From Atacama Desert to Patagonia Glaciers

Welcome to Chile! After landing at the Santiago airport and clearing customs, you'll be met by a Cascada representative and driven to your cozy hotel in a private transfer. You'll have a little time to relax after checking in and before being picked up for a City Tour.

 You’ll be picked up and taken downtown to the Historical Center of Santiago. Famous architecture includes the Metropolitan Cathedral and the central post office, originally built as a house for Spanish conqueror Pedro de Valdivia. Close by stands the Justice Tribunal, in a neoclassical building that houses the Supreme Court, ex-Congress and beautiful gardens.  

From here we'll drive towards the Alameda, this is the main street in the city center. Once we reach the Alameda, we’ll drive towards the Presidential palace, La Moneda. The palace, a model of 18th-century colonial architecture, is one of Santiago’s most recognizable landmarks and a symbol of Chile’s political past and its famously turbulent history.  

Next, we will climb Cerro Santa Lucía, where Santiago was founded in 1541 by Pedro Valdivia. From the top of the hill, there is a great 360 panoramic view of Santiago, afterward we’ll visit the bohemian Lastarria neighborhood, lined with cafés, restaurants, small theaters, bookstores and boutique shops. Toward the end of the tour, we will go for a final view of Santiago from the heights of San Cristobal Hill in the Metropolitan Park, where we will be able to ride the famous funicular and cableway that connects the hills of the Park.

At the end of the tour, you will be driven to your hotel.

We'll pick you up at 9:00 AM to start the journey to the beautiful Casablanca Valley, not far from Santiago. The meandering, tree-lined country roads of the enchanting Casablanca Valley are the backdrop for this easy, relaxing bike tour through one of Chile's premier wine-growing regions. We'll bike leisurely along tree-lined roads through some of central Chile's finest vineyards, stopping to learn about the fascinating history of wine in Chile and why the soil and climate here is perfect for production, sample some of the area's superb white wines and enjoy a delicious lunch at Casas del Bosque Vineyard's Restaurant, Tanino.

Don't worry -- the  early wake-up call this morning  will be well worth it! Today we'll go to the amazing Tatio Geysers and see them in action. From almost 900 meters below the earth, boiling steam bursts up to 40 meters over the surface of these spectacular geysers. A scrumptious breakfast will be served upon arrival before we walk through the geothermal fields with the geysers erupting nearby. As we drive back, there is a magnificent view of the Tocopurri and Sairecabur Volcanoes. We'll arrive back in town in time to have lunch and the afternoon free to rest or continue exploring.

After breakfast, we’ll start our adventure by travelling south toward the "Puna" or Highlands/Altiplanic, to marvel at its landscapes with unique lagoons and salt flats filled with wildlife and vegetation. Here, Miscanti Lagoon (the largest in the region) will surely catch your eye to impress you.

Later, we will visit the Village of Socaire, where the local indigenous community still preserves part of their traditional lifestyle.

This morning it's time for a white water rafting adventure! We'll head to the Petrohue sector, in Perez Rosales National Park, located at the foot of Osorno Volcano next to the flowing turquoise waters of the Petrohue River. Once we arrive we'll meet our skilled guides who will equip us with the rafting gear needed (wet suit, helmet, paddle jacket and life jacket) and then talk us through safety instructions. We board the rafts and start paddling down this beautiful class III river, enjoying the rapids and the views. After finishing our adventure, we'll have a tasty snack on the river banks and then return to Puerto Varas to spend the afternoon.

With Volcano Osorno as our backdrop, today we'll trek close to Chile's famous Todos Los Santos Lake. On the way, we'll stop to admire the region's rivers and waterfalls at Ensenada and Saltos de Petrohué, before starting your three-hour ascent. At the top, the prize is clear: one of the most exquisite views of the Andes mountain range, with three volcanos and the expansive blue of Todos Los Santos Lake, sprawled at your feet. What a treat!

Today you'll check out of your hotel and board a flight to Punta Arenas in the South of Chile. You are picked up from Punta Arenas airport in the morning and driven to EcoCamp Patagonia, located in the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park.

En route we'll stop by Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of "Seno de Ultima Esperanza," where we enjoy a hearty local lunch. The whole journey is very scenic, with plenty of wild birds and wonderful landscapes to be seen. The day ends with our arrival and overnight stay at EcoCamp Patagonia, nestled in the heart of the park with a picturesque view of the Towers. During summer the sun sets around 11 PM, so upon arrival there's plenty of light to admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked mountain horizon.

For the next two days, we'll pick one of three excursion options, ranging from easy to challenging in level. EcoCamp Patagonia provides you with a chart of excursions provided each day of the week. The excursions vary depending on weather and the season.

EASY
Western Lakes and Grey Glacier*
We'll drive across the park, admiring the view of Paine Grande and its snowy peaks, along with Los Cuernos and its black, granite horn-like spires. Walking along the shores of the stunning Lake Pehoe, we'll see the furious Salto Grande waterfalls where the water from Lake Nordenskjold cascades down into Pehoe. The walk continues over the gentle Nordenskjold trail until we reach its spectacular lookout point. Later, back at Lake Pehoe, we are driven south to a beach along the shores of glacial Lake Grey. Here we'll enjoy a tasty box lunch by the lake before embarking on a boat ride across the icy waters to the towering blue walls of Glacier Grey. After this incredible sight of the glacier up close, we'll drive back to EcoCamp for the night.

*During Shoulder Season (October and April) the boat trip on Glacier Grey may be canceled as the boat requires a minimum of 10 passengers to sail. If this is the case we will plan an alternative excursion in the park.

ACTIVE
Western Lakes drive, Cerro Ferrier Hike
We'll begin the day by driving across the park, admiring the view of Paine Grande's snowy peaks and the black, granite, horn-like spires of Los Cuernos. As we walk along the shores of the stunning Lake Pehoe, we'll see the furious Salto Grande waterfalls where the water from Lake Nordenskjold cascades down into Pehoe. The van will drive us south to a beach along the shores of glacial Lake Grey. It is here where we will begin our hike to Cerro Ferrier, a fairly steep route taking us through a fairytale-like Magellanic forest where we might spot a huemul, the endangered South Andean deer. We'll go uphill for about an hour and a half to reach a breathtaking lookout that will offer us a unique perspective of the Paine Massive, Grey Glacier and some of the most famous lakes of the park. We'll then walk back to Grey Beach to meet our fellow travelers coming back from the boat ride. Together, we'll all head to EcoCamp to enjoy a relaxed evening with delicious food and even better company.

EASY
Laguna Azul and Fauna Trail
We'll start the day driving to Laguna Azul on the north-eastern side of the park, stopping at various points en route to admire the local flora and fauna and the mighty Paine Waterfall. Once at Laguna Azul we'll hike to a sightseeing point with a panoramic view of both the lagoon and granite Towers. We'll then drive down to the shores of Sarmiento Lake, home to many limestone formations and herds of guanacos, and walk northwards along the Fauna Trail past the small Goic Lagoon and various types of fauna. After around 5 km we reach the Laguna Amarga ranger station from where we'll drive back to EcoCamp to relax and enjoy the evening meal.

ACTIVE
Trek Towers Base
We'll walk from Ecocamp towards Hostería Las Torres and join the uphill path to Ascencio Valley on the Tower's eastern face. Dry mountain spots, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley. Our big challenge comes as we climb the steep moraine, a mass of boulders leading us towards one of the world's most famous views overlooking the Towers. The famous Torres del Paine (2,900 m/ 9,400 ft) consist of three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice. After an uphill slog, the Towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically before us, with the glacial lake visible below. What better place is there to have lunch? After feasting with a view, we backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to EcoCamp.

It's now time to board an early morning vehicle, sit back, relax and enjoy a scenic ride back to Punta Arenas in time to catch the evening flight to Santiago. Once in Santiago, we'll go to a lovely hotel via private transfer and get some well-deserved sleep.

After breakfast, we'll check out of the hotel and drive to the airport via private transfer, where we'll board our flight...Hasta la proxima Chile!