Dates: 12th March 2009
for 15 days (12 nights)

Chile and Argentina – a food and wine lover’s paradise. We travel to the major vineyards of both countries to sample and compare the wines from each country, attend a Chillean cooking school, and sample local foods from both countries and see how the Argentian’s dance the Tango so beautifully. Argentina is famous for it’s beef, while Chile for it’s sea food – you can sample lot’s on this holiday. It is a truly memorable experience encompasing flavours, tastings, culture and country and is a must for any one who likes to explore something a little different.

** Although all walks are optional, they can be enjoyed by every one, who leads a reasonably active life and assist to make the most of the holiday by enabling everyone to appreciate the wide variety of scenery and culture that Chile and Argentina have to offer.

Day 1 Leave London LHR, evening flight**

Day 2 Arrive Santiago. Hotel Check in. Afternoon walking, local bus and underground tour of city. This tour will include visiting the Plaza de Armas and the famous central market where a traditional lunch can be taken, the Presidential palace and of course a ride on the cable car up to the top of San Cristobal, which is famous for the best views of the city.
Evening - welcome dinner in one of Santiago’s vibrant restaurants
Hotel: Santiago
Meals provided: Dinner

Day 3 Morning flight north to La Serena, after checking in to our hotel on the beach front, the afternoon will include a city tour and the opportunity to enjoy the sun shine and beach
Hotel: La Serena
Meals Provided: Breakfast,

Day 4 Full day visit to the Elqui valley, home to Chile’s most popular vineyards, Pesco factory (Chile’s traditional drink – and not to be missed!) and some of the greatest views in the world seen from horse back on top of the Andes. Lunch is taken in a Solar restaurant – where everything is cooked by the sun’s rays.
Hotel: La Serena
Meals Provided: Breakfast ,lunch

Day 5 Morning spent learning how to cook great Chilean food in a local cooking school following by lunch that’s been cooked before your eyes! Afternoon free. Evening visit to the world’s most famous observatory at Mamulluca, where you can look at the stars and planets through one of the world’s most powerful telescopes.
Hotel: La Serena
Meals Provided: Breakfast ,lunch

Day 6 After breakfast, we fly to Puerto Montt in the South, via Santiago. After settling into our hotel, the late afternoon can include: a walk around the local town, taking in the beautiful cathedral, Lake Llanquihue, (The third largest lake in South America) and views of the near perfect cone of the Volcano Osorno.
For the energetic an optional canopy ride over the tree tops may be organised (Additional cost: US$ 25.0)
Hotel: Puerto Varas
Meals provided: Breakfast

Day 7 Drive up to Osorno Volcano. En route we take a morning walk in the Valdivian forest, see the rapids and waterfalls at Petrohue located in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, a barbeque picnic lunch (with the opportunity to have a lunch time swim in the lake Llanquihue (weather permitting), cable car ride up to the snow line, then gentle walk back to the cable car station for hot chocolate, after looking at the stunning volcano summit and surrounding valley views of Lago todo Los Santos. Another fantastic day.
Option 2: A day spent Fly fishing on the famous Maulin River – the spawning run river for Atlantic salmon and also to rainbow and brown river trout. (Additional cost: US $160.00 per person (min: 2 persons) – all equipment supplied) but you can eat all the fish you catch!
Hotel: Puerto Varas
Meals provided: Breakfast, picnic lunch

Day 8 Today we head for Chiloe Island, via Puerto Montt, the land of myths and legends, famous for its wooden churches and local culture. During the 30 minute ferry crossing of the Chacao Channel, if we are lucky, we will see sea lions, Chilean dolphin, penguins and a large variety of birds. Our first stop on the island will be the small town of Caulin, where we can sample local oysters and freshly caught cooked crab. We continue driving into the city of Ancud, which was founded in 1767 to defend Spain’s Chilean coastline from foreign intrusion.
Next, we visit the famous penguin colony of Chiloe “Islotes Puñihuil”. Stopping for a while to take in the scenery whilst eating our lunch in a restaurant on the beach. A short boat ride takes us to see the colony of Humboldt and Magellan penguins (Additional cost US£10.00)
Hotel: Puerto Varas
Meals Provided: Breakfast, lunch

Day 9 flight to San Pedro in the north via Santiago and Calama
Hotel: San Pedro
Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 10 Today, we take a full day tour to the Altiplano lagoons and salt flats which are home to many different bird species as well as numerous flamingos and the world’s largest salt lakes, The day takes us through the picturesque town of Toconao. The houses and church in this small village are built from white volcanic stone, which make it a truly beautiful place to have another typical local Chilean lunch in a local restaurant
Hotel: San Pedro
Meals Provided: Breakfast, lunch

Day 11 An early morning start to visit the many geysers of El Tatio - 4500m above sea level make for a very interesting day. In the afternoon, we visit the town and museum, the unique craft markets of San Pedro, the ancient Inca ruins at Quitor or even have a leisurely nap by the hotel’s pool, before taking an evening flight back to Santiago
Hotel: Santiago
Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 12 After an early breakfast we travel to Mendoza in Argentina, crossing the phenomenal Andes mountain range, arriving in time for dinner and the opportunity to see a typical Argentinean tango show (additional cost US $50.00 per person)
Hotel: Mendoza
Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 13 The morning is spent visiting an Argentinean vineyard in the heart of the Mendoza valley, before travelling back to Santiago for our farewell dinner
Hotel: Santiago
Meals Provided: Breakfast

Day 14 Early morning free then lunch time flight back to the UK

Day 15 Arrive back in the UK,


Essential Information

What’s Included:
All accommodation and breakfasts for 12 nights, welcome dinner on the first evening of the tour, lunch during the Elqui valley tour on day 4, lunch in the cooking school on Day 5, a traditional North Chilean lunch in Tocanao on day 7, restaurant lunch on the beach in Chiloe on day 11, picnic or bbq lunch on day 10. All excursions listed in itinerary except those listed as optional – where the relevant prices are quoted and additional costs itemised, support transportation for the entire trip, all transfers, all park entrance fees.

What’s Not Included:
International airfares, travel insurance, lunches and dinners (unless stated in the above notes), gratuities for guides, alcoholic beverages, optional tours and personal expenses.

Tip Kitty:
We have found that instead of clients giving individual ‘tips’ to various hotel staff, restaurants, coach drivers, etc., we provide the opportunity to participate in a ‘tip kitty’, which covers all these expenses. A tip kitty of 20,000 cl pesos will therefore be collected during the welcome meeting on the first evening to cover these costs. Please note, this does not cover ‘tips’ given whilst paying individually for meals not provided in the itinerary.

Practical information:
Since Chile and Argentina are in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are the reverse of Europe. Summer temperatures therefore in Santiago between October and the end of March can reach 30 degrees centigrade, while in Puerto Varas and the lake district, temperatures are more likely to be around 20 – 25 degrees centigrade and of course as it is the lake district – it can rain at any time. In the Northern desert of the Atacama, day time temperatures will be hot, while the nights quite cold.
From the end of October to March, Chile and Argentina are three hours behind the UK, so watches need to be adjusted accordingly

Passports and Visas:
All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay to be presented on arrival to the country of arrival.
It is the duty of the client to ensure that all passports and visas are presented in good and up to date order before travelling. Currently no visa is required by British passport holders for entry into Chile, though this should be checked by all clients prior to travelling.

Vaccinations:
No vaccinations are required, neither are any recommended prior to visiting Chile.

Accommodation:
During our trip, we stay in 4 and 3* hotels. Rooms are single, twin or double and have private bathroom facilities.
The costs of this trip are based on one person in a single, twin or double room. When 2 people share a double or twin room, a cost reduction is given.

Holiday Insurance:
All clients must provide their own holiday insurance. On arrival in Santiago, all clients must show ‘Chile Inside Out’ their holiday insurance details and provide written evidence of insurance company contact details together with next of kin emergency contact details.

Banks:
We are aware that some clients have found that their credit/debit cards are sometimes not compatible with the ATM machines or local banks in Chile. We ask that you liaise with your bank prior to travelling to ensure that your bankcards are compatible with local banks. It is advisable to take some local currency (Chilean pesos) with you as the banks in Chile also often charge a large commission to exchange currencies or provide cash from their machines.

Lunches and dinners:
Box or picnic lunches are provided on hike and excursion days throughout the tour. As all other lunches and dinners are taken in restaurants, their cost is not included. A good dinner with wine or a drink costs approximately 10 – 15000 pesos.

The Group, Staff and Support:
This tour will be lead by an expert English speaking Chilean tour guide assisted by an English expert tour guide. Where necessary additional guides will be employed e.g. fishing guides, local mountain guides etc.,
The minimum age of clients is 16 years. Minimum number in group is 7, maximum number of clients in group : 14.

Our Responsibility to you:
We will let you know as soon as we can if, through no fault of ‘Chile Inside Out’ or you, we are forced to significantly alter the holiday time-table in any way. Before booking and not less than 30 days prior to departure, the prices featured may change. We reserve the right to impose surcharges, once you have booked, however no surcharges will be imposed within 30 days of departure, and will only be due to transportation costs, fuel surcharges, airport fees, or extreme changes to currency exchanges.
If you have a complaint about the holiday, you must make it known at the earliest opportunity so that our local representatives can take appropriate action at the earliest opportunity.
If we need to cancel the holiday, due to insufficient client bookings, we will do so, no later than 56 days before departure.
This holiday will only change, if due to unusual and unforeseen circumstances beyond our control and changes could not have been avoided even if all due care and attention had been taken.
Chile Inside Out is aware of it’s obligations to provide the client with the services agreed by both parties when signing the contract. We are responsible agents who support ‘eco-tourism’ and who wish to maintain the delicate balance between tourism and nature at all times.

Flights from and to the UK:
**International flights from the UK are NOT included in our pricing structure. All tours start and finish in Santiago.
Where possible we will co-ordinate arrival times, so that all clients either meet the remainder of the group in the hotel lobby, in the morning on day 2, or in the Arrivals hall of Santiago airport on Day 2.

We are aware that ‘Iberia airlines’ fly from London, Heathrow on a Friday evening to Santiago, via Madrid at approximately 18.50. This flight arrives in Madrid (Spain) at 22.00. The connecting flight from Madrid to Santiago leaves at approximately 23.50 and arrives in Santiago at 09.50 am Saturday morning. At the time of writing, (April 2008), this flight costs approximately £850.00. Though clients must book and confirm these flights and details for themselves.
British Airways also have a flight to Santiago from London-Heathrow that goes daily via Buenos Aires. This flight is slightly longer and arrives in Santiago at approximately 13.00. The cost is approximately £1000.00
KLM fly to Santiago at around the same time. Their flights go via Amsterdam. Air France fly to Santiago via Paris.
Return flights back to London from Santiago leave Santiago around noon every day. Iberia Airlines return via Madrid, KLM via Amsterdam and British Airways return via Buenos Aires.
Please also be aware of the changes various airlines are making to baggage restrictions from 1st September, 2008. Ensure and check the type and weight of bags and suitcases that can be checked into the hold prior to travel, together with weight and size restrictions on hand baggage.

Making a Booking:
To make a booking for this or any of Chile Inside Out’s other holidays, you must send us a completed booking form together with a deposit of £250.00 per person. We will then invoice you for the remainder of the cost, which you must pay no later than 10 weeks prior to departure. If the booking is made less than 10 weeks prior to departure, then the full payment must be made on booking. The booking is not accepted and no contract exists until the date shown on the confirmation issued by ‘Chile Inside Out’ has been received. A photo copy of current holiday insurance must also be supplied with the booking form. Details of international flight bookings must also be made available when the final balance of the holiday is paid, so that ‘Chile Inside Out’ can co-ordinate arrival and departure meeting times.

Cancellation:
Cancellation of the holiday must be made in writing to Chile Inside Out. If you cancel your booking more than 8 weeks before departure, we will not refund your deposit, but the deposit may be transferred to another holiday in our programme. A transfer fee of £40.00 is payable on transfer, provided that you notify us un writing within 2 weeks of your cancellation, telling us which holiday you wish to transfer to. If you subsequently cancel the holiday to which you have transferred, we will retain your full original deposit.
If you cancel your booking after you have paid the cost in full, the following cancellation charges will apply:
Between 40 and 60 days before departure: 40% of the holiday cost, between 29 and 59 days before departure: 60% of the holiday cost and between 15 and 28 days before departure: 80% of the holiday cost. 14 days or less before departure (or failing to join the holiday at the start of the tour) 100% of the holiday cost. If you do not pay the balance of your holiday within 8 weeks of departure, your booking will be terminated and you will lose your deposit.



For more details see: www.chileinsideout.com