Classic Chilean Adventure

Chile: Geographically the World's longest country, Chile is an incredibly diverse country, housing the Atacama Desert which is renowned for being the driest place on earth, some of the best vineyards in the New World of Wine, the Lake District littered with Volcanoes and the Patagonian south which boasts dramatic landscapes and glaciers. This itinerary will give you a fantastic introduction to all of these places and will leave you wanting to come back to explore some of the lesser trodden paths.


Tour Includes:

  • 6 domestic flights in economy class.
  • 2 nights in a 5 star hotel. 7 nights in boutique accommodation. 3 nights in a luxury tented camp. 2 nights at a wine lodge.
  • 14 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinner.
  • Private vehicle, normally a saloon car for one or two people. Some hotels provide their own transfers and will generally be on a shared basis.
  • Local English Speaking Guides for sightseeing on a private or shared basis, including all entrance fees.
  • Private transfers to and from all airports.


Departures: Daily

Flight Inclusive Price:
Based on return economy class flights with Lan Chile, from London Heathrow to Santiago. This will add 2 days onto your itinerary. UK Airport Passenger Duty and airport taxes are also included.

Tour Prices:
Whilst all best endeavours are made to ensure the prices for private journeys on our website are accurate - given the nature of peak season air supplements and fuel surcharges - prices given above may vary depending on departure date and availability.

How to book your Private Journey

Classic Chilean Adventure

Classic Chilean Adventure

Day 1: Santiago
On arrival to Santiago you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel in the city centre.

Day 2: Santiago
This morning your guide will meet you at your hotel to take you on a guided tour of Santiago, Chile's capital. You will be taken through some of Santiago's diverse neighbourhoods to visit highlights, such as the Cathedral on Plaza de Armas, the San Francisco Church, the Palacio Cousino, La Moneda Presidential Palace and you will also ride the funicular to the top of San Cristobal Hill to the Statue of the Virgin. (B)

Day 3: Santiago - Torres del Paine National Park
Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Punta Arenas, where you will be met and transferred to your accommodation just outside the Torres del Paine National Park on the shores of Lake Toro. Your next three days in the National Park will be spent enjoying excursions offered in small groups from Patagonia Camp. Excursions include a number of half day and full day treks in the National Park. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Torres del Paine National Park
Excursions in the National Park from Patagonia Camp. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Torres del Paine National Park
Excursions in the National Park from Patagonia Camp. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Torres del Paine National Park - Puerto Var
This morning you will be transferred back to the airport in Punta Arenas, a journey of approximately five hours. You will then fly to Puerto Montt in the Lake District and transferred to your accommodation in Puerto Varas. (B)

Day 7: Alercon Andino National Park
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the Alerco Andino National Park, where you will embark on a walk through the forest, spotting a variety of native trees including larches, the youngest of which are 50 years old. You will continue along the Sargazos Lagoon, reaching another larch forest noted for its 3,000 year old trees. Return to your hotel at the end of the day. (B)

Day 8: Puerto Varas to Pucon
Your driver will pick you up from your hotel this morning and drive you north through the Lake District to the town of Pucon, which has fantastic views to the nearby Villarrica Volcano. (B)

Day 9: Pucon
Today's excursion will be on a small group basis. You will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the base of the snow-capped Villarrica Volcano to begin the hike to the top. On reaching the summit you will rewarded with stunning panoramic views across the Lake District and also into the crater itself. You will be covering a distance of 6 miles in total and should expect to be walking for about 6 hours, all trekking equipment is provided. (B)

Day 10: Pucon - San Pedro de Atacama
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Calama, via Santiago. When you arrive in Calama you will be met by a representative of your hotel and taken to your accommodation in the small town of San Pedro de Atacama. (B, D)

Day 11: San Pedro de Atacama
Over the next couple of days you will be able to experience the sights and sounds of the Atacama Desert with expert guides from the hotel. There are a wide range of excursions to choose from catering for all levels of fitness, for example trekking in the Salt Mountain range and the Guatin and Puritama ravines, visiting the petroglyphs of Yervas Buenas and the Rio Grande village, not forgetting the Cejar Lagoon, Moon and Death Valleys and the sunrise trips to the Tatio Geysers, there are a huge range of excursions and activities to choose from. (B, L, D)

Day 12: San Pedro de Atacama
Full day of excursions in the desert from your hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 13: San Pedro de Atacama - Colchagua Valley
Morning transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago. On arrival you will be met and taken to your wine lodge in the Colchagua Valley, a journey of approximately two hours. Afternoon to enjoy a tour of your lodges' vineyards. (B)

Day 14: Colchagua Valley
Day to relax at the end of your trip. (B)

Day 15: Colchagua Valley - Santiago
Today you will be transferred back to Santiago where your tour will end, in time for your flight home. (B)

How to book your Private Journey

Classic Chilean Adventure

Without flights

DatesTypePrice Per PersonSingle Supplement 
1 Jan 12 - 31 May 12Adult Price From£4,705 £1,510 Make an Enquiry

With flights from the UK

DatesTypePrice Per PersonSingle Supplement 
1 Jan 12 - 31 May 12Adult Price From£5,615 £1,510 Make an Enquiry

* Please note the prices shown above are based on two persons sharing a twin or double room

Classic Chilean Adventure

Please select the regions you are interested in.

Aubrey Hotel

Santiago

The Aubrey Hotel is one of the newer additions to Santiago's range of hotels and offers something slightly different....

View Details

Casa Silva Hotel

Colchagua Valley

A gorgeous former hacienda this boutique hotel has been preserved in the original French style, it is a lovely, homely...

View Details

Alto Atacama Lodge

San Pedro de Atacama

Alto Atacama is located in the fertile Catarpe valley, just 3 kilometres away from the San Pedro plaza. The hotel has...

View Details

Antumalal Hotel

Pucon

On a wooded point overlooking the lake, between gardens, terraces, and waterfalls sits Hotel Antumalal -a lovely...

View Details

Patagonia Camp

Torres Del Paine

Patagonia Camp is a luxury tented lodge on the banks of the massive Lake Toro facing the dramatic Paine Massif, just 20...

View Details

How to book your Private Journey

WF Difference

Check out what makes us different from the rest

Read More…

WF Recommends

More useful information when travelling to:
Chile

Flight Information

There are no direct flights to Santiago from London. There most common route is usually via Madrid with Iberia which takes around 16hrs.

Useful Tips

• Pack layers for any trip to Chile as its length creates varying weather conditions

• For internal flights make sure you get a 'vista cordillera' seat to see the best views of the Andes from the air

• With 4300km of coastline try some seafood during your stay; Cantolla (king crab) is delicious

• Take sturdy walking boots for the Torres del Paine National Park to support your ankles

• A tripod is essential for taking night sky photos in the Elqui Valley and Atacama Desert

When To Go

With Chile being such a long country, its coastline is some 4,000 miles, the climate can vary enormously. Broadly speaking it is hot and dry in the north, warm and occasionally wet in the middle and cold in the south.

As one would expect the coastal areas are generally cooler and the rainy season is from May through to August. Like Argentina the mountainous lake district is cool most of the year with November - March being the most favourable time to visit, but also attracting the most visitors.

The Chilean side of Patagonia is as unpredictable as the Argentinean - Tierra del Fuego has summer temperatures as high as 11degrees in summer time but during the winter months is so cold that much of it becomes impassable for anyone other than mountaineers.

Chile is also home to one of the driest areas on the planet; The Atacama Desert which is hot weather all year round.

Off the coast is Easter Island with a tropical climate that can be heavily influenced by winds and ocean currents. January and February are generally the hottest months but it is largely fine all year round.

Packing List

Below is a list of general items you might take with you on a Wild Frontiers trip to Chile.

Luggage:
It is best to use a soft bag - rucksack/hold-all/duffel bag - so it can be transported and stored more easily.
A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main luggage is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions.

Clothing:
In general you should bring clothes you feel comfortable with, so as a guide we suggest a packing list like this:
• 4 x Light cotton shirts or T-shirts, short sleeved and long.
• 2/3 pairs of cotton trousers. If preferred, women can wear dresses and skirts
• 2 x Lightweight jumpers or sweatshirts
• Good quality fleece or warm jumper
• Warm jacket
• Down jacket or warm ski jacket
• Set of lightweight waterproofs (poncho provided)
• Warm nightwear
• Swim suit or trunks
• Gloves
• Warm Hat
• Wide brimmed sun hat or cap
• Change of clothing for the evenings
• An extra “outfit” if you’d like to dress up a bit on occasion
• Pair of recreational shoes (adventure sandals or trainers)

Equipment:
The following is useful extra equipment for your trip:
• Travel towel, travel soap and toiletries
• Torch and spare batteries (LED head-torch keeps your hands free)
• Pair of good quality sunglasses
• Water bottle
• Plug adapter (see ‘Electricity’ section)

Personal First Aid Kit:
• Any prescription medication required (please inform the tour leader at your pre-departure meeting about these)
• Antibacterial dry hand wash
• Painkillers: paracetamol & ibuprofen
• Rehydration salts (Gastrolyte)
• Travel motion-sickness tablets if required (e.g. natural ginger tablets)
• Diarrhoea remedies
• Antihistamines
• Cold/flu decongestants
• Mosquito Repellent
• Insect bite cream
• Laxatives
• Plasters/Bandage/Steri-Strips/Blister pads
• Sunscreen (30+ factor)
• Moisturiser/after sun cream/lip balm
• Contact lenses and solution if required
• Tweezers
(A kit with most of this in is available at www.nomadtravel.co.uk)

Optional Extras:
• Ear plugs (if sharing a room / camping)
• Alarm clock
• 3-4 plastic carrier bags are very useful for dirty washing, dirty shoes and rubbish
• Binoculars
• Small packs of tissues
• Money belt or secure pouch for money and passport etc.
• Eye patches if light affects your sleep
• Sewing kit/scissors
• Writing materials
• Spare batteries/camera memory cards
• Swiss Army knife
NB: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are rare. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Hand Luggage:
Although it is very rare that luggage goes missing on flights, it has been known to happen and so it’s a good idea to carry a spare top, toothbrush, wash kit, underwear and any other essentials in your hand luggage so that you can at least freshen up while waiting for your bags to catch you up. If you wear your sturdy shoes/boots it will also reduce weight in your luggage and keep them safe.

Practical Information

Time:
Chile is 3hrs behind GMT.
A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com

Food and Alcohol:
Food and alcohol " really means beef, lamb and wine " one of the treats of travelling to Chile. If you are a vegetarian or have special dietary needs you can also be catered for; however in South America the type of food may be limited. Please let us know your requirements as soon as possible so we can make any arrangements to cater for your needs.

Electricity:
Those bringing video & digital cameras that require battery chargers should also bring a 2-pin European-style adapter. In most hotels you can charge from the mains using a travel adaptor plug.

Money:
In Chile the unit of currency is the Peso.
To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com
A few points to help you plan:
• US dollars are the easiest to exchange in South America although all major currencies are manageable.
• Traveller’s cheques are only exchangeable in large towns and cities and incur a higher charge to do so.
• The cities are often similar to modern European locations and can take credit card payments and have ATM’s nearby.
• If using ATM machines, be sure to notify your bank before you travel, sometimes specific cards are required to work

Language & Religion:
While Spanish is the official language of Chile it is distinctly accented and quite unlike that of neighbouring South American countries. Other languages spoken are German in the south and English more frequently by the younger generation since mandatory teaching occurred within schools. Chile is a predominantly Christian country with 70% being Roman Catholic, 15% evangelical (referring to all non-catholic churches) and about 8% atheists or agnostics.

Cultural Sensitivity:
At Wild Frontiers we are very aware of the ethical impact tourism can have on ancient cultures. We realise that taking a group of tourists through such a region can have a negative impact on the lives of those who live there and on all our tours we therefore go to great lengths to minimise the negative and accentuate the positive…after all, there are also many good things that the tourist can bring.

To help this process we ask that our clients do not hand out pens or sweets to children. As one sign in Egypt emphatically put it, ‘Please don't make beggars out of our children!' No matter how well intentioned, in our opinion the dolling out of free gifts fosters a ‘beggar mentality' that is ultimately extremely destructive to a society. In addition we do not condone giving out money to beggars or ‘students'.

However, we also realise that we are exceptionally privileged to be travelling in areas where most of the people have far less than us and that the desire to ‘help' can be very powerful. As a result we ask that you refer to your trip dossier for information on the Wild Frontiers Foundation which supports specific projects in the areas where we travel.

Photography:
Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

Also many countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your film and/or camera confiscated.

K2 Trek and Baleygon School

View All