L  A   D  A  T  C  O     T  O  U  R   S
	HOME	South America	Falkland Islands	Antarctica	Unique Destinations	Unique Experiences	Newsstand	e-mail

Locally Hosted Independent Tour Suggested Departure Day: Saturday

ITINERARY (Subject to change without notice):

Day 1 - Saturday - Depart Miami:  Evening departure on overnight flight to Chile.

Day 2 - Sunday - Arrive Santiago:  Morning arrival in Santiago.  Meeting upon arrival and transfer to the stylish W Santiago in the fashionable Las Condes for two night stay in a Spectacular category room with guaranteed immediate check-in.  This afternoon visit Santiago, fourth largest city in South America, beautifully set among a backdrop of the snow-capped Andes.  Visit the diversity of monuments and public buildings such as the government palace, “La Moneda”, among others surrounding this area.  You’ll also visit the Plaza de Armas (Main Square) where the Cathedral of Santiago is found.  Pass along the Alameda, past San Francisco Church and Santa Lucia Hill (where Santiago was founded in 1541) towards San Cristobal hill from where you will have a splendid view of the city. You can also stop at the Wine House, a specialized store with a permanent display of many of Chile’s finest wines, where you can have a brief wine tasting.  And stop by La Chascona (Museo Neruda) the Santiago home of the Nobel Prize winning poet Pablo Neruda, an eclectic ship-like house with and intriguing array of collectibles. (B)

Day 3 - Monday - Santiago:  This morning head west towards the Pacific coast through the Casablanca Valley to the San Antonio Valley and the Matetic Vineyards and Winery.  Located in a completely enclosed valley which is 9,000 hectares in length, perpendicular to the ocean and surrounded by an incredible landscape, it enjoys extraordinary light and possesses the ideal climatic and topographic conditions for both red and white wines.  Enjoy a visit to its facilities and unique wine cellar and afterwards do a wine tasting and have lunch in the Equilibrium Restaurant. (B/L)

Day 4 - Tuesday - Santiago - Robinson Crusoe Island:  This morning you will fly 2-1/2 hours, 411 mile flight on comfortable but small twin-engine planes from a local airport in Santiago.  After landing, board the local taxi-boat for 1-1/2 hour scenic transfer to the only inhabited town, San Juan Bautista.  Meeting and transfer to Crusoe Island Lodge for a three night stay with all meals and activities-excursions, such as cultural activities, hiking, biking and snorkeling are included. (B/D)

Day 5 - Wednesday - Robinson Crusoe Island:  Robinson Crusoe Island is one of three islands of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago.  It is here that Alexander Selkirk (Robinson Crusoe) was marooned in 1705 and lived in absolute solitude for 5 years.  His story was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's classic novel, Robinson Crusoe. The archipelago was declared a national park in 1935.  The main village is San Juan Bautista with some 859 inhabitants (2011 est.), engaged mainly in fishing for the pincerless lobster.  In 1977 these islands were declared by UNESCO as World Biosphere Reserves and have been considered of great scientific importance because of the endemic species of flora and fauna.  Of the 146 native species of plants, 101 are endemic.  The red hummingbird is most famous for its needle-fine black beak and silken feather coverage.  Enjoy activities & excursions as offered by Crusoe Island Lodge. (B/L/D)

Day 6 - Thursday - Robinson Crusoe Island:  Continue your explorations of this historic and remote island. (B/L/D)

Day 7 - Friday - Robinson Crusoe Island - Santiago:  At the appropriate time take the ferry back to the airport for your return flight to Santiago.  Meeting upon arrival and transfer to the W Santiago for overnight stay. (B)

Day 8 - Saturday - Santiago - Calama - San Pedro de Atacama:  Morning pick up at your hotel by your private car and guide for transfer to the airport for flight north to Calama, gateway to the Atacama Desert, considered one of the driest deserts on earth.  Meeting by staff from Awasi and drive 90 minutes by hotel van into the heart of the desert to the town of San Pedro de Atacama for four night stay at Awasi Atacama in Superior Circular Suite accommodations.  During your stay you will enjoy all meals, an open bar and activities and excursions on a private basis, including horseback riding, biking, hiking, and visits to main points of interest in the area such as the Salt Flats, the geysers and the town of San Pedro de Atacama. (B/L/D)

Day 9 - Sunday - San Pedro de Atacama:  Today design your activities and excursions with your private guide. (B/L/D)

Day 10 - Monday - San Pedro de Atacama:  Today design your activities and excursions with your private guide. (B/L/D)

Day 11 - Tuesday - San Pedro de Atacama: Today design your activities and excursions with your private guide. (B/L/D)

Day 12 - Wednesday - San Pedro de Atacama - Calama - Santiago - Chiloe Island:  Morning transfer by Awasi staff back to the airport at Calama for flight to Santiago and connect to flight to Puerto Montt.  Upon arrival in Puerto Montt, meeting by staff from Tierra Chiloe for the scenic overland transfer to Chiloe Island and the hotel, just 11 miles from the town of Castro. You'll spend three nights at Tierra Chiloe, located on slightly more than 24 acres of land where the countryside, beach, green fields, forests and an inlet of the Pacific Ocean come together.  During your three night stay you'll enjoy all meals and a selection of activities-excursions. (B/D)

Day 13 - Thursday - Chiloe Island:  Today enjoy activities offered by Tierra Chiloe.  Cultural excursions, boating, horseback riding, biking, hiking or simply looking around, are just a few of the possibilities, led by bilingual guides with maximum eight persons per guide, per activity. (B/L/D)

Day 14 - Friday - Chiloe Island:  Yet another day to enjoy this unique destination, named by The New York Times as one of the 45 places to go in 2012. (B/L/D)

Day 15 - Saturday - Chiloe Island-Puerto Varas:  Today you will return back to the mainland to the charming town of Puerto Varas, gateway to the Chilean Lake District.  En route you'll make a visit to Ancud, with many places of interest including the San Antonio Fort, the Cathedral and a museum highlighting the history, life and legends of the area.  Enjoy lunch and then continue on to the channel for ferry crossing and then on to Puerto Varas for three night stay at the Radisson Puerto Varas, located at the edge of Lake Llanquihue and the social hub of town. (B/L)

Day 16 - Sunday - Puerto Varas:  This morning visit the main points of interest in this scenic area.  Puerto Varas is often called the City of Roses and has a spectacular setting right on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, one of the largest natural lakes in South America, with vistas across the lake of snow-capped Osorno Volcano.  There are strong German traditions and one church and several historic houses declared cultural heritage.  Also visit bustling Puerto Montt and nearby Angelmo with colorful fishing port, seafood market and collection of craft shops.  Afternoon at leisure to explore at your own pace. (B)

Day 17 - Monday - Puerto Varas:  This morning head east for a scenic drive along the shores of Lake Llanquihue to Ensenada, easternmost port on the lake, continuing on to Vicente Perez Rosales National Park for a visit to Petrohue Falls, where the Petrohue River plunges over very hard volcanic rocks, amidst millenary forests.  The views of this natural formation are impressive.  Then continue on for a drive up Osorno Volcano for spectacular vistas, a walk through a forest of native tree species and a stop at the La Burbuja Crater for scenic panoramas of the Valley, Calbuco Volcano and the Andes.  Afternoon at leisure to explore at your own pace. (B)

Day 18 - Tuesday - Puerto Varas - Puerto Montt - Punta Arenas - Puerto Bories:  Morning transfer to Puerto Montt airport for flight south along the Andes to Punta Arenas, gateway to the Chilean Patagonia.  Meeting upon arrival by staff from The Singular Patagonia, a drive of about 3 hours.  You'll spend four nights at The Singular Patagonia with all meals, open bar and three full days with daily activities both inside Paine Towers National Park and outside the park.  Uniquely The Singular Patagonia offers, in addition to the usual hiking and van visits, motor launch trips to nearby fjords and kayaking in their private reserve. (B/L/D)

Day 19 - Wednesday - Chilean Patagonia: Today you may select from the variety of activities offered by The Singular Patagonia. (B/L/D)

Day 20 -Thursday - Chilean Patagonia: Another day to enjoy activities and excursions as offered by The Singular Patagonia. (B/L/D)

Day 21 - Friday - Chilean Patagonia:  Another day to enjoy activities and excursions as offered by The Singular Patagonia. (B/L/D)

Day 22 - Saturday - Puerto Bories - Punta Arenas - Santiago:  Morning at leisure for one last activity.  Early afternoon transfer to Punta Arenas airport, a drive of about three hours, for your late afternoon flight north along the coast to Santiago, arriving in the evening.  Meeting and assistance with getting to the Holiday Inn Airport Hotel for overnight stay. (B/L)

Day 23 - Sunday - Santiago - Easter Island:  Transfer for 5 hour flight west over the vast Pacific Ocean to Easter Island.  Meeting upon arrival by staff from Explora's Posada del Mike Rapu and transfer to the Posada for four night stay.  During your stay you will enjoy all meals, open bar and daily activities as offered.  Depending upon arrival time, you may do an afternoon excursion. (B/D)

Easter Island, the singularly most remote island on earth, is one of the most remarkable open air museums to be found anywhere.  Here are found in profusion the material remains of a sophisticated and complex culture which produced spectacular religious architecture, gigantic sculptures, roads, towers, great stone quarries, petroglyphs & other monuments.

Located some 2300 miles from the Central Coast of Chile, the island's surface is less than 104 square miles. It is a perfect triangle not quite 15 miles long and only a little over 7 miles wide at the widest point.  Easter Island possesses a characteristic marine, subtropical climate that is profoundly influenced by wind and maritime currents.  The average temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit with highs of 82 during the summer and between the high 50's and low 70's during the winter.  May is the wettest month although it can rain any time of the year.

Day 24 - Monday - Easter Island:  Today you'll begin discovering this mysterious island.  Choose from activities as offered to some of the main points of interest on the island. (B/L/D)

Day 25 - Tuesday - Easter Island:  Again today, in both the morning and afternoon, you'll continue visiting this intriguing island via the activities as offered by Explora. (B/L/D)

Day 26  - Wednesday - Easter Island - Santiago - Santa Cruz:  Morning transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago, arriving mid-afternoon.  Meeting upon arrival by your private guide and head south into the Colchagua Valley, home to many boutique vineyards.   You'll enjoy a three night stay at the charming and exclusive Casa Lapostolle Residence. (B/D)

Day 27 - Thursday - Santa Cruz:  This morning you will visit the Clos Apalta Winery, where gravity plays an important part in the making of Lapostolle's iconic wine, Clos Apalta.  In the afternoon you'll visit the small but excellent Colchagua Museum with many artifacts of the history of the area and the development of vineyards. (B/L/D)

Day 28 - Friday - Santa Cruz:  Today you'll spend the day visiting several of the wineries in the areas, including Vina Viu Manent, a family owned vineyard established in 1935 with 300 hectares dedicated to quality wines.  Enjoy lunch at the vineyard and then visit Vina Montes, one of the first "emerging" wineries which started operations only in 1988.  Today it exports to 67 countries and has been voted by Wine Spectator as Chile's top ranked Cabernet Sauvignon and highest ranked Syrah. (B/L/D)

Day 29 - Saturday Santa Cruz - Santiago:  Mid-day begin the return drive to Santiago, stopping en route at Casa Silva for lunch, visit and tasting before continuing on to the Santiago airport for your international departure flight. (B/L)

Day 30 - Sunday - Arrive Miami:  Morning arrival in Miami, clear customs and immigrations and make connections to your home city.

PLEASE NOTE - IMPORTANT:
The following Payment, Change and Cancellation Policies are for general information only.
This is a sample program which will be customized to fit your Trip Wishes, Travel Style and Parameters.
Your personal customized program will carry Terms & Conditions specifically applicable to your program's inclusions
and will be the governing Terms & Conditions.