Santiago to Buenos Aires: explore northern Chile & Argentina

Itinerary in brief:

• 2 nights in Santiago
• 3 nights in San Pedro de Atacama
• 7 nights in the North West of Argentina
• 3 nights in Buenos Aires

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included:  International flight

Day 2: Arrive in Santiago

Today you will land in Santiago. You will be met at arrivals by your driver and guide and will be driven to your hotel where you will check in for two nights.

Included:  Arrival transfer, hotel

Day 3: Half-day Concha & Toro Winery tour

After breakfast, you’ll head to the Concha & Toro winery. Once you arrive at the winery, nestled at the foot of the Andes Mountains, you’ll take a walk through the lovely gardens and estate. Walking through the vineyards, you’ll be able to appreciate over 26 varieties of grapes and taste three of the estate’s premium wines and visit the wine cellars, before returning to Santiago.

Included:  Breakfast, tour with transfers, hotel 

Day 4: San Pedro de Atacama, Moon & Death Valley Tour

This morning, you’ll be driven by private transfer to Santiago airport for your flight to Calama in northern Chile. Once you land, you’ll be met and driven to San Pedro de Atacama where you will check into your hotel.

This afternoon, you’ll head out to for a tour of Death Valley and Moon Valley, which boast some incredible stone and sand formations. In the early evening over a local cocktail, you’ll be able to witness the beautiful colour changes as the setting sun dips over these vast landscapes.

Included:  Breakfast, airport transfers, tour, hotel           

Day 5: Toconao and the Atacama salt lake

After breakfast you will be picked up to start your full day exploring San Pedro de Atacama and the region around it, beginning with a morning exploring the cultural, historical and archaeological sites in the area. In the afternoon you will continue to the stunning Atacama salt lake.

Included:  Breakfast, tour, lunch, hotel 

Day 6: El Tatio and Machuca

This morning you need to be prepared for a very early departure as you’ll be heading to the famous El Tatio Geysers, a geothermal field flanked by soaring peaks - the world’s highest geothermal field at 4,300m. Later in the morning, you will be driven to the village of Machuca known as the resting place for llama caravans that used to travel along the Inca Highway. You will be then driven back to San Pedro de Atacama to enjoy your free afternoon.

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 7: Bus from San Pedro de Atacama to Salta, Argentina

Today after breakfast you will be driven to the bus terminal where you will catch a bus to reach Salta, one of the major cities in the North West of Argentina. The journey takes around 8 hours, but the buses are very comfortable so sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful views of this stunning Andean passage. Once you arrivein Salta, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Included:  Breakfast, transfers, bus, hotel            

Day 8: Salta

Today you have the morning at leisure, with a Salta city tour this afternoon. Salta still has a distinctly Hispanic feel to it, and an urban skyline is distinguished by the colonial architecture of its original buildings and churches. The streets in the old part of the town run between old Andalusian houses with their tiled roofs, thick whitewashed walls and wrought iron balconies brightened by scarlet and fuchsia geraniums. 

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 9: Calchaquies Valley - Cachi 

After an early after breakfast, today you’ll take a tour through the Calchaquies Valley. The valley is best known for its contrast of colours and its unique geography that ranges from mountain deserts to subtropical forests. You will reach Cachi, a pre-colonial village famous for its Indian ruins and colonial feel. Here you will spend the night.

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 10: Cafayate

Today you will be driven to sunny and elegant Cafayate. Just 185km from Salta, Cafayate is one of the driest spots in Chile where it is reputedly sunny every single day of the year! The city is especially famous for its wine production, so you’ll take a guided tour of the city and its famous vineyards with the chance to taste some of the region’s most prestigious wines.

In recent years, Cafayate has garnered an international reputation for the quality of its wines, partially attributed to the high altitude of its vineyards, which lie in valleys from 1600 to 2600m above sea level with strong sunshine, great differences in day and night time temperatures and thin, dry air.

After your tour, you’ll stay overnight in Cafayate.

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 11: 7 Colours Hill

After breakfast you will head back to Salta City, then continue to Purmamarca, a gem of a little village, huddled at the base of the striking Cerro de Los Siete Colores (Mount of Seven Colours). The hill slopes are a remarkable rainbow of colours created by layers of different rock types that come to life when the afternoon sun shines on the mountainside. Tonight you’ll stay overnight in Purmamarca.

Included:  Breakfast, transport, hotel    

Day 12: Salinas Grandes

Today, you’ll be driven the 70km from Purmamarca to the Salinas Grandes – the great salt plains - a dazzling expanse of pure white crystalised salt. Located astride the Jujuy and Salta Provinces, Salinas Grandes is a vast salt desert at 3,350 m, with as 30cm thick salt layer crust.

From here, you’ll continue up to a mountain pass at 4,180m, from where you will have your first glimpse of the Puna (the region’s vast plateau).  You will then descend the Cuesta de Lipán, a 30 km long winding road surrounded by breath-taking views over the vast, desert-like plateau with its unique, intense colours.

Tonight you’ll stay overnight in Purmamarca.

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 13: Purmamarca to Salta       

Today you’ll leave Purmamarca early and head for the towns of Uquia, Tilcara and Humahuaca to see more natural wonders and some charming, historic villages. These hold stories and traditions of their ancestral roots, preserving religious beliefs, celebrations, art, music and agricultural techniques. Humahuaca’s narrow cobbled streets are flanked by low adobe houses, churches and squares, as well as its handicrafts market; which reminds visitors of past times. Tonight you’ll stay overnight in Salta.

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 14: Salta to Buenos Aires       

Today you will be driven o Salta airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. Once you land, you will be met and driven to your hotel. The rest of the day will be free for you to spend as you wish.

Included:  Breakfast, transfers, hotel     

Day 15: Buenos Aires

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up by your guide to join a guided, small group city tour of Buenos Aires. The tour will take you to some of the capital’s major sites including La Casa Rosada in Plaza de Mayo, Puerto Madero, La Boca and the famous Recoleta’s cemetery – where Argentinian hero Eva Peron is buried.

At the end of the tour, you will be dropped back at your hotel, and you will have the rest of the day at leisure.   

Included:  Breakfast, tour, hotel

Day 16: Buenos Aires

Today you can enjoy a day exploring Buenos Aires on your own. Why not go to an evening tango show to finish your holiday in style?           

Included:  Breakfast, hotel         

Day 17: Depart Buenos Aires        

Today it’s time to say goodbye to Buenos Aires and Latin America. You’ll be met and transferred by a private transfer to the airport for your international flight back to the UK

Included:  Breakfast, departure transfer, international flight     

Day 18: Arrive in the UK

Why not add in a stopover?