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17 Day itinerary in Chile, South America

A bit of adventure in Argentina and Chile

Chile and Argentina are countries with a thousand faces and this tour will allow you to get to know the real essentials. The tour departs from Santiago, the Chilean capital, where the new and the old mix to create a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. In the second stop we will bring you to the Atacama d... Read More

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MarioFranciscaChiaraGonzaloIsidoraPastor

By Mario, Francisca, Chiara, Gonzalo, Isidora and Pastor

Overview

Physical Difficulty

Average
help_outline

Recommended Age

Everyone

Operated in

English, Spanish

GUIDANCE

On Some Day Trips

starting point

Santiago

trip type

Private

trip attributes

Hiking

Kayak & Canoe

Rafting

Cycling

Nature & Wildlife

Start

Night

End

Highlights

1

Atacama desert

2

Patagonia

3

Iguazù falls

4

Buenos Aires

Itinerary

Basic expand_more

Day 1

place Walking tour in Santiago

After your arrival in Santiago by flight, you will meet or driver for a transfer to the hotel, where you can rest. In the afternoon the walking tour will start. Your private guide will pick you up from your hotel to accompany you to discover the city. We will visit the Santa Lucia and San Cristobal hill, the center of the city with the government building " La Moneda", Constitucion Square, Ahumada walk, Armas park and the Cathedral of Santiago among other locations. Then we will take an exciting trip and explore the views of the Bellavista, el Golf and Lastarria neighbourhoods.

Guide: Included for the day

Day 2

place Valparaiso and vineyard tour

Valparaiso is one of the most culturally rich cities in Chile. It was declared World Heritage in 2003 by the UNESCO due to its historical importance as it was the mainport in the Pacific during the year 1914. This city was a melting pot, and a place where people from France, England, Germany, Yugoslavia, Holland and Chile mixed . It stands out for its spontaneous architecture built on 41 colorful hills. In this tour,we will visit the “Concepción” and “Happy” hills, Sotomayor square and Valparaiso harbour. We will enjoy the best seafood on the harbor by visiting one of the local restaurants, where you can have lunch with a beautiful view of the ocean. In the afternoon we will go to visit the organic vineyard Emiliana where we will take a tour through the vineyards, where we’ll learn about organic and biodynamic agriculture, types of soils, the grape varieties planted, and characteristics of the Casablanca Valley’s climate, as well as spending time with our animals that add to the biodiversity that sustains our fields.The tour will end with the tasting of four different wines.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3

place Moon valley tour

Today we leave Santiago in direction to Calama. On arrival we will get trasfer by bus to San Pedro de Atacama where you do the check in in hotel. In the afternoon our local guide will pick you up to go to Moon Valley Tour (with sandboard option): This is an essential tour in your visit to San Pedro that invites you to take a tour along the Salt Range, enjoying direct contact with the dunes and salt and calcium sculptures of the Death Valley, contemplating the overwhelming view of the Kari gorge, and finishing the day in the formidable Moon Valley.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4

place Rainbow Valley Tour

On this day you will discover the heart of the Domeyko Mountain Range and its fantastic formations colored by its particular geology, as well as the green Pucará built as a defense by the ancestral inhabitants of the area thousands of years ago. Later in the day the tour will continue to Yerbas Buenas, an area with high anthropological value where you can admire petroglyphs more than 3.500 years old.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5

place Tatio Geysers and Puritama Hotsprings

At 04:30 am our local guide will pick you up from the hotel to visit the Tatio Geysers. The Tatio (from Kunza "tata-iu") meaning "Grandfather who weeps" is one of the highest Geyser field in the world. It is located in the Cordillera of the Andes noth est to San Pedro de Atacama and is the largest group of geysers in the southern hemisphere and the third largest in the world, after Yellowstone (USA) and Dolina Giezerow (Russia). The maximum expression of these fumaroles begins at dawn with temperatures reaching 85° C. On our return it is possible to observe local fauna and flora such vicuñas, llamas, ñandúes, vizcachas and the giant Cactus, llaretas, coirón. In addition, we will visit the small ancestral village of Machuca. Its inhabitants are mainly engaged in grazing and cheese production. We will end our excursion in Puritama Hotsprings: located in a large stone ravine. The place is designed to rest on a set of 8 pools of warm water which have a temperature between 25 to 30ºC. The water has medicinal and therapeutic properties as it is nourished from the minerals brought by the Puritama River. This wonder is an exception of nature in the middle of the most arid desert in the world.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6

place Flight to Punta Arenas: Patagonia here we are!

Today you will fly to Punta Arenas, both transfers to and from the airport are included in the service. On arrival to Punta Arenas you will be brought to the hotel and have the rest of the day free.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7

place Isla Magdalena by boat

At 13.00 our guide will pick you up at the hotel to bring you at the port Muelle Prat to depart at 14.00. Magdalena Island is home to one of the largest colonies of Magellanic Penguins, with more than 150,000 specimens. During the navigation it is possible to see Southern Dolphins and Commerson's dolphins. Once there you can disembark for about an hour, to walk and interact with the colony and visit the lighthouse that is located in the same place. At the end of the visit, we return to Muelle Prat, arriving around 19.00. From there you will transfer to Puerto Natales, arriving around 22.00.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8

place Hike to Torre del Paine

Departure from Puerto Natales at 07:00 am and direct transfer to Las Torres sector where we will arrive at "Reserva Cerro Paine", starting point of the trail. There we will receive a briefing from our guide. Start of the hike. We take the path in the direction of the valley and after a 10 minute walk, we will walk over an old suspension bridge that crosses the Ascencio River. About 150 metres further on, a fork appears: to the left it leads to the Base Las Torres. Then follows a zigzag with a steep slope and sparse vegetation for an hour. The ascent continues and passes by another slope and after 45 minutes you reach the Chilean campsite on the opposite bank of the Ascencio River, in the shade of a lenga forest, with a moderate slope, crossing several slopes that fall from the Almirante Nieto. After about an hour and 10 minutes from the Chilean campsite, at 700 m.a.s.l., you reach the foot of the moraine that gives access to the viewpoint. From this point, the path becomes steeper. First it goes along a slope and under the shade of the small trees located on the edge of the moraine, but further up the path is lost as such and you have to continue ascending among the rocks, some of which are marked to show the route. After about half an hour from the signpost at 700 m above sea level, you reach the eastern end of the lagoon, from where you have a wonderful view of the three towers (Central, Monzino, Dagostini) and the Peineta and Nido de Cóndores hills. After resting and having lunch in this extraordinary and unique scenic context, we start our return by the same path until we reach the starting point, where our driver will be waiting for us to return to Puerto Natales at the end of the day.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9

place Transfer to El Calafate and Gauchos experience

In the morning we leave Chile for Argentina. One of our driver will bring you to the bus station to take a bus. Arrival in El Calafate in the afternoon. At 17.00 we will visit the Estancia 25 de Mayo, a typical Argentinian ranch. The visit will start with a presentation of the life of gauchos and their work together with tea and food. The visit will continue with a small walk in the farm to share some activities with sheeps and dogs. The night will end with a proper Argentinian asado and a traditional show.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner, Snacks

Day 10

place Perito Moreno by boat

We will start our activity within Los Glaciares National Park, located 80 km from the city of El Calafate. The tour starts at the hotel where our guide will pick you up in the morning. On the way to the glacier, the guide will tell the history and main characteristics of the Glacier and the entire national park. When you reach the first balcony of the glacier and in front of the map of the same, the different trails will be explained to you and then each one will be able to walk as they wish, and at their own pace. Then we will take a boat for approximately 1 hour. This undoubtedly complements your visit to be dazzled by the magnitude of its landslides, not only from the height of the walkways, but now from the level of the lake: the front of the Glacier ranges between 40 and 80 meters high above the lake level.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 11

place The Fitz Roy

In the morning we will leave El Calafate to arrive in the Argentinian capital of outdoors activities: El Chalten. Upon arrival we will check in the hotel and have free time to start trekking in one of the paths. Optional: kayaking in El Chalten At 3 pm you will head towards the Rio de Las Vueltas which rises from the Lago del Desierto at 506 meters above the sea level. This river reaches the Marconi and Torre glaciers, so the water is rather cold (between 5 and 7 degrees). During the summer and spring the water inflow level is about 52.35 m³ / s and allows navigation to the Rio Fitz Roy to enjoy the landscape. Upon arrival at the village where you will begin the descent, the tour operator will deliver you all the technical equipment: thermal suit, wetsuit, helmet, life jacket and neoprene boots. Once ready, you will be transferred to the river entrance and the adventure will begin! The first part of the river (4 km) is calm and peaceful to begin to familiarize with the rowing and the rafting technique. The second part is inside a canyon and a series of fun rapids will begin for a total length of 8 km. At the end of the descent we will cover another 2 km of calm waters and then return to El Chalten.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12

place Free day to hike in El Chalten

From El Chalten there are two paths to the Torre Lagoon which come together after a 5-minute walk. The trail enters to the valley of the Fitz Roy River and follows it up to the source. After just 15 minutes you will reach the first viewpoint which offers an impressive view of Cerro Solo, the Adela mountain range, Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy. Beyond the canyon you can see the Marfarita waterfalls. Halfway through the route you will reach the second viewpoint on the Andes and Cerro Torre. The route then arrives at the De Agostini base camp where it is possible to spend the night with the tent. After the base camp you will reach the crest of the mountain from which you can continue to the Laguna Torre. After another 2 km you will reach the Maestri viewpoint. In the lagoon there are usually numerous icebergs that come off the Grande glacier.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 13

place Flight to Puerto Iguazù

Today we transfer to the airport to fly to Puerto Iguazù in the extreme north of Argentina. Check in in hotel

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 14

place The Argentine side of the Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls are the main attraction in the province of Misiones and throughout Argentina. The many paths found within the park will allow you to discover the falls from many different points of view. The low path will leave you in contact with nature, while the high path will show you the waterfalls from a panoramic point of view, especially on the famous Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat). On this day you will leave in the morning for a train tour of the upper part and in the afternoon you will enjoy the walk in the lower part. In the afternoon you will enter the jungle from the Yacaratiá trail on a special vehicle to cross the forest. You will be accompanied by a bilingual guide (Spanish / English) who will tell you about the flora and fauna of the place. After 5 km you will arrive in Puerto Macuco to take the ship that will take you to visit the lower part of the Iguazu River for 6 km until you get right under the falls. The duration of the boat ride is approximately 2 hours.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 15

place The Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls

The Iguaçu National Park, created in 1939,has the largest Atlantic forest in southern Brazil. The tour, which will depart at 7.30am from your hotel, will take you to visit the scenic trails on the Brazilian waterfalls. The total distance is 1.2 km to reach a spectacular viewpoint. The most important parts of the Brazilian side are four: Floriano, Deodoro da Fonseca, Benjamin Constant and the Salto União (Garganta del Diablo). Once the walk is over, you will take the panoramic lift that will take you back to your vehicle. In the afternoon you will continue your tour at the bird park where you can see the native species of the area up close.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 16

place Bike tour in Buenos Aires

Arrival in Buenos Aires from Puerto Iguazù in the morning and check in at the hotel with private transfer from the airport (probable afternoon check in after the bike ride). The bike tour of the city will begin at the Obelisk. You'll start by visiting Lezama Park, where Buenos Aires locals stop for a chat while the kids play ball. You will then enter Boca, the characteristic Italian district, full of colors and murals and then arrive in Puerto Madero, the most modern district of the city but which has one of the few city natural reserves in the world. You will pedal inside the park to enjoy the peace and quiet in the financial heart of the capital. Leaving the park you will head to the city center to admire the Plaza de Mayo, the cathedral, the Cabildo and the Casa Rosada.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Day 17

place Flight back home

Flight back home. Transfer to airport included.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s Included

Meals expand_less

  • Breakfast (16)
  • Lunch (1)
  • Dinner (1)
  • Snacks (1)

Transport expand_less

  • All transport included

Activities expand_less

  • Walking tour in Santiago
  • Valparaiso and vineyard tour
  • Moon Valley tour
  • Rainbow Valley Tour
  • Tatio Geysers and Puritama Hotsprings
  • Isla Magdalena by boat
  • Hike in Torres del Paine
  • Gauchos experience Estancia 25 de Mayo
  • Perito Moreno by boat
  • Iguazu Falls: Argentinian and Brazilian sides
  • Bike tour in Buenos Aires

Not Included expand_less

  • All meals if not differently indicated

About Mario

TEAM LEAD

+5 Local experts

verified Baboo Certified

star_outline 5 (9 reviews)

Expertise: 

Cycling

Skiing/Snowboarding

Hiking

Rafting

Snorkeling/Diving

Visit markets

Meet local people

Indigenous culture

Yoga

Meditation

Wellness retreat

Psychedelic Ceremonies

Kayak & Canoe

Purposeful Travel

Nature & Wildlife

Food & Culinary

I design trips since 9 years ago with all my customers satisfied. And of course that some problems can appear into a travel as a flight delay or an earthquake, but what make the difference is to be there with them finding the best solutions.

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