Atacama & the North - 10 Days

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~~$4905~~

$4672

Atacama & the North - 10 Days

10 Days Starting in Santiago and ending in Arica

Visiting: Santiago, Santiago City Tour, San Pedro de Atacama, Atacama Desert, Tatio Geysers and the Valley of the Moon, Chuquicamata copper mine, Nitrate ghost towns, Arica, Putre

Tour operator:

On The Go Tours

Tour code:

1155/AAN

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 24

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

Not recommended for under 5yrs.

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Small Group

Interests:

Cultural

From: $4905 $4672 Travel Club discount: -$233

NB: Prices correct on 21-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Get off the beaten track in Chile’s northern reaches with this unique adventure through the Atacama Desert. Kicking off in Santiago discover fascinating museums, lunar-like landscapes of geysers and rock formations, pre-Hispanic ruins and gigantic geoglyphs, mammoth copper mines and abandoned ghost towns with plenty of natural beauty to boot.

Highlights

Santiago – Take a half day city tour of colonial architecture and traditional neighbourhoods
San Pedro de Atacama – Enjoy this picturesque oasis village with an expansive archaeological museum
Salar de Atacama – Visit Chile’s largest salt lake
Geysers del Tatio – Wake up early for a sunrise visit to soak in the thermal springs
Valle de la Luna – Marvel at the striking lunar-like landscape with a sunset visit to enjoy the changing colours
Chuquicamata – Tour one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world
Cerro Pintados – Explore this ancient site consisting of more than 400 giant geoglyphs
Humberstone and Santa Laura – Visit these abandoned ghost towns with crumbling houses and rusty processing plants
Arica – See the brilliantly preserved Chinchorro mummies
Lauca National Park – Visit the stunning Chungara Lake backed by the snow-capped Parinacota volcano

Itinerary

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Day 1: Santiago

Location: Santiago

Bienviendos a Chile! Upon arrival into the airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Santiago. The rest of the day is free for you to get out and explore.

Day 2: Santiago City Tour

Location: Santiago City Tour

Meals Included: Breakfast

Encircled by snow-capped Andean peaks, the city of Santiago enjoys a particularly spectacular setting. This morning join a scheduled tour of the city to discover Santiago’s appealing blend of the old and new. Walking to the Plaza de Armas gaze at the handsome colonial architecture including the grandiose Catedral Metropolitana, the Post Office and the Santiago City Hall. Continue to the Government Palace and the older neighbourhood of Plaza Concha y Toro marked by cobblestone streets and elegant 20th century mansions. Heading east through neighbourhoods with a thoroughly modern appearance stop at a local handicrafts store where you can try a Pisco Sour.

Day 3: San Pedro De Atacama

Location: San Pedro de Atacama

Meals Included: Breakfast

Santiago – Calama – San Pedro de Atacama. This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Calama. On arrival you will be transferred to the little oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama. After hotel check in enjoy a scheduled afternoon city tour with a visit to the outstanding Museo Arqueológico Gustavo Le Paige. Housing more than 380,000 artefacts including Neolithic tools, ceramics and gold and silver ritual masks, the museum is famed for its prehistoric mummies, notably the withered ‘Miss Chile’.

Day 4: Atacama Desert

Location: Atacama Desert

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast visit the 12th century pre-Inca fortress of Pukara de Quitor. Strategically located on a hill, the defensive walls encircle a group of stone buildings that have been partially restored. Continue to the ancient settlement of Tulor where circular dwellings are interconnected by common passages and patios. Dating to 800 BC the site is the earliest known settlement in the area and is now partially covered by the constantly moving desert sands. Later in the afternoon see the impressive Licancabur volcano on your way to the village Toconao where the volcanic Liparita stone is quarried nearby. Heading in to the centre of the Salar de Atacama, the largest salt lake in Chile, arrive at the Chaxa Lagoon where you’ll find pink flamingos congregating.

Day 5: Tatio Geysers And The Valley Of The Moon

Location: Tatio Geysers and the Valley of the Moon

Meals Included: Breakfast

It’s an early morning departure today as you travel to the Geysers del Tatio for a picnic-style breakfast and a stroll around the geothermal fields to see the geysers and pools of boiling water and mud. Sunrise is the ideal time to visit when the colours give the landscape a surreal appearance and thermal activity is at its peak. Enjoy a rejuvenating soak in the hot springs before heading back to San Pedro de Atacama. En route stop at the small village of Machuca where home-made empanadas, sopaipillas, coffee and coca tea can all be sampled. Later in the afternoon head to the dramatic wind-eroded landscape of Valle de la Luna. The angular geology is often compared to the surface of the moon and you’ll get the opportunity to visit salt caverns and climb the sand dunes to marvel at the kaleidoscope of colours that appear over the Andes at sunset.

Day 6: Chuquicamata Copper Mine

Location: Chuquicamata copper mine

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

San Pedro de Atacama – Chuquicamata – Iquique. Carved out of the ground like an enormous, sunken amphitheatre, the Chuquicamata mines are one of the world’s largest open-pit copper mines, dwarfing the huge ore trucks to resemble crawling ants on the crater floor. Join a scheduled tour to learn about the copper mining process and to see the incredible feat of human engineering. Later in the afternoon continue north to Iquique passing the impressive Pintados geoglyphs along the way. Consisting of more than 400 figures etched into the hillside, the site features images of animals, birds, humans and geometric patterns. Continue to Iquique for overnight.

Day 7: Nitrate Ghost Towns

Location: Nitrate ghost towns

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Iquique – Humberstone – Arica. Once the scene of a thriving industry built on vast nitrate deposits, the ghost towns of Santa Laura and Humberstone now stand empty and lifeless. Abandoned in 1960, Humberstone now lies in total disrepair with workers’ houses, a theatre, a church and a hotel gradually disintegrating under the desert sun. At Santa Laura you’ll find the old processing plant towering like a rusty dinosaur over the few remaining houses. Continuing your journey north through the desert you’ll pass the Pampa de Tamarugal, an artificial forest in the middle of the desert, and the 86m tall Atacama Giant geoglyph. En route to Arica along the Tiliviche ravine and the Chiva escarpment you’ll also see the well-preserved panel of geoglyps illustrating a herd of llamas.

Day 8: Arica

Location: Arica

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arica – Putre. Sitting at the foot of the Morro cliff, the city of Arica has a colourful history, best seen in its architecture and national monuments including the St Mark’s Cathedral and the ex-customs building. Touring continues with the pre-Hispanic settlements of Cerro Sombrero and Cerro Sagrado where ancestral beliefs are illustrated through panels of geoglyphs. Visit the Archaeological Museum at the University of Tarapacá where the complete evolution of the area is charted, from its most ancient inhabitants up until the arrival of the Spanish. It’s also home to the Chinchorro mummies, some of the best preserved and most ancient mummies ever discovered. At the Artisans Village you’ll have the opportunity to pick up some souvenirs and appreciate the local art and handicrafts.

Ascending towards the altiplano after lunch, pass diverse landscapes, more geoglyphs and the village of Poconchile and its 17th century church. The Cardones Canyon is a highlight with its 4m tall cacti. Visit the native Indian ancient fortress of Pukara de Copaquilla and the pre-Hispanic farm terraces of Socoroma before arriving in Putre.

Day 9: Putre

Location: Putre

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning visit Lauca National Park and the Chungara Lake. During the ascent you’ll come across Andean bogs and strange flora such as the llareta plant, which only grows 1mm every year. Surrounded by the snow-capped Volcan Parinacota, the Chungara Lake is one of the highest lakes in Chile and when the wind is still, the reflection of the volcano is a staggeringly beautiful sight. Later visit the village of Parinacota where you’ll have the chance to meet some of the native Aymara inhabitants and learn about their traditional customs and beliefs.

Day 10: Arica

Location: Arica

Meals Included: Breakfast

Putre – Arica. Today marks the end of your unique Chilean adventure. After breakfast and hotel check out you will be transferred to Arica airport. There are a number of flights from Arica to Santiago, from where you can take your onward flight home.

What's Included

9 nights STANDARD accommodation. Upgrading to SUPERIOR or DELUXE accommodation options are also available upon request. Accommodation rating – See Trip Notes for details
9 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners
Airport arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 10
Services of local English-speaking specialist guides
Entrance fees to all sites included in the itinerary
Excursions to Santiago, San Pedro, Taito Geysers and Chuquicamata mines on a shared basis (private touring available for a supplement)
All relevant transfers and transportation on a private basis unless otherwise stated
Private touring of Arica, Lauca National Park and nitrate ghost towns

What's Not Included

International flights, domestic flights and visas
Tipping – an entirely personal gesture

Age Policy

Not recommended for under 5yrs.

Check out our Q&As

Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

Yes
What is the tipping policy?

Tipping – an entirely personal gesture
Are airport transfers included in this tour?

Airport arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 10
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
How long has the tour company been trading?

Since 1998

Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

Yes

Reviews of this operator

Nicola Hodgkinson (Google Reviewer)

Recently returned from Greece, a...

07-May-2024

Recently returned from Greece, a 5 day tour with OTG. Unfortunately, I had a negative experience on day 2 where I needed local support to get me out of a tricky situation. Thank you to Alexandra Z from Hetco Tours in Athens for helping me continue on with the trip, to the Hotel Zafolia staffing team and to Danielle and team here in the UK for supporting me with the aftermath. Your kindness will not be forgotten and I will pay it forward. I've now booked 3 trips with yourselves and will continue to go back. Thank you all. Honestly, I am SO grateful. Blessings to you all. Nicola

Calvin

Wonderful experience

05-Jan-2023

Jamal is our tour guide. Right from the start, he created a group chat in whatsapp and if any issues to make sure we contact him. He was on the ball with every issue thrown at him. Luggage being left behind, stragglers wondered off in a different path, hotel room etc. He explains the various site along our route to give us a better understanding of the local cultures. We had a great time, thanks to Jamal.

Trustpilot

Norma Sullivan

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10-Sep-2021

The Land of Northern Lights tour was a triumph! My tour of Southern Iceland was absolutely wonderful. The venues chosen, the timing allotted at each venue and the variety of things to experience was nearly perfect. Our guide, "Thor", was smart, amusing, full of history and anecdotal stories as well as being incredibly hospitable and helpful. This small group experience was my first, but not my last thanks to On the Go.

Trawls (Google Reviewer)

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05-Feb-2024

On The Go Tours Sri Lanka was an incredible experience that was made even better by our tour guide Akthar. He was incredibly knowledgeable about his country and he loved sharing it with us. The tour covers a wide range of activities so you can truly experience what Sri Lanka is all about. The beautiful 4-5 star hotels at the end of every day was an absolute bonus. Thanks for a great trip OTGT I’m sure this won’t be my last

Xtreme Floor Care (Google Reviewer)

Traveled through Egypt with On...

30-Nov-2023

Traveled through Egypt with On the Go Tours, professional service, very informative and helpful tour guides. The choice of hotels was excellent... Definitely recommend this company

Gavin Harrigan

King Tutankhamun 10 day tour of Egypt

16-Sep-2021

I have just returned from my tour with On The Go and it was an amazing trip! From arriving at the airport and meeting the OTG representative, everything was well organised and hassle free. Our tour guide was Amir. He is awesome!! From the beginning he was so friendly and enthusiastic about showing us around Egypt, giving us loads of information at each place and time to explore ourselves. Learnt so much from him about this fascinating place, and he was always happy to answer more questions. The trip itself was amazing. There's lots of travelling on this trip, but it's really not too bad, and the sights you see when you get to where you are going are worth it. I'm not a big fan of boats, but the Felluca ride across the Nile was pretty fun too. On the first day I also did the optional tour of Cairo with Ahmed Helal - another excellent guide from OTG. It's worth doing this add on as you don't spend much time in Cairo, and you go to three very different places. I'm so glad that I decided to do this trip. It was just ace. If you're thinking about it too, you should probably just book it. And hopefully you get Amir as your guide.

Paul Kelly (Google Reviewer)

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9...

26-Feb-2023

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9 day tour of Morocco visiting many main cities and places of interest. The coach was very comfortable and we felt safe with the driver Suliman. The guide was Hicham Touraouine and he was fantastic. He spoke perfect English as well as French, Arabic and Berber. He was so kind and considerate and made a good tour great. We particularly enjoyed ‘glamming in the Sahara Desert. So much to see and do and great food and company. We would definitely use On The Go Tours again, especially if Hicham was the guide. Paul & Penny

Joyce Heitler (Google Reviewer)

I would give this tour...

09-May-2024

I would give this tour group no stars if possible. The tour was not guaranteed but they did not inform me when I booked and they did not have enough people. Way after I booked they said I needed a doctors letter because I was over 70. Also way after booking I was informed I needed travel insurance. They knew my age when I booked. They would not refund my tour even though it was 4 months away.

Sarah Paterson (Google Reviewer)

Terrible tour of India. For...

27-Dec-2023

Terrible tour of India. For some reason On the Go hadn't realised that my room mate had booked her own room for the first night of tour. So the hotel in Delhi had tried to put me in her room after midnight, by wheeling in an extra bed. She went Crazy!! I then had to sit in hotel reception for hours. While the tour guide said he couldn't find me a room. Throughout the tour the guide consistently ask me and my room mate for money for my room, causing more friction between us. Don't book with this company had the worst experience ever. Go with Intrepid or G Adventure

brandy hoffman (Google Reviewer)

I had used them once...

09-Aug-2023

I had used them once before and loved them. I decided to try them again for a Baltic tour not knowing that they put me on another Tour group- Baltic vision. Loved that tour but was not impressed they marked up the cost for me over 100%. I understand taking some for yourself because of paperwork, but over double the cost everyone else paid on the tour. Just double check before you book with them that you’re not over paying.

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Nov 24, 2024 - Dec 03, 2024

~~$4905~~ $4672