Luxury Cruise and Tour - Altiplano and Tierra del Fuego ULCH05

15 Days : $7,231 per person inclusive of superior rooms in superior hotels,deluxe cabins onboard ship, all meals with wine included at the lodges and onboard, personal guide and driver while in Santiago.Airfare is additional and we can assist you. Business Class airfare at special rates is available and highly recommended. From the southernmost region in the world by luxury cruise ship to guided expeditions to the driest desert on earth you will experience all of the variety that is Chile. While making this discovery you will stay in the best hotels, enjoy Chilean cuisine and also fine Chilean wines.

Day 1 Depart USA

Your adventure begins with an overnight flight to Santiago. Dinner and breakfast on board.

Day 2 Arrival in Santiago

Upon arrival and after passing though arrival formalities your driver will meet you and escort you to your deluxe hotel located in magnificent gardens in one of Santiago's best residential areas. You have a chance to relax, to stroll through the gardens and surrounding community before enjoying dinner at your hotel and  turning in early  to rest up for the full days ahead.

Day 3 Santiago Exploration

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up for a personalized tour of the city including Moneda Palace, Plaza de Armas. You will drive down Parque Forestal which is modeled on the Champs d'elysees and continue to the bohemian area of Bellavista where you climb San Cristobal Hill for a panoramic view of the city with the Andes providing the backdrop. After a chance to relax after lunch, your driver will pick you up in the late afternoon to view Santiago in its nightly illumination. You will finish the tour in Barrio Bellavista where you will enjoy one of Santiago's best restaurants, Mesun Nerudiano, named for Pablo Neruda, Santiago's most well known poet.

Day 4 Santiago/Punta Arenas/MV Mare Australis

This morning you will be transferred to the airport to fly to Punta Arenas in Patagonia. This port city on the Straits of Magellan is where you board your luxury expedition ship MV Mare Australis. Custom designed for this type of cruising, the ship offers supreme comfort while also providing professional guides who will help you understand and appreciate the world that you are exploring. Enjoy dinner with wine as you set sail.

Day 5 Ainsworth Bay, Marinelli Glacier and Tucker Islet

Your first stop of the day will be at Ainsworth Bay where you disembark to get to know the flora and wildlife of the area. This will include colonies of sea lions, penguins and seals. You will also experience Marinelli Glacier and Tusker Islet before enjoying a leisurely dinner on board.

Day 6 Garibaldi Bay and Pia Glacier

Another opportunity to visit with the wildlife and also to walk on a Glacier accompanied by your knowledgeable guides. Safely back on the ship you unwind with a cocktail and look forward to the Farewell Dinner.

Day 7 Ushuaia/Santiago/Santa Rita

After breakfast, you disembark in Ushuaia on the Argentinean side of Patagonia for your return flight to Santiago. Upon arrival you are met and driven to the heart of the Chilean wine Country in Santa Rita. Your home for the next two nights is the Hotel Casa Real which is located in the Santa Rita vineyards. An old estate house, it has been converted into a 16 room country retreat. You may enjoy a swim in the hotel's pool before dinner.

Day 8 Touring the Vineyards

You will start your day with breakfast followed by a tour of the Santa Rita Winery in which the hotel is located. You will then visit Vina Bisquerrt where you will enjoy lunch with the wine. In the afternoon you will visit Almaviva, a joint project of Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. You will sample some of the excellent wines before returning to a gourmet dinner at Casa Real.

Day 9 Santa Rita/Santiago/Atacama

You will depart early for Santiago where you will take a flight to Calama where you will be picked up by a guide who will take you on a ninety minute ride through the desert. From the rich vineyards you now are in the Atacama desert, the driest desert on earth but fortunately you don't need to give up luxury to experience it. Your destination is the Hotel Explora whose fifty rooms include a Jacuzzi with a view of the surrounding desert. This will be your base for the next four nights as you unwind and enjoy the desert.

Days 10- 12 Exploring the Atacama

The Explora property is a self supporting world with luxury rooms, outdoor swimming pool, sauna, library, restaurant and bar. It is totally inclusive. Your meals, drinks, wine and excursions are all included. As a guest you can select from a package of more than 15 excursions on a daily basis all led by experienced guides, on foot, on horseback or by 4 X4, the choice is yours.

Day 13 Atacama/Santiago

Totally relaxed and at home with the desert you reluctantly head back to the airport for the flight back to Santiago where you connect with your return flight to the USA.

Day 14 Arrival in the USA

You arrive back in the United States at breakfast time.

Services Included

•       Transfers and sightseeing by private helicopter or aircraft as indicated on the itinerary

•       Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)

•       Private Transfers to and from the airport at destination

•       All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner

•Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary

•       Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.

•       Baggage handling at all hotels and camps

•       All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

•       International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)

•       Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)

•       Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page

•       Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.

•       Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)

•       Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round