Chile in Winter is for anyone who wants to combine skiing with outdoor adventure, desert, lagoons, geysers, flamingos and beaches. This tour is for individuals but provides private guided ski tours and guided excursions in San Pedro de Atacama, Cajon del Maipo and Valparaiso.
Starting with a visit to Santiago, famous for its world class ski resorts located in the Andes. You will explore those ski resorts and do some active skiing/snowboarding. Your stay in Santiago will be combined with some outdoor adventure, you will raft down the river of the Cajon del Maipo, where your effort will be rewarded with an amazing adrenalin rush and some stunning views of the canyon. After you rafting experience you will have a short safety briefing about how to handle the horses before starting the horseback adventure, accompanied by a local arriero (Chilean cowboy), and your guide both of whom will be able to share with you their vast knowledge of the region.
Besides the adventure you will also visit the famous city of Valparaiso, famous for its colorful houses and funiculars. Of course a visit to a vineyard in this new world wine country can not be missed! After all the adventure and wine tasting you will head to the driest desert in the world, visiting San Pedro de Atacama. From snow to desert, salt flats to geysers, flamingos to beaches, you will experience all this in 15 days. Discover Chile in a different season, explore Chile in winter time!
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival Santiago, free day. You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel in Santiago. You will stay in a lovely hotel, in the center of Providencia. Your trip will start here in Santiago where you can spend some time to explore the friendly and lively capital of Chile, surrounded by the Andes. Includes: (Transfer Airport – Hotel; Accommodation in Hotel Bonaparte, Santiago).
Day 2: Ski Valle Nevado. You will leave your hotel early in the morning and within about an hour of leaving the city we will have ascended to a height of around 3000m from where there are amazing views of the mountains and the Central Valley. We will head to Valle Nevado, one of the most modern ski resorts in South America. Here you will be able to enjoy a full day of snowboarding or skiing in an area consisting of a wide variety of pistes suitable for a range of different abilities, as well as easily accessible off piste runs for those who enjoy the powder. There is also a Snow Park and a half pipe. Finally in the evening we will return to Santiago after an action-packed day in the mountains.
Day 3: Free Day Santiago.(Optional Skiing). Today you will have a full day free to go skiing again (optional) or explore the culture and architecture of Santiago. You may choose to take the Teleferico cable car up San Cristobal hill from where you have an amazing view over the city, to check out the cultural heritage in Santiago, visiting the main sights of Plaza de Armas, La Moneda and Santa Lucia, a hill in the center of Santiago that has turned into a beautiful park with lovely architecture. Head to the Mercado Central (the local fish market) for lunch - its one of the best places in Santiago to eat some typical seafood dishes. At night you can go exploring in the bohemian "Barrio Bellavista", which its many bars and restaurants a nice place to spend the evening and enjoy some Chilean wines.
Day 4: Skiing/Snowboarding Portillo. This excursion to Portillo is a journey high into the Andes. Portillo is located 145km north of Santiago, close to the Argentine border and is the summer training ground for many of the international ski teams. It is nestled in a high Andean valley between the peaks of Ojos de Agua (4.239 meters) and La Parva (4.852 meters). The highest mountain in the Americas, Aconcagua (6.957 meters) is also very close by. We will leave Santiago early in the morning so we can make the most of the day in Portillo. Once we have arrived at the resort, you will be able to enjoy the slopes which have made Portillo one of the most famous ski centers in South America and the world. Surrounded by mountains and with spectacular views, this will be a once in a lifetime experience. 80% of the terrain is groomed each day while the most difficult areas are left in their natural state for expert skiers and snowboarders.
Day 5: San Pedro de Atacama – Valle de la Luna. Today we have an early start in order to catch our 06.30am flight to Calama (2 hrs). Arriving in Calama you will be met by a transfer to take your hotel in the oasis desert town San Pedro de Atacama. The driest desert in the world has a collection of secrets just waiting to be discovered. At around 3pm we will depart San Pedro heading for the "Cordillera de la Sal" and Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). The valleys are the product of mineralogical folds that occurred hundred of millions years ago, creating little mountains with strange shapes which the sunset turns into a lunar landscape. Walking up a large sand dune, we will settle in a wonderful location from which to watch the sunset. Note: Bring warm clothing for the evening.
Day 6: Lagunas Altiplanicas – Salar de Atacama. Being picked up from your hotel in San Pedro, your first stop of the day will be Toconao, a traditional Andean village 38 km south of San Pedro where the original architecture in Liparita stone can still be seen and the old church is particularly lovely. Here in Toconao, you can discover what it is like to live in this region by both exploring the village and meeting its people who spend their time making handicrafts from fine wool. From here you will continue to the Quebrada de Jerez where you can paddle in the cool stream before continuing on our journey to the great Salar de Atacama (Salt plains) where you will visit the Chaxa Lagoon, part of the Flamingo National Reserve. Geological studies have suggested that this great salar is the most important lithium reserve in the world, holding about 40% of the world’s lithium. Your journey continues to the high plateau Miscanti-Meñique Lagoons. These lagoons are located at 4.500m above sea level and are home to a variety of flora and fauna which exist only in these protected areas. The variety of colors in the landscape makes the area stunningly beautiful. The height of the lagoons means that we are that much closer to the mountains and volcanoes and so will have some spectacular views of them. Some of them are sacred for the indigenous people and have inspired the many mysterious legends of the Atacama Desert. On the way back you will visit the town of Socaire, a village where the ancient traditions of the people are still in use today and shepherds and farmers cultivate the "pachamama" using the old system of Andean terraces.
Day 7: Sand boarding. You’ve been skiing or snowboarding in Chile, and now it’s time for you to give another board sport a try as you go sand boarding. At 09.00 o´clock in the morning you will leave your hotel and pick up your sand board equipment and you will head towards Valle del Muerte (Death Valley) where you can practice 3 hours sliding down the steep sand dunes.
Day 8: Tatio Geysers and Andean Villages. At 4:00 in the morning you will travel to the highest geothermic area in the Andean Range, the Tatio Geysers. Located 4,300m above sea level, these columns of steam rise to a height of 50m and are surrounded by amazing colorful scenery. The area is home to many animal species including the Vicuña, a type of South American camelid, which is very well adapted to living in these harsh conditions. The geysers have been formed by Andes melt water filtering through the Earth’s crust to the hot core where on coming into contact with the magma, it boils and becomes steam which rises back to the surface and forms steam columns and hot springs. Later in the day you will visit the village of Caspana where traditional agricultural and irrigation techniques inherited from the Incas are still used. Here you will see the terraces where many different types of fruit are grown and then sold in nearby towns.
Days 9 - 11: Arica. Early in the morning your bus will arrive in Arica, one of the most northern cities of Chile. This beautiful beach resort gives you the chance to relax and reflect on the amazing things you have done so far. You can watch the pelicans eating fish and the sea lions sunbathing in the harbor. If you are a hardcore surfer you can rent a surfboard and try to catch some waves in the pacific ocean, or just lie back and catch some rays at the beach. On Tuesday you will take your return flight back to Santiago (optional flight times), where a transfer is arranged to take you back to your hotel.
Day 12: Day Free in Santiago. Includes: (Breakfast, Accommodation in Hotel Bonaparte, Santiago).
Day 13: Valparaiso and Vineyard. On our way to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, we will stop at a vineyard in the Casablanca Valley, Viña Mar. This vineyard is separated from the coast by just 18km, a location that has played a crucial role in developing the Viña Mar wines. The tour involves visiting the wine making facilities, the vineyards and then having the chance to sample some of the wines for which Viña Mar is famous. We will then drive to the coastal city of Valparaíso, known as "the jewel of the Pacific" and famous for its funiculars which transport you up into the hills from where there are always spectacular views. We will visit the port, the financial district, the squares and the monuments. By taking a walk on Concepción Hill you will have the chance to discover the small alleys and appreciate the city’s views which make Valparaíso so special. On our arrival in the city of Vina del Mar, we will visit some of the main streets, neighborhoods, museums and palaces. Before returning to Santiago, we will travel along the coast from where we can enjoy the beaches and a quick look to the seaside resort known as Reñaca.
Day 14: Rafting and Horse Riding Cajon del Maipo. We will leave Santiago early in the morning and head towards Cajón del Maipú, a canyon at the entrance to the Andes mountain range where you will be able to enjoy the fresh air and wonderful natural setting of the canyon, looking out for the native flora and fauna, admiring the spectacular view of the snowy mountains. We will meet the rafting team, where they will give us our gear and a safety brief to prepare us for the descent. The Alto Maipo is a 24 km-descent with class III - IV rapids depending on the water levels. This adventure offers you a unique and exciting experience, where your effort will be rewarded with an amazing adrenalin rush and some stunning views of the canyon. Alter a snack lunch; we will take the road to the San Gabriel sector. During the spring it is possible to see condors flying at a great height in search of food and there have also been sightings of pumas in the area. Upon arrival at San Gabriel we will have a short safety briefing about how to handle the horses before we start the horseback adventure, accompanied by a local arriero (Chilean cowboy), and your guide both of whom will be able to share with you their vast knowledge of the region. The ride can be as calm and tranquil as you wish, or for those with a little more experience horse riding, we can head up the mountain side to see more spectacular views from high up in the canyon. We head back to our base, where we will dismount the horses and have chance to relax and enjoy a delicious barbecue with our hosts. Enjoy a typical Chilean asado (BBQ) as you taste real mountain life, listening to stories by the local arrieros before returning to Santiago.
Day 15: Departure home. Includes: (Breakfast, airport transfer).
Notes:
- Good quality ski equipment rental is available. It would be recommendable to collect ski equipment the night before to save time in the morning
- Bring warm clothes, due to the high altitude it is very cold.
Tourism Policy:
- We believe in generating incomes for local communities by visiting locally owned restaurants and shops. We also try to use local guides where possible
- During our trips and expeditions we encourage our clients to act responsibly and respect the local community, which in turn will help them to gain a greater understanding and insight of the local customs
- We choose to use campsites owned and managed by local communities
- We work in conjunction with our partners on the ground to implement the highest standards
- We always take economic, environmental and cultural factors into account when considering new
destinations
- We aim to ensure that our type and scale of tourism is appropriate to the local conditions and operates within the limits set by the local community with regards to its infrastructure and capacity
for receiving visitors
- We aim to take responsibility for maintaining and, if possible, improving the natural environment
- We aim to minimize our impact on the atmosphere and local water systems during our expeditions
and day treks
- We always aim to take all our litter home
- We aim to give environmental and economic considerations equal weight
- We will provide our staff with regular and ongoing training about the principles and practices of
responsible tourism
- We provide our guides with instructions on how to act in the natural environment, encourage them to teach these guidelines to our clients during our tours
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices:
Price based on 2 people - 1769$ per person
Price based on 4 people - 1575$ per person
Price Includes:
- 4 airport transfers Santiago
- 8 nights in 4 star Hotel in Santiago: Hotel Bonaparte, Standard
double room, breakfast
- 1 Private Excursion to Valle Nevado (Full Day)
- 1 Private Excursion to Portillo (Full Day)
- 1 Regular excursion Valle de la Luna (Half Day)
- 1 Regular excursion Lagunas Altiplanicas (Full Day)
- 1 Regular excursion Sand boarding (Half Day)
- 1 Regular excursion Tatio Geysers (Full Day)
- 1 Private Excursion to Viña del Mar / Valparaiso (Full Day)
Including 1 wine tour and tasting Viña Casablanca
- 1 Private Excursion rafting and horse riding Cajon del Maipo, (Full day).
Price Excludes:
- International and national flights
- travel insurance
- overnight bus to Arica
- transfers in Arica
- ski tickets
- ski equipment.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Chile
Skiing & Snowboarding
Desert Expeditions
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