really works well and makes for a fun experience for all.

• Parks and monuments entrance
• Professional English speaking local guides throughout
• Service charges and taxes.

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

• International and internal air-tickets. We have access to wholesale fares and work closely with LATAM Airlines, contact us before organize your flights independently.
• Reciprocal fees and tourist visas are not included.
• Travel insurance
• Any items not specifically mentioned as included, phone call, laundry, tips, etc.

NOTES

• Rates are subject to change and different rates may apply during holiday seasons and special events
• You should ensure you have travel insurance in place to cover the possibility of unforeseen circumstances which result in the inability to participate in the tour
• All routes are subject to change without notice due to unexpected circumstances or weather conditions
• Certain countries require that you obtain official authorization (a visa) before entering the country. It is your responsibility for verifying and obtaining any necessary travel documents for entry and exit to the countries visited, as these requirements vary depending on the specific country and nationality of the traveler
• South America Tours Pty Ltd does not provide visa services.