Chile, City & Lake District

Day 1 Arrive Santiago

Santiago is an architectural collage of old Spanish colonial charm, European elegance, and North American suburbia. Founded in 1541, it is today one of the continent’s most modern cities, serving as gateway to Chile’s Central Valley and connecting point for trips around the country. Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. We suggest a few hours rest and lunch at the restaurant or poolside. In the afternoon, you’ll set out to discover Santiago’s secrets. The historic quarter is first stop: Cobblestone walkways, historic buildings, La Moneda Palace and, of course, the very heart of the city the Plaza de Armas. Then, for modernity and glamour, on to residential districts -Providencia, Las Condes, and Vitacura. We finish atop San Cristobal Hill for a magnificent panoramic view of the city. Evening free.

Day 2 Santiago (Wine Region)

Chile’s Central Valley plains and meadows surely deserve a visit. We’ll explore the prestigious wine region where many of the country’s finest wines are produced, and spend a wonderful day visiting wineries, learning about local production, and sampling the different varieties produced by the vineyards we visit. Late afternoon return to Santiago. Evening free to discover Santiago’s culinary scene, and to check out the city’s lively nightlife in Bellavista. (B,L)

Day 3 Santiago / Lake District

Chile’s scenic Lake District is a must on any itinerary around the country. When you arrive in the Lake District you are transported into a fairy tale world of Bavarian-looking towns of weathered wooden homes, high-pitched roofs and ornate balconies, chocolate parlors, all surrounded by millenary forests, emerald lakes, and snow-capped volcanoes. We arrive on the morning flight in Puerto Montt (our gateway airport), and in the afternoon explore the storybook towns of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas and the traditional fishing village of Angelmo, where we taste fresh seafood, and purchase local handcrafts. (B)

Day 4 Lake District (Lake Llanquihue, Petrohue & Peulla)

Our first Lake District excursion is the first leg of the legendary Lake Crossing, a full-day adventure crossing the Andes into Argentina. Early in the morning we drive beside the serene shores of Lake Llanquihue to Petrohue, site of roaring Petrohue Falls. We next board a comfortable catamaran and start navigating the emerald waters of Lake Todos Los Santos against a backdrop of towering, snow-capped peaks and volcanoes. Our destination is Peulla, an almost impossibly beautiful lakeshore village. A leisurely hike (optional) will take us through an ancient Valdivian forest to dreamy Bride’s Waterfall. Before our afternoon return to Puerto Varas there will be time to explore the surroundings and enjoy lunch in the local hosteria. Evening free. Overnight Puerto Varas. (B)

Day 5 Lake District (Chiloe Island)

Your morning ferry ride across Chacao Channel heralds the beginning of a most memorable day. In a region of countless attractions, Chiloe stands out as the most charming. Isolated for centuries from its German-influenced neighbors, the island community evolved at its own rhythm, clinging to ancient traditions, and creating a fantastic mythology, a very special architecture, and unique gastronomy. During our tour, we will ride thru a temperate rainforest, admire colorful palafito houses (built on stilts) and unique wooden churches, sample traditional dishes, and learn fantastic local folklore that include ghost ship legends, sea creatures, mythological figures, and much more. Evening return to Puerto Varas. (B, L)

Day 6 Lake District (Frutillar)

Today we make our way to the lakeside town of Frutillar and surrounding points of interest, a tour that will take us back in time. First stop is Puerto Octay. Dating back to 1852, and as is true for most of this region, this town was founded by early German Immigrants and the first communication hub between the settlers who lived around the lake and the northern cities of Osorno and Valdivia. We continue driving along the rural road offering fascinating landscapes of the lake and the volcanoes to arrive in Frutillar, a cheerful place respectful of their traditions, with the backdrop of majestic volcanoes. Built by German immigrants who settled here in the early 1900s, the imprimatur of Prussian order and workmanship is in evidence from the crisp lines of trees to the picturesque, shingled homes and tidy plazas ringed with roses. With a bit of luck you may catch a few old-timers chatting in German over coffee and kuchen (a dense cake). We pass houses built similar to those of the German Black Forest region, surrounded by beautiful gardens; we pass by the Lutheran and Catholic churches followed by a delightful lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Puerto Montt with a stop at the Angelmo Handicrafts Market with its many stalls offering souvenirs made of Alerce (a tree that only grows in the lake region of the south of Chile between Valdivia and Chiloé). We return to Puerto Varas for overnight. (B,L)

Day 7 Depart Lake District & Chile

Transfer to the airport in Puerto Montt for the flight to Santiago with connecting flight to your home city (B)

Remarks

Not included:
International airfare; Gratuities of any kind; airport departure taxes; meals unless included in the itinerary.