Days 8 to 19
Cusco to Torres del Paine
After
an overnight stop in Cusco, it’s on to Santiago de Chile for three nights,
where the mountains provide a magnificent setting for this energetic, easily-explored city. Worth seeing are downtown’s Metropolitan Cathedral and the Plaza
de Armas, as well as the La Moneda Presidential Palace, Santa Lucia’s beautiful
park and the Bellas Artes Museum.
North of
here is your next stop – the Atacama Desert and the oasis village of San Pedro
de Atacama. Your three night stay offers the ideal chance to discover this
unearthly landscape of salt flats, lakes, volcanoes and geysers (don’t miss the
100 geysers of El Tatio), which is particularly haunting around the Valle de la
Luna.
After
staying overnight in Santiago, day 15 means heading south to Patagonia’s Torres del
Paine, its magnificent granite peaks surrounded by glaciers, lakes and primeval
forests.
Staying at the heart of the National Park you can explore all of the natural wonders here on foot,
horseback, bike or boat (luckily your room has a hydro-massage bath, perfect at day's end!).
All too soon
it’s time to head home – although this trip’s awe-inspiring sights are likely to stay
with you forever!