North & Big Cities Argentina & Chile 12 days / 11 nights
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Day 1 Arrival Buenos Aires
Welcome to Buenos Aires international airport, welcome and transfer to the hotel. Free time. Accommodation.
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Day 2 Buenos Aires
Breakfast. During this day, we will make a half day city tour over the Buenos Aires city, showing its different districts, communities and architectural styles. You will visit the outstanding building of the National Congress, the ancient Council, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Capitol (better known as "Pink House").We will visit Recoleta and San Telmo area, one of the most antique districts of the city, as well as the Boca district, with its "caminito"- a picturesque pedestrian street, where you will find its colorful metal sheet tenements. Finally, the tour will lead us to the recently recycled district of Puerto Madero, old area of the Buenos Aires port. Free afternoon. Accommodation.
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Day 3 Buenos Aires / Iguazú
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to fly to the Iguassu Falls. At proper time you will be pick up to do the Brazilian falls Tour. We will do a Half-day tour to admire the waterfalls from the Brazilian territory. End of the tour transfer back hotel. Accommodation.
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Day 4 Iguazú
Breakfast. At proper time you will be pick up to do a full day Argentinean falls tour. We will make the tour to the waterfalls, covering them from the Argentine side. After entering the National Park Iguazu, we will make a long walk along the lowest part of the waterfalls, to later visit the upper part of the footbridges. Accommodation.
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Day 5 Iguazú / Salta
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to fly to Salta. Welcome to Salta, usually called, the beautiful. You will be escorted to your hotel. The Northern provinces exhibit mixed pre-Columbus vestiges, ruins of fortresses and Indian villages, as well as constructions from the age of the conquer and colonization. It is a region full of contrasts, where the visitor goes deep in the historical roots of the Latin-American civilization and culture. Its geography is made of the Calchaquies Valleys, the “Altiplano de la Puna” (High Plains of the Puna*) and the “Quebrada of Humahuaca”, which has been declared as Patrimony of Humanity. This variety of landscapes amazes everyone the same way. Surrounded by hills, some of them multicolored, with their slopes covered with a great quantity of imposing cactus. It is just in these lands where the population still keeps the practices and customs of its ancestors, staying among other popular events, which contribute with the veneration of the Mother Earth and the celebration of the carnival. In Cafayate, at 2hrs30m from Salta, great areas of vineyards can be observed, as here the famous “torrontés wine” (white and fruit wine) is manufactured. Accommodation.
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Day 6 Salta / Cafayate / Salta
Breakfast. Today we will make a full day visit to Cafayate, passing by a peculiar geography, sculpt by the winds and the sun. First we will find small agricultural-livestock villages such as Cerrillos, La Merced and El Carril, where these activities are developed. Further on, we will cross Quebrada de las Conchas in a route of 52 miles, which is the prelude to the Calchaquíes Valleys. Here, the wind erosion has captured a succession of natural caprices like the famous Garganta del Diablo (a closed and profound canyon); then at the view of the visitor appears the Amphitheatre (amazing mountain formation with a surprising acoustic), the Frog, the Fray, and the Nun Procession, the Obelisk and the Castles, whose names express the images that they name. The dryness of the landscape changes when reaching Cafayate, where great areas of vineyards can be observed. The region is worldly well-known since apart from its natural beauties, here the famous “torrontés wine” is manufactured – it is a white and fruit wine, very typical of the Salta Province. We will visit its colonial houses and the Church of the nineteenth century, as well as one of its wine cellars, where we will also have the opportunity of tasting some of its famous wines. Return trip to the city of Salta during the afternoon. Accommodation.
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Day 7 Salta / Quebrada de Humahuaca / Purmamarca
This day, we will leave northbound early in the morning to the province of Jujuy, reaching the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a natural way climbing up to the High Plains (Humanity Patrimony since 2003). Multiple picturesque and colorful landscapes frame a group of towns, with adobe brick houses, historical chapels and pre-hispanic ruins where time seems to be stopped. The Quebrada (Ravine), densely inhabited during prehispanic times, is characterized by numerous towns with fortresses at the peak of the morros and in the valley. After crossing the little towns of Yala, Volcán and Tumbaya, we arrive at our first stop: Purmamarca. Here we visit the Seven Colors Hill, its town and craft markets. We follow the road to Tilcara, village with fortress, built by the omaguacas Indians during the pre-Columbus times. We will visit the Pucará Ruins and the museum. Following the route, we reach Humahuaca, the most important town of the ravine, where the monument to the Independence, the adobe brick tower of the old church and the craft markets can be appreciated.
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Day 8 Purmamarca / Crossing the Andes Range / San Pedro de Atacama
This day you will take a regular bus that will pick you up at Purmamarca to make the wonderful experience of crossing the Andes mountains by land. Arrival after approx. 8hrs. This afternoon, we will do the Half Day Moon Valley & Death Valley, one of the best-known destinations between Calama and San Pedro. With the Licancabur volcano providing the backdrop, strange salt and rock formations in the middle of the valley’s barren sandy landscape really do look like a moonscape. After a tour past the bizarre natural rock and salt shapes, you will ascend a lookout point on a giant sand dune where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the valley and the Licancabur volcano. Then, you pass by the bizarre rock formation “Tres Marías” and end the excursion at “Coyote´s rock” (“Piedra del Coyote”). From the top of this rock, you overlook the Kari-Canyon and wide parts of the desert; you can even catch a glimpse at the Salar de Atacama. The setting sun bathes the landscape in a light that changes with every minute, providing a mesmerizing play of colors.
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Day 9 San Pedro / Lagoons and Salt Lake / San Pedro
At 07:00h departure from your hotel. Visit the town of Toconao where you can observe cultural handcrafting. Afterwards we will visit the Atacama Salt Lake, where we will have breakfast in front of the Chaxa Lagoon, the National Flamingo Reserve. We continue towards the Pukará de Quitor and The Ruins of Tulor. Afterwards we will take a tour to the Moon Valley, where we can see the salt-statues "Three Maries", the Salt-mine, the outlook, and the salt-caves. From here we will enjoy an unforgettable sunset from the big sand dune. Return to San Pedro. Accommodation.
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Day 10 San Pedro / Geysers Tatio / Calama / Santiago
Departure from the hotel at 4 A.M. towards the geothermal field of El Tatio - hot springs - located at 4.320 m.a.s.l. Breakfast picnic-style. Possibility to bath in the natural hot thermal pools (35 degrees). Transfer to the local airport to fly back to Santiago. Transfer to your hotel upon arrival. Accommodation.
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Day 11 Santiago de Chile
Breakfast. Half Day Santiago City tour, visiting the main attractions of Santiago de Chile: Bernardo O´Higgins Avenue (also called “Alameda”), the Providencia District, the Cerro San Cristóbal, Metropolitano Park, Forestal Park, the Bellas Artes Museum, Armas Square with its cathedral, Town Hall of Santiago
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Day 12 Santiago de Chile / End of our Services
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport of Santiago. End of our services.