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  • Highlights of Chilean Nature Atacama Desert – 4 Days
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Detailed Itinerary

Flight from Santiago de Chile to San Pedro de Atacama - Not included.

Arrival at Calama Airport (CJC). Meet with your guide and private transfer to hotel. Mineral water on board included.

San Pedro de Atacama is an oasis located in the challenging and quiet Atacama Desert, considered the driest on the planet. It is at 1,198 kilometers from Santiago de Chile, surrounded by mountain ranges, volcanoes with their eternal snow-covered summits, mysterious geoglyphs, gigantic geysers, impressive salt lakes with their colonies of flamingos, lagoons of intense blue color, and thermal water swimming pools in the middle of magical indigenous towns. San Pedro de Atacama is considered the archaeological capital of Chile and the center of the Atacama culture.

Being immersed in one of the driest places in the world, and surrounded by colours, flavours, textures and a deep silence that invites introspection. We want you to feel at home despite the distance. Here you can be part of the desert, surprise yourself with the immensity of the salt flats, contemplate the strength of its volcanoes, the beauty of the geysers and revitalize yourself in its hot springs. We are waiting for you in San Pedro de Atacama.

Moon Valley & Death Valley Tour
Regular Service (Shared) | English Guided Tour | Duration: Half-Day Tour (4 hs) | Vehicle: Up to 15 seats | Driver-guide
assistance | Meals not included.

The Moon Valley is an interesting area with stone and sand formations. Declared Sanctuary of Nature and part of the Flamingo National Reserve. Located inside the Cordillera de la Sal, 13 kilometers west of San Pedro de Atacama, the valley receives his name thanks to the great similarity with the lunar landscapes.

There is no life in this valley and no humidity, making it the most inhospitable place on the planet. You cannot miss the sunsets, they are unforgettable. While the sun is setting, it colors the edges of the hills and gorges, while the wind blows between rocks and the sky changes from a pink color to purple and finally to black. Without a doubt, it is one of the main attractions of San Pedro de Atacama, visited by hundreds of tourists year after year. They are impressed by its singular and unique beauty, incomparable with any place.
Meals: Breakfast.

Atacama Salt Flats, Altiplanic Lagoons & Toconao
Regular Service (Shared) | Guided tour in English & Spanish | Duration: Full Day (7 hours) | Lunch included.

Tour through the most extensive plain in the area that leads to the great Salar de Atacama, coarse and white surface, where shallow water is home to a great number of flamingos that choose this water for nesting. Geologic studies consider this salt flat is one of the most important lithium deposits on Earth, about 40%. Near weak water streams, some small towns are located, being Toconao one of the most picturesque ones, with its original architecture in pumice, highlighted by its old church. It is a town that invites people to walk around its streets, and know the locals, who dedicate their lives to handicrafts of fine wool. After Toconao, a tour on Laguna Chaxa, part of Los Flamencos National Reservation. Located at 2,300 m (7,545 ft.) AMSL, this lagoon is scenery of astonishing beauty seen in a lagoon divided in several water mirrors, where the salt crusts are especially abundant and where several flamingo communities live.

Then, a visit to the gorgeous Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, at 4,500 m (14,763 ft.) AMSL. In its landscapes, it is possible to see different colors on the mountain chain. Besides, its flora and fauna are unique, since they can only be found in these protected areas. The height allows the proximity to mountains and volcanoes, some of which are sacred and have inspired beautiful legends about the Desierto de Atacama. Socaire town will also be visited, a place in which the ancestral traditions have lasted through time thanks to its inhabitants – shepherds or agricultures that farm the Pachamama, using the ancient system of Andean terraces.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Tatio Geysers Full Day Tour
Regular Service (Shared) | Vehicle and English - Spanish speaking guide included | Duration: Full Day (8 hours) | Box breakfast included.

Early morning departure from your hotel. We will travel around 43 miles to the El Tatio geothermal field, which in the "Kunza" language means "the grandfather who cries". We will arrive before dawn to enjoy the contrasts between the sunlight and the vapors that emerge from the earth. The geysers are located in the Andean Mountain range at more than 4,300 m.a.s.l. (13,000 feet) and are the largest geothermal field in South America and the third largest in the world, with their "vents" of steam that can reach a height of 50 meters (164 feet) due to the heating of magma caused by mountain waters flowing through cracks in the earth's crust. After watching the sunrise, we will enjoy a local breakfast and have free time to explore the area.

Stargazing in Atacama
Meeting point is at the E-26 school in San Pedro de Atacama.| Transfers to/from the meeting point are not included |Tour is subject to weather conditions| Shared.

7 km away from San Pedro de Atacama stands the meeting point to the observatory, which has 10 telescopes. In the first part of the tour, you will see the sky with the naked eye. Using a green laser to point the stars, the constellations are
explained, the rotation of the sky, how the sky changes in relation to the latitude, etc. In the second part, you can use the telescopes. The 10 telescopes have different orientations and it is possible to see different kinds of nebula and clusters of stars. In the third and last part, you can drink and share hot beverages, usually a hot chocolate, and ask additional questions.

Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch

Private transfer from Hotel to Calama Airport with Spanish-speaking driver to fly back to Santiago de Chile. Mineral
water on board included.

Flight from San Pedro de Atacama to Santiago de Chile - Not included.

Meals: Breakfast

Inclusions

- All mentioned activities with bilingual guide services (English/Spanish or Portuguese) or as above specifications.
- All taxes and reservations expenses.

Exclusions

- International and Domestic airfare.
- National Park tickets, museums or Natural reserves entrances in case not mentioned as included in itinerary.
- Airport arrival/departure taxes (if any).
- Meals and beverages not mentioned in itinerary.
- Gratuities, tips for guides, drivers, porters, waiters, etc.
- Expenses of personal nature (laundry, beverages, telephone calls, etc.).

Notes

Hotels Used
Standard Hotel
San Pedro de Atacama - Casa de Don Tomas El Refugio - Standard room
Mid-Range Hotel
San Pedro de Atacama - Nayara Alto Atacama - Catarpe Room
High-Range Hotel
San Pedro de Atacama - Explora Atacama - Tulur Room

Please note that the wineries selection can be updated according trip date, schedule, availability, and in order to guarantee the program best conditions. Wineries visits, tastings and lunch are shared, unless are specifically informed as private.

- Rates liable to changes and availability.

Passport and Visa Requirements
You should clarify visa requirements with the Embassies of the countries that you plan to visit as certain countries may require you to take out a visa. It is the passenger's responsibility to have all the proper and valid documentation to enter the countries involved in the trip. Prior to confirming your travel arrangements, you should check your Passport and establish that it will remain current for the entire period of your travel. Please be aware that the name on your airline ticket must be identical to that on your Passport.

Vaccinations
Certain countries require that travelers be vaccinated against specific diseases. Check with your doctor and the Embassies of countries to which you are traveling to satisfy yourself as to whether your destination has any requirements in this respect.

**Not valid for Holidays or Festive Season**

+ International Bank Wire Fee – AUD 69,00

All prices are indicative and starting from prices. Final price will be available based on availability and dates of travel.

Program Touring / Guide

Private touring

Trip Highlights

Santiago de Chile - San Pedro de Atacama - Santiago de Chile

Periodic Departure
22 Oct, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024

Standard
AUD 3,851 P P twin share
AUD 7,046 P P single
ON REQUEST

Mid-Range Hotel
AUD 8,713 P P twin share
AUD 14,069 P P single
ON REQUEST

High-Range Hotel
AUD 7,816 P P twin share
AUD 13,646 P P single
ON REQUEST

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