Yampu Latin America Tours » Chile » Santiago and Atacama

Starting Price:	$3,117.00
Trip Length:	7 days

San Pedro Church

Salar Talar

Atacama

Santiago and Atacama

Description Pricing Itinerary Hotels

San Pedro de Atacama is the place to visit for history buffs, as it is full of incredible archeological treasures. This is where a Jesuit priest from Belgium spent many years uncovering the secrets of the Atacameno Indians. The museum he founded brings in people, such as Yampu travelers, from all over the world to view its many fascinating exhibits. San Pedro’s scenery is sensational as well, with the Andes Mountain range providing a fabulous backdrop to the town. We will also spend two days in Santiago to visit this fascinating and modern city. Near Santiago we may visit Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, Valle Nevado, Isla Negra and the Pablo Neruda Museum or the wineries Cousińo Macul winery and Concha y Toro.

This trip can be customized to fit your individual travel dates and any specific requests you may have. Your travel consultant will prepare a customized itinerary for you. We offer a choice of 3, 4, 5-star and deluxe hotels. The Deluxe option is with the newly built Ritz Carlton Hotel in Santiago.

This tour includes international airfare from Miami (US), on non-holiday dates. You do not need to fly via Miami; Yampu will fly you the most direct way to your city of destination. Depending on your travel dates and proximity of travel, we will quote you the most economical surcharge from your city or country of origin.

Additional information on this trip:

Days of Week the Trip can Start:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Visited Cities:
Santiago, San Pedro de Atacama

Day 1

Overnight flight to Santiago.

Day 2

Reception at Santiago airport and transfer to your selected hotel in the heart of the city. Afternoon, tour Santiago. A journey through the main streets of Santiago, viewing the neoclassical Moneda Palace, built in the 18th century and current seat of government, the Plaza de Armas, or main square with its cathedral, the Museum of National History and the Central Post Office, all with very different architectural styles. Continue to the Parque Forestal, based on the Champs d’Elysee in Paris, the Fine Arts Museum and Santa Lucia Hill, where the city was founded in 1541. Continue to the bohemian area of Bellavista and climb San Cristobal Hill for a panoramic view of the city with the Andes Mountains in the background. The tour finishes with a visit to the handicraft village of Los Graneros del Alba (closed Mondays; an alternative is chosen). Return to your hotel.
Note: check-in is normally after 2 pm. Early check-in may be granted subject to availability (not confirmed).

Day 3

Full day of touring around Santiago. On this day, you may choose from one of the following excursions:
Vina del Mar and Valparaiso
Valle Nevado
Isla Negra - Pablo Neruda Museum
Cousińo Macul and Concha y Toro wineries

Day 4

Santiago - San Pedro de Atacama - Moon Valley
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Calama. Reception at the airport in Calama and transfer to the town of San Pedro de Atacama.

Afternoon, half-day Moon Valley excursion Departing at 3 pm (5 pm in the summer), this trip takes us through the Salt Mountain Range, visiting the Valley of Mars (also known as Death Valley) and the Three Marias - natural rock formations in the desert. We end up by climbing a huge sand dune in the Moon Valley, from which we will watch the sunset over the Andes. Evening, return to San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 5

Tulor, Quitor, Atacama Salt Lake and Toconao
Morning, half-day archeological tour to Tulor and Quitor. Departure at 9 am to visit the Padre Gustavo Le Paige Museum, which has an important anthropological collection of the Atacemeńan culture. Then continue to the indigenous fortress of Quitor where the first shepherds of this civilization lived. Continue on to one of the “ayllus” or settlements which reflect the social system and communal aspects of this subsistence society and the ruins of Tulor, which is composed of a series of round rooms connected to each other and with communal patios. Today, this site is covered partly by the sands of the desert and represents an archeological enigma.

Afternoon, half-day excursion to the Atacama Salt Lake and Toconao Upon leaving San Pedro de Atacama (3 pm in the winter, 4 pm in the summer), we head along the side of the huge salt flat and continue until arriving at Toconao, a village where the inhabitants dedicate themselves to the working of the local liparite stone. Visit the old church and wander around the handicraft shops before a short visit to the Jeri Valley, an oasis in the center of the desert. Continue to the Chaxa Lagoon, where three types of pink flamingoes breed. Return to San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 6

Full day Tatio Geysers with Machuca Village
Early departure (around 4:00am) from San Pedro towards the El Tatio Geysers. A guided walk around the geothermal field as the fumaroles of steam which appear at dawn rise into the sky. Journey through the Andes mountains, with wonderful views of the Putana volcano and the peaks of Torcopuri. Return to San Pedro, stopping on the way to visiting Machuca, picturesque village of shepherds where the ancient llama caravans used to rest from their travels on the "Inca Highway".

Day 7

San Pedro - Calama - Santiago
Morning of leisure. Transfer to Calama airport to take the flight to Santiago and connect with international flight back home.

Suggested Hotels by City and Category *

Santiago
3-star	Diego de Almagro, Panamericano or similar.
4-star	Orly, Galerias Santiago or similar.
5-star	Santiago Marriott, Bosque Park & Suites or similar.
Airport	Holiday Inn Express (Santiago Airport), across from the airport
Deluxe	Ritz Carlton, Grand Hyatt Regency, San Cristobal Tower or similar.
San Pedro de Atacama
3-star	Hosteria San Pedro
4-star	Hotel Altiplanico, Kimal or similar.
5-star	Hotel Alto Atacama, Tierra Atacama B&B or similar.
Deluxe	Hotel Tierra Atacama - All Inclusive (2 nights minimum). Includes: - American breakfast, lunch and dinner, open bar and excursions.

* Subject to confirmation at time of booking

7 days , from $3117

Occupancy Type	3-star	4-star	5-star	Deluxe
Double	$3117	$3258	$3703	$4131
Single	$4133	$4326	$5002	$5550

Prices shown above are per person, in US Dollars ($).

Prices include air transportation from Miami to Santiago in economy class, domestic air from Santiago to Calama return, hotel accommodation including daily continental breakfast, lodge accommodation at the Hotel Altiplanico in San Pedro, all transfers between airports and hotels with assistance and baggage handling, and guided tours including all entrance fees, where applicable. Local airport taxes that are payable in the country of destination are not included. Taxes and security fees that can be paid at time of ticketing are already included in the quote (if airfare has been included in the quote).

Excursions around Santiago
Full day excursion to Vina del Mar and Valparaiso
Depart for the Central Coast traveling through the valleys of Curacaví and Casablanca. The latter is known for its recent success as a wine producing area and there is a stop to visit one of the vineyards and taste some wine. Continue to the coast and visit the beach area of Reńaca and the town of Vina del Mar, known as the Garden City for its pretty parks and flower lined streets. Visit the Gaming Casino and the coastal road. In the afternoon continue to the picturesque port of Valparaiso built in the XVI century on a total of 43 hills which are reached by narrow windy streets, staircases and a series of lifts (funiculars) which is now declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Site because of its eclectic architecture and urban development. Visit the Museum house of Pablo Neruda, La Sebastiana. The house is situated on one of the hills overlooking the bay and contains some of the poets collections, specifically related to the sea. Return to Santiago.

Full Day excursion Valle Nevado
Valle Nevado ski resort is in the mountains near to Santiago at a height of 3.025 meters/ 9,982 feet above sea level and very close to Santiago. Following the river Mapocho up the valley pass through some small mountain villages before starting to climb the mountain proper up a series of hairpin bends. The views are incredible and there is a good chance of seeing condors all year round. The quality and variety of the runs as well as the usually clement weather make this one of the best ski areas in the southern hemisphere. Skiing is available from June – August (lift pass, ski rental etc not included) and the rest of the year it is possible to enjoy the mountain air and wonderful views.

Full Day excursion to Isla Negra – Pablo Neruda Museum
Depart Santiago in the morning for a full day heading towards the coast. Enjoy the first stop in Pomaire, a small village where the inhabitants work the local clay to make a variety of dishes, pots and interesting sculptures amongst other handicrafts. Continue to Isla Negra, a small beachside community with a pretty beach backed by fragrant pine trees. This is the place where Chilean Nobel Prize for Literature winner Pablo Neruda chose to build one of his houses. The eccentric architecture houses some of his collections, including bottles, figureheads from ships, shells and various other eclectic articles.
There is time for lunch locally after the visit (not included) before returning to Santiago.

Full day excursion to Cousińo Macul winery and Concha y Toro winery
We will visit two of the oldest and most historic wineries in Chile:
Vińa Cousińo Macul, founded in 1856, is still owned and run by the direct descendents of Matías Cousińo, the founder of the vineyard and owner of the Lota coal mines in the south of Chile. The cellars were built in the French style using “cal y canto” a mixture of egg white and lime as “cement”. Time for lunch (not included) before continuing to Vińa Concha y Toro. Founded in 1883 by Don Melchor Concha y Toro, it is today the largest producer of export wines in Chile. It has more than 11 thousand barrels of French and American oak oriented to the production of fine wines with a capacity to store over 8 million 200 thousand liters of wine in steel holding tanks. The tour takes us to the landscaped gardens of the colonial house and the vineyards. We will also learn about the wine making process, and will visit the modern processing plant and the old cellars. Afternoon return to Santiago and transfer to your hotel.

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