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Blog - Jim's Thoughts

Chile Tours and Travel

Multiple Destinations / Santiago area / Patagonia / Lake District
Easter Island / Atacama Desert / Expedition Cruises / Fiord Cruises
Biking / Treks / Multisport / Sea Kayaking / Wine Tours

Santiago Area Tours

SANTIAGO DE CHILE, CAPITAL OF THE ANDES MOUNTAINS

3 days/nights All year round

DAY 1: SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Welcome at the airport and transportation to your hotel. A visit to the city of Santiago on a schedule arranged upon. The city has a mixture of colonial and modern architecture. Santiago is a surprising city due to its contrasts. Surrounded by the majestic quality of the Andes Mountains, it is possible to admire the Presidential Palace of La Moneda, The Metropolitan Cathedral and the noted Club Hípico. Walking along its main avenue, Alameda Bernardo O’Higgins, with its pedestrian promenades which lead to Plaza de Armas filled with historical buildings, Santa Lucia Hill, and the Parque Forestal with the Mapocho river to its side is a true adventure. Later on, it will be possible to discover the different districts of the city: The Bellavista neighborhood, with its bohemian nightlife, the modern commercial district of Providencia and the residential neighborhoods of Las Condes and Vitacura. Return to the hotel.

DAY 2: SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Free day in the capital of Chile for optional outings. Lodging at the same hotel. (B)

DAY 3: DAY 3: SANTIAGO DE CHILE
After breakfast, transportation to the airport to take your next flight. (B)

Note: City tour in regular service. Only for passengers with a flight arriving before 12:00 hr. to the airport, because it is planned for 3 pm. For those passengers with a flight after this schedule, the city tour will be postponed for the next day or will be provided on a private service basis the same day and paying the difference.

Price per person in US$:

Includes:
- Transfer Santiago airport / hotel / Santiago airport in regular service with bilingual guide.
- Two nights of lodging at Santiago hotel with breakfast
- One city tour in regular service with bilingual guide

OTHER ADD-ONS

Dinner Folklore Show with transportation and guides: Dinner with folklore show of the North, Central and South of Chile which ends with Easter Island dances and the Polynesian Islands. Transportation services from the hotel, waiting time and return to the hotel with a tour of Santiago lit by night are included.
Amount of time for tour: 4hrs
Distance: 10 miles.
Recommendations: Casual and elegant clothing.

Santiago by Night: From your hotel we invite you to discover Santiago by night. We tour the illuminated streets of Santiago, and the night excitement of the Brasil, Concha y Toro and Bellavista neighborhoods. We invite to do some wine-tasting in a typical bohemian neighborhood of Santiago.
Amount of time for tour: 3 hrs.
Distance: 10 miles.

Santiago by bicycle: We suggest a new and attractive way of touring the city with two types of bicycle tours, visiting its main interest sites. The first one is organized in the morning and tours popular and cultural Santiago, including the Parque Forestal, the house of Pablo Neruda, the market of “La Vega central”, and the Fine Arts Museum among others. The second tour is organized in the afternoon and visits historical and civic sites of Santiago, such as Parque Balmaceda, Santa Lucía Hill, “La Moneda”, and Plaza de la Constitución.
Amount of time for tour: 3 hrs.
Distance: 10 miles.

SANTIAGO, VALPARAISO AND VINEYARDS

4 days/3 nights All year round

DAY 01 SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel of your choice. At the agreed time, you will be picked up from your hotel for a sightseeing tour of Santiago. Santiago, is a mixture of the old and the new, something we invite you to experience. Our guides will show and tell you history of Santa Lucía Hill (place where Santiago was founded in 1541), the Main Square, the Cathedral, the Post Office and the City Hall, the National Library, the Presidential Palace and old neighbourhoods of Santiago. Before returning to the hotel, we will visit residential district and a lapislazuli handicraft store. Overnight.

DAY 02 VALPARAISO / VIÑA DEL MAR (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today our day starts with a journey through the valleys of Curacaví and Casablanca, their vineyards and fruit plantations en route to the coast. Arrival to Viña del Mar that is one of Chile's most fashionable beach resorts. The town was founded in 1874 as a weekend retreat and garden residence for the wealthy elite from Valparaíso and Santiago, and it has remained a top beach destination for the people of Santiago ever since. Viña del Mar is also one of the most famous and popular resort cities in South America.

There are luxurious hotels, villas, clubs, gardens and fine beaches. The city has several industries-textile mills, paint factories, and food processing plants. It is also a market for the agricultural products of the region; and the most important Chilean naval base is here. The tour proceeds to Valparaiso. This city, founded in the XVI century, climbs the hill through alleys and staircases. The ride includes a tour through the narrow avenues of the port, Sotomayor Square, flanked by buildings declared Historical Heritage and the Monument to the Iquique Heroes, in front of the Prat pier.

We will also include a stop at "La Sebastiana", one of the House-Museum of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Nobel Prize Winner (entrance ticket not included). In the afternoon, return to Santiago. Overnight.

DAY 03 MAIPO VALLEY VINEYARDS (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will visit the Maipo Valley, the most traditional in Chile and with more qualities for the production of premium wines. An ecosystem that join the perfect conditions to produce a high quality cabernet sauvignon. With the Maipo River bordering the wineries and surrounded by the Andes and Coastal Mountain chains, a perfect microclimate is developed for the growing of the best vines.
Our tour includes a visit to Cousiño Macul, one of the oldest wineries in the country; and Concha y Toro Winery, probably the Winery that has made famous the Chilean wine worldwide. Return to the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight.

DAY 04 SANTIAGO DE CHILE (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. At the agreed time transfer to the airport and assistance to board flight to your next destination

Price per person in US$:

Includes:
" 03 nights in Santiago with breakfast
" Transfers and excursions in regular service with bilingual guide
" Wine tasting at the wineries

Live Valparaíso 2 days / 1 night All year round

DAY 1: SANTIAGO – VALPARAISO AND VIÑA DEL MAR
All-day outing to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, including a visit and wine-tasting at a renowned vineyard of the Casablanca valley. After touring the agricultural valleys of Casablanca and Curacaví, we will cross the coastal mountain range and arrive to Valparaíso, the country’s main port. There we will get to know its picturesque hills and corners, touring the labyrinth of its streets and climbing on its elevators from other times. Following the coast to the north side of the bay we will arrive to the city of Viña del Mar, the highly visited resort of the zone. It is known as the “Garden City” for its beautiful parks and palm trees. The tour includes a stroll of its beautiful beaches, its famous casino and its main avenues.Night visit to bohemian Valparaíso. Lodging.

DAY 2: VALPARAISO – SANTIAGO
Guided tour, waling among the hills and funicular railways of Valparaíso, including the visit to la Sebastiana, house/museum of Pablo Neruda at

Bellavista Hill. At mid-afternoon, return to Santiago (B)

SANTIAGO, TERMAS DE JAHUEL 4 Days / 3 Nights All year round

DAY 1: SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Welcome is at Santiago airport and transportation to the hotel. Lodging.

DAY 2: SANTIAGO DE CHILE - TERMAS DE JAHUEL
Breakfast. Outing to visit one of the vineyards of the Aconcagua valley. Moving on to Termas de Jahuel, high-level thermal and spa center, located in the pre-Andes mountains, 58 miles from 98 Santiago. Lodging and dinner at our thermal water center. (B, D)

DAY 3: TERMAS DE JAHUEL
Breakfast. Entire day to enjoy the thermal center. Dinner and lodging. (B,D)

DAY 4: TERMAS DE JAHUEL-SANTIAGO DE CHILE
Breakfast. Transportation to Santiago airport on a schedule to be agreed upon.

Includes:
- Tranfer Airport/Hotel/Airport
- Transfer Hotel in santiago/ Jahuel Hotsprings
- Regular services
- Wine tour errazuriz vineyard
- 1 night in hotel in Santiago, with breakfast
- 2 nights in Jahuel Hotsprings with full board. (buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner )
.

Santiago Parks & Wine by Bike

9:00 AM - We will pick you up at your hotel to take you to our departure point at Parque Araucano. For about 2 hours, we will go around some of the most interesting parks in town, making short stops to hear explanations about the geographical surroundings and architecture.
12:30 -1:30 PM - WAIN experience. We will enjoy tasting 5 Chilean wines (2 whites, 2 reds and 1 premium) together with specially selected cheese and ham.

This tour is $120/person and includes:
Round-trip transportation from your hotel
Bicycle and helmet
Professional, English-speaking guide
Wine tasting of five wines
Bottled mineral water
A fascinating day in Santiago!

Biking the Cachagua Coast

Two hours north of Santiago is the upscale beach resort of Cachagua well know for its beautiful homes with luscious and grand gardens of native vegetation. This full day mountain biking excursion is a great way to spend an active day outdoors biking over rolling hills with fantastic panoramic views of the coastal mountain range and Pacific Ocean. After the bike ride well have time to walk on the beach and visit a local penguin colony just off the shoreline. This is an intermediate level mountain bike ride and requires the rider to be in good physical condition. The ride involves ascending and descending of hills as well as manuevering on single-track trails.

This tour is available every day between the months of October and May. We suggest the following itinerary, however we can adjust this schedule according to your needs:

7:30 Departure from your hotel
9:30 Arrival in Cachagua and review of equipment and ride plan
10:00-1:00 Biking the Seven Gates trail
1:00 Lunch in a local restaurant
3:30 Visit to penguin colony
4:30 Departure for Santiago
6 :30 Return to your hotel in Santiago

Price per person in US$: $197 with 2 people, $154 with 3, $134 with 4, $129 with 5.

Prices include:
Round-trip transportation in modern, air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver
Professional, English-speaking mountain bike guide
Bicycle, helmet
Lunch
Bottled mineral water