Itinerary
- Day 1
Santiago
You'll arrive in Santiago and have the rest of the day to yourself. The city sits right beneath the Andes Mountains, so you'll see those peaks from various spots around town. Use this first day to get settled at your hotel, grab some food, and start getting a feel for the place. It's a mix of modern neighborhoods and older colonial areas, so just take it easy and let yourself adjust to the altitude and time zone.
Landmarks/POIs Andes Mountains - Day 2
Santiago
A guided tour takes you through Santiago's main cultural sites. You'll start at Plaza de Armas, the historic center, then see La Moneda Palace (the presidential palace). After that, you'll climb Santa Lucía Hill for views over the city. Later, you'll walk through Lastarria and Bellavista, two neighborhoods known for street art, galleries, restaurants, and local character. This gives you a real sense of how the city blends art, food, and traditional culture together.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided panoramic city tour of Santiago (AM)
- Visit Plaza de Armas
- Visit La Moneda Palace
- Visit Santa Lucía Hill
- Explore Lastarria neighborhood
- Explore Bellavista neighborhood
Landmarks/POIs Plaza de Armas La Moneda Palace Santa Lucía Hill Lastarria Bellavista - Day 3
Valparaíso - Viña del Mar
You're heading to the coast today, about 90 minutes from Santiago. First stop is Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with steep hills covered in colorful buildings and street art. You'll ride the historic funiculars (cable cars) up and down the hillsides and walk the vibrant streets. Then you'll drive to Viña del Mar, a more polished seaside town with gardens, a casino, and that classic resort feel. Both towns offer completely different takes on coastal living in Chile.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Full-day tour of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso
- Visit Valparaíso UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Experience historic funiculars
- Visit Viña del Mar gardens
Optional Activities
- Lunch (not included)
Landmarks/POIs Valparaíso Viña del Mar - Day 4
Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama
After flying to Calama, you're driven to San Pedro de Atacama, a small adobe village in the middle of the world's driest desert. The altitude here is 2,400 meters (7,874 feet), so you'll want to take it slow, drink water, and let your body adjust. The landscape around town is stark and beautiful, with red earth and mountains in the distance. Spend the evening exploring the quiet streets and getting ready for desert activities.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer from Calama Airport to San Pedro de Atacama
Landmarks/POIs San Pedro de Atacama Atacama Desert - Day 5
San Pedro de Atacama - Altiplanic Lagoons
Today you're going higher into the Altiplano, reaching over 4,000 meters elevation. You'll visit two lagoons, Miscanti and Miñiques, where the water is so clear and blue it feels unreal. The sky reflects perfectly in the still water. Then you'll see Piedras Rojas, a formation of red and yellow rock faces that look almost painted. Bring lots of water, take the hikes slowly, and keep an eye out for wildlife like vicuñas and vizcachas roaming the high plains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Full-day Altiplanic Lagoons and Piedras Rojas excursion
- Visit Miscanti Lagoon
- Visit Miñiques Lagoon
- Visit Piedras Rojas
- Entrance fees to sites included
Landmarks/POIs Miscanti Lagoon Miñiques Lagoon Piedras Rojas - Day 6
San Pedro de Atacama - Tatio Geysers & Valley of the Moon
You're getting up before dawn to drive to El Tatio Geysers at 4,300 meters. You'll arrive right as the sun comes up, and the geysers are shooting steam everywhere. Over 70 fumaroles create this surreal scene with boiling pools and vapor. After warming up with a hearty breakfast, you might spot vicuñas grazing nearby. Then you'll visit the small adobe village of Machuca. Later in the afternoon, you head to Valley of the Moon where the rock formations turn golden and pink in the sunset light, creating an otherworldly landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Picnic breakfast at El Tatio Geysers)
Included Activities
- Full-day Tatio Geysers and Machuca excursion
- Sunrise at El Tatio Geysers
- Picnic breakfast at geysers
- Visit Machuca village
- Half-day Moon Valley excursion
- Sunset at Valley of the Moon
- Entrance fees to sites included
Landmarks/POIs El Tatio Geysers Machuca Valley of the Moon - Day 7
San Pedro de Atacama to Puerto Varas
Breakfast at your hotel, then you're driven to Calama Airport for flights heading south. You'll fly to Santiago, connect to Puerto Montt, and then transfer to Puerto Varas. This town sits on the edge of Lake Llanquihue with the cone of Osorno Volcano rising dramatically across the water. The region has a different feel than the north, more like Swiss or German-influenced architecture, lots of roses and gardens, and much greener landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer from hotel to Calama Airport
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas
Landmarks/POIs Lake Llanquihue Osorno Volcano - Day 8
Puerto Varas - Lake Todos los Santos - Peulla
You're sailing across Lake Todos los Santos, starting from Peterhuй. The water is that brilliant emerald green you see in Chile's lake region. All around you are snow-capped volcanoes and thick Patagonian forests rising right up from the shoreline. The boat takes you across to Peulla, a small eco-lodge village tucked into the Andes. It's quiet and pristine, perfect for just being in nature without a lot of crowds or development.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Full-day Peulla navigation excursion
- Sail across Lake Todos los Santos
- Visit Peulla eco-village
- Entrance fees to sites included
Landmarks/POIs Lake Todos los Santos Peulla Peterhué - Day 9
Puerto Varas - Osorno Volcano & Frutillar
In the morning, you're heading to Osorno Volcano. You won't summit it, but you'll get to the base and have sweeping views of Lake Llanquihue and the surrounding volcanic peaks. The afternoon takes you to Frutillar, a charming town with German heritage and traditional wooden architecture. You'll find classical music festivals here (if your timing is right), pastry shops with German-influenced treats, and a strong sense of European tradition transplanted to southern Chile.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Half-day Osorno Volcano excursion
- Half-day Frutillar excursion
Optional Activities
- Ski lift at Osorno Volcano (not included, may not operate due to wind or snow)
Landmarks/POIs Osorno Volcano Frutillar - Day 10
Puerto Varas to Puerto Natales
You're transferring to Puerto Montt Airport to fly south to Puerto Natales, your entry point to Chilean Patagonia. When you land, someone picks you up and drives you to your hotel. This is a fishing town and the jumping-off point for Torres del Paine and glacier tours. Spend the evening settling in, walking around the waterfront, maybe grabbing dinner at one of the seafood restaurants.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport
- Transfer from Puerto Natales Airport to hotel
Landmarks/POIs Puerto Natales - Day 11
Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine
A full-day trip to Torres del Paine National Park. On the way, you'll stop at Milodon Cave, an important archaeological site where ancient giant ground sloths lived. Then into the park itself, you'll see the iconic granite peaks of Cuernos del Paine, Grey Lake with its icebergs, Salto Grande waterfall, and viewpoints over Nordenskjöld and Sarmiento Lakes. The landscape is dramatic and rugged, with these sharp mountain formations rising out of windswept plains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Full-day Torres del Paine and Milodon Cave excursion
- Visit Milodon Cave
- Visit Prat Mountain Range
- Visit Porteño Lake
- Visit Sierra del Toro
- Visit Sierra Ballena
- Visit Cuernos del Paine
- Visit Grey Lake
- Visit Salto Grande
- Visit Nordenskjöld Lake viewpoint
- Visit Sarmiento Lake
- Entrance fees to national park and sites included
Landmarks/POIs Torres del Paine National Park Milodon Cave Grey Lake Cuernos del Paine Salto Grande - Day 12
Puerto Natales - Glaciers Navigation
Today you're sailing through the Last Hope Sound (Seno de Última Esperanza) to get close to Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers. These massive walls of blue ice meet the water, and you might spot sea lions and cormorants hanging around the shoreline. After about 20 minutes of walking, you reach the glacial lagoon at Serrano Glacier. The roads getting there are unpaved and rough, which adds to the real Patagonian feel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Full-day Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers navigation excursion
- Boat trip through Last Hope Sound
- Walk to Serrano Glacier lagoon
- Entrance fees included
Landmarks/POIs Last Hope Sound Balmaceda Glacier Serrano Glacier - Day 13
Puerto Natales to Santiago
You're driving back to Puerto Natales Airport to fly north to Santiago. Once you land, you have the afternoon free. Depending on your energy level, you can relax at your hotel, walk around a neighborhood you haven't seen yet, or do an optional activity if something interests you. Your flight out happens overnight or early the next morning, so you'll need to be near the airport by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Transfer to Puerto Natales Airport
Optional Activities
- Optional activities in Santiago afternoon
- Day 14
Santiago to Easter Island
You're flying to Easter Island (Rapa Nui), which feels like stepping onto another world. After checking into your hotel, the afternoon tour takes you to Ana te Pahu, then Ahu Akivi with its seven moai (stone figures) facing the ocean. You'll also visit Puna Pau quarry where red stone pukao headdresses were carved. The island's mysterious history starts coming into focus through these archaeological sites.
Included Activities
- Transfer from Easter Island Airport to hotel
- Half-day Ahu Akivi excursion
- Visit Ana te Pahu
- Visit Ahu Akivi
- Visit Puna Pau
Landmarks/POIs Ana te Pahu Ahu Akivi Puna Pau - Day 15
Easter Island - Anakena Beach
A full-day archaeological tour covering the north coast. You start at Anakena Beach with its white sand and palm trees, then visit various ahus (ceremonial platforms with moai). Sites include Akahanga, Rano Raraku (the moai quarry), and the massive Ahu Tongariki platform. Mid-day, you'll eat lunch at a Rapa Nui family home and get a sense of local life. Before finishing, you'll see Te Pito Kura, then end at Anakena Beach where you can swim in clear water and relax as the day winds down.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional lunch at a Rapa Nui family home)
Included Activities
- Full-day Anakena Beach excursion
- Visit Anakena Beach
- Visit Akahanga
- Visit Rano Raraku
- Visit Ahu Tongariki
- Visit Te Pito Kura
- Traditional lunch at Rapa Nui family home
Landmarks/POIs Anakena Beach Akahanga Rano Raraku Ahu Tongariki Te Pito Kura - Day 16
Easter Island - Orongo
You're touring Orongo, an archaeological site perched on the crater rim of Rano Kau volcano. This was the center of the mysterious Birdman ritual, one of Rapa Nui's most enigmatic cultural practices. From here you can see three small islets offshore. Then you'll visit Vinapu, famous for its unusual stonework that resembles Inca construction techniques. These sites add layers to understanding the island's complex history and the people who lived here.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Half-day Orongo excursion
- Visit Orongo archaeological site
- Visit Vinapu
Landmarks/POIs Orongo Rano Kau Vinapu - Day 17
Easter Island Departure
At the scheduled time, you're transferred to the airport for your departure flight. You've traveled through Chile's wildly different regions over these weeks: the capital's energy, the high-altitude desert, the pristine Patagonian wilderness with its glaciers and mountains, and the mysterious Polynesian culture of Easter Island. It's a journey that covers enormous geographic and cultural ground.
Included Activities
- Transfer to Easter Island Airport
