Easter Island and Atacama: A Tailor-Made Journey to Chile

Arrive in Santiago, Chile’s cosmopolitan capital, and enjoy the remainder of the day to relax or start exploring. If you wish, take a walk around the lively Lastarria neighborhood, home to shops and restaurants and a burgeoning art scene.

Transfer to the airport for your flight north to Calama. Upon arrival, you will be met by a private guide who will transfer you to your accommodations in San Pedro de Atacama, an adobe village situated among the remarkable geological features of the Atacama Desert. Settle in and enjoy a stroll through the village to admire the surreal landscapes and volcanic peaks that surround you. This oasis town was the center of the indigenous Atacama people, and evidence of this pre-Columbian civilization can still be seen in archaeological ruins and local culture. (B,D)

Spend two full days discovering the wonders of the Atacama Desert as you wish. Your guide will help you choose from a range of excursion options and activity levels, from hikes and mountain bike rides to scenic drives. You may choose to head to Moon Valley, an otherworldly landscape of salt pillars and rugged rock formations with the looming peak of Licancabur Volcano in the background. Ascend into the Andes to El Tatio, where some 80 geysers erupt from the highest geothermal field on Earth, or watch for flamingos in the vast salt flats of Salar de Atacama. In the evenings, consider a stargazing excursion to see the constellations of the southern hemisphere in Atacama’s famously dark skies. (B,L,D)

Return to Calama and fly back to Santiago. Meet your private driver and set off on a drive through the rolling vineyards of Casablanca Valley to the city of Valparaiso, on the Pacific coast. Before the Panama Canal was built, Valparaíso was a major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Strait of Magellan. This World Heritage-listed city was built upon dozens of steep hillsides overlooking the ocean, a labyrinth of narrow streets and picturesque cobblestone alleys. Check in to your hotel and enjoy leisurely evening to try one of the city’s restaurants. (B)

Delve into the rich architectural and cultural legacy of Valparaiso on a tour with your private guide. Step aboard some of the city’s brightly painted funiculars to be whisked from the historic seaport up the steep hills, and take in sweeping views of city and sea along the way. At the home of Pablo Neruda, one of Chile's two Nobel Prize-winning poets, browse his keepsakes and learn about the life and work of this influential writer. Get acquainted with local culture and soak up the vitality of this eclectic city. (B)

Return to Santiago with your private driver in time for your flight to Easter Island. Isolated in the Pacific Ocean some 2,200 miles from the Chilean coast, Easter Island is scattered with mysterious vestiges from its original inhabitants—most notably enormous stone statues known as moai. Settle into your hotel near the center of Hanga Roa. (B)

Delve into the enigmatic culture of the ancient Rapa Nui people during a full-day shared tour of the island’s archaeological sites. Visit Ahu Vaihu, a ceremonial site located on the south coast; and continue to Akahanga Ahu, where the island’s first king, Hotu Matua, is thought to be buried. Explore the Rano Raraku quarry, from which some 900 statues are believed to have been carved; nearly 400 of them are still lying or standing in various stages of construction and transportation around the quarry. Take in the iconic site of Ahu Tongariki, a row of 15 moai with their backs to the sea, then visit Te Pito Kura and Te Pito Ote Henua, the “navel of the world.” End your adventure on the stunning beach at Anakena, and enjoy a swim within sight of the moai of Ahu Nau and Ature Huki.

The following day, choose from a wide array of excursions and activities. Join a shared tour to the ceremonial village of Orongo to learn about the mysterious birdman cult, hike up the island’s youngest volcano and discover caves adorned with petroglyphs, or go on a horseback ride through stunning landscapes. There are also options to rent bikes or a car for the day to visit more of this small island independently. (B)

Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Santiago for your final night in Chile. (B)

Cross from the hotel to the terminal and board your onward flight.