From: £1,761
From: $2,345
Morning arrival to Calama Airport.
We meet you here and it’s a shared transfer in a small van to San Pedro de Atacama (1.5 hours) with an English-speaking guide.
On arrival, check-in and enjoy lunch (not included) in town, before our PM trip.
In the afternoon, we depart from your hotel in San Pedro of Atacama and head to the Cordillera de la Sal (Salt Mountain Range), where you will visit the Valley of the Moon (“Valle de la Luna”) that forms part of the National Flamingo Reservation.
This unique place is famous for its natural rock sculptures, one of them being “Las Tres Marias” (The three Mary’s) formed by the wind erosion, Next, visit Death Valley (“Valle de la Muerte) where salt formations resemble works of art.
Finally, end your trip with a magical sunset at the Kari Viewpoint, one of the highest points of the “Cordillera de la Sal”.
Note: We pick you up from Calama airport and take you to the hotel. Calama airport is best accessed via flights from Santiago, Chile. You can also arrive into San Pedro via Bolivia, from the Uyuni Salt Flat, by bus or private transfer. Contact us for details.
After breakfast, depart from your hotel for a shared tour to the Atacama Salt Flat and Miñique and Miscanti lagoons.
Drive to the Atacama Salt Flat, one of the largest in the world. Visit Soncor and the Chaxa Lagoon, where three species of three species of pink flamingos. the James, Chilean and Andean, can be found.
Continue and travel further within the Altiplano, reaching 4,300m/14,108ft and the Miñique and Miscanti lagoons which lie at the foot of the Miñique and Miscanti volcanoes.
Return stopping in Socaire for lunch at one of the rustic kitchens in the village.
After lunch, drive to the village of Toconao, where we will visit the main square, the bell tower built in 1750 and made of cactus wood and the church of San Lucas, both National Monuments.
Return to to San Pedro de Atacama.
After breakfast we head on a shared tour to the Puritama hot springs 33km North of San Pedro at 3,500m/11,483ft.
Here there are natural pools with waters between 30°C and 33°C. There are bathrooms and dressing rooms connected to the pools by wooden walkways.
In the afternoon we take a short drive after which we will be dropped off at the Catarpe tunnel at the the top of the Salt Range where we will start our 2 1/2 hour trek into the heart of the Valle de la Muerte tackling the sand dunes and with stunning views of the Valley.
We return to our hotel.
We depart from our hotel in San Pedro de Atacama, for a 30-minute drive to Guatin, 3,000m/9,843ft.
We reach a path that lies next to the river Vilama. Our walk takes us through a cactus forest, with native riverside flora like foxtails to enjoy. The cacti, or Cardones, are here in great numbers, making for an other-wordly feel to this special place.
We continue our walk to a viewpoint where we see the Puripica and Puritama rivers, both of which give life to the Vilama river whose company we have enjoyed on this sojourn.
We return to our hotel.
Walking time approximately 2 1/2 hours.
Afternoon free.
Pick up at dawn from your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama.
We head towards the Altiplano, reaching an altitude of 4,320m/14,173ft for our visit the Tatio Geysers, one of the most important geothermal fields in the world.
The fumaroles can easily reach 10 metres high and the geysers up to 8 metres.
After witnessing the spectacle there is time for a swim in the natural hot pool nearby. The drive back includes stops at the wetlands of Putana and the typical altiplanic village of Machuca.
Return early afternoon to San Pedro. Rest of the afternoon free.
Explore San Pedro from its famous archaeological museum to its colonial church – one of the oldest in Chile.
In the evening shared star gazing tour – climatic/moon conditions permitting (please ask us about the Moon calendar)
Transfer to the observation site. Atacama has some of the clearest skies in the world and this is one of the best tours. You’ll see the night sky in a completely different way after this tour.
Explanation of the sky followed by observations through the telescopes. The tour finishes with a warm drink and transfer back to San Pedro.
Shared transfer to Calama airport for departure flight.
Pricing based on 3 star hotel, twin/double base with ensuite bathroom.
Upgrades available at extra cost.
You need to be in good health and physical condition to enjoy such this trip, albeit it we do not classify it as anything more than an easy trip.
In this program you will be trekking between 2 to 3 hours, abd on two days at altitude.
Although the treks themselves are not particularly strenuous the terrain and altitude may be more taxing than expected.
Please bear in mind that the weather in the Atacama changes from day to night causing the temperatures to drop considerably. These weather conditions can easily affect both body and morale.
We can cater for almost all dietary requirements – please contact us for more.
We include only breakfasts at hotels, which will be buffet/continental style, depending on hotel chosen. They usually include hot drinks, teas, coffees, toast, cereals, jams and fruit juices etc.
San Pedro town is small but has a wide selection of international and Chilean restaurants to suit most budgets and tastes.
Guides are all qualified professionals who know the area well.
We use small groups so that you get to know the area better.
An unforgettable Patagonia trekking adventure through glaciers and valleys, filled with challenge, beauty, and perfect organisation.
A flawlessly organized Patagonian adventure highlighted by the unforgettable Paine W trek and exceptional Ecocamp experience.
Travel to the heart of the world’s most arid desert.
The Atacama desert is located at 2,400m/7,874ft and features geysers, hot springs and some great short treks as well as the incredible star-filled night skies.
This outline 6 day/5 night itinerary takes in more highlights that this magical place has to offer – history, archaeology, flamingos, salt flats and altiplanic lakes.
Chile is the land of contrasts, from verdant vineyards to driest desert, deep fjords and towering glaciated volcanoes.
A narrow but incredibly long, snake-like country, Chile’s unusual geography features more than 5,000km of South Pacific Ocean coast. The country is almost 4,400km long but barely more than 160km at its widest.
It is best divided into general regions, all of which offer spectacular landscapes and identities of their own.
This variety means Chile is the land where almost every activity is possible. Hiking, biking, rafting and kayaking.
Or climbing, cruising, fishing, horse riding, wine tasting.
Or simply eating great food, relaxing and exploring.
The Atacama’s weather follows a desert hot day / cold night pattern. The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth so the chances of rain are minimal.
Summer: Daytime temperatures range between 15°C and 20°C (low 60s to low 70s °F). At night temperatures drop between 0°C and 5°C (30s to low 40s °F).
Winter: Daytime temperatures range between 13°C and 20°C (low 60s to low 70s °F). At night temperatures fall between -10°C and 0°C (14°F to 32°F).
Good kit is vital for every trip.
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Be nice to your feet. Make sure hiking boots are broken-in. Bring moleskin, Second Skin (or similar) for blister prevention.
If bringing a camera, include plenty of film or digital memory cards and spare batteries.
If concerned about airport x-ray machines and film, separate film from black canisters and place in clear bags for manual inspection.
Stuff sacks are useful for organising gear. Use different sizes and colours to differentiate contents in your duffel bag or backpack.
You will typically carry your water bottle, fleece or wind stopper, rain jacket and trousers, camera and small personal items in your daypack.
Bring a few outfits for city wear. These can be left in luggage storage at your hotel while on trips.
Trekking heaven. Paine National Park lies in Patagonia and features some of the best trekking in South America. With no altitude worries here, hikers enjoy an unrivalled mix of access to wild flora and fauna that exists in this massif. It is at once windswept, and then balmy. Paine National Park is a must see for walkers visiting South America.
Northern Patagonia is the least densely populated part of the country – spectacular virgin scenery make this a hidden gem and superb area for trekking, boating and horse riding.
And that’s before you think about possibly cruising through fjords, or kayaking them, flying to Antartica or staying at a working hacienda.
Iconic, Easter Island is an archaeological treasure. Here you will find the famous Moai stone statues, as well as caves and rocks decorated with etched petroglyphs and painted pictographs.
Northern Chile features the Atacama, the driest desert with the clearest skies in the world, is alive with active volcanoes replete with spitting geysers mixed with archaeological wonders and fantastic rock formations.
Central Chile is the heart of Chile and includes the capital Santiago. With its Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers and mild wet winters, this central valley produces some of South America’s finest wines, Colchagua Valley to name but one.
Here, the Andean mountain chain soars more than 6,000m above sea level. Chile’s traditional symbols such as huaso (cowboy) and cueca (national dance) originate here, an area which is rich in agriculture and produces most of Chile’s export fruit.
In winter, skiers are attracted to this tasting the promise of some fabulous snow on the huge peaks which overlook Santiago.
Lush and verdant, The Lake District area is the place to climb snow-capped volcanoes by day while relaxing next to stunning glacial lakes by evening. You can walk, bike, raft, cruise and drive your way around this beautiful region.
Central, southern and Patagonia Andes all present different challenges to mountaineers and trekkers. Options are varied in the central Andes with many of the Patagonian peaks remaining unexplored and unsummitted.
Chile’s climate varies greatly, owing to its sheer length, variation of terrain and varying altitudes and latitudes.
In the south of Chile, here temperatures drop a little compared to the rest of Chile.
It can be better to go in the Austral summer (Oct-March). Daylight hours are much longer at this time, with Nov-Feb being popular times to visit. October and March can be very colourful and vivid with less visitors, but weather can be more blustery.
In Patagonia, the weather is, putting it mildly, variable, and variable on a daily basis. It is usually cool and windy all year round but seldom does the temperature fall below freezing point. Some days start with snow and end in balmy sunshine. It is always interesting, and can range from 10°C-20°C in the summer, although the wind can make it feel chilly.
The vast unbroken stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves the Patagonian Andes very exposed to the saturated winds that circle the Antarctic landmass. Also the South Patagonia Ice field influence makes the weather hard to predict. In spring or early summer fine weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rains and eventually snow. Even in summer (Dec-Mar) you should come prepared to find cold, strong winds (up to 130 km/hr) and rainfalls. The summer’s average temperature is 11ºC/52ºF (24ºC max, 2ºC min).
Winter visits to these southern areas are possible, but many hotels close and not all trips are possible. Daylight hours can be very short, but the lack of visitors can greatly improve chances of seeing wildlife in parks such as Paine.
The Lake District’s temperate climate can be said to resemble that of the UK, with rain possible but also enjoying long spells of fine, fresh weather in the summer (Oct-March).
Although sub-tropical and essentially a year-round destination, Dec-Feb are the most popular times to visit Easter Island as it is summer there and temperatures average 24°C. There can be colder days and it can be humid too.
The winter months (Jun-Oct) on Easter Island are not overly cold, but they can be cool. The average low temperature is 16°C but there is usually a wind at this time of year that makes the temperature feel cooler than it really is.
The wind rarely stops blowing at this time of year.
The north of the country lies in the tropical zone, but in the main is desert. It is dry and sunny all year round, but does get cold at night time in the high altitude areas.
In winter (June-Aug) the average daytime temperature is 22°C (72°F) and by night 4°C (39°F), descending to -2°C (28°F) in extreme cases.
During summer (Jan-Mar) the temperature fluctuates between 27°C (81°F) and a minimum of 16°C (61°F) at night, reaching maximums of 32°C (90°F), with occasional showers.
The wine growers love the central valley, which has a suitable Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers (Nov-March).
Then, temperatures range from 17°C in the evening and can go up to 30°C inland. It is cooler during the day on the coast.
During winter (May-Sept), which is essentially mild and wet, temperatures inland can vary from 5°C to 18°C during the day, and a bit warmer on the coast.
Autumn (Mar-April) and Spring (Oct-Nov) are lovely times to visit, although hotels in Santiago can book out in March, October and November, as it is conference season.
An unforgettable Patagonia trekking adventure through glaciers and valleys, filled with challenge, beauty, and perfect organisation.
A flawlessly organized Patagonian adventure highlighted by the unforgettable Paine W trek and exceptional Ecocamp experience.
