Santiago - Valparaiso - Vina del Mar - Balmaceda - Puerto Rio Tranquilo
Arrival to Santiago, welcome and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2. Santiago (Breakfast)Free day at leisure.
Day 3. Santiago (Breakfast)
After breakfast, a half day city tour of Santiago. At the Main Square (Plaza de Armas) view the Cathedral, Post Office and National Museum. Continue along the main avenue called "Alameda" to admire the San Francisco Church, the National Library. You shall also see the Mercado Central and is Santiago's most colourful market and home to many great seafood restaurants. A visit to San Cristobal by a cable-car ride for stunning views over Santiago.
In the afternoon, a visit to the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino) with its impressive collection of artefacts from ancient Central and South America.
After breakfast, a full day visit to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, lying on the coast of Chile. The trip will take you through the wine growing region of Casa Blanca Valley before arriving to the coast. Valparaiso is the largest port in South America but with a small town feel in the town centre. There is an interesting funicular railway and some marvelous views of the distant Andean Mountain range. The tour continues onto the up market resort town of Vina del Mar.
Return to Santiago
After breakfast, private transfer to Santiago airport for the 1pm flight to Balmaceda located in the Aysen region of Chile. Arrival at 3.30pm and transfer to the small fishing town of Puerto Rio Tranquilo, located on the shores of General Carrera Lake. The journey from the airport to the fishing town is around 4 hours along a part paved and part dirt track road. You will arrive at around 7.30pm and overnight. Accommodation at the Chelenko lodge or similar.
Day 6. Puerto Rio Tranquilo - Marble Caves (Breakfast)
Early start today as we recommend an early morning tour to the Marble Caves.
You have the option to take a boat tour or a kayak tour of which the boat tour is the fastest, at 2 hours duration. The kayak trip will last about 3 hours.
Chile's Marble Caves formed over the last 6000 years as water melted from the nearby glaciers filling up General Carrera Lake and washing up against these solid rocks which slowly carved out intricate caverns, columns, and tunnel systems. The tour will explore these amazing sites and as the weather is optimal is the mornings; we recommend a 7am or 8am start.
After the trip, you have a free day as the flight out of Balmaceda leaves at midday so you will leave tomorrow. There are other options for today including hikes and walks in the area.
Early departure (6am) after breakfast to arrive back to Balamaceda for 10am to take the noon flight to Punta Arena, at the very base of the South American continent. Arrival and transfer to Puerto Natales, some two hours drive, the gateway to the Torres Del Paine National Park, located in the fjords regions of southern Patagonia. Transfer to your hotel, HD Natales/Aquaterra or similar.
Day 8. Balmaceda Glacier and Serrano Glacier (Breakfast & Lunch)
After breakfast, a full day excursion by boat to the beautiful Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. Boxed lunch is included.
This boat trip through Ultima esperanza fjord at Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, leaves in the morning from the pier at Puerto Natales through the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park, one of the four largest national parks in the world whihc includes the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the largest mass of ice on the American Continent.
At the end of the fjord the boat will dock to allow passengers to take a half-hour walk along a lake to the viewing point for the Serrano glacier. Later in the afternoon we will return to Puerto Natales by the same route. Return to Puerto Natales and transfer to your hotel.
Today, a full day tour to the attractions of Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site and Chile's showpiece: a world biosphere reserve with all the diverse scenery of Alaska in only 180,000ha (444,600ac). The Torres Del Paine are spectacular granite pillars which soar almost vertically for more than 2000m (6560ft) above the Patagonian steppe. Today's visit will include the Milodon cave; where in 1896 the scientific world was fascinated by the discovery of skin, bones and other parts of an extinct animal, the Milodon or giant sloth (Mylodon Darwini). The tour continues with visits to Lake Sarmiento, Nordennskjold, Pehoe, and Lago Grey; site of the Grey Glacier. Overnight in the park itself, Hotel del Paine or similar.
Day 10. Chilean Patagonia - Lago Grey (Breakfast)Today you will embark on a boat to visit the Grey Glacier, famous for its spectacular radiant hues of blue ice and ice bergs in turquoise -grey water.You will also enjoy views of Paine Grande Mountain, Paine Massif and forests that border the lake. You may also see and hear pieces of glacier ice detach and fall into the water. Return to your hotel in Puerto Natales.
Day 11: Puerto Natales - Punta Arenas - Santiago (B)After breakfast, transfer back to Punta Arenas and to the airport for your return flight to Santiago and continuing flight home.
- 10 night's accommodation in at recommended 3* hotels, hostels and lodges with private bathroom, including breakfast
- All transfers, tours and excursions as per itinerary with local English speaking guides
- All meals as indicated
- Flight tickets: Santiago - Balmaceda - Punta Arenas - Santiago
- All entrance fees
- International air tickets
- Meals not indicated
- Additional tours
- Personal expenses such as telephone bills, laundry expenses, beverages, etc.
- Insurance against theft, loss, illness and/or accident
- Tips, baggage porterage and other extras not specified
For current availability contact us at info@amazingchile.com and we will send you the relevant trip dossier along with a 90 day fixed quote, terms and conditions.
