Desert, Salt Plains & Waterfalls - 14 days Santiago to Buenos Aires

ITINERARY:    

Day 1: Arrive Santiago and transfer to your hotel in an
upmarket residential and commercial district. The cosmopolitan capital, has to its east the immense wall of rock of the Andes - snow-capped in winter.  You have a guided walking tour of the historic heart of the city, which is home to a few notable buildings such as the house of celebrated poet laureate Pablo Neruda. There’s a panoramic view of the city from Cerro Santa Lucía, a hilltop park.

Day 2: Full day excursion to Maipo Valley visiting two
vineyards. Mountain air, haciendas and stately manor houses set the scene for a tour which takes you into the heartland of Chile's wine growing region. Pirque in the Maipo Valley is home to two of the country's most
prestigious names in wine; Concha y Toro and Cousiño Macul. A short distance from the capital, these vineyards offer an insight into a wine growing region blessed with what is often referred to as the trilogy: climate, soil and
vine-stock.

Day 3: Fly to Calama in the Atacama Desert and continue by road to the little resort town of San Pedro de Atacama. There’s a guided afternoon excursion to the moon-like Valle de la Luna. Drive through the spectacular rock formations of Cordillera de la Sal towards the valley where, especially in early-evening light, the lunar landscape is astonishingly photogenic.

 Day 4: Visit village of Toconao, Minique and Miscanti
lagoons, cross ‘salar’ salt flat to Laguna Chaxa. This scenic full-day excursion to the high altiplano above San Pedro de Atacama reaches an altitude of over 4,300m. The road heads south, passing the distinctive cone of Lincancabur volcano and cutting across the eastern corner of the Salar de Atacama before reaching the
village of Toconao (2,600m). It is typical of the small oasis villages of the area. Figs and quinces and a handsome whitewashed bell tower help give the village its own distinctive character.

Day 5: Visit to Tatio Geysers – highest geyser field in
the world. Depart in the early hours of the morning (normally before 5am) for the guided excursion to Tatio geysers. It’s a 98km drive to the highest geyser field in the world (4,300m). At this altitude, sub-zero temperatures are the norm, especially just before dawn. Upon arrival, enjoy a picnic-style breakfast and explore with your guide. The geysers are a memorable, surreal sight at sunrise – blow-holes send jets of water and steam into a cloudless sky and, as the sun rises, the pools of water turn to
shimmering silver.

Day 6: Public bus to Purmamarca. Drive down through the eastern flank of the Andes into Argentina. This is a spectacular drive by comfortable public coach over
the Andes. It takes 6-7 hrs, including border controls outside San Pedro de Atacama and again at Paso de Jama (4,400m) on the Argentine side, 3hrs hours later. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking wilderness scenery: turquoise lakes backed by high mountains, glistening salt flats and desert strutted by battalions of cacti.

Day 7: At leisure in Purmamarca, in the north-western area known as Quebrada de Humahuaca. Purmamarca is at the foot of the famous Seven Colour hill, one of north-west Argentina's most popular attractions. The hill's
deeply-defined strata seem to constantly change colour according to the light conditions. Purmamarca is a relaxing place to explore - its dazzling white 17th century church dominates the village square where inhabitants like to relax in the shade whilst visitors wander among colourful handicrafts stalls. In the afternoon transfer to Salta. Accommodation

 Day 8 Walking tour of Salta. The friendly north-western city is renowned for its colonial architecture and claret-red ponchos. This is the only Argentine region where
vestiges of indian heritage are still visible.  There is a walking tour of the attractive city including the cathedral,
San Francisco church, the Northern Historical museum, San Bernardo convent, and the view of the city from San Bernardo hill reached by cable car. Later, fly to Puerto Iguazú on the border with Brazil in the northeast. In the afternoon transfer to airport for departure to Iguazu. Arrival and transfer to hotel

Day 9: Full day excursion to Argentine side of Iguazú
falls. Excursion to the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls.
Stop at the National Park Visitor Centre, where there is a display illustrating the biodiversity of the tropical rainforest. From here, a little gas-powered train transfers you to Cataratas station where the Upper Walk begins. This sequence of causeways and passerelles links dozens of tiny, basalt islands at the top of the rock face. The walkways cross the myriad streams of the Río Iguazú as they cascade over the lip of the precipice. A succession of lookout points allows your gaze to follow the water, as it plunges onto the rocks below.

Day 10: Guided excursion to the Brazilian side of the
falls. Cross the bridge which spans the Iguazú river and links the cities of Puerto Iguazú in Argentina and Foz do Iguaçú in Brazil. You'll board a (shared) National Park service here and continue by road for the final stretch to the falls themselves.

Day 11: Fly to Buenos Aires, transfer to hotel .

Day 12: City tour including visit to Teatro Colon. After a day at leisure there is a visit to a tango show, with dinner. The passage of time has given respectability to a dance once confined to the seedy underworld bars of the red-light La Boca district. Nowadays, a number of 'tango houses' offer a dinner and show as an evening out, where the 1940s orchestra recreates, with professional dancers and singers, the atmosphere of those early days and the history and evolution of the dance to the style, elegance and respectability of the present day.

Day 13: Transfer to airport for international flight home.