Itinerary
- Day 1
Santiago
After landing in Santiago, you'll get picked up at the airport and taken to your hotel. The afternoon and evening are open for you to wander around the city on your own and get a feel for the place.
Optional Activities
- Explore Santiago independently
- Day 2
Santiago
This morning you'll join a guided tour through Santiago's mix of old colonial and modern sections. You'll walk through Plaza de Armas to see the Catedral Metropolitana, Post Office, and City Hall, then move on to the Government Palace and the historic Plaza Concha y Toro with its narrow cobblestone streets. At a local handicrafts shop, you'll try a Pisco Sour, which is a traditional Chilean drink made with grape brandy.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Santiago
- Walking tour of Plaza de Armas
- Visit to Government Palace
- Visit to Plaza Concha y Toro neighborhood
- Pisco Sour tasting at local handicrafts store
Landmarks Plaza de Armas Catedral Metropolitana Government Palace (Palacio de La Moneda) Plaza Concha y Toro - Day 3
Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama
You'll head to the airport for your flight to Calama, then get transferred to San Pedro de Atacama. After checking in at your hotel, you have free time to check out the main square, wander past the church, and see Pedro de Valdivia's house if you'd like.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer to airport
- Transfer from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama
- Leisure exploration of San Pedro de Atacama
Optional Activities
- Visit main square
- Visit church
- Visit Pedro de Valdivia's house
Landmarks San Pedro de Atacama 
- Day 4
San Pedro de Atacama
Following breakfast, you'll visit Pukara de Quitor, a 12th century pre-Inca fortress with restored stone structures and defensive walls. Then you'll see Tulor, an ancient settlement from 800 BC that has interconnected circular dwellings. Later in the day you'll see Licancabur volcano and pass through Toconao village before heading to Chaxa Lagoon in the Salar de Atacama where you can spot pink flamingos.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Pukara de Quitor fortress
- Visit Tulor ancient settlement
- View Licancabur volcano
- Visit Toconao village
- Visit Chaxa Lagoon with flamingos in Salar de Atacama
Landmarks Pukara de Quitor Tulor Licancabur Toconao Chaxa Lagoon Salar de Atacama 
- Day 5
San Pedro de Atacama
An early start takes you to Geysers del Tatio for breakfast among the geothermal fields at 75°F/24°C. You'll walk around the geysers and hot pools, then soak in natural hot springs. On the way back, you'll stop at Machuca village to taste homemade empanadas, sopaipillas, coffee, and coca tea. The afternoon brings you to Valle de la Luna, where the rock formations look otherworldly with salt caverns, sand dunes, and views of the Andes at sunset.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Picnic-style breakfast at Geysers del Tatio), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Geysers del Tatio
- Geothermal field exploration
- Hot springs soak
- Stop at Machuca village
- Visit Valle de la Luna
- Salt caverns exploration
- Sand dunes climbing
Landmarks Geysers del Tatio Machuca Valle de la Luna - Day 6
San Pedro de Atacama to Iquique
You'll tour Chuquicamata, one of the world's biggest open-pit copper mines carved like a massive amphitheater. A scheduled tour walks you through the copper mining process and the scale of the operation. Then you head north to Iquique, passing the Pintados geoglyphs with over 400 figures of animals, birds, humans, and geometric patterns cut into the hillside. You'll spend the night in Iquique.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Scheduled tour of Chuquicamata copper mine
- View Pintados geoglyphs
Landmarks Chuquicamata Mine Pintados Geoglyphs 
- Day 7
Iquique to Arica
You'll check out Santa Laura and Humberstone, ghost towns that were once centers of the nitrate industry before being abandoned in 1960. Humberstone shows old workers' houses, a theatre, church, and hotel in various states of decay. Santa Laura has an old processing plant. Traveling north through the desert, you'll pass Pampa de Tamarugal forest, the 86m Atacama Giant geoglyph, and a well-preserved llama geoglyph panel. Overnight in Arica.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Santa Laura ghost town
- Visit Humberstone ghost town
- View Pampa de Tamarugal
- View Atacama Giant geoglyph
- View Tiliviche ravine
- View Chiva escarpment
- View llama geoglyph panel
Landmarks Humberstone Santa Laura Pampa de Tamarugal Atacama Giant Tiliviche Ravine Chiva Escarpment 
- Day 8
Arica to Putre
Start the day exploring Arica's colorful buildings and national monuments, including St Mark's Cathedral and the ex-customs building. You'll see pre-Hispanic sites at Cerro Sombrero and Cerro Sagrado with geoglyph panels, then visit the Archaeological Museum at the University of Tarapacá to learn about the area's history and see ancient Chinchorro mummies. Browse the Artisans Village for local crafts and souvenirs. After lunch, you head toward the altiplano through different landscapes and more geoglyphs, passing the village of Poconchile. You'll explore Cardones Canyon with its 4m tall cacti, visit the Pukara de Copaquilla fortress, and see Socoroma's pre-Hispanic farm terraces before reaching Putre.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- City tour of Arica
- Visit St Mark's Cathedral
- Visit ex-customs building
- Visit Cerro Sombrero
- Visit Cerro Sagrado
- Tour Archaeological Museum at University of Tarapacá
- View Chinchorro mummies
- Visit Artisans Village
- Visit Poconchile village and 17th century church
- Explore Cardones Canyon
- Visit Pukara de Copaquilla fortress
- View Socoroma farm terraces
Optional Activities
- Purchase souvenirs at Artisans Village
Landmarks St Mark's Cathedral Cerro Sombrero Cerro Sagrado Archaeological Museum - University of Tarapacá Artisans Village Poconchile Cardones Canyon Pukara de Copaquilla Socoroma 
- Day 9
Putre
This morning you'll visit Lauca National Park and Chungara Lake. As you climb, you'll see Andean bogs and unique plants like llareta, which grows only 1mm yearly. The lake sits at a high elevation surrounded by snow-capped Volcan Parinacota, and on calm days the volcano reflects perfectly in the water. Later you'll reach the village of Parinacota to meet native Aymara people and learn about their traditional customs and beliefs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Lauca National Park
- Visit Chungara Lake
- Flora viewing
- Visit Parinacota village
- Meet Aymara inhabitants
Landmarks Lauca National Park Chungara Lake Volcan Parinacota Parinacota 
- Day 10
Putre to Arica
Your trip through Chile ends today. After breakfast and checking out of your hotel, you'll get transferred to Arica airport for your onward flight. Several flights go from Arica to Santiago, where you can connect to your final destination.
- Meals
- Breakfast
