Historic Conservation, Fly Fishing, Wine
Credit: Conservacion Patagonica
Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel
Territory: South America
Region: Patagonia
Trip Price: $12,000
Duration: 16 days/15 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Santiago, Chile / Santiago, Chile
National Parklands:
All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process
We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.
The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.
The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!
Welcome to South America! A driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your boutique hotel in a bohemian neighborhood in the heart of Santiago. Freshen up, then set out with a private guide for a bicycle ride through neighborhoods, parks, and greenspaces that help you begin to build a sense of Santiago’s art, architecture, and cultural energy. The 3.5-hour ride is very safe and mostly downhill.
A driver takes you to the airport for the 2.5-hour flight to Balmaceda, where another driver picks you up for the stunning 6.5-hour drive to Parque Patagonia through the remote and off the beaten path Aysen region. Your base is a ten-room lodge built of local stone and recycled wood, focused equally on energy efficiency, conservation, and comfort. With two full naturalist-guided days in the park, you’ll have a chance to dig into what makes this place so incredible, and see why it’s such a critical environment to protect. Your guide will tailor the days to your interests and preferences, and your choices include easy-to-advanced hikes, spectacular drives, and fantastic bird- and wildlife-watching. Rewards might include a flamingo-filled lake, clay-red peaks covered in glacial ice, alpine lakes, wandering guanacos, and soaring Andean condors. Whatever you do, and wherever you go, you are guaranteed to encounter spectacular scenery, so don't forget the camera!
This is heaven—five full, uninterrupted days of guided fly fishing on a variety of delectable waters, from the world-famous Rio Simpson, to small meandering streams, to a high-country lagoon with monster browns. If this is only heaven for you, no worries. Your traveling companions can follow their own blisses with horseback riding, rafting, kayaking, condor-watching, biking, hiking, or cooking or weaving classes. The bright, casually elegant eight-room lodge is set on the banks of the Coyhaique River, so after a day of fishing or adventuring you can sit on the deck and watch the river flow peacefully by, with rolling mountains as the backdrop.
Return to Santiago, and from your familiar and comfortable base, venture out on privately guided day trips to experience Chile’s famous wine country. First up, an excursion in the Maipo Valley, famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carménère. Considered the birthplace of Chile’s wine production, which began in 1840, the valley is still pristine and beautiful, with small villages clinging to the mountainsides above the Maipo River. The next day you’re off to explore the beautiful Casablanca Valley and iconic port city of Valparaiso. Enjoy a visit to Kingston winery with a deliciously paired lunch, and a fascinating tour of the UNESCO World Heritage city Valparaiso, with its historical architecture, central plazas, historic sites, and art galleries.
Your flight departs in the evening, so you have the day to relax and regroup before you need to be at the airport. There will be plenty to reflect on and appreciate after such a rich journey!
Lastarria Boutique Hotel was formerly a private residence, built in 1927 in what is now Santiago's most bohemian borough. Renovated and converted into a superb small hotel, Lastarria offers unrivaled personal service, making guests feel right at home. Situated in an area brimming with history and surrounded by the best museums, galleries, shops, antique stores, cinemas, theaters, and innovative restaurants, you can discover the tremendous diversity of this vibrant city right out the front door.
Inspired by iconic national park lodges from around the world, the lodge's detailed woodwork and original photography of local culture and nature provide a uniquely Patagonian experience. The central living and dining room are the ideal setting for resting after a day of travel, hiking, or exploration. Drink regional wine at the living room bar and enjoy views of looming Mount Tamanguito to the south through expansive paned windows. Nestle into overstuffed sofas, lounge by the fire, or venture to the patio by night to view an endless spread of stars.The Lodge’s respect for the land and commitment to the environment is central to the guest experience. Complementing its surroundings, the Lodge is built from stone quarried in the Chacabuco Valley. Its high beams and floors come from recycled and refurbished wood, and its lush grounds welcome frequent and personal wildlife encounters. We make a concerted effort to use mostly organic and biodegradable cleaning products. The park is moving toward a 100% renewable energy system, which will make it the first energy-independent park in the world. The electricity in the lodge operates from 7am to midnight. Lodge rooms contain lanterns and candles.During your stay at Explora, each guest has the option to participate in up to two half-day guided excursions or one full-day guided excursion on each full day of your stay. The menu of excursions features a number of different treks catering to all ability levels, mountain biking catering to all ability levels, horseback riding, overland vehicle explorations, and more.In addition to the activity inclusions, your stay also is inclusive of a fabulous gastronomy program consisting of three gourmet meals per person, per day, plus snacks, refreshment, and even alcoholic beverages (with exception of the most top-shelf, imported liquors).
Set in the heart of Chile’s finest fly fishing region, this outstanding lodge offers simple elegance, spacious rooms, warm hospitality, unique access to local culture and history—and some of the best trout fishing in the world. Along with fishing, guests can enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting, and kayaking.
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