Day 1: Arrival in Santiago de Chile, Airport pick up & half day city tour
Your Atacama Desert tour will start from the capital city of Chile, Santiago de Chile. Upon arrival at the airport, our driver and the guide will pick you up and drive for about 25 minutes or so to the hotel. Having a short rest at the hotel, we'll start our Santiago city tour. Cerro San Cristóbal is the must and the first with the high statue of Virgin Mary. We cannot enter La Moneda Palace for successive presidents, but we'll see it and take pictures outsides. We're to visit historical Plaza de Armas as well. Accommodation: Hotel Cumbres Vitacura (4 stars)
|
Day 2: Guided winery tour in Maipo Valley
Maipo Valley is the nearest wine making place to Santiago de Chile as well as the cradle of Chilean wine. Today, we'll go to the valley to visit wineries Perez Cruz, Santa Rita and Cousiño Macul one after another. We will visit the brewing process and extensive vineyards and taste various wines at these wineries, and admire old relics at the museum of Santa Rita. After the tour, send you back to the hotel, which takes about an hour. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Cumbres Vitacura (4 stars)
|
Day 3: Full day tour in Valparaiso & Viña del Mar
We'll go to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, the coast cities along the Pacific, with the guide and the driver. In Valparaiso, we'll get to the bathing beach praised as the "Pearl of South Pacific", appreciate distinctive city graffiti, and walk through Plaza Echaurren, banks block, Concepción Hill and Alegre Hill, etc. In Viña del Mar, visit Fonck Museum with historic items, Anfiteatro Quinta Vergara full of plants, and Renaca Beach. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Cumbres Vitacura (4 stars)
|
Day 4: Fly 2h from Santiago de Chile to Calama, Half day tour to Valle de la Luna & Death Valley
You will be sent to Santiago de Chile Airport and fly to Calama. Our local driver in Calama will then pick you up at Calama Airport, and drive for 1h 30min to send you to the hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. This afternoon, our Atacama tour truly starts. We'll visit Valle de la Luna and Death Valley. Valle de la Luna is famous for its moon-like landform; and the desert sunset is pretty charming. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel NOI Casa Atacama (4 stars)
|
Day 5: Atacama Desert tour with Laguna Chaxa, Altiplanic Lagoons, Toconao
We will go into Atacama Desert today, to witness salt lakes in the area. We'll first get to Laguna Chaxa with flamingos in 1h 50 min, then Micanti and Miñiques lagoons by another 1h 30min's drive. After that, we'll head to the town Socaire in 20min, where we're to see the terraces and have lunch. Next, it will be Toconao 40 minutes' drive away, the village built with volcanic rocks and famous for the great landscape of Salar de Atacama. In the end we'll go hiking in Quebrada de Jerez for a short time nearby. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel NOI Casa Atacama (4 stars)
|
Day 6: Half day to Laguna Cejar, Ojos del Salar, Laguna Tebinquinche
Driving for 30 minutes, we'll get to Laguna Cejar, the famous azure lake in the Atacama Desert. With high salinity, even tourists cannot swim would float on the water. Then the Atacama Desert tour will go on to the fresh water area Ojos del Salar, about 15 minutes' away by car, where we can see two round lakes like eyes. Finally we'll visit Laguna Tebinquinche, the notable salt lake at the oasis. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel NOI Casa Atacama (4 stars)
|
Day 7: Visit Tatio Geysers & Machuca
We will set out at dawn with packed breakfast. About 1 hour 30 minutes later, we'll arrive at Tatio Geysers and have our breakfast here. There are over 80 holes that the steams and hot water spout out of ground. We'll see the spectacle of grand geysers and volcanos misting over. Afterwards we will take about 40 minutes' car ride to Machuca, a small village to know locals' simple life. Meals: Breakfast, Snacks
Accommodation: Hotel NOI Casa Atacama (4 stars)
|
Day 8: Departure from Calama, Fly 2h to Santiago de Chile
The driver will give you a ride from the hotel to Calama Airport in accordance with your plane to Santiago de Chile, which would be the end of your Atacama tour. Arriving in Santiago de Chile, you'll get a transfer by our local driver to your hotel. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Cumbres Vitacura (4 stars)
|
Day 9: Santiago de Chile departure, Airport see off
Today, our driver will see you off at the airport of Santiago de Chile. Hope you have had a happy holiday. Smooth journey home! Meals: Breakfast
|
