Flamingos taking flight over Laguna Chaxa, San Pedro de Atacama
Day 1: San Pedro de Atacama
Welcome to Chile’s northern desert! Your bilingual driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the picturesque community of San Pedro de Atacama (approximately a 1 hour journey). San Pedro stands as an oasis in the midst of the world’s driest desert, where geological evidence suggests that certain areas have never experienced rainfall. Enjoy the day to get settled and explore town.
Hotel: Terrantai (www.terrantai.com)
Meals Included: On your own
Day 2: The Atacama Salt Flat
A full day excursion begins with pickup from your hotel and a short ride into the expansive Salar de Atacama. Your first stop is Laguna Chaxa, home to three types of flamingoes. A visit to the historically agricultural village of Toconao provides insight into the traditional culture of the region as you make your way back to San Pedro de Atacama for a relaxing evening.
Hotel: Terrantai
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3: Valle de la Luna
Today you will have the morning free to participate in a half day excursion or continue to meander through San Pedro to experience its rich cultural history. We suggest you visit the Museum Padre Le Paige, an internationally-renowned archaeological museum located right in town.
In the afternoon, you will embark on an excursion to Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), aptly named for its seemingly lunar landscape. Unique rock and salt formations carved over millions of years by floods and wind appear as though sculpted by man. Perhaps the most interesting of these salt depositions is Tres Marías with its three female figures rising out of the vast landscape. Be sure to have your camera on hand to capture the changing colors of the mountains and breathtaking sunset over the Cordillera de la Sal from your perch atop the massive sand dunes.
Hotel: Terrantai
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4: Geysers del Tatio & Termas de Puritama
Thousands of stars and the vivid brushstroke of the Milky Way across the sky will still be visible as you begin your day with a 4am pickup and set out to meet the sunrise at 4,300m above sea level as dozens of geysers burst forth from the ground in spectacular form. As you make the descent back to San Pedro, you will stop to enjoy the Termas de Puritama, a group of eight thermal pools hidden in a lush canyon which are known for their therapeutic properties. The experience is sure to be unforgettable for both the body and spirit.
Hotel: Terrantai
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 5: San Pedro to Purmamarca
Today you will make an amazing journey over the Andes mountains. Rising over 14.000 feet you will travel east across the desert and over Paso Jama. You will arrive to Purmamarca, which means “desert city” or “town of the virgin land” in the indigenous Aymara language. Enjoy a free evening to settle in to your hotel and stretch your legs after a long overland journey.
Hotel: Marques de Tojo (www.marquesdetojo.com.ar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 6: Purmamarca & Tilcara
Purmamarca is a beautiful city, nestled in the Quebrada de Purmamarca gorge and with an unbeatable view of the Cerro de Siete Colores (Hill of Seven Colors). The nearby Quebrada de Humahuaca was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
Today you will visit the beautiful and culturally rich town ofTilcara, just 11 miles north of Purmamarca. Founded by the Spanish around the year 1600, Tilcara was the site of many battles duringArgentina’s war of independence. But the region’s history dates much, much farther back to pre-Colombian times. You will see remnants of early settlers and learn about their culture during visits to the Pucará de Tilcara (Tilcara Fort) and a visit to the Museo Arqueologico. Just four miles outside of town is La GargantadelDiablo (The Devil’s Throat), a beautiful red-rock gorge with several waterfalls that you can access via walking trails. In the afternoon, you will return to Purmamarca and have the evening free.
Hotel: Marques de Tojo
Meals Included: Breakfast
High altitude vineyards in Salta
Day 7: Salta
Following a leisurely breakfast, private transportation will be waiting to transfer you to the charming town of Salta. Salta is renowned for its colonial architecture, striking landscapes, and rich cultural history as part of the Inca Empire. Founded in 1582, Salta is easily accessible on foot, and its downtown features a number of impressive buildings dating back to the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. This provincial capital has an air of sophistication with restaurants and cafes spread around the central square. Enjoy the day free to explore at your own pace.
Hotel: El Lagar (www.ellagarhotel.com.ar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 8: Buenos Aires
Upon arrival in Argentina’s chic capital, your local guide will meet you at the airport to accompany you to your hotel. The day is yours to explore all that Buenos Aireshas to offer. Head out for some hiking or biking in the Reserva Ecologica Costanera Sur, Buenos Aires’ ecological reserve. Enjoy world-class shopping in the downtown La Florida and Palermo Viejo sectors. In the evening, we suggest pairing a tango show with dinner in one of the city’s many tango houses. Born in the outskirts of the capital at the turn of the century, tango quickly became an iconic symbol ofArgentina worldwide. It’s an experience not to be missed!
Hotel: Claridge Hotel (www.claridge.com.ar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 9: Buenos Aires
Enjoy a free morning before heading out in the afternoon on an exclusive, guided City Tour of Buenos Aires, during which your guide will use four parks and plazas to introduce you to the city, its history, its contrasts, and the characteristic “porteño perspective.” The evening is free to discover the city – perhaps strolling along the harbor at Puerto Madero or through the trendy Palermo Viejo neighborhood, filled with stylish boutique galleries. The evening is free.
Hotel: Claridge Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 10: Departure
Private transportation will transfer you to the Ezeiza airport (EZE) for your departing international flight.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Recommended trip combinations:
Hotel Terrantai: In the heart of historic San Pedro with the iconic ancient whitewashed church in view, Hotel Terrantai provides a comfortable and tranquil atmosphere for all who walk through its doors. The design is one of understated beauty, with adobe, lake rock, and aged wood construction and decorations inspired in the tradition of the original Atacameño people.
Marques de Tojo: With a prime location just four blocks from the city’s main plaza, Marqués de Tojo is a comfortable respite offering a peek into the region’s pre-Hispanic as well as colonial past. The lovely boutique hotel offers all the comforts and technology of today mixed with elegant craftsmanship and centuries-old Spanish-colonial design. In fact, the boutique calls itself a “hotel without time.”
El Lagar: Salta’s most exclusive boutique hotel, El Lagar is owned by the world-renowned winemaking family, the Etcharts. Cusqueño religious art fills the walls, and plush upholstered furniture and a cozy fireplace decorate the living room. All rooms have canopy beds; the suite is simply magnificent.
Claridge Hotel: This luxury hotel in the capital city of Buenos Aires is elegant, exclusive, stylish, and distinctive. Combining neo-classical and British flair, the Eurostars Claridge is an urban oasis. Rooms and common areas exude tradition. The hotel has hosted painting exhibitions, opera recitals, piano bar sessions, and cultural events.
