Chile holidays

Vines & Volcanoes

Wine Country & The Atacama Desert

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Explore Wine Country & the Atacama Desert

Fine Wines and Other Worlds: 10-day Chile holidays for £2650pp

Arguably the thing that has made Chile most famous around the world is its wine, and none of our Chile holidays would be complete without the odd glass of local Cabernet Sauvignon, but this 12-day holiday will allow you to do much more than that.

You'll be able to visit the lovely vineyards of the Colchagua Valley yourself, and enjoy a tasting session as well, before also heading to the northern wine regions of the Elqui Valley to sample some of Chile's national drink, the clear Pisco brandy.

And of course we'll also ensure that you see some of the most amazing natural scenery in South America, with a tour of the Atacama Desert giving you the chance to explore this otherworldly landscape of vast volcanoes and bizarre mineral lakes.

Outline Itinerary

  • Day One: Arrival in Santiago de Chile
  • Day Two: Free Day
  • Day Three: Wine tour of the Colchagua Valley
  • Day Four: Free Day in Colchagua
  • Day Five: Travel to San Pedro de Atacama
  • Day Six: Tour of Atacama Desert
  • Day Seven: Tatio Geysers
  • Day Eight: On to the Elqui Valley
  • Day Nine: Tour of the Elqui Valley
  • Day Ten: Overnight flight back to the UK

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Detailed Itinerary

Day One – Start of your Chile Holidays

Your Chile holidays will begin this morning as you touch down in Santiago de Chile, and we will be there to meet you and take you straight to your hotel in the upmarket Providencia area of the city. You will then have the rest of the day free to relax and enjoy one of South America’s most sophisticated capital cities.

Day Two - Free Day in Santiago

Today is all yours to spend as you wish. Explore the city at your own pace and get a feel for the contrast between old and new which typifies Santiago. A good place to start is the centre and the grandest of Santiago’s colonial buildings, such as the imposing Presidential Palace and Mint Building, and the neo-classical Cathedral. You could then catch the funicular train to the top of San Cristobal Hill for fantastic views. There are also some great vineyards in the nearby Maipo Valley which you may wish to visit. (Breakfast included)

options...
  • If you would prefer to spend the day away from the city then ask us about a day trip to the Pacific coast cities of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. These seaside resorts offer everything from charming cobbled streets to palm-lined promenades, and are a great example of the diversity of Chile.

Day Three - Into the Colchagua Valley

We will pick you up after breakfast and drive you south from Santiago into the beautiful Colchagua Valley, in the heart of Chilean Wine country. The wines produced here are mainly reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Bordeaux. We will visit one of Chile’s oldest wineries, the Casa Silva, which produces award-winning Carménère wines. After stopping for some lunch we will continue our wine education with another vineyard tour. We will carry on further into the valley this afternoon and arrive in the small market town of Santa Cruz, where we will head to our hotel so you can relax in the lovely gardens. (B/L)

Day Four - Free Day in Colchagua

The days is yours to relax in the peaceful surroundings of wine country. There is the opportunity to explore more wineries this afternoon, or simply unwind in the gardens or by the pool of your beautiful hotel. (B)

Day Five – Into the Atacama Desert

This morning we will pick you up from your hotel and drive back to Santiago airport for a flight up to the north of Chile and the city of Calama. Here we’ll meet you and driver out of the city towards the small town of San Pedro de Atacama, in the arid, high Atacama Desert. Along the way we will be able to enjoy some stunning views of the Cordillera de la Sal, and a beautiful panoramic view of the Gran Salar, lying at the foot of the enormous Licancabur volcano. (B)

Day Six - Salar de Atacama and Moon Valley

You’ll have some free time this morning and then this afternoon we’ll pick you up and take you to the picturesque town of Toconao, where we can wander around the handicraft markets and the beautiful fruit gardens which surround the town. We will then continue on to visit the largest salt lake in Chile, the Salar de Atacama, where we will we explore the stunning Los Flamencos National Reserve and the Chaxa Lagoon. Here we will hopefully be able to spot 3 different species of flamingos, as well as a variety of other species. After watching the sunset across the Salar we will make our way back to San Pedro. (B)

Day Seven - Tatio Geysers

We will leave the hotel before dawn this morning so that we can appreciate one of Atacama’s most amazing spectacles as we drive out to the magnificent Tatio Geysers. These enormous columns of steam shoot out from the otherworldly landscape, and the sensation of being on another planet is compounded by the sulphurous smell and tremendous noise as the geysers blow. Once the sun rises, the geysers lose their force so we will head back to San Pedro, and then on to Calama for a flight back to Santiago. On arrival, we’ll pick you up and take you back to your hotel. (B)

Day Eight - Into the Elqui Valley

This morning we will pick you up and head back to the airport for a short flight south to La Serena where we will be waiting to meet you. We will then travel through the beautiful Elqui Valley, one of the northernmost wine regions in the country and the heart of pisco production. You will be spending the next few days at an “Astro Hotel”, stargazing the incredibly clear skies through the window above your bed. (B)

Day Nine - Tour of the Elqui Valley

Today we will take you on a tour of the Elqui Valley, starting with a visit to a Chilean pisco distillery where you will witness the production process and have the opportunity to sample the popular liquor for yourself. We will then head to the main town of Vicuña, the birthplace of Gabriela Mistral, literature Nobel Prize winner. After a short tour it is time for a traditional lunch before visiting the tiny village of Monte Grande. (B)

options...
  • The Elqui Valley benefits from clear skies and low humidity making it the perfect place for astronomy, if you would like to spend your last evening stargazing at the Mamalluca Observatory then just let us know.

Day Ten - Last Day of Your Chile Holidays

Sadly, today will be the last day of your Chile holidays. After breakfast we will return to La Serena for the short flight to Santiago where you will arrive in plenty of time for your international flight back home! (B)

Options for our Chile Holidays

Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine National Park - 4 days from £850pp

If you follow the chain of the Andes right into the south of Chile, you end up in Chilean Patagonia and the fabulous Torres del Paine National Park. This winter wonderland of snow-capped mountains, icy glaciers and flower-strewn alpine meadows is one of a holiday in Chile's biggest attractions, and this four-day package makes sure you'll see the very best of it.

La Campana National Park

La Campana National Park - from £170pp

If you'd like to explore some of Chile's most lovely natural scenery, easily accessible in a day trip from Santiago, why not take a trip into the gorgeous La Campana National Park? Ideal for walking and trekking, with paths that are accessible all year round, you can enjoy seeing waterfalls and palm trees, wildcats, skunks, eagles and chinchillas before driving back to Santiago in the evening.

Easter Island tour

Easter Island Tour - 4 days from £1250pp

The enigmatic Moai statues make Easter Island one of the most mysterious holiday destinations in the world, but happily its mysteries are within relatively easy reach of Santiago so adding on a tour of Easter Island to this Chile holiday is fairly straightforward. This four-day package will allow you plenty of time to relax and enjoy all the highlights of Easter Island.

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What's Included?

Our standard price for these Chile holidays is £2650 per person, which is based on two sharing a double or twin room in our standard hotels.

That price includes all your accommodation, internal transport, transfers, tours, guides and entrance fees. It also includes lunches on your full-day tours, and breakfast every day.

We don't have any "local payments" or sneaky charges: everything you have read about on this itinerary is included in that price. And because everything we do is tailor-made, we don't have fixed departure dates or minimum numbers for our trips. Outside of national holidays or other special events, this price is valid for the whole of 2020.

International flights

So with the exception of a few meals, everything on your holiday is included. What we don't include as standard is your international flights, because with these you have a huge range of options depending on the date you want to travel, the route you want to fly, and your preferred departure airport in the UK.

We aren't tied to any particular airline, and we will be delighted to discuss all options with you, or you can even book the flights yourself if you prefer: it's totally up to you.

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in this category have an average rating of 5 out of 5, based on 2 customer reviews
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