Day 1: Arrival in Santiago.
Day 2: Rapa Nui – Travel to Easter Island.
Day 3: Rapa Nui – In Search of the Birdman Cult.
Day 4: Rapa Nui – The Mystery of the Moai,
Day 5: Rapa Nui – Tongariki Sunrise – Travel to Santiago.
Day 6: Central Region – A Bite of Santiago City Tour.
Day 7: Central Region – Valparaíso and Vineyard Tour.
Day 8: Travel to San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 9: San Pedro de Atacama – Altiplanic Lagoons.
Day 10: San Pedro de Atacama – Tatio Geysers.
Day 11: San Pedro de Atacama – Moon Valley.
Day 12: Return to Santiago & International Flight.
From the ancient archaeological wonders of Easter Island to the Martian landscapes of a sky-scraping desert, our “Easter Island to Atacama: Culture and Nature” tour will immerse you in the natural wonders and cultural diversity of our unique country. We’ll start our journey on Easter Island. This island has been home to the Rapa Nui people for thousands of years, who crafted the giant rock “Moai” statues that dot the island’s landscape. We’ll hike up the island’s volcanoes to take in magnificent views across the Pacific horizon, explore ancient archaeological sites to discover the treasures of this Polynesian gem, and learn about local culture and traditions. Returning to the mainland, we’ll explore the highlights of Central Chile, like the capital city of Santiago, the colorful port of Valparaiso, and the idyllic wine valleys. The trip ends in the Atacama Desert – the driest desert in the world – where we’ll discover otherworldly landscapes like steaming-hot geyser fields, timeless lunar valleys, highland lagoons, hazy mountains and volcanoes, and some of the most spectacular night skies on the planet.
Welcome to Chile! A representative from our company will be waiting for you at the Santiago Airport to welcome you and take you to your hotel in the city. Along the way, we’ll go over your upcoming itinerary, as well as answer any questions you may have.
Depending on when your flight arrives, you will have free time during the day and evening to rest or explore the city a bit on your own. If you choose to go out and explore, here are some of our suggestions for points of interest.
Meals: None.
Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa
In the morning, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport for your flight to Easter Island. Upon arrival, another EcoChile representative will fetch you from the airport in Hanga Roa and take you to your hotel, where you’ll have a short break to rest and refresh yourself before heading out.
Optional Shared Half-Day Tour: Stargazing Experience.
After lunch you’ll have the afternoon free to explore the island. Once night falls and provided weather conditions and the moon cycle allow, you have the option to journey back in time to learn the principles of astronomy, the history of Polynesian voyaging and settlement, and the archeoastronomy of Rapa Nui on a stargazing tour. You’ll visit some of the island’s traditional observatory sites to gaze the beautiful night sky on one of the most remote islands in the world to view stars and constellations only visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
(Note that this activity is not included in the price.)
Meals: Breakfast.
Vai Moana Hotel
Private Full Day Tour: In Search of the Birdman Cult.
On day three, you’ll explore some of Easter Island’s most fascinating and significant sites. After breakfast, you’ll climb to the clifftop village of Orongo to discover the story of the Birdman Cult and its annual competition that took place at Tangata Manu. From there, you’ll continue on your route to Rano Kau, the largest volcano crater on Easter Island with a mini ecosystem of its own before heading inland to see the Ahu A’kivi platform of seven famous moai that look out to sea. Finally, you’ll end the day at Puna Pau, the quarry used to create the moai’s famous topknots.
Meals: Breakfast – Picnic Lunch.
Vai Moana Hotel
Private Full Day Tour: The Mystery of the Moai.
Discover the secrets of the moai giants that make Easter Island so iconic. You’ll find yourself immersed in the fascinating history and culture of the Rapa Nui people as you learn how and why these statues were made and how the enormous stones were carved and transported to their platforms
During the tour, you’ll visit the fallen moai at Ahu Akahanga, toppled by rebels who turned on their ancestors’ traditions and the restored site of Ahu Tongariki to see the 15 statues guarding the land. You’ll also visit Te Pito Kura to learn about the magnetic stone and visit the idyllic Anakena Beach.
Meals: Breakfast – Picnic Lunch.
Vai Moana Hotel
Shared Half Day Tour: Tongariki Sunrise & Private Transfer
Finish your time on Easter Island in the perfect way by watching the sunrise behind fifteen moai statues and carry with you memories of this magical island.
Private Transfer.
At a pre-arranged time (depending on your flight), you’ll be fetched from your Easter Island hotel by one of our representatives and transferred to Hanga Roa airport for your five-hour flight back to the mainland. After arriving in Santiago, you’ll be taken to your hotel and will have the remainder of the day free.
Meals: Breakfast.
Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa
Private Half Day Tour: A Bite of Santiago City Tour.
Today, you’ll get to discover Santiago on this insider city tour. We’ll visit the historic city center, where you’ll learn about the history of the city and Chile, be introduced to Chilean cuisine by visiting the local markets to try traditional dishes and learn about how they’re prepared, visit popular attractions around town, connect with locals, and much more. By the end of the tour, you’ll be an honorary “Santiaguino”! After the tour, you’ll have the rest of the day free to explore more or rest at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and food samples.
Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa
Private Full Day Tour: Valparaíso and Casablanca Wine Valley.
Today, we head out of Santiago to visit central Chile’s scenic wine valleys and the bohemian port city of Valparaiso. We’ll start in Valparaiso, which is located on the Pacific Coast, roughly an hour and a half from Santiago. This city is renowned for its counterculture atmosphere, colorful houses, unique regional architecture, vibrant street art, and hill-scaling funicular elevators, all of which we’ll discover on a walking tour. We’ll also stop at a local restaurant to enjoy some of the city’s incredibly fresh and delicious offerings. Then, we’ll drive back toward Santiago, stopping in the luscious Casablanca wine valley, which is renowned world-wide for its red and white wines. We’ll visit one of the valley’s most preeminent wineries, Emiliana, which specializes in organic and biodynamic wines. We’ll go on a tour of the vineyard and winery and have a tasting of their wines accompanied by local cheese or chocolate. We’ll then return to Santiago for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast.
Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa
At a prearranged time, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport for your flight to Calama in the Atacama Desert. Upon arrival, one of our representatives will pick you up from the airport for the drive to San Pedro. Along the way, you’ll pass spectacular desert scenery like endless plains and high-altitude mountains streaked with colorful stones and sand. When we arrive in San Pedro, you’ll be dropped off at your hotel to get settled and enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Optional Semi-Private Half-Day Tour: Stargazing Experience.
At night, you’ll also have the option to take part in a stargazing tour, as long as climatic conditions and the moon cycle allow. Take in some of the clearest night skies on Earth in the Atacama Desert. Learn about the constellations, look at the planets in astounding detail through the telescopes and find out more about the Andean cosmovision and the importance of the celestial objects in indigenous worldviews.
(Note that this activity is not included in the price.)
Meals: Breakfast.
La Casa de Don Tomas Hotel
Semi-private Full Day Tour: Altiplanic Lagoons.
Today, we’ll drive up to the high-altitude plateau to discover some of the remarkable landscapes that this desert is famous for. After roughly an hour, we’ll arrive at the enchanting Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons. We’ll then drive to Socaire, a traditional adobe village. After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll visit some of the village’s weavers, where we’ll get to learn about and observe their knitting. After this class, we’ll return to San Pedro for a free evening.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.
La Casa de Don Tomas Hotel
Semi-private Full Day Tour: Tatio Geysers and Machuca Village.
Today, we’ll visit the famous Tatio Geysers, which at 14,173 feet (4,320 meters) above sea level are the highest in the world!
At around 6:30 am, we’ll drive to the village of Machuca on the way to the geysers, where we’ll pause to explore the ancient adobe dwellings and historic church. Most visitors stop here after coming back from the geysers, so we’ll have the place all to ourselves. We’ll then continue on to the Putana wetlands, located next to the Putana Volcano. After a photo up there, we’ll head to the geyser field, which we will explore by walking along the marked paths that weave through the geysers, watching them erupt and fill the air with steam. After exploring the area, we’ll return to San Pedro around 2:00 pm, and you’ll have the rest of the day to relax or explore.
Meals: Breakfast.
La Casa de Don Tomas Hotel
Semi-private Half Day Tour: Moon Valley.
We’ll depart in the morning to visit one of the most famous places in Atacama, the Valle de la Luna (The Moon Valley). After arriving, we’ll enjoy breakfast amongst the morning hues as we take in the full grandeur of this lunar landscape. Then we’ll have the opportunity to visit an “Ayllu,” an ancient community-dwelling that was created by the Atacameños or Lickan-Antay tribe. Then we’ll return to San Pedro around 11:30 am, and, at a pre-arranged time, your driver will pick you up from your hotel to take you to Calama’s airport for your return flight to Santiago.
When you arrive in Santiago, a representative will be waiting to drive you to your hotel. The rest of the day will be yours to enjoy at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast.
Eco boutique hotel Bidasoa
Private Transfer.
On your final day, after your breakfast, at a pre-arranged time depending on your flight, you’ll be fetched from your hotel and taken privately to the airport in Santiago for your departure flight. Safe travels!
Meals: Breakfast.
End of EcoChile Services.
2024-25 SEASON RATES
All year round:
Price per person >> USD 4,955
* Price based on double occupancy. Please note that international and domestic flights are not included in this price.
Price includes:
Semi-private Tours
The semi-private tours in this itinerary are personalized, high quality small group tours with a maximum of 10 people on each outing. The tour will be led by a bilingual guide (Spanish/English).
Meals included:
Not included
Why is this trip sustainable?
Our Health and Safety Promise
As the world continues to adapt to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we understand that travelers, while eager to once again get out and explore the world, also want to be careful and only travel where and when it’s safe to do so. Just as you take your health and safety seriously, as well as the health and safety of the destinations and communities we visit, so do we. That’s why, in compliance with national and international health and safety regulations and recommendations, we’ve optimized our operations and tour itineraries to provide you with the safest itinerary possible.
This tour was specifically designed with social distancing in mind, avoiding overly crowded places without sacrificing the experience of discovering the destination. We only partner with hotels and tour operators that are similarly committed to putting their clients’ health first, frequently using cleaning and sanitizing services, and only offering tours and excursions when it’s fully safe to do so. All this and more are just some of the ways we’re innovating travel itineraries for a healthier, safer future.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding the health and safety procedures of this and other EcoChile tours, please let us know so we can answer your question or accommodate your request. Your safety is our top priority.
* This listed price is based on two people sharing a double room. The price may vary due to the time of year you travel, the size of your group, accommodation availability and not counting special dates.
** Solo travelers or guests staying in single rooms must pay a single supplement. Otherwise, the rates would be readjusted upon request.
*** If the mentioned hotels are not available, alternative hotels will be provided of a similar standard.
Duration: 12 days
Price: from USD$ 4,955 / person
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