Day 4 : SURIRE – QUILLAGUA / 12.04
Departure in the morning, for a long transition stage. The road meanders through canyons before a long descent on the sides of the Mountain range. After a few hours, the environment has completely changed. The cold and rude Altiplano has given place to a very hot climate, pertaining to the desert. We are about to arrive to the desert of Atacama, one of the most arid regions in the world. In Huara, the Panamerican highway which links Alaska with Tierra del Fuego, takes us to the village of Quillaga. Wild camping.
Day 5 : QUILLAGUA - CHUQUICAMATA - SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA / 12.05
Departure at 07:00 in the morning, for Chuquicamata. Visit to the copper exploitation of Chuquicamata, the biggest open pit mine in the world.Amazing ! Early in the afternoon, we take again the road to San Pedro de Atacama, an oasis of greenness in the middle of the desert and at the foot of the mountain range. End of the afternoon at the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). Camping.
Day 6 : SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA - ATACAMA SALT FLAT – TOCANAO / 12.06
Morning free (several purchases). In the afternoon, we leave for the lost village of Tocanao, at the verge of the Atacama salt desert. Camping or lodge at Tocanao.
Day 7 : TOCANAO – ANTOFAGASTA / 12.07
We cross the Atacama salt flat, then we take a rarely used land road (most arid region and particularly lost...) We descend to the Pacific. We spend the night in a camping, at a beach of the Antofagasta city harbor.
Day 8: ANTOFAGASTA / 12.08
A day for repose in Antofagasta (a very nice town - beaches)
Day 9 : ANTOFAGASTA - PAN DE AZUCAR NATIONAL PARK / 12.09
We arrive to the Pan de Azucar National Park. Possible excursion in a boat, to see the penguins, marine elephants...
Night on the beach (wild camping).
Day 10 : PAN DE AZUCAR - LA SERENA / 12.10
A transition day until the city-bathing resort of La Serena, traveling along the Pacific coast. La Serena is the best known place in Chile for a holiday; magnificent beaches, discotheques, restaurants ....
Camping
Day 11 : LA SERENA / 12.11
Free day. Beaches of the Pacific... (possibility to visit an astronomic observatory - at the environs of La Serena we find the largest astronomic observatories in the world, because of its clear sky)
Day 12 : LA SERENA - CON CON / 12.12
Free morning, then free lunch. Departure towards the city of Valparaiso. We make a halt at the village of Con Con, by the Pacific, and the city of Viña del Mar. Camping.
Day 13 : CON CON – VALPARAISO / 12.13
Arrival to Valparaiso, the city of Pablo Neruda. Valparaiso is certainly the most interesting city in Chile. Full of history, harbor environment..... Free visit.
Day 14 : VALPARAISO – SANTIAGO / 12.14
We leave once more...by the Pacific coast until the capital of Chile, Santiago (1 h trip). Free visit to Santiago. We spend the night in a hotel.
Day 15 : SANTIAGO - CONGUILLO NATIONAL PARK / 12.15
A transition day to arrive to the region of the lakes. Beautiful green landscapes, humid, valley environment. We arrive to the Conguillo National Park. A magnificent region until Puerto Montt, where our voyage to the Patagonia starts. Wild camping at the foot of the Llaima volcano, culminating point of the region.
Day 16 : CONGUILLO - VILLARICA NATIONAL PARK / 12.16
A day for a promenade, before our new departure in 4WD for the city of VILLARICA. Camping.
Day 17 : VILLARICA – PUCON / 12.17
Free morning at the bank of lake Villarica (possibility of many activities). At the background, the numerous volcanoes of the region. Then, 1 hour road until Pucon, main tourist center of all the region. A very pleasant town, which offers several activities in its environs (sailing, parachuting, rafting, etc....). Camping
Day 18 : ENVIRONS OF PUCON / 12.18
Free day. During the last voyage, half of the team has chosen a descent in rafting (grade IV), the other half has chosen to ascend to the Villarica volcano. Camping.
Day 19 : PUCON - VICENTE PEREZ ROSALES NATIONAL PARK / 12.19
Section until another National Park, certainly the best known in the region. Wild camping at the bank of lake Llanquihue and at the foot of magnificent Osorno volcano.
Day 20 : VICENTE PEREZ ROSALES - OSORNO VOLCANO – PETROHUE / 12.20
Promenade on the sides, or tentative of ascent to the Osorno volcano (mountain equipment and license are necessary). Then section until the bank of lake Todos los Santos, a jewel of the region.
Wild camping at a river bank .
Day 21 : PETROHUE - JESUITS TREK - TODOS LOS SANTOS LAKE / 12.21
Days 21st and 22nd are dedicated to the Jesuits trek, which takes in a walk us across a most wild region, isolated from the rest of the country (no road or electric line). This is the most beautiful trek of the region of the lakes.
In a boat, we cross from the Todos los Santos lake until El Rincon. Then 5/6 hrs walk towards a lodge.
Day 22 : JESUITS TREK - TODOS LOS SANTOS LAKE - RUPANCO LAKE / 12.22
The trek continues until the Rupanco lake (7 hrs walk). Camping at El Poncho or at El Islote.
Day 23 : RUPANCO LAKE - CHILOE ISLAND / 12.23
We leave the region of the lakes and reach the Chiloe island, a unique island in the Chilean culture. Short journey in a boat to arrive to this charming island that will remind you of Ireland.
Camping
(the visit to the island of Chiloe may eventually be suspended due to unforeseen circumstances or eventual mechanic problems - or the day of departure in a boat from Puerto Montt).
Day 24 : CHILOE ISLAND - PUERTO MONTT / 12.24
Excursion at the Chiloe island before returning to Puerto Montt, access door to the Patagonia. Hotel
Day 25 : PUERTO MONTT - CRUISER ON A SHIP PATAGONIA CHANNELS / 12.25
From Puerto Montt, we embark on a ship of NAVIMAG Company for a 3 1/2 days cruiser across the Patagonia channels. We observe dolphins, penguins, perhaps a whale; the landscapes are wonderful, completely inaccessible; far away we foretell the glaciers which get lost in the waters of the Pacific.
Day 26 : CRUISER ON A SHIP PATAGONIA CHANNELS / 12.26
Day 27 : CRUISER ON A SHIP PATAGONIA CHANNELS / 12.27
Day 28 : PATAGONIA CHANNELS - EL CALAFATE (ARGENTINA) / 12.28
Arrival of the ship to Puerto Natales about 10:00 in the morning. After lunch at Puerto Natales, we cross the Argentinean border to arrive to the city of Calafate, departure point of the excursions in the LOS GLACIARES Park. Camping and Argentinean meat!
Day 29 : PERITO MORENO - EL CALAFATE - EL CHAITEN / 12.29
Excursion to the Perito Moreno glacier, traveling along lake Argentino (another wonder of the Patagonia). We can admire the deep blue of millenary ice. Transfer to the El Chaiten sector. We arrive to the park; camping in front of amazing Mont Fitz Roy.
Day 30 : EL CHAITEN - FITZ ROY TREK - EL CHAITEN / 12.30
Promenade to the Cerro Torre massive - Fitz Roy : mythic summits.
Camping at El Chaiten
Day 31 : EL CHAITEN - TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK / 12.31
On the road again... return to Chile.... the voyage continues towards the Torres del Paine National Park.
Arrival to the park via Laguna Amarga, wherefrom we enjoy a general view of Torres del Paine.
This park has some of the biggest treks in the world. Camping at the park, to celebrate the New Year ...
Day 32 : TORRES DEL PAINE TREK / 01.01
Trek up to Torres del Paine. Camping.
Day 33 : TORRES DEL PAINE TREK / 01.02
Trek up to the Italian camp. Bivouac.
Day 34 : TORRES DEL PAINE TREK - PUERTO NATALES / 01.03
Trek at the valley of the French - British camp, then descent - we cross lake Pehoe in a boat. Then, in the 4WD, we arrive to Puerto Natales. Modest hotel.
Day 35 : PUERTO NATALES - TIERRA DEL FUEGO / 01.04
A day for transition in 4WD towards Argentina. We cross the Magallanes strait. Wild camping nearby the Argentinean border.
Day 36 : TIERRA DEL FUEGO/USHUAIA / 01.05
We go along the south of Tierra del Fuego. Magnificent landscapes until Ushuaia, the most austral city in the world. A harbor full of charm, and starting point for the excursions to the Antarctic....
There we are.... fiesta until daybreak !!!
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