Honeymoon in Santiago & Torres del Paine - 10 Days

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Santiago de Chile

Upon arrival in Santiago, you will be transferred to your hotel where you can spend the rest of the day as you like. There's plenty to discover in this historic capital city and depending on when you arrive you might like to get out and explore. Though Santiago today is a modern and bustling city, spend time discovering the romantic ambiance of the historic quarters of the city. Consider taking a stroll down the cobblestone streets of Bellavista and dine at El Caramaño for hearty, meat-focused Chilean dishes.

Day 2: Santiago City Tour

After breakfast, meet your guide and begin your half-day tour at Cerro Santa Lucía (Santa Lucía Hill). Admire views of the former Spanish fortress, Hidalgo Castle, from the vantage point of the Terraza Caupolicán (Caupolicán Terrace). Carry on to La Plaza de la Consitución (Constitution Square) and Palacio de La Moneda (La Moneda Palace) and learn about Chile's government.

Continue on to Santiago's main square, La Plaza de Armas, and discover the surrounding historical buildings of interest. Finish the day with a glass of refreshing mote con huesillo (a traditional non-alcoholic beverage made from wheat and peaches) after visiting Cerro San Cristóbal (San Cristóbal Hill) and before riding the cable car down the 2,789-foot hill.

Day 3: Viña del Mar and Valparaíso

Chile's Pacific coast is dominated by two neighboring, though quite different, cities: Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. Valparaíso is famous for its more than 50 small hills which are covered in quaint, colorful old houses. The hills are connected by an ingenious network of twisting streets, stairways, cable car lines, flower-filled balconies, and lookout platforms. One of the many sites you will visit is the residence of Chilean Nobel Peace Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda at La Sebastiana.

Eat lunch overlooking the funicular railway below you before driving 10 minutes north to Viña del Mar, commonly referred to as La Ciudad Jardín (The Garden City) due to its lavish gardens and subtropical atmosphere. Discover fabulous beaches and a bustling commercial sector in this coastal resort city.

Day 4: Torres del Paine

Fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas and drive the four hours to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (Torres del Paine National Park), where you'll check in to your hotel. The spectacular Torres del Paine is located in Patagonia at the southern tip of South America and is shared between Chile and Argentina. The park is known for its striking mountains and dramatic blue icebergs and lakes.

Day 5: Hiking Ascencio Valley

This adventurous trek leads to the base of the celebrated mountain Torres (towers). Stand in front of the glacier-fed lagoon and admire the slender, jagged peaks that give the national park its name. You'll have the option of undertaking the trek in its entirety on foot or partially on horseback. Either way, the excursion begins from the hotel and climbs into Valle Ascencio (Ascencio Valley), rising through a beautiful lenga (a type of beech tree) forest to the stony heights above. This route crosses ice-cold mountain streams and threads along glacial moraines before reaching Base de las Torres (Tower Base). Enjoy a snack, before returning to your hotel using the same route.

Distance: 11 miles
Duration: 6-8 hours
Elevation: 2,550 feet

Day 6: Torres del Paine and Grey Glacier 

Today you will explore Torres del Paine's highlights. Drive into the heart of the park, stopping at scenic overlooks and taking short hikes to natural landmarks. Enjoy an al fresco lunch before opting to either hike along the southern shore of Lago Grey (Grey Lake) to see the icebergs, or to take a narrated boat trip across the length of the lake to the impressive Grey Glacier. The glacier stretches down from the massive Southern Patagonia Ice Field. 

Day 7: Laguna Azul

Follow in the footsteps of Lady Florence Dixie, the intrepid Victorian-era British traveler who was considered Patagonia's first foreign visitor. Stand where she stood and gaze upon Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon). This half-day excursion — the best option to observe and photograph the Torres without all the hiking — starts with a short drive through the park's rugged terrain to Laguna Amarga (Bitter Lagoon). Drive on towards Laguna Azul, parking a 30-minute walk away, and admire the blend of wildlife and views of the Paine massif (eastern spur of the Andes). Animals are abundant in this part of the park, especially guanacos (similar to llamas) and birds.

Day 8: Viña Matetic

After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport in Punta Arenas and fly to Santiago, before being transferred to Viña Matetic (Matetic Vineyards) your romantic accommodations. La Casona de Viña Matetic is a ten-room boutique hotel designed in traditional 1900's colonial style and located in the charming Chilean countryside. 

After a day of touring the vineyard and tasting the wines, relax in the tranquility of the Valle Rosario (Rosario Valley). 

Day 9: Viña Matetic

Tour the wine cellar and taste the four Ultra Premium EQ wines. Enjoy a four-course lunch menu with wine pairing, followed by a guided excursion to the Valle Rosario for your choice of horseback riding, cycling, trekking, or a scenic drive.

Day 10: Viña Matetic to Santiago 

Spend your last day at leisure. Start it off right with a breakfast buffet before heading to the Santiago airport for your return flight home.