CHILE: THE WINTER CHALLENGE

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View of Licancabur Volcano and the emerald green Laguna Verde on the border of Chile and Bolivia
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Admire the elegant Flamingos in the Atacama Desert
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Epic beauty of the landscape
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San Pedro de Atacama
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San Pedro de Atacama
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Torres del Paine Chile

Destination: Atacama Desert, The Andes & Chilean Patagonia

Essence of the trip:

The winter months in Chile enable intrepid explorers to challenge themselves in a number of unique and exciting ways. From sand-boarding down steep desert dunes and trekking the infamous Torres del Paine to jumping out of a helicopter to ski down the fresh powered slopes of the Andes; this is Chile from endless perspectives.

This trip will give you:

  • An in-depth introduction to the varying terrains in Chile; from snow-capped mountains to the driest desert in the world.
  • The opportunity to reach incredible speeds on both sand and snow.
  • An experience of the immensity of Chilean Patagonia.
  • A look at the fascinating history of an ancient South American country.

Details:

Landing at Calama Airport, you’ll immediately be transferred to Hotel Awasi for a spot of relaxation before your foray into the driest desert on earth begins.  Over the next few days you’ll be traversing sand dunes, salt lakes and vast mountains whilst gaining an insight into the fascinating human and geological history of the area. Day one will involve a short hike across ruins of Atacamenian settlements dating as far back as 800 BC and then on day two, things really get into full swing. Think horseback riding along seriously narrow pathways, desert sandboarding down vertical dunes and intrepid hikes amongst abandoned salt mines with views out to the Domeyko Range. Each of these private excursions will be led by an expert guide, who is there to ensure your safety as well as encourage you to push yourself to your limits.

After a few days exploring the Atacama region on foot, horseback and sand board, you’ll fly to Santiago for your transfer to The Andes and your accommodation at Puma Lodge, where things are set to become even more exciting.  This is the home of heli-skiing, and over the next few days you can opt to fly to fresh powdered slopes as many times as you’d like. Equipped with the latest avalanche protection equipment and given a full day’s safety briefing, you’ll be taken to some of the most incredible slopes the Andes have to offer. If you’re a beginner, you can trust that you’ll be taken to the safest parts of this area. If you’re an experienced skier, however, we’ll make it our challenge to find you some of the most adrenaline-inducing vertical drops around. After a day out in the highlands, Puma Lodge will serve as the perfect retreat to unwind and prepare yourself for another day of epic explorations. The area surrounding the lodge is perfect for hiking and biking too, and we can arrange any number of challenges should you want to skip the skiing for a day.

Your final destination on this winter adventure will be the famous Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia. Here you will hike a steep ascent towards a lookout at the base of the astounding Paine Towers. Having reached the top after climbing 754 meters, the views will leave you truly awe-inspired. The magnitude of these famous granite towers will finally hit home.

The day after your mammoth climb, you’ll finish your trip with one last challenge: a hike towards the Paine River and Lake Pehoe. historis A hike that will take you on a very demanding ascent, you’ll gain views of Lake Grey and the incredible ice barrier of the Southern Ice Fields as you climb. It’s a view that will signal a perfect end to what has been a challenging and inspiring trip across the best of Chile during the country’s stunning winter months.

If you are interested in taking this trip and would like to discuss it in more detail with our team of experts get in touch here or call us on 0207 426 9899 (UK) or 1-888 341 9663 (US) to start planning your trip.

The Facts

Duration: 11 nights

Best Time To Travel: May - Sept

Price: On application. Prices include extensive trip planning and consultation, expedition set-up and all in-country logistics. The price also includes a world-class head guide who is a specialist in the chosen environment, an extensive local guiding support team, all on-trip training and technical equipment, all domestic travel including any flights required as part of your expedition and your accommodation. Most meals and drinks will also be included, but specific details will be provided on quotation.

Flights: Epic Tomato can organise international flights from anywhere in the world to this destination and offers both scheduled and private charter services.

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