Photo Tours & Travel - Santiago, Atacama, & Easter Island

Santiago, Atacama, & Easter Island

9 day suggested itinerary

Starting from $2,295*

Day 1: Arrive in Santiago. Afternoon city tour

Today you will arrive into Santiago. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon you will get to know the Chilean capital during your city tour. The tour includes visits to the city's civic center with the neoclassical La Moneda Palace, the Plaza de Armas, the exuberantly landscaped Santa Lucia Hill and a visit to the traditional handicraft market Pueblito Los Dominicos.

Day 2: Fly to Easter Island. Visit Rano Kau Volcano & Orongo ceremonial center. (B)

Today you will be picked up from you hotel and transferred to the airport in order to fly to Easter Island. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Hanga Roa. From Hanga Roa it is a 30 minute drive to the volcano Rano Kau with the ceremonial village Orongo. You will be surprised by the perfect round shape of the Crater Lake. Orongo is the ceremonial center of the cult to the birdman "Hombre Pajaro", which started when the "Short Ears" stopped building moais. Your guide will explain this "new" culture of the island and show you the petroglyph images of Tanga Manub (bird man), Make Make (the god who created him) and Komari (a fertility symbol).

Day 3: Tour Anakena. (B,L)

Today you will learn more about the fascinating history of Rapa Nui. After leaving Hanga Roa, we will drive to the south along the coastal road. You will have views of the Poike Peninsula and the whole coastline consisting of black volcanic rock. We will make our first stop in Vaihu to visit archaeological sites. We will have a picnic lunch, and afterwards we will start walking up the Ranu Raraku volcano. You certainly will be impressed by our next highlight - the restored giant Ahu Tongariki and its 15 moais, which are the largest worship site on the island. Continuing on our excursion, we will take a small break to visit two beaches, one of them being Ovahe, a small bay with a cave and nearly pink-colored sand; after another short drive we will reach Anakena with its white sandy beach and coconut palm trees inviting you to rest in the sand and swim in the warm Pacific water.

Day 4: Time at leisure and tour of Ahu Akivi. (B)

You will have the morning at your leisure to visit the church of the village; among the various statues there you will find traditional Roman Catholic symbols together with indigenous ones. On Sunday morning you are welcome to attend mass. The artisanal market and the local museum are located next to the church. This afternoon you will have an excursion to the Ahu Akivi site with its prominent 7 moais. Ahu Akivi is a very unique location and while you are there you will find out why.

Day 5: Fly from Easter Island to Calama. Transfer to hotel in Atacama. (B)

Today you will depart Easter Island and fly to Calama. There you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. San Pedro is an unusual colorful village located 2.440 m / 8.000 ft above sea level in the middle of a green oasis. In the afternoon you will be taken into the mystifying Valle de la Luna, the famous Moon Valley. At sunset you can see how the light intensifies the impression of a moonscape.

Day 6: San Pedro, historical sites & the Atacama Salt Lake (B,L)

After breakfast you will visit San Pedro de Atacama. Among its many archaeological pre-Hispanic artifacts, several amazingly well preserved mummies, including one known as "Miss Chile." Visit to a pre-Columbian village Tulor with an approx. age of 3000 years. We will then continue our morning tour to Pukara de Quitor, a fortress. In the afternoon you will start your tour to Toconao, a village where locals dedicate themselves to the manufacture of white volcanic stone sculptures. You will continue to the huge Atacama Salt Lake, an inland sea formed millions of years ago. You will be overwhelmed by the vast emptiness with the white salt crusts stretched out in front of you as far as your eyes can see. After the tour you will be returned to your hotel.

Day 7: El Tatio and Machuca (B)

In the morning you will depart early at 4:00 am to reach the El Tatio Geysers at an altitude of 4.300 m / 14.108 ft. It is the highest geothermal field in the world. At dawn, powerful spurts of steam shoot out from various blowholes. You will have enough time to enjoy this beautiful natural wonder before we return and drive to the village Machuca where the ancient llama caravans used to rest from their travels on the "Inca Highway". Afterwards, we will return to San Pedro de Atacama, you will have the afternoon at your leisure.

Day 8: Transfer from San Pedro to Calama; fly to Santiago (B)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport in Calama in order to connect with your flight to Santiago. Upon arrival in Santiago you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.