Journey to Chile, Atacama Desert, Highland Lagoons, National Park Lauca - Easter Island (15 day/ 14 nights)

Arrival in the city of Santiago, reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel, acommodation. In the afternoon we will realize a beautiful city tour through Santiago where we will visit the main attractions and enjoy some of the best views over the capital of Chile. Some of these points of interest are the mountain Santa Lucia, the Central Square, the Government Palace, the Market and the Mountain San Cristobal. Transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. In the morning we will transfer you to the airport of Santiago to take the flight to the city of Calama. Arrival at the airport of Calama, transfer to San Pedro de Atacama.

Departure at 04:00 am northwards. We cross the hills and mountains of the Cordillera of the Andes to get to the Tatio Geysers after about 1,5 hours. They are located 89km from San Pedro at an altitude of 4.230m over sea level. The geothermic field consists of more than 80 active geysers of different magnitudes and has to be visited very early for in the morning the water shoots with more intensity. This is due to the high differece between water temperature and atmospheric temperature at sunrise which causes condensation of the steam. In Summer the atmospheric temperature reaches about - 6ºC and in Winter it can reach -20 ºC. You will get time to visit different geysers and steam columns and also to take a bath in the natural thermal pool. We will have breakfast at the geysers, then we return to San Pedro passing the village of Machuca. Arrival approximately at 12:00 hrs in San Pedro.

Afternoon: Moon Valley

Departure from the hotel at 16:00 hrs to enjoy a panoramic view over the Cordillera of the Andes, the Great Salt Lake of the Atacama, the Oasis of San Pedro and the Cordillera of the Salt. We move on to visit the Death Valley (also called Mars Valley), exploring its labyrinths and canyons on an easy hike of about 35 minutes. After a stop at the Salt Caves, where you can appreciate the heart of salt, gypsum  and clay, we continue to the Moon Valley, visiting the Amphitheater, the Three Marias and finishing the day with an impressive view over the Andes.

Departure at 08:00 am. We leave San Pedro de Atacama to go south and cross the graben of the Salt Lake of the Atacama to visit the village of Toconao with its colonial church and the old fruit gardens. From there we move on to the Great Salt Lake of the Atacama, the third biggest in the world and the one with the highest Lithium production on earth.  Also we visit the Lagoon Chaxa, part of the Flamingo National Reserve. The excursion continues to the village of Socaire, located at an altitude of 3.250m over sea level and at a distance of 89km of San Pedro. It is a prehispanic village characterized by cultivated terraces and its beautiful church. Nowadays it is well known for the typical food of the Atacama. We move on to the Highland lagoons Miscanti and Meñiques, located over 3.500m over sea level and surrounded by the mountains of the Andes. It is one of the few places where you can find the Horned Tagua, among many other species of birds and mammals like the Andean Fox and the Vicuña. Return to San Pedro, arrival around 16:00 hrs.

Departure at 08:00 am. We will cross the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world, where you can appreciate its beauty and all its magnitude. Then we visit the geoglyphs "Pintados“, one of the most important archaeological patrimonies in the region. This beautiful demonstration of the ancient art consists of more than 400 figures arranged in thematic groups or panels. Finally we arrive in the village of Pica.

We leave Pica in the morning to visit the nitrate mines of Santa Laura and Humberstone, declared National Monument. Here you can discover the past and all the prosperity of the nitrate export and discover the beautiful architecture of the church, the hotel and the theater. We continue from these ghost towns to the village of Huara, then we move on to the hill Unitas to appreciate the beautiful geoglyph of the Atacama Giant. It is 86m high and one of the biggest figures ever realized. Little by little we start ascending, surrounded by a landscape full of geological contrasts and colors. Finally we arrive in Colchane, border village located at 212km of Iquique and at an altitude of 3.730m over sea level. Dinner and acommodation.

Leaving Colchane we pass the altiplanic towns Enquelga and Isluga, then we continue to the Lagoon Arabilla. We cross the National Park Isluga and enter the Vicuña National Reserve, stop at the Salt Lake Surire and enjoy a bath at the Thermal Baths of Polloquere (Picknick). Observation of Flamingos. Then we move on to the village of Guallatire and get a beautiful panoramic view of the active vulcano with its two steam columns. Stop in Ancuta, arrival in Putre and acommodation in the hotel.

In the morning we depart from Putre towards the National Park Lauca.  We realize a small hike at Las Cuevas („The Caves“), appreciating the beautiful landscapes, then we visit the viewpoints of Chucuyo and the Lagoons of Cotacotani, continuing the journey to Lake Chungará. Here we observe the volcanoes Payachatas, visit the village of Parinacota with its adorable colonial church and finish our tour at the Thermal Baths of Jurasi. After a relaxing bath, we return to the village of Putre.

Departure from Putre, we pass the village of Socoroma, lunch in Zapahuira. We visit the fort of Copaquilla, the candelabra cactuses and stop in Pocochile before we continue through the fertile valleys of Lluta and Azapa to get to Arica. Acommodation in the hotel.

At the indicated time we realize the transfer to the airport of Arica to take the flight to Santiago Reception at the airport of Santiago and transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. At the indicated time we bring you to the airport in Santiago to take the flight to the Easter Island. Reception at the airport with a flower necklace, then regular transfer to the hotel.

In the afternoon we start our trip at 15:00 hrs from the village Hanga Roa visiting Ahu Vinapu which was used by the indigenous since 1.200 BC. It includes 3 Ahu, the first one containing 6 Moai that were painted in red, the second one containing one feminine Moai and the third one  is the oldest one. We continue towards the stone quarry of Puna Pau, an archaeological site east of Hanga Roa in a small crater where earlier the Pukao were created which were used to crown the Moai. Afterwards we get tu Ahu Akivi, the first Ahu that was restored in 1960. The platform contains 7 Moai and is one of the few located in the center os the island. A legend says that those 7 Moai represent the 7 young explorers that were sent to the island before the arrival of Hotu Matua’a. Our adventure takes us to Te Pahu, used as a living place in time of conflicts. Then we return to Hanga Roa.

We leave Hanga Roa around 9:30am. This day of the tour will take us along the coast on the south-east of the island to the north-eastern part to visit the temple Ahu Vaihu. It consists of a platform with 8 Moai and 8 Pukao. In continuation we stop at tha Ahu Akahanga, also called platform of the king. It tells the story of the grave of Hotu Matua’a that is said to be located close to this Ahu. Here you will find 4 platforms, 12 Moai, 8 Pukao and one of the oldest villages on the island.

We move on to the Ahu Tongariki which contains 15 Moai and therefor is the biggest Ahu on the island. Following the route we will get to the Ahu Te Pito Kura. The highest Moai is located here, it measures 10 meters of height, weighs 85 tons and is called the Moai Paro. On the side of this ceremonial temple you will find a huge stone which is known as the navel of the world. It is said that this rock was brought to the island by Hotu Matua’a.

Our next stop is the Ahu Nau Nau, a temple with a complex construction due to its different levels. You will find 5 Moai with Pukao with petroglyphs on their backs. Continuing the journey we will get to the volcano and the stone quarry Rano Raraku where most of the Moais were made. To create them the people used volcanic stone, and still you can see more than 400 Moais in various phases of construction.

To finish the adventure of the day we visit the beautiful beach of Anakena, a beach with white sand that was chosen for the arrival of Hotu Matua’a and his sister Avareipua. Return to the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. In the morning we visit the volcano Rano Kau, the city and the holy temple of Orongo, the area of Vinapu and finally the cave of Anaka Tai Tangata that is famous for its old paintings. Acommodation in the hotel.

After the breakfast we realize the transfer to the airport. Arrival in Santiago and transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel, at the convenient time we bring you to the airport of Santiago.