Wilderness Travel 2017 Catalog of Adventures

Chile from Top to Bottom THE ATACAMA DESERT, CHILOÉ ISLAND, AND PATAGONIA

HIGHLIGHTS • Explore the evocative landscapes of the Atacama Desert • Enchanting Chiloé Island, with its lush rainforests and spiritual culture—voted Best Place to Visit by Travel + Leisure • Hike to the famed Torres del Paine, to the foot of Cerro Paine Grande, and alongside the French and Serrano glaciers • Cooking lesson in Patagonian cuisine, share a meal with a local family, dine on traditional feasts including an asado DETAILS • 12-day trip begins in San Pedro de Atacama and ends in Punta Arenas • 11 nights hotels and lodges • All meals included

Our wonderfully varied journey brings us through the striking colors and textures of Chile’s surreal landscapes, including the austere Atacama Desert. PHOTO: FABIO LAMANNA

From the Atacama Desert, the driest place on earth, to mystical Chiloé Island and the soaring peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, Chile offers a phenomenal range of landscapes and thrilling adventures that we’ve combined on this exciting journey. We’ll hike among glittering salt flats and flocks of flamingoes in the Atacama, and explore the mystical forests of Chiloé Island. Way down south, we’ll enter Paine National Park by Zodiac to hike spectacular trails in this glacier-carved realm. Sharing a meal with an Atacameñan family, savoring a traditional curanto feast and rich Chilean wines—this is a journey into the extraordinary landscapes and the cultural heart of Chile. Days 1-3 San Pedro de Atacama Our hikes in the legendary Atacama Desert bring us through the Valle de la Luna for a sunset view of astonishing moonscapes, to a natural hot spring for a delightful soak, and to the Salar de Atacama to explore a flamingo reserve and the crystalline blue lagoons of the altiplano, with an option to hike amid stunning red rock formations in the Valle de La Muerte.

DATES Nov 27-Dec 8, 2016 Mar 19-30, 2017 Dec 3-14 Mar 5-16, 2018

TRIP COST FALL 2016 / SPRING 2017 $6895 (13-15 members)

$7295 (10-12 members) $7695 (7-9 members) Single supplement: $910 Internal airfare: $460 (subject to change) TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 + 4 5 6 7 10 hiking days on moderate to steep trails, 2-5 hours a day, altitudes in the Atacama between 8,000-12,000 feet

Days 4-7 Lake District / Chiloé Island Our walk through a forest of ancient alerce trees ends with by an asado (barbecue) at a local farm. On Chiloé Island, we’ll enjoy great birdwatching including two species of penguins, hike along golden beaches and through temperate rainforests, and tuck into a traditional curanto , a Chilean feast cooked in an earthen pit. Days 8-12 Patagonia / Torres del Paine National Park In Puerto Natales, learn to prepare distinctive Chilean Patagonian cuisine, such as smoked trout ceviche—accompanied by a glass of Chilean wine, of course! Take in amazing views of the Balmaceda Glacier and the great Paine Massif as we head into Paine National Park by boat along the Río Serrano, stopping for a hike to the glacier. Our hikes here lead into stunning Valle Frances and to the foot of Cerro Paine Grande, the highest peak of the range, and to the giant granite monoliths of the Torres del Paine. Depart on Day 12 via Punta Arenas.

M&G THERIN-WEISE

FOR A DETAILED ITINERARY: 1.800.368.2794 OR EMAIL LATINAMERICA@WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM 130