14-night The Best Of Chilean Fjords Cruise

Santiago, with over four million people, is the fifth-largest city in South America. Standing in a wide plain 1,800 feet above sea level, Santiago boasts a beautiful setting. Snow-capped peaks of the Andes chain provide a dramatic backdrop. Tastefully laid-out public gardens contribute to the beauty of the city. However, Santiago also suffers from horrendous traffic and a high percentage of pollution. The heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas, flanked by the cathedral, the archbishop’s palace, the National History Museum and fine arcaded buildings lined with shops. The two-mile-long Avenida O’Higgins is the major thoroughfare, commonly known as the Alameda. There is a splendid view over the city from San Cristobal Hill, crowned by the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Valparaiso: Encounter with the Art - 4 hours — Optional Private Excursions
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EXCURSION

• La Sebastiana –  Pablo Neruda Museum
• A local artist’s studio

 
DESCRIPTION
 
Picturesque Valparaiso was one of the first Chilean cities founded by the Spanish in 1536.
 
A thriving port for centuries, modern Valparaiso remains Chile’s primary outlet to the sea. In 1906, a vicious earthquake struck the city, toppling hundreds of the city's priceless monuments. This earthquake, however, would be a portent of things to come: The truly fatal blow to Valparaiso would come 8 years later. In 1914, the first international ship crossed the Panama Canal. The golden age of Valparaiso had come to an end. After years of gloom and decay, the historic port and university town is now living something of a revival. The Chilean government has pledged both economic and structural support to the city, and private entities are implementing projects that seek to trigger an urban renaissance in Valparaiso as a world heritage city and Chile's cultural capital. Among the priorities are culture, heritage preservation, and economic development via tourism. This effort culminated in UNESCO naming Valparaiso’s Historic Quarter a World Heritage Site in 2003.
 
Immigrants from all over the world have chosen to stay and leave their mark on this peculiar city.
Since over 450 years, this strategic port in the western coast of the South American continent has been the subject of interest for many renamed visitor. First visited by Drake and later on by Dutch pirates, left in ruins by Spanish cannons’ fire and reconstructed many times after numerous earthquakes, Valparaíso is a handmade city, a result of human intervention and an example of urban resilience.
 
During your 4-hour tour you will have the chance to see Valparaíso distinctively spontaneous hill neighbourhoods and their vernacular architecture, including more than a dozen ascensores (funicular cable cars) that connect the port with its surrounding heights.  This is a great city to explore on foot so that you can grasp its beauty.
 
One of the highlights of the tour will surely be Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda’s Valparaiso residence, “La Sebastiana”. The house is full to the brim with the eccentric genius’ keepsakes from his many trips abroad, as well as an extensive library.
 
Also during your visit you will get the opportunity to visit the studio/gallery of a local artist who will be pleased to meet you and sharing with you his passion for art and his life experience in this bohemian city in front of the Pacific Ocean, a constant source of inspiration for many other artists

OBSERVATIONS

1. Includes the services of an English-speaking guide.
2. Bottled mineral water included.
3. Entrance fee to the museums are included. 
4. Museums are closed on Mondays.

*Travellers will be transferred from the pier to the excursion sites by car
 

Valparaiso - Wines of the Casablanca Valley — Optional Private Excursions
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EXCURSION
 

• Tour and Tasting at two emblematic vineyards of the Casablanca valley

  
DESCRIPTION
 
This morning you will be welcomed at the Valparaíso pier by your guide who will escort you on your private tour to the Casablanca valley.
 
The Casablanca Valley is a sub-region of the Aconcagua Valley, but its vineyards – first planted in the early 1980s – have earned worldwide recognition in a relatively short space of time. The warm, temperate climate of the area is greatly influenced by the coastal sea breezes, which in combination with a perfect terroir in a valley situated on the coastal plane, with distant hills and slopes rising no more than 400 meters above sea level provide ideal conditions for certain varieties of grape. It is not unlike Santa Barbara and portions of Sonoma, and fittingly, the grapes that have done best over the past half-decade or so have been Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. While the area is best known for its crisp white wines, in particular Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, varieties such as Gewürtztraminer and certain lighter reds such as Pinot Noir are fast becoming the varieties du jour.
 
The first visit will be made at the Casas del Bosque vineyard where the visit will commence with a tour of the winery and cellars. Continue with a tasting focussing on their superb, award-winning red and white wines including their award-winning Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2004. A selection of dried fruits and cheeses will be served to accompany the wines during the tastings.
 
Then continue to the Matetic winery.
 
The new Matetic vineyard, designed by the Viña Matetic team in cooperation with architect Lawrence Odfjell, is a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, constructed so as to complement its glorious setting. In other words, harmony has been reached between the winery´s organic agricultural practices and the natural landscape of the valley.
 
Upon arrival to the vineyard you will be greeted and invited to listen to a brief introductory speech about the vineyard history and the different phases of wine production while appreciating stunning views of the vineyards and the beautiful Rosario Valley. Then you will proceed to the tasting room where you will sample the high quality Matetic wines.
 
Lunch today will be served at excellent Matetic Winery’s restaurant.


Notes:

1. Includes the services of an English-speaking guide.
2. Bottled mineral water available in the vehicle

Santiago - Valparaíso Wine & Culinary Adventure: Full-Day Private Tour — Optional Private Excursions

Embark on a culinary journey from Santiago to the coast, discovering the flavors of Casablanca, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar.

Your adventure begins with a pick-up from your Santiago hotel as we travel through the Coastal Mountain Ranges to Casablanca Valley, one of the world’s top cool-climate wine regions. Enjoy a visit to a local winery, where you’ll savor four wines paired with a light selection of local bites.

Next, we continue to Valparaíso, where a local guide will meet you in the historic Plaza Sotomayor. You’ll learn about the city’s rich history, its beloved hero, and how the land was reclaimed from the sea. Explore the charming streets, old buildings, and ride a classic funicular up to the colorful hills of Cerros Alegre and Concepción.

As you wander, soak in the stories of Valparaíso’s golden era and vibrant evolution into an artistic hub. Along the way, sample Chile’s favorite foods, from a beloved cookie and craft beers to Chilean dishes and ice cream with a unique twist.

End your tour with a traditional Pisco Sour and a snack of Chilean delicacies, all while enjoying panoramic views of the port city. After experiencing Valparaíso’s charm, we’ll head to Viña del Mar for a brief exploration before returning to Santiago.

The biggest glacier in South America can be found in the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, the biggest national park in Chile.

El Brujo Glacier is located in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in Chile's protected Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. Cruise in Asia Fjord to view El Brujo Galcier, one of the most stunning glaciers in the region.

The Strait of Magellan is the passage immediately south of mainland South America. Located between the continent and Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn to the south, the strait is the biggest and most important natural passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Glacier lies in the Garibaldi Fjord, a narrow passage strewn with floating ice in shades of blue and green, and waterfalls that come down the steep mountainsides. At the head of this picturesque fjord, take in the quiet splendor of the retreating Garibaldi Glacier. The area also offers travelers extraordinary sights and an abundance of sea lions, the occasional sighting of dolphins and whales and the astonishing array of seabirds and marine life.

Rounding the extreme southern tip of South America, you'll be awestruck by the rugged beauty and imposing vision of Cape Horn, a craggy, massive rocky point that was the bane of early explorers.

The question is not how low can you go, but how far south can you go before falling off the planet. Lying across the Beagle Channel from Ushuaia at "the end of the world," this town is a rag-tag collection of colorful tin-roof houses, ice-capped peaks, scenic beaches, and a naval base. Sitting on tiny Navarino Island, no phone lines stretch between earth and sky, which is all the better for the penguins, geese, and albatross. Pristine hikes lead past beech forests, bogs, and hidden streams. Sailors and kayakers ply through quiet waters with snow-covered mountains looming on all sides.

The world's southernmost city, Ushuaia overlooks Beagle Channel, named after the ship that took Charles Darwin to the bottom of the world. Founded just over one hundred years ago, this rustic town is situated amidst incredible snowcapped mountains, dramatic waterfalls, massive glaciers, and a forest known for its red foliage. Tierra del Fuego, the "Land of Fire," twelve miles to the west of Ushuaia, is known for its glacial landscape and its national park, which is a bird-watcher's paradise.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Ushuaia – Tierra del Fuego National Park and End of the World Train - Half Day — Optional Private Excursions
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit. 
Begin the tour by driving along National Route N3, crossing the valley of the Pipo River and the foothills of Mount Susana, to the train station located in the area where the inmates of the old prison collected firewood.
 
The little steam train will wind along the trail that the prison train used to follow over bridges, swampy areas, and green valleys, making a short stop at La Macarena waterfall. On completion of the train ride and already in the Tierra del Fuego National Park, drive through the most attractive landscapes of the park, such as Lake Roca and Bahía Lapataia (where the National Route N3, part of the Pan-American Highway ends).
 
In different locations take short walks to appreciate the different species of the native forest and the protected fauna in the southernmost National Park of Argentina.

After the tour you will be transferred back to the pier.

Tour highlights: 

• Beagle Channel
• Lapataia Bay
• End of the World train

 
Inclusions

• Transfers to/from the pier
• English speaking guide
• Private vehicle

 
Exclusions

• Gratuities for guide and driver
• Box-Lunch
• Entrance fee