The capital of Chile is a vibrant city full of character, with a thriving artistic culture, modern restaurants and lively nightlife. Surrounded by mountains - the mighty Andes to the east and the smaller coastal range to the west - on a clear day, Santiago boasts one of the most incredible urban scenes in the world. Old-world colonial mansions and eclectic neighborhoods seamlessly integrate the skyscrapers of "Sanhattan" into a captivating fusion of tradition and modernity. With world-class skiing, wine routes, biking and trekking right at your doorstep, Santiago is a city full of stimulating possibilities.
Our tour starts from the hotel where the transfer will pick us up. We will start through the main avenue of the city, knowing its history and its surroundings. We will go down to the cobblestone neighborhood of Lastarría, a characteristic sector for its green areas and beautiful houses of the XIX century, now restored and mostly used as cafes, restaurants, bookstores and museums.
Then, we will go to Cerro Santa Lucia here we will have time to walk and take pictures, while our guide tells us some of the most important episodes in the history of Santiago, such as the Mapuche / Spanish confrontation. From its terraces we will have a panoramic view of Santiago, as well as admire relics and constructions from the colonial era, such as Castillo Hidalgo.
We will go to our next stop, on the way we can see emblematic places of the city such as the Plaza de Armas, The Santiago Cathedral and its impressive architecture, in addition to the former national congress. We will arrive at the imposing government house called “La Moneda” and next to it the “Plaza de la Constitución”; We will visit its surroundings and we will know more about its important and interesting history.
Once in our vehicle, the tour will continue to the upper sector of the capital. On the way we will stop at a lapis lazuli store where we can admire and/or buy beautiful jewelry and unique crafts. Then we will finish the tour at the respectives hotels.
Discover Chile in all its glorious natural beauty from the glittering lakes of Puerto Varas, the scenic archipelago of Chiloé, the panoramic views from Punta Arenas and the jagged granite peaks of the Paine massif. Along the way visit traditional fishing villages, observe comical penguins and explore Torres del Paine national park in your way.
Sightseeing ToursWaterfalls
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Santiago, Punta Arenas, Torres D
Santiago, Punta Arenas, Torres Del Paine, Puerto Varas, Peulla, Chiloe National Park, Santiago
If you love big landscapes, deserts, rock formations, volcanoes, geysers, remoteness and views that go on forever, then this is the trip for you. This was combined with very friendly people, local culture and good wine, making for one of the best trips I've ever had.
This was my first trip with Explore. (All the other members of the group had travelled multiple times with them). I would say the trip exceeded my expectations in every respect. Judging by the comments of the rest of the group, it was one of the best many of them had been on too. I have taken away memories that will last forever and met some wonderful people along the way.
There were six travellers in the group (all solo travellers) as well as Andres our guide, local guides and drivers. This was the first trip run on a new itinerary or at least one which Explore has not sold for a number of years. So in that respect our group were the guinea-pigs for the trip. I felt the group got on very well. I would say six was a good group size for the minibuses. It gave us room to spread out with our bags and snooze if needed on the longer journeys.
Itinerary:
The itinerary covers a lot of ground in a short space of time so is definitely full-on. However, overall, I thought it was well-paced with well-timed rest periods. Given that this was a new itinerary, there are a couple of "tweaks" I would make (mentioned below). However, they are minor changes only to what I found to be a well-rounded and balanced trip.
HIghlights for me included the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. I loved the desert, lagoons, volcanoes, flamingoes, the salt hotel and of course, our meal with our wonderful Bolivian guides - which I'll never forget. Another highlight was the sunset and moonrise over the Atacama Desert near San Pedro. I felt the trip was a gift that kept on giving. Just when you had one experience which you thought could not be topped, along came another one. The trip was cleverly planned in that sense.
In terms of amendments, I would suggest the following:
HIgh altitude is a feature of this trip and perhaps needs to be emphasised and explained a little more fully in the trip notes so that travellers can take a view. However, for me, any discomfort was more than compensated for by the remoteness and beauty of the landscapes we saw.
I particularly loved Bolivia and perhaps Explore could consider adding that another day to this leg of the trip. This would allow more time to get to know this fantastic country and its people but would also allow more time to acclimatise.
We had a wonderful day in the wine region of Cafayate. Both wine and food were delicious and plentiful. However, I think we all felt the number of tours and tastings should be reduced a little to allow us to relax into one wine tour and the meal without worrying about time.
Guiding:
Andres was our Explore guide and I cannot speak highly enough of him. Most of the group had travelled extensively over the years with Explore and said that he was one of the best guides they had ever had. Andres was excellent in every respect - professional, knowledgeable, organised but relaxed and very person-centred, attending well to the different needs of the group. The trip ran very smoothly and to time. Andres paid close attention to detail, making small changes to the itinerary as needed, He found good places to eat, and timed visits to avoid any crowds in particularly popular places. As far as I am aware, there was one small logistical glitch during the whole trip. This was beyond Andres' control but he took it in his stride, dealt with it and it did not affect the group. Definitely 5* for Andres.
The local guides and drivers in each country were very friendly and efficient. I would say the guides in Argentina and Bolivia were particularly knowledgeable. The warmth and kindness shown to us was lovely. I would single out Wilbur in Bolivia for particular praise.
Accommodation:
Before the trip, I did not have particularly high expectations of the hotels, thinking that location would take priority over hotel standard and that budget hotels would be used to keep costs down. To a certain extent this proved to be the case. I would say in most places the standard was 3*. I found all of them were perfectly acceptable although some had variable hot water and wifi which is only to be expected really given the region. All hotels were very friendly and in a very good location. Some hotels stood out as having more character and better service than others. The Salt Hotel (Laguna Salada) on the Uyuni flats was something truly special. The stunning location, the hotel design and the friendliness of the staff there were something I will never forget. The Hotel Los Flamencos at the Laguna Hedionda was graded as "simple" and we warned to take warm sleepwear as it can get cold at night. However, I found the hotel to be warm and characterful and again, the location was stunning. Standing outside the hotel (albeit at about -5 degrees Celsius), watching the flamingos on the lagoon and the sun come up over the volcanoes behind was something truly memorable.
San Pedro de Atacama was the most touristy place we visited and I would say the hotel there reflected that. It felt a bit more generic than the others, although the barman was excellent and served some knockout Pisco sours.
Overall, I would give this trip 5* without hesitation. Unforgettable - in the best possible way. Any quibbles are very minor ones to me. I would highly recommend.
Sightseeing Tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Buenos Aires, San Pedro, Santiag
Buenos Aires, San Pedro, Santiago, Salta, Cafayate, Purmamarca, Tilcara, Tupiza, Uyuni, Incahuasi, San Pedro De Atacama
