Family safari tour of North & South Chile

Santiago De Chile

Day 1: Welcome to Santiago

Join us on your first day of a Chilean safari. You’ll land in the urban jungle of Santiago, our capital city. The hubbub of the locals and the metro whizzing under feet will be the call to the wild for you and your family.

Once you are settled into your hotel, you’ll explore the parks of the city through a bike tour that takes you through the historic neighborhoods and along well-marked and beautiful bike paths. With your local guide, you’ll hear all the secrets of Chilean culture, including our unique Chilean slang, our delicious typical food and unique artwork in the murals all around the city.

After taking it all in, we’ll zigzag back through the urban zoo and make sure you’re equipped to enjoy your time in our beautiful country.

Santiago - Maipo Valley

Day 2: On to San Jose de Maipo

On today’s adventure, we’ll look towards the Andes Mountains as we travel to a unique area close to the city of Santiago, named Cajon del Maipo.

We’ll get an early start and head towards San José de Maipo, where we can learn about the local history and culture.

Later, we will continue the trip alongside the Maipo River up to the mountains. We’ll stop at Tunnel Tinoco, which was declared National Historic Monument and nowadays is a point of interest due to local paranormal stories.

Afterward, we will continue towards the reservoir and make a stop at Cascaras Refuge, the old settlement of the ‘60s, which was originally used as a lodge for the workers who built the Yeso Reservoir. From this point, we will gaze upon the imposing mountain peaks and one of the most emblematic glaciers of the area as we try and spot the birds of the Andes, like the Condor.

Santiago De Chile - San Pedro De Atacama

Day 3: Journey to Calama

Today, you’ll travel from our largest city to the world’s driest desert – the Atacama Desert!

After a short plane ride to Calama, another transfer will meet you and escort you to your adobe-style hotel. You’ll have a couple of hours to settle in and freshen up.

In the evening, you’ll explore the skies on an astronomical tour. San Pedro de Atacama is one of the best places in the world for high-quality star gazing.

On your way to the observatory, you’ll learn about the many astronomical bodies that you’ll see; the moon, stars, galaxies and more. You’ll also hear about the cosmo-vision of the native people of the area and learn how the stars have guided and influenced their life, even today. Through high-quality telescopes, you will be able to set your eyes upon stars, binary stars, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, planets, and colors.

San Pedro De Atacama - Cejar Lagoon - Moon Valley

Day 4: San Pedro de Atacama

In the morning, you will have a tour on a wilderness buggy that can accommodate up to 5 people plus a guide. This is the perfect vehicle to explore a wide variety of isolated areas including river bed crossings, steep mountain climbs, and beautiful sand dunes. Your expert local guide will drive you up thrilling trails and entertains you with their extensive local area knowledge. On route, you could spot Andean foxes, vizcacha and maybe even vicugna.

In the afternoon, you’ll be called back to the otherworldly nature of San Pedro on a tour to the Moon Valley and the Valley of Death. Among the hills of sharp rocks and unusual shapes of the Cordillera de la Sal, is the Valley of the Moon. It is a true geological spectacle that forms part of the National Reserve of Flamingos.

San Pedro De Atacama - Geysers Del Tatio - Punta Arenas

Day 5: Desert Adventures

Rise and shine and we’ll raise in altitude on this excursion to the Tatio Geysers, located at 4,000 meters (13,000 ft) above sea level. This excursion to the most important geothermal fields in the world will start before the first light of day in order to catch a glimpse of the most stunning and astonishing part of the day: the sunrise. You’ll see their impressive smoke columns funneling upwards to contrast against the cloudless skies of the desert.

Taking the road back to San Pedro de Atacama, we will marvel at the beauty of the landscape, its valleys, native flora and fauna, where the charismatic vicugnas and vizcachas stand out.

Afterward, we will stop at Machuca, an Atacameño town of just a couple of houses that are made of adobe, straw and cactus wood.

Punta Arenas - Agua Fresca Bay

Day 6: Onward to Punta Arenas

From the driest desert to the land of ice and snow, you’ll travel from Calama to Punta Arenas and find a whole other side of Chilean wildlife and landscapes to explore.

Through transfer and a short flight, you travel from the otherworldly lunar landscapes of San Pedro, to be welcomed to the shores of the end of the world in Punta Arenas.

Once you arrive at the Southern airport, a personal transfer will meet you and take you to your hotel in this southern city with a small-town feel. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy the long sunsets of the south as you stroll down the boardwalk which skirts along the Strait of Magallanes.

You can look out at the Tierra del Fuego and admire the stunning beauty of Patagonia. In the evening, you can rest and relax for the night, as they say, those who rush in Patagonia, waste their time.

Punta Arenas - Isla Magdalena - Puerto Natales

Day 7: At the End of the Earth

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll enjoy a day of exploring the native beaches and forests of the area in a fun and active way.

In the morning, we’ll take advantage of the calm waters of the Bay of Agua Fresca to kayak in this rich natural environment. You will be completely immersed in nature in these pristine surroundings. From your light-weight sea kayak, you will paddle quietly around the lagoon and spot the marine wildlife that would be impossible to see in any other vehicle. From here, you’ll be able to see the native flora and fauna up close.

For lunch, you’ll enjoy a ranch-style Patagonian lunch with fantastic hospitality. After you’ve filled up on energy, you’ll head out for a horseback ride on the shores of the Strait of Magallanes. Atop our steads, we’ll travel through a Lengua forest and planes of low-laying vegetation while admiring the islands that are just off the shore.

Puerto Natales - Torres Del Paine

Day 8: Discover Puerto Natales

With an early start, we’ll head out on an artic-style safari to visit an important colony of Magallanes Penguins. You’ll meet your transfer at your hotel and go to the pier to set off in our boat to sail down the Magallanes Strait. This ancient trading route is the perfect place to admire some of the wonderful marine wildlife of the region.

We will sail around Magdalena and Santa Marta Islands and see sea lions, cormorant birds, Antarctic seagulls, and of course – Penguins! We’ll make a stop on Magdalena Island so that you can walk amongst the colony of 120,000 Magallanes Penguins.

You’ll return to Punta Arena around noon. From there, we’ll take a bus ride to the next town over, Puerto Natales. It is the starting point for many people looking to head out to the adventurous Torres del Paine Natural Park, as you will do tomorrow.

Torres Del Paine National Park

Day 9: Enjoy Torres del Paine National Park

From your small town in Puerto Natales, you’ll embark on a big adventure to Torres del Paine National Park. A transfer from Rio Serrano will meet you and transfer you to your new home in the wilderness of this stunning mountain range. In this relaxing lodge, you will have a full board and be able to admire the massive mountain range of the park from your breakfast area.

You’ll settle in before you take one of the many excursions from your hotel. One of the recommended excursions for the day would be the Cuernos Lookout.

We will marvel at the French Glacier and the two massive lagoons of Pehoe and Nordenskjold, which are separated by an incredible cascade called Salto Grande. This unforgettable experience will lead you through the central area of the park to get in touch with the native flora and fauna with an expert guide and professional transport. 

Torres Del Paine - Puerto Natales

Day 10: Hike through Stunning Nature

Another day in Paradise. Today you’ll wake up to the chirps of a Rufous-Collared Sparrow or perhaps the knocks of a Magellan woodpecker before you head down for a breakfast buffet at your hotel.

You’ll have the whole day to explore this incredible park. If you’re keen on hiking, a must-see is a trek to the base of the Torres. This strenuous climb is the iconic hike of the park. We will ascend through a stunning valley that overlooks the green pastures below, making our way through Lenga Forests and over suspension bridges.

This centuries-old path will lead us up a narrow trail to the final stretch – a 45-minute trek over rocks that is the most difficult part of the hike. Once we reach the crest of the mountain, we will be deservedly rewarded with a view of the three stone towers that formed naturally thanks to the extreme weather of Patagonia.

Puerto Natales

Day 11: Back to Puerto Natales

You’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast before you depart on a final excursion in the Torres del Paine National Park.

Try one of the half-day excursions like horseback riding in between mountains or trekking the Aonikenk Una Path.

This path provides an incredible opportunity to spot wildlife from close up. We will often spot families of guanaco amongst the plains. The best feature of this path is visiting the paintings that were done so many centuries ago by the native people of the area.

Another hike that is friendly for all levels is a trek along Grey Beach. This path will take you along the shores of Lake Grey towards the Glacier Grey. On this beautiful and relaxing walk, we will marvel at the unique blueish color that characterizes the glacier. We will walk through the Nothofagus Forest and learn about and see the typical birds and other creatures that populate this area.

Puerto Natales - Santiago

Day 12: Authentic Adventures in Patagonia

Load up on a hearty breakfast as we head out to the ranch with a day in the Patagonian Estancia. In this local wilderness lifestyle, we will learn about the customary habits of the gaucho (cowboy), including a demonstration of sheepdogs, the job they do on a daily basis, and interactive experience of traditional sheep shearing process (“esquila”), with an explanation of how the wool is extracted and how to obtain the final product from raw materials.

Around mid-day, we will enjoy the local hospitality with a typical lunch. In the afternoon, you will have a choice of activity, from bird watching to trekking to 4-wheel-driving or even just relaxing, it can all be found here on this little piece of paradise. At the end of the day, you’ll head back to Puerto Natales to enjoy your night in Patagonia.

Santiago De Chile

Day 13: Last Day in Patagonia

On your last day in Patagonia, you’ll we woken up to the smell of a delightful breakfast. Afterward, your driver will meet you at your hotel to take you to the bus terminal. From there, a short bus ride will take you directly to the Punta Arenas airport and you’ll fly back to the urban jungle of Santiago.

Once again, a transfer will escort you to your hotel in the city. What a change it will be to come back to the city after the sights and sounds of the wilderness. You can spend your evening relaxing or exploring the many restaurants, shops, and parks, either way, you are sure to enjoy your final night in beautiful Chile.

Santiago De Chile

Day 14: Farewell Chile

With your head full of memories, you’ll enjoy your last breakfast in Chile. After a relaxing start, a transfer will meet you at the steps of your hotel and take you to the airport.

As you whizz by the city, you’ll be able to reminisce about all the wonderful experiences you had from North to South while exploring the incredible wildlife and landscapes of this stunning country.