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Our Chile extensions offer some of the most extreme encounters with nature on the planet. Home to the world-renowned Torres del Paine National Park, Chile arguably offers the most dramatic mountain ranges on earth, creating striking natural amphitheatres and granite-enclosed valleys across the captivating landscape. The park's namesake, the Towers of Paine, pierce the sky at almost ten thousand feet, and the haunting plains of the Southern Patagonia Ice Cap stretch out before you as one of the most isolated places known to mankind.
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1 Night - 4 Star Santiago Hotel with breakfast
2 Transfers - Santiago Airport Arrival/Hotel/Santiago Airport Departure (Next Day)
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1 traveler $325 / 2 Travelers $210 / 3 or more $165
Spend the day at the Pacific Ocean, just a two-hour drive from Santiago, passing through the lush agricultural valley of Curacavi and the now famous Casablanca wine valley. Your Chile coastal tour begins in Valparaiso, one of the first cities founded by the Spanish and today a UNESCO World Heritage site. On this tour you'll explore the port, learning about the history of Chile's second largest city and its importance to South America trade and commerce. You'll ride Valparaiso's century-old hillside ascensores (elevators) spread along the city's spectacular steep hills among splendid aging buildings and then enjoy a walking tour of the Concepcion and Alegre neighborhoods. You'll lunch at the Coco Loco restaurant with its magnificent views of the harbor before going on to relax at the white sand beaches of the international luxury resort city of Viña del Mar. A former hacienda in colonial times, it is known as Ciudad Jardín (Garden City) because of its lush subtropical gardens and palm-lined boulevards.
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4 or more $165
Spend the day exploring nearby Cajon del Maipo, a valley of villages, resorts and wineries. You will begin with a scenic drive up the Colorado River canyon amid the breathtaking scenery of the Andes. Your first stop on this tour will be the small town of San Jose del Maipo, the capital of the region, to experience the relaxed pace of life outside Santiago. You will walk around the Plaza de Armas and observe the traditional adobe architecture typical of this area of Chile. Enjoy lunch at the charming garden restaurant, La Petit France, beside a mountain stream. Next you'll pass through the village of Pirque and spend time in the Maipo wine valley, home to several important Chilean wineries including Concha y Toro and Santa Rita.
1 traveler $400 / 2 Travelers $280 / 3 or more $225
Towards the coast in the direction of the port city of Valparaiso is the Casablanca valley, the shining star of Chile's white wines, known for its premium Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Wineries began to develop here in the 1980s, making this one of Chile's newest wine regions. Your first stop on this Chile tour will be one of its larger wineries, Casas del Bosque. You will have lunch in the very modern Indomita winery with a sweeping view of the entire Casablanca valley. In the afternoon you will head to nearby Rosario valley where climate and light conditions are ideal for both reds and whites. You'll visit the boutique organic winery, Matetic, a leader in this growing niche market of naturally grown varietals before returning to Santiago.
1 traveler $515 / 2 Travelers $345 / 3 or more $225
Two hours south of Santiago is one of Chile's largest and most visited wine regions. Colchagua valley is known for producing some of Chile's best wine, particularly the Syrah and Malbec varieties. The Wine Train is a recently restored antique train that takes passengers on a historic tour through the valley, reliving the grandeur of 18th century life while getting acquainted with the region's wines. You'll visit a winery, lunch at the Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza, and tour the Colchagua Archeological Museum, returning to Santiago in the late afternoon.
1 traveler $305/ 2 Travelers $200 / 3 or more $180
Charles Darwin said he never enjoyed a day more thoroughly than his visit to Cerro La Campana. An hour northwest of Santiago, Chile, this 20,000-acre national park is home to diverse flora and fauna including some of the last remaining Chilean Palms. After a drive through the village of Ocoa, you will spend the day hiking on the north side of the park including a walk through palm groves and a picnic lunch beside an exotic waterfall. This is a fantastic hiking tour of Chile with spectacular views of the Chilean Andes. The tour involves approximately three hours of moderate hiking.
1 traveler $305 / 2 Travelers $200 / 3 or more $180
Spend a day exploring the dramatic mountains of El Morado National Park, located less than two hours from Santiago, Chile, at the end of the Cajon del Maipo. The hike begins at Baños Morales, heading toward Laguna El Morado, an area rich with birdlife. After a picnic lunch here, you will continue up the trail to reach the majestic San Francisco glacier. Following the same trail, you'll return to Baños Morales to relax and enjoy a snack. This tour involves about six hours of moderate hiking.
1 traveler $325 / 2 Travelers $210 / 3 or more $195
This is an extended version of our half-day Chile horseback tour to this pastoral region. Riding on horseback makes the idyllic experience of exploring the Chilean Andes just that much better. The convenient Yerba Loca Sanctuary stables are just forty-five minutes from Santiago. Our guide, a huaso, or Chilean cowboy, will lead you through highland trails to observe the region's alpine flora and fauna, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the magnificent Andean condor in flight.
1 traveler $365 / 2 Travelers $225 / 3 or more $175
Experience some of the most beautiful scenery Chile's central region has to offer on this day-trip to two northern coastal resorts. On the way, you'll walk through a native Chilean Palm forest in La Campana National Park near the quaint town of Ocoa. Continuing to the coast, you'll stop at the beach and local seafood market of Maitencillo before going on to the neighboring seaside town of Cachagua to visit a national reserve for the endangered Humboldt penguin. The breathtaking, rocky coast and crystal clear waters of the Pacific Ocean are the setting for your final destination on this Chile tour, Zapallar, a fishing village and fancy resort town. Enjoy the crashing waves and the seaside landscape before a delicious Chilean seafood lunch at a restaurant on a picturesque bay. After lunch you will have time to relax on the beach or stroll along the lushly landscaped streets of Zapallar.
Visiting 2 wineries:
1 traveler $375 / 2 Travelers $250 / 3 or more $205
Visiting 3 wineries:
1 traveler $445 / 2 Travelers $315 / 3 or more $265
The Maipo valley, the oldest and most famous of Chile's wine regions, is home to many of the country's most important wineries such as Concha y Toro, Cousiño Macul and Santa Rita. You'll visit two on this Chile tour: Cousiño Macul, with its 19th century French wine cellars and the more modern Aquitania, a French-owned boutique winery where labeling is still done by hand.
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| Have more time to spend? Why not customize your trip with some of these trip extensions? Add extensions to the beginning or the end of your trip, or add to both ends. | |
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