Chile and Easter Island

Meet at Santiago de Chile International Airport and transfer to the centre of Chile's beautiful capital, founded in the mid-16th century by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia and named after St. James. We begin with a tour of Santiago de Chile, picturesquely set against the backdrop of the snow-capped six-thousanders of the Andes - Tupungato, Marmolejo and Nevado el Plomo, from whose foothills it is only 50km away. The Chilean capital surprises not only with its welcoming and smiling inhabitants, but also with its elegant and temperamental Latin American atmosphere. Our panoramic tour of Santiago includes the city's most famous sights: the Presidential Palace La Moneda, the Plaza de Armas with its historic buildings and the Cathedral, the Santa Lucia Hill with the remains of an ancient Indian fortress. The tour includes lunch at a local fish restaurant, soft drinks and coffee. Transfer to hotel NH Ciudad de Santiago 4*  with an excellent location in the center of the metropolis, in a quiet and safe area. Free time for dinner and overnight.

(Air tickets are not included in the package price).

After breakfast take a bus up to San Cristobal Hill and a photo stop at the top, from where a beautiful panoramic view is revealed. Next, travel along the Pan-American Highway to the Maipo Valley, located in a southerly direction not far from Santiago and known as the best wine region in Chile. Passing through the picturesque towns of Bruin and Alto Howell we will reach the wine estate of one of Chile's largest wine exporters, Santa Rita Estate. The company was officially founded in 1880 by Don Domingo Fernandez Concha, but as early as the turn of the century there were reports of fertile vineyards being cultivated on the site. Next, stroll through the gorgeous gardens designed by French landscape architect Renner, explore the winery and tasting of a selection of premium Chilean wines. Lunch included, with a three-course menu prepared by the estate's chef, paired appropriately with the wine selection.

Return to the hotel and free time. Overnight.  

After breakfast, free day in Santiago for independent exploration of Chile's beautiful capital with time to visit selected museums, stroll, sample culinary specialties and soak in the city's colorful atmosphere.

Optional - join a group with an English-speaking guide for a half-day excursion to the Pacific coast. Visit Chile's largest port city Valparaiso and resort Vigna del Mar. Because of its numerous cultural monuments, Valparaiso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known as the city of Chile's greatest poet, Pablo Neruda.

Return to Santiago. Free time for dinner and overnight.

Early transfer to Santiago airport for direct flight to Calama.

Kalama is a major gateway to the Atacama Desert, the world's saltiest and driest desert. Transfer to the oasis in which the town of San Pedro de Atacama is located and check in at the hotel. Kimal 4*. In the afternoon visit the most unique creation of Atacama - Moon Valley. For thousands of years, water and wind have sculpted strange and bizarre shapes in the rocks and salt layers, which captivate with their stark beauty during the day, and at sunset they are bathed in a mysterious light and seem to come to life. Visit the Three Marys rock formation, where nature has immortalised the figure of the Virgin Mary in three different poses. Next, climb the incredible 1 km long sand dune and welcome the sunset in the desert. Free time for dinner at a local restaurant and overnight.

Breakfast. Free time to explore the town centre: the main square Plaza de Armas, Church of San Pedro, declared a national monument in 1951 and Pedro de Valdivia's house - the founder of Santiago.

Optional full-day excursion to the largest salt lake in Chile - Salar de Atacama, inhabited by rare species of flamingos. Then we continue to Altiplano lagoons, located at an altitude of 4200 m, brimming in incredible blue colours, which reflect the white caps of the volcanic peaks. Lunch in the town of Sokaire or picnic lunch included. Return to San Pedro and overnight.

Breakfast and free time to explore the charming town or you can visit the meteorite museum on your own. It contains hundreds of meteorite pieces discovered during scientific expeditions in the vast desert region of the Atacama. You can sign up for additional activities according to your interests. Depending on the meteorological conditions, you will be offered an excursion to the salt lagoons of Sekhar or the stunningly beautiful Baltianach lagoon, as well as a night astronomy tour.

Optional morning excursion to El Tatio Geysers, about 80 km from the town of San Pedro. El Tatio is the highest geothermal field in the world - 4300 m above sea level. When the cold earth greets the first rays of the sun, you will watch an impressive natural show of the erupting spray and hot steam of more than 80 geysers. The boiling water that pops from fissures in the earth's crust is so hot you could boil an egg in it. The desert field of El Tatio is surrounded by cones of volcanoes over 6,000 metres high, whose peaks are covered with snow. Observing this incredible scenery, one feels a sense of awe at the natural elements.

At night you will have the unique opportunity to explore the starry sky in the heart of the desert - an incredible experience at the most important international observatory! One of the most powerful telescopes in the world is at your disposal to observe the Milky Way, the craters of the Moon, the rings of Saturn and many other celestial phenomena. Overnight.

Breakfast. Departure from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama airport. Flight to Santiago, meet and check into hotel NH Ciudad de Santiago 4*. Free time for walk and dinner. Overnight.  

Early transfer to Santiago airport for the 09:35 flight to Easter Island.. Arrival at 12:55 at Mattaweri airport, traditional orchid garland welcome, transfer to the main town of Hanga Roa and check in at hotel Hare Nua 4*. Afternoon visit to the ceremonial complex Ahu Tahai - one of the oldest stone platforms with statues dating back to the 7th century, where we will begin our journey into the mystical world of a long lost local culture. The locals call the island Rapa Nui, which literally translated means „Bright Spot in the Distance". Having become extremely attractive to many people all over the world, Easter Island still presents a mystery to explorers and generates controversy among them, both about the origins of the natives and their way of life, and about the hundreds of colossal figures (called moai) that dot the entire island. Almost all of the island has been declared a national park. Since 1995 Easter Island has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Overnight.

After breakfast, the island tour begins with a tour of the Waihu with numerous reclining giant statues; we continue with the The Way of the Moai; Rano Raraku volcano with the quarries from where most of the huge „moai” were carved; Ahu Tongariki with the 15 giant statues rebuilt after a huge tidal wave toppled them in 1960. Visit the beach Anakena. Lunch included in the tour. Afternoon return to hotel and free time.

In the evening, an optional visit to a local traditional Polynesian dance show. Overnight.

After breakfast, visit the Rano Cao volcano, whose crater is occupied by a huge lake, and the Orongo Cultural Center, located near it. See the dozens of petroglyphs (stone inscriptions and drawings) of the deity Make-make and enter the caves of Ana Kai Tangata and Ahu Winapu. Important! Entering these caves is not possible for people with mobility difficulties. Free time for lunch. Next visit Ahu Akivi, the only place in the interior of the island where seven statues and a quarry are located facing the sea Puna Pau. Evening free time and overnight.

Breakfast and free time before lunch for one last walk on this mystical island. Afternoon transfer to Mataveri airport for return flight to Santiago at 14:40. Landing in Santiago at 21:10. Meet and transfer to hotel near the airport. Overnight.

Breakfast and check-out from the hotel. Transfer to the airport.

End of program.