Chile and Argentina: Walks and Wine on a Journey across the Andes

Chile & Argentina: Walks & Wine on a Journey across the Andes

Our journey begins in the Chilean capital, Santiago and we explore Valparaiso, the Pacific coast and the wine valleys before a spectacular drive takes us up and over the Andes (below the foot of 6,962 m Aconcagua). We discover the Malbecs and bodegas of Mendoza, then take a domestic flight to Salta and Jujuy provinces, close to the Bolivian border, to see traditional Quechua Indian culture and walk in extraordinary scenery.

After visiting an 18C estancia, complete with horses, gauchos and a classic Argentinian asado (grill) we conclude with a stay in an historic 5 star hotel in Buenos Aires and visiting an authentic tango milonga.

TRIP ITINERARY

DAY 1

L, D included

After meeting mid morning at Santiago de Chile’s international airport we have a road transfer (1.5 hours) west to Valparaiso, where our very comfortable historic hotel was once the home of Chile’s most celebrated naval artist. We have some time to rest before setting out to walk by the Pacific Ocean, on the beach at nearby Viña del Mar. We may well see pelicans and sea lions, and dinner will naturally be seafood.

DAY 2

B, L, D included

Valparaiso is set in a sweeping bay, with brightly-painted houses clinging to the steep hillsides, and today we set off on foot to explore its picturesque architectural jumble, using the network of historic ascensores to go up and down the 42 cerros (hills), and enjoying fine views from the miradores. We visit the Casa La Sebastiana, former home of the writer Pablo Neruda, and the Naval Museum (housed in the old Naval Academy) before returning to our hotel for some free time before a pisco sour aperitif and dinner.

DAY 3

B, L, D included

We drive south to the Rosario valley for a walk in the vineyards and a visit to an award winning winery where proximity to the cold Pacific has produced notable pinot noirs. Driving on (3 hrs) to the picturesque Santa Cruz valley, we settle into our colonial-style 4 star hotel, conveniently located on the main plaza of Santa Cruz and with a swimming pool.

DAY 4

B, L, D included

A day exploring Chile’s celebrated Colchagua Valley, including a winetasting tour and lunch in one of the historic wineries in the valley. In Santa Cruz we visit the Colchagua Museum, one of the most important private collections in Latin America and have time to shop for silver jewellery before returning to our hotel in time to relax before dinner.

DAY 5

B, L, D included

Heading north to Santiago we pause for coffee before seeing the superb collections of the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. A funicular takes us to the top of San Cristobal hill for fine views after a seafood Sunday lunch in the colourful Barrio Bellavista.

DAY 6

B, L, D included

An early start for the spectacular climb up into the Andes, looking out for condors soaring above the peaks – at the ski resort of Portillo we stop for coffee in an historic hotel by the frozen lake. The 4 km Redentor tunnel takes us through to Argentina and we walk for half an hour or so (at almost 3,000 m) in the National Park for marvellous views of Cerro Aconcagua, the highest peak in the western hemisphere (6,962 m). We see some unusual geology in Puente del Inca before gradually descending on a dramatic road. Our Jesuit mission-style lodge is set in the midst of its own Malbec vines and has a pool with a wonderful view across the vineyards to the snow-capped peaks.

DAY 7

B, L, D included

This morning we walk through nearby vineyards, learning about the snowmelt irrigation and micro-climate that result in such special wines, and taste their modern-style wines before a light lunch on the lawn. A relaxing afternoon at the lodge prepares us for our first typical Argentinian asado, the best grass-fed beef in the world grilled on a wood fire and accompanied, naturally, by Malbec wine.

DAY 8

B, L, D included

A specialist guide accompanies us on a 2 hour walk up into the pre-cordillera beneath the 6,800 m peak of Tupungato, to look for puma tracks and the wild herbs used in maté, the traditional Argentinian drink. We visit an old-fashioned, family-run bodega for a winetasting and lunch, then proceed to our stylish boutique hotel in the centre of Mendoza and have time to explore the centre with its broad tree-lined streets and shady plazas.

DAY 9

B, L, D included

We fly from Mendoza to Salta, in northwest Argentina, where we continue by road. Vineyards and farms give way to richly hued red sandstone mountains and we take a fascinating walk into a canyon to see the effects of water over the millennia. Our very welcoming hotel in Cafayate is charmingly set round a flower-filled courtyard and has a swimming pool.

DAY 10

B, L, D included

We drive south, disturbing raucous flocks of parrots, to Quilmes, Argentina’s best preserved archaeological site where a pre Inca group established a complex urban settlement around 1,000 AD. Our next stop is an innovative small bodega where we taste organic Torrontes wine before lunch - we round it off with a cabernet sauvignon sorbet. There is time to explore picturesque Cafayate before dinner on the lively main square.

DAY 11

B, L, D included

We leave early to drive the wonderfully scenic gravel road through the Valles Calchaquies, with pauses en route for a short walk in the rugged Quebrada de Flechas to visit a sculptor’s home and to see several interesting Spanish colonial churches as well as a surviving stretch of an Inca route. We walk through the cobbled squares and adobe houses of the village of Cachi and stay the night in a hilltop hotel with a pool and a particularly good restaurant.

DAY 12

B, L, D included

After a leisurely start we have a 2 hour circular walk beneath the 6,000 m Cachi mountain before lunch on the hotel lawn. Several hours of hairpin bends and wonderful views bring us to the colonial city of Salta where our classic hotel is perfectly located on the main plaza. We visit the extraordinary Museum of High Mountain Archaeology which documents Inca child sacrifices on the 6,739 m Llullaillaca volcano, and the elaborately decorated cathedral.

DAY 13

B, L, D included

The morning is free for shopping (silver, leather and traditional gaucho hats and cloaks) and enjoying the café life around the plaza. After sampling Argentina’s best empanadas we drive north on the picturesque old forest road to our destination for the next two nights, the adobe village of Purmamarca. Our exclusive lodge is a tranquil retreat, with lovely gardens, a pool, and a restaurant specialising in ‘haute Andean cuisine’.

DAY 14

B, L, D included

An early morning walk around the Hill of Seven Colours is a photographer’s paradise as the sun lights up the marvellously tinted rocks. An hour’s drive north we visit the reconstructed pre-Columbian fort at Tilcara and the museum with its displays of ceremonial masks, before lunch. We cross the Tropic of Capricorn and see the remarkable paintings depicting angels armed with Spanish colonial guns in the 17C church in Uquia, then return to Purmamarca with time to shop for Indian handicrafts, especially llama and alpaca woollens.

DAY 15

B, L, D included

East of Salta and 700 m lower, we arrive at an 18C estancia, in the same aristocratic family for generations, in time for lunch, elegantly served in the shade of magnificent trees in the grounds. We can relax by the pool, learn about the history of the estate from the family, or walk to see alligators in the private nature reserve before drinks are served in the gallery, followed by a candle-lit dinner.

DAY 16

B, L, D included

This morning there are opportunities for a bird watching walk, riding on one of the estancia horses (an option for experienced riders) or strolling through the gardens to see the llamas in their grassy paddocks. After lunch we see an amazing display of horsemanship by the gauchos in their traditional red cloaks and leather chaps, and later the gauchos prepare a traditional asado for us.

DAY 17

B, L, D included

We have a guided walk around part of the estancia, seeing trees alight with the scarlet blossoms of the ceibo, Argentina’s national flower, before transferring to Salta airport for the internal flight to Buenos Aires. We settle into our 5 star colonial era hotel in El Centro district then walk in the renovated waterfront area and see the iconic Calatrava bridge and the historic Corvette ‘Uruguay’. Following our farewell dinner we proceed to a milonga to watch and participate in genuine tango dancing.

DAY 18

B, L included

We continue our exploration of Buenos Aires by walking to the Plaza San Martin through the embassy district and visiting the famous Recoleta cemetery (where Evita is buried) before reaching the state-of-the-art Modern Arts Museum (MALBA). There is some free time for shopping or individual pursuits before an airport transfer in the afternoon completes our South American journey.

Price includes:

All accommodation for Days 1 through 18 on a double shared basis

All meals with wine at lunches and dinners as listed in the daily notation

All land transportation in a private vehicle as described except during free periods

Scheduled internal flights between Mendoza and Salta and Salta and Buenos Aires

Funicular and ascensore tickets

All entrance and sightseeing fees except during free periods

All winery tours and tastings as described

Services of specialist local guides and drivers, plus Kudu Travel tour leader

Gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff

Insurance

It is essential, and a condition of booking, that you protect yourself with a suitable travel insurance policy as soon as you book a trip. Please ensure that you are specifically covered for walking at high altitude (up to 3,000 m).