Chile Walk and Galapagos Cruise Holiday » Itinerary

Fly overnight to Latin America. Please note: international flights are quoted separately for this holiday.

Travel to the north of Chile and the Atacama Desert. Stay in a boutique hotel in the small, characterful oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama.

Set off from the hotel for a gently paced bike ride across the salt flats to a lagoon, home to a family of flamingos. In the late afternoon walk through a narrow gorge in the salt mountains.

Ride up to 20km, 3hrs, flat. Walk 7km, 2hrs, down 100m.

Start today’s walk in small village at 4,000m. Walk along a wide green valley then down an Inca road surrounded by giant cacti and agricultural terraces to an oasis.

Walk 18km, 5hrs, down 1,000m

Today’s walk takes you as high as many of us will ever stand. Walk slowly but steadily to the summit at 5,620m – only a couple of hundred metres lower than Kilimanjaro.

Walk 6km, 3hrs, up 420m, down 420m.

Visit the world’s highest geothermal field – the Tatio geysers as they come to life at sunrise. Afterwards, soak in hot springs. Fly to Santiago this evening.

Today is yours to explore Santiago. Your hotel is in the centre of this bustling city so you can explore on foot quite comfortably.

Fly south along the spectacular spine of the Andes, over the massive Patagonian ice fields. On arrival you are driven across the open plains to Puerto Natales where you spend the night.

Catch a morning boat along the Ultima Esperanza Sound as far as the Balmaceda glacier where you pick up a river boat which takes you along the Rio Serrano into the Torres del Paine National Park.

Travel into Torres del Paine National Park. Enjoy an afternoon boat trip out to the face of Glacier Grey. Sleep in the mountain hut (refugio) near the face of the glacier.

Start walking east across Torres del Paine as you leave the glaciers behind you to walk between lakes and mountains towards the dry grasslands.

Walk under the mountain of Paine Grande then a steady uphill and a steep downhill towards the shores of Lake Nordenskjold.

Continue your walk along a good path in the shadow of the mountains throughout today. You should see lots of condors as you pass beneath the high peaks.

Early start to hike up to the small lake at the base of the towers – the culmination of your Torres del Paine walk. Return to sleep in a comfortable hotel.

Travel up from the far south to the capital, Santiago. Today is a long travel day although the views are always a treat. Dress comfortably, relax and enjoy.

Fly this morning to Quito. You should arrive in the Ecuadorian capital this afternoon. Settle in to your charming and very comfortable hotel where you spend the next two nights.

Today usually starts slowly to give you time for a lie in and to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Your local guide comes to find you and take you on a tour of the city, including a walk around the newly renovated colonial centre.

Fly to the Galapagos early this morning. After lunch, set sail the short distance to North Plaza where you walk close to the fearless wildlife: Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea lions and land iguanas.

Visit the giant tortoise breeding and conservation project at the Charles Darwin Centre this morning. After lunch on shore, continue to the highlands to look for giant tortoises in the ‘wild’.

Start today with a landing on ‘sea lion beach’. All along the sand are sea lions basking in the sun. This afternoon walk to the rugged cliffs of Punta Suarez to see spectacular bird life.

Walk across Floreana Island to see flamingoes and sea turtles. Continue to the Devil’s Crown where you can snorkel. After lunch, visit Post Office bay and learn something about the human history of the islands.

Walk across a lava flow this morning on Isabela Island. There is very still little sign of life on these fairly new flows. Carry on to Urbina Bay where you should see penguins and turtles.

Start today with a walk on Isabela to see if you can see giant tortoises in the wild. You will almost certainly see land iguanas along the way. Swim in the bay before crossing to Fernandina Island to see marine iguanas.

Walk along the shores of Santiago Island to see the relatively rare fur seals. Snorkel offshore for some of the most abundant marine life of the week. Sail round to pinnacle rock from where you walk to the top of Bartolome Island for beautiful views.

Get up early this morning to paddle through mangroves in the dawn light. Fly back to the mainland and connect through to your flights home. Please note that international flights for this holiday are quoted separately.

Arrive back home.