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Locally Hosted Independent Tour Travel period: All year NOTE: Day of departure entirely dependent on operational logistics

ITINERARY (Subject to change without notice):

Day 1 - Depart Miami: Evening departure on overnight flight to Chile.

Day 2 - Arrive Santiago: Morning arrival in Santiago. Meeting upon arrival and transfer to the Ritz Carlton in the heart of the city for three night stay. Balance of the day at leisure.

Day 3 - Santiago: Morning visit to the main points of interest in Santiago, Fourth largest city in South America and beautifully set among a back-drop of snow-capped Andes. Visit the highlights   including the Club Hipico, the area of "La Moneda" government palace with statues of national heroes of the early Independence years; historic Plaza de Armas with the Cathedral, Post Office and National Museum, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, with one of the most complete collections of ceramics, ancient textiles and relics of American culture, among other places of interest.  Afternoon at leisure to explore at your own pace. (B)

Day 4 - Santiago:   Depart Santiago and drive across the coastal ranges past Melipilla, a typical farming village to San Sebastian to turn north to Isla Negra, a quiet summer resort made famous by the Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda who arrived there in the 40's and made it his home. Here you will visit his home, today a museum. Then continue driving along the coast via El Quisco, Algarrobo, Casablanca Valley and finally to the twin cities of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso. Vina is a popular seaside resort; Valparaiso. is the main port. Visit the main points of interest and have time for lunch (cost not included) before making the return drive back to Santiago. (B)

Day 5 - Santiago - Easter Island: Transfer for 5 hour flight west over the vast Pacific Ocean to Easter Island. Upon arrival, meeting upon arrival by staff from Explora's Posada del Mike Rapu and transfer to the Posada for three night stay. During your stay you iwll enjoy all meals, open bar and daily activities as offered.  Depending upon arrival time, you may do an afternoon excursion. (B/D)

Easter Island, the singularly most remote island on earth, is one of the most remarkable open air museums to be found anywhere. Here are found in profusion the material remains of a sophisticated and complex culture which produced spectacular religious architecture, gigantic sculptures, roads, towers, great stone quarries, petroglyphs & other monuments.

Located some 2300 miles from the Central Coast of Chile, the island's surface is less than 104 miles squared. It is a perfect triangle not quite 15 miles long and only a little over 7 miles wide at the widest point. Easter Island possesses a characteristic marine subtropical climate that is profoundly influenced by wind and maritime currents. The average temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit, with highs of  82 during the summer and between the high 50's and low 70's during the winter. May is the wettest month although it can rain any time of the year.

Day 6  - Easter Island: Today you'll begin discovering this mysterious island, probably the most remarkable open air museum to be found anywhere. Here, in profusion, are the material remains of a sophisticated and complex culture which produced spectacular religious architecture, gigantic sculptures, roads, towers, great stone quarries, petroglyphs, masonry line caves and many other unique monuments. Today choose from activities as offered to some of the main points of interest on the island. (B/L/D)

Day 7 - Easter Island: Again today, in both the morning and afternoon, you'll continue visiting this intriguiing island via the activities as offered by Explora. (B/L/D)

Day 8  - Easter Island - Santiago: At leisure until transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago. Meeting and transfer for overnight stay at the Santiago Ritz Carlton. (B)

Day 9 - Santiago - Calama - San Pedro de Atacama: Morning pick up at your hotel by your private car and guide for transfer to the airport for flight north to Calama, gateway to the Atacama Desert, considered one of the driest deserts on earth. Meeting by Explora staff and drive one hour by hotel van into the heart of the desert to the town of San Pedro de Atacama for four night stay at the new Explora en Atacama, sister to the renowned Explora en Patagonia. This afternoon you'll have your first chance to begin visiting the area.(B/L/D)

During your stay you will enjoy all meals, an open bar and a daily menu of activities and excursions, including horseback riding, biking, hiking, and visits to main points of interest in the area such as the Salt Flats, the geysers and the town of San Pedro de Atacama. Click here for a complete list of excursions and activities.

Day 10 - San Pedro de Atacama: Today you will choose from the menu of excursions as offered by Explora. (B/L/D)

Day 11 - San Pedro de Atacama: Again today you can choose from the menu of excursions as offered by Explora. (B/L/D)

Day 12 - San Pedro de Atacama: One last day to explore the area Explora style. (B/L/D)

Day 13 - San Pedro de Atacama - Calama - Santiago - Puerto Montt - Petrohue area: Morning return transfer by Explora van to the Calama airport for return flight to Santiago, where you make connections to your flight south to Puerto Montt, gateway to the scenic Lake District.  Meeting upon arrival by the staff from YanKee Way Lodge and transfer north to Lake Llanquihue and to the lodge, located on the shores of the lake with spectacular vistas to Osorno Volcano. You will enjoy a three night stay with all meals and daily selection of activities during your stay. (B/D)

Day 14 - Petrohue area: This morning your host, YanKee Way Lodge, will provide you with a visit to the main points of interest in Puerto Montt, founded in 1852 by German colonists and you'll make a stop at the   nearby fishing village of Angelmo with a bustling fish market and colorful handicraft market.  Also visit the main points of interest in Puerto Varas, often called the City of Roses and with a spectacular setting right on the shores of Lake Llanquihue with snow-capped Osorno as a back drop. In the afternoon select from a variety of activities from the lodge's Sport Adventure program. (B/L/D)

Day 15 - Petrohue area:   Another day to enjoy activities as offered by YanKee Way Lodge from their Sport Adventure program. (B/L/D)

Day 16 - Petrohue area - Puerto Montt - Punta Arenas - Paine Towers National Park: This morning YanKee Way Lodge will transfer you to the Puerto Montt airport for flight south along the Andes to Punta Arenas where the Hotel Explora staff will meet you for five hour drive north via Explora van to Paine Towers National Park and the Hotel Explora for four night stay in Cordillera Paine rooms with view to Paine Towers. (B/D)

NOTE: All meals (1/2 bottle of wine, beer or soft drink included with lunch and dinner) and all excursions are included during your stay. Each evening the guides will meet with you to describe the next day's excursions. They range from half day, easy excursions to full day, difficult excursions and include walks, hikes, treks, horseback riding and motorlaunch excursions. The excursions are designed to give you ample time to explore the beauties of the park.

Hotel Explora operates the same tours all year, subject to weather conditions.

Day 17 through Day 19 - Paine Towers National Park: Three wonderful days to explore Paine Towers National Park and to enjoy the pampering provided by the Explora.

Day 20 - Paine Towers National Park - Punta Arenas: Morning departure by Hotel Explora van for five hour drive south along the rolling steppes of Patagonia to Punta Arenas airport where you catch your flight north along the Andes to Santiago.  Meeting upon arrival and transfer to the Santiago Ritz Carlton for overnight stay. (B)

Day 21 - Santiago - Santa Cruz: Morning departure from Santiago for drive south into the Colchagua Valley, home to many boutique vineyards. Stop at Casa Silva, with many international awards to its credit and the first and most traditional vineyard in the valley, for a visit to the installations and lunch before continuing on to Santa Cruz. Time permitting, you'll visit another vineyard in the area this afternoon. Check-in at the charming and exclusive Casa Lapostolle Residence for two night stay. (B/L/D)

Day 22 Santa Cruz: Today you will spend the day visiting more of the boutique vineyards such as Casa Lapostolle, a historic vineyard with a close relationship to the Ritz Carlton chain, Vina Viu Manent, a family owned vineyard established in 1935 with 300 hectares dedicated to quality wines. Enjoy lunch at the vineyard and then visit Vina Montes, one of the first "emerging" wineries which started operations only in 1988. Today it exports to 67 countries and has been voted by Wine Spectator as Chile's top ranked Cabernet Sauvignon and highest ranked Syrah. (B/L/D)

Day 23 - Santa Cruz - Alto Jahuel: This morning visit the small but excellent Colchagua Museum with many artifacts of the history of the area and the development of vineyards. Then continue on to Vina La Posada, 123 acres planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon. Enjoy lunch at the vineyard and then head north back towards Santiago to Alto Jahuel and the Casa Real, on the grounds of the Santa Rita Vineyards. (B/L)

Day 24 - Alto Jahuel - Santiago and depart to USA: Morning at leisure to enjoy Casa Real. Have lunch at the popular Dona Paula's, on the grounds of the historic vineyard, and then visit the installations of Santa Rita before driving back to the Santiago airport for your overnight flight back to the US. (B/L)

Day 25 - Arrive Miami: Morning arrival in Miami, clear customs and immigrations and make connections to your home city.

RATES and DETAILS: