Chile
Santiago to the Atacama: Deserts, Fine Wine and Chic Cities
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If you’ve got a guilty pleasure for fine wines and unforgettable views, we’ve got you covered. This eight-day escapade through the treasures of Chile has it all. From city slicking in Santiago to vineyard combing in the Maipo Valley and drifting weightlessly through the Atacama Desert, prepare to embark upon a lifelong romance with the pride of Chile that is fine Carmenere wines. Hot air ballooning, salt lake soaking and horse-back riding – we’ve got a unique viewpoint for each and every jaw-dropping vista. Expertly put together by our Latin America experts, this trip is the perfect Chilean adventure, where there’s always a sumptuous bed and revitalising glass of wine waiting at the end of each day. We’ll raise a glass to that.
Wine & Dine
Touching down in Santiago, your private driver will escort you to the glittering Hotel Singular Lastarria where you can enjoy an evening of the Chilean high life before getting ready to begin your journey through this magical South American jewel. Waking early, your expert guide will take you on a tour of downtown Santiago, stopping off at the Presidential Palace and Plaza de Armas. The tour will end in true Chilean style with an illustrious wine tasting session at the Vinomio Store, where you will experience exclusive Chilean wines such as Uva Pais. To finish this unequivocal day we, along with our friends at MOVI Winemaker, have designed a private wine pairing dinner for you in one of the finest restaurants in Santiago, where you will have the opportunity to sample great food and fruity wines.
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Start PlanningValleys of Vineyards
Moving on, you will be whisked away to the second oldest wine growing region in Chile; The Maipo Valley. Here, you will be met by your private guide and head south through the miraculous agricultural heart of the Maipo Valley. You’ll arrive for your first wine tasting at the Perez Cruz winery, whose award-winning wines, including the famous Carmenere, are all grown on site in their 3-million capacity bodega. Next up, it’s lunch at Santa Rita, one of the most popular Chilean wineries on the international scene, followed by an evening at Antiyal, one of Chile’s best boutique wineries and a leader in organic viniculture, before heading back to your humble abode for a well-deserved snooze.
For your final day of exploring the beauty of Chile’s wine department, you will journey off to the Casablanca Valley for an exclusive tour, firstly visiting the beautiful Catrala Vineyard where you will enjoy some voluptuous Sauvignon Blanc while walking around the grounds of this magical vineyard. Afterwards, you will head to Casa Matetic where you will enjoy a lovely three-course wine pairing lunch. Never compromising on quality, this is no ordinary casa, and with some of the best wines in the region, we can assure you that your meals will be accompanied with some of the finest wines in Chile.
Enchantment in the Desert
After a short flight to Calama, you will be privately transported to the magnificent Awasi Atacama before heading out on an afternoon Moon Valley tour in the Atacama Desert. During this tour, you will experience a festival of colors from the red sky to the dry lakes where the salt creates a mesmerising white blanket, before ending with an aperitif as you watch the sunset over the valley. Your morning will consist of a hot air balloon over the desert providing you with an amazing aerial view of multi colored rock formations and snow-capped mountains followed by an afternoon of horse-back riding to explore the exceptional flora and fauna that San Pedro de Atacama has to offer.
Tomorrow morning, wake up bright and early for a hot air balloon adventure over the desert, taking in the amazing aerial view of multi colored rock formations and snow-capped mountains, followed up by an afternoon of horseback riding to explore the exceptional flora and fauna that San Pedro de Atacama has to offer. After some rest and recuperation, slip on your swimsuit and reward yourself with a post-Guatin trek dip in the serene and tranquil hot springs of River Puritama in the high Andes. Once you’ve enjoyed enough of the calming environment, you will then be escorted back to the hotel where you will indulge in an astronomical journey as you peer through a telescope to witness the beauty of the sky above the Atacama Desert.
The perfect way to end your trip, embark on a soothing journey to the mesmerising Laguna Pierda and Cejar Lagoon, where the density of salt is so high you can just lie back and float as you take in the breathtaking skies of the Atacama. You’ll then continue on to the picturesque town of Toconao with its pretty church and great array of shops of artefacts and souvenirs. An unforgettable gem in the Atacama, watch as the flamingos bask in the beautiful Chaxa Lagoon.
On your final morning, you will visit the magnificent Tatio Geysers where you will experience geothermal powers like never before, before concluding your trip at the charming Machucha Village. Having experienced the wide range of cultural and adventurous experiences Chile has to offer, it’s now time to take your transfer back to the airport. But we have a sneaky suspicion you’ll be back soon – if only for the Malbec.