Director’s Astronomy Tour to Chile Prepared for Lowell Observatory In partnership with Avenues of the World Travel
Each night in the north of Chile, in one of the driest deserts on earth, some of the most powerful telescopes ever built collect a soft rain of starlight that falls from the sky. From these precious droplets of light astronomers learn about the cosmos and our place in it.
This seven-day adventure will showcase Chile’s dazzling skies and provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit some of the world’s leading astronomical observatories. Come “play with the light of the universe,” as Chilean poet Pablo Neruda said.
Your tour at a glance:
Date Location Accommodation Meals Fri, Oct 28 Depart USA In Transit Sat, Oct 29 Santiago Plaza El Bosque Ebro Sun, Oct 30 La Serena Club La Serena B, L Mon, Oct 31 La Serena Club La Serena B, L, D Tue, Nov 1 Antofagasta NH Antofagasta B, L, D Wed, Nov 2 San Pedro de Atacama Terrantai Lodge B, L Thu, Nov 3 San Pedro de Atacama Terrantai Lodge B, L, D Fri, Nov 4 Santiago Depart B Sat, Nov 5 Arrive USA Friday, October 28 2016 Depart US for Chile
Depart on your overnight flight to Santiago, Chile
Saturday, October 29 2016 Arrive Santiago Hotel Plaza El Bosque Ebro
Welcome to Chile! Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your accommodations. Your rooms are available for immediate check in.
This afternoon you enjoy a tour of Santiago and visit to the Pre-Columbian Museum.
Your trip begins with a tour of the main avenues in the city’s civic center. First stop is La Moneda, originally built as a mint in 1805, the neoclassical building was the home of Chilean presidents until 1958, and today is the actual seat of the government (we will try to go inside, time and interest permitting). Continue exploring narrow streets, eventually arriving at the Plaza de Armas, a picturesque and lively square surrounded by the 18th century Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Historical Museum, and the central post office.
Leaving downtown, the tours head toward Parque Forestal, near the Fine Arts Museum, and the bohemian neighborhoods of Bellavista and Lastarria, where historically intellectuals and artists have made their homes, now filled with restaurants and cultural venues. Ascend San Cristóbal hill, located inside a beautiful public park whose peak is crowned with a 118 foot statue of the Virgin Mary and provides panoramic vistas of the city and surrounding Andes Mountains. Continue exploring other neighborhoods of Pedro de Valdivia Norte, and the elegant and exclusive neighborhoods of Las Condes and Vitacura where many of Santiago´s elite live, shop and dine.
You continue to the newly re-opened Pre-Columbian Museum, which houses an extensive collection of material on pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Aztecs, Mayas, Incas and Diaguitas and peoples as Selk'nam Chilean, Mapuche and Rapa Nui (Easter Island), among many others.
You return to your hotel in the late afternoon. It is the Hotel Plaza el Bosque Ebro, located in the El Golf financial district, steps from subway stations Tobalaba and El Golf, surrounded by many stores, restaurants and businesses. The hotel has 179 suites, two restaurants, a heated swimming pool, gymnasium and spa. Sunday, October 30 2016 Santiago to La Serena Club La Serena Hotel Breakfast and Lunch
Today you depart for La Serena by private coach. La Serena means ‘The Serene One’ in Spanish, an apt name for this charming seaside city known for its natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle.
En route, you visit a winery and pisco distillery, where lunch will be provided. Pisco is the national drink of Chile, a spirit produced from grapes grown in the unique microclimate of this region. Many meals and social gatherings in Chile begin with a refreshing pisco sour. Chile is also renowned for the excellent quality of its wines. Of special note are the Carménère wines, made from a variety of grape wiped out by disease in Europe 150 years ago but subsequently discovered to be flourishing in Chile.
You arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon. Club La Serena Hotel has an extraordinary seaside location on the Avenida del Mar, with picturesque views of the neighboring city of Coquimbo across the bay. The hotel is located not far from La Serena’s iconic lighthouse (El Faro) and just minutes from downtown.
The hotel has beautiful gardens and ocean views from its rooms. Other amenities include a pool, restaurant and bikes for use by guests. In the evening, visit Collowara Observatory, one of Chile’s newest astro-tourism centers. It is situated near the small town of Andacollo, 1300 meters above sea level on the summit of Cerro Churqui.
Collowara Observatory has a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope in its main observation dome, as well as 16- inch Dobsonian and two 10-inch Newtonian telescopes. There are also three viewing terraces from which you can enjoy the beautiful southern skies and see Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and Gemini Observatory in the distance.
Monday, October 31 2016 La Serena Club La Serena Hotel Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Today you have a daytime tour of Gemini Observatory.
Gemini Observatory consists of twin 8.1-meter diameter optical/infrared telescopes located on two of the best observing sites on the planet, one in Chile (Gemini South) and the other in Hawaii (Gemini North). The observatory is operated by a partnership of six countries: the United States, Canada, Chile, Australia, Brazil and Argentina.
Gemini has played a leading role in many scientific discoveries such as ithe accelerating expansion of the universe that led to the 2011 Nobel
Prize in Physics, and it has also captured images of planets around other stars. Gemini South’s next- generation adaptive optics system (GeMS) produces the sharpest images over the widest field of view ever captured from a ground-based telescope. After your visit to Gemini, you continue to the beautiful Elqui Valley. Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral, winner of the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature, was born in this region. The Elqui River runs some 140 km to the beaches of La Serena, passing through hills laden with vineyards and towns that have made blending agriculture and tourism a local tradition. You will visit one of the valley’s many lovely wineries for lunch. Enjoy time in the charming local villages. Dinner is included this evening in the town of Vicuña.
Tuesday, November 1 2016 La Serena to Antofagasta NH Antofagasta Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
This morning you are transferred to the La Serena airport for your scheduled flight to Antofagasta. This northern port city, which has a population of about 350,000, is the heart of Chile’s mining industry, a key component of the country’s economic success. Antofagasta once belonged to Bolivia but was captured by Chile during a war in the 19th century.
Upon arrival in Antofagasta, a private coach takes you to the European Southern Observatory (ESO) for a special behind-the-scenes daytime tour of this state-of-the-art astronomical facility on Cerro Paranal mountain. The observatory, which is owned and operated by a consortium of 15 European nations, is located in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest deserts in the world. There are places in the Atacama Desert where no rainfall has been recorded for centuries, creating a stunning Moon-like landscape devoid of vegetation.
A quick detour en route to Paranal Observatory takes you to one of the world’s most unique works of art, La Mano del Desierto (The Hand of the Desert). Created by the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, the hand reaches up nearly 40 feet from the desert floor as if trying to touch the heavens.
ESO’s Paranal Observatory is the most scientifically productive observatory in the world, producing nearly 1,000 scientific papers yearly. The Very Large Telescope (VLT) is the flagship facility for European ground-based astronomy. It is the world’s most advanced optical instrument, consisting of four main telescopes of 8.2m diameter and four movable 1.8m diameter auxiliary telescopes. The telescopes can work independently or together to form a giant interferometer (VLTI) that allows astronomers to see details up to 25 times finer than with the individual telescopes. VLTI’s vision is so sharp that it could distinguish the two headlights of a car at the distance of the Moon.
From Paranal it is also possible to see Cerro Armazones in the distance, the mountaintop that is the future home of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which will be the world’s largest telescope when completed in 2024. With a mirror 128 feet (39 meters) in diameter, the ELT will collect nearly 300 times as much light as Hubble Space Telescope and produce images 15 times sharper.
After your tour of Paranal you return to Antofagasta for the evening. Your accommodations are in the modern NH Antofagasta hotel situated on the beautiful coastline just 15 minutes from the city center. The 139 bright and spacious rooms are decorated in a classic and relaxing style. You will have ocean view standard rooms.
Dinner is included this evening.
Wednesday, November 2 2016 La Serena to San Pedro de Atacama Terrantai Lodge Breakfast and Lunch
Today you travel by private coach from Antofagasta to San Pedro de Atacama, arriving at this picturesque village in time for lunch. Although San Pedro has only 5,000 residents, it is a popular tourist destination thanks to the archaeological significance and natural beauty of the region. The town is a fascinating combination of old and new, with dirt roads and upscale restaurants together.
Accommodations in San Pedro are at the Terrantai Lodge hotel, near the village’s town square. The hotel was designed to honor the spirit of traditional Atacameño (the indigenous people of the region) customs while providing the creature comforts modern travelers expect from hotel accommodation. Terrantai was built with the materials taken from earth of the surrounding desert, using techniques developed thousands of years ago, with local elders teaching young architects new skills.
In the late afternoon you have an excursion to the Salt Mountain range and enjoy the fabulous views it offers over the valley. Visit the Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley) with its spectacular scenery and continue to the “Las Tres Marias”, an interesting geological formation next to a former salt mine. At dusk, climb a large sand dune in the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) for spectacular views of the sunset over the Andes Mountains. Wine and cheese included.
Thursday, November 3 2016 San Pedro de Atacama Terrantai Lodge Breakfast and Dinner
Today is a day to relax and enjoy San Pedro de Atacama. You can choose from some optional activities in and around San Pedro (additional costs may apply):
visit El Tatio Geysers (note: departure time is 4:30 a.m.) see the altiplano lagoons explore the archeological museum to learn about the indigenous Atacamanian culture rent a bike and explore the town go horseback riding shop the many artisanal shops for gifts tour ALMA’s base facility and control rooms (ALMA is like no other facility in the world -- a single “telescope” made of 66 individual radio dishes that detects light at millimeter wavelengths, giving unrivaled sharp views of the cold and distant universe as well as birth of nearby stars and planets. Note: it will not be possible to go to the telescopes at the 16,000 foot elevation site)
Enjoy a farewell group dinner this evening at one of San Pedro’s fine restaurants, followed by a night of stargazing with Alain Maury’s SPACE (San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations) program. He has the largest telescopes of any public observatory in South America (between 20 and 60cm diameter), which provide incredible views of the spectacular southern sky.
Friday, November 4 2016 Atacama to Santiago Depart Breakfast
After a morning at leisure. In the afternoon you are transferred by coach to the city of Calama for your scheduled flight to Santiago. Here you connect to your return flights home.
Saturday, November 5 2016 Arrive back to USA
Today you arrive back home.
Land Only: $ 5,295 per person Based on minimum of 20 travelers Single supplement $ 1,200 per person
Supplement for early check in at Plaza El Bosque Ebro $ 115 per person Cost of estimated regional flights included, but subject to change
Quote valid for seven days after Jan 04 2016 Prices subject to change pending agreement to terms and conditions * Rates are USD unless otherwise noted A non-refundable advance payment of 20% is required to confirm services * Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure Booking Reference - KHFI122185 - Consultant - Trista Gage
Land Only Includes: Oct 29 2016 - Transfer - Santiago airport (SCL) to Santiago Oct 29 2016 - Excursion - Half Day Panoramic Santiago City Tour Oct 29 2016 - Excursion - Pre-Columbian Museum Visit Oct 29 2016 - Excursion - Lunch on Excursion Oct 29 2016 - 1 night in Santiago at Hotel Plaza El Bosque Ebro - Executive Suite - BB - 12 x Room - Includes breakfast Oct 30 2016 - Transfer - Santiago to La Serena Oct 30 2016 - Excursion - Distillery Visit Oct 30 2016 - Excursion - Wine Tour with lunch Oct 30 2016 - 2 nights in La Serena at Club La Serena - Standard Room - BB - 12 x Room - Includes breakfast Oct 31 2016 - Excursion - Gemini Observatory Visit Oct 31 2016 - Excursion - Wine Tour with lunch Oct 31 2016 - Excursion - Distillery Visit Oct 31 2016 - Excursion - Collowara Observatory Visit Oct 31 2016 - Excursion - Dinner at hotel Nov 01 2016 - Transfer - La Serena to La Serena airport (LSC) Nov 01 2016 - Transfer - ANF to Antofagasta Hotel Nov 01 2016 - Excursion - Lunch on Excursion Nov 01 2016 - Excursion - Very Large Telescope Visit Nov 01 2016 - 1 night in Antofagasta at Hotel NH Antofagasta - Standard Room - BB - 12 x Room - Includes breakfast Nov 02 2016 - Transfer - Antofagasta to San Pedro de Atacama Nov 02 2016 - Excursion - Half Day Moon Valley Tour Nov 02 2016 - Excursion - Lunch on Excursion Nov 02 2016 - 2 nights in Atacama - San Pedro at Lodge Terrantai - Superior Room - BB - 12 x Room - Includes breakfast Nov 03 2016 - Excursion - ALMA Astronomical Tour Nov 03 2016 - Excursion - Lunch on Excursion Nov 03 2016 - Excursion - SPACE Visit Nov 04 2016 - Excursion - Full Day Tatio Geysers and Guatin Valley Tour Nov 04 2016 - Excursion - Lunch on Excursion Nov 04 2016 - Transfer - San Pedro to CJC
Excludes: Porterage Insurance not mentioned above All accommodation not mentioned above All meals not mentioned above All international and domestic flights and airport taxes not mentioned above All transport not mentioned above All expenses of a personal nature i.e. telephone calls, laundry, etc. Tips and gratuities Beverages not mentioned above Entrance Fees not mentioned above All other services not mentioned above
Itinerary is subject to change. All prices are based on tariffs and exchange rates prevailing as of the date of this proposal and are subject to change without notice. Itinerary sequence is subject to change without notice based on accommodation availability. Similar accommodations may be substituted based on availability. Air schedules, quoted rates, and space are always subject to change by the airline without notice, and airline seats cannot be reserved until we receive passport copies for each traveler. To avoid airfare changes, upon your advance payment, please purchase your airline tickets in full. If schedule changes result in an itinerary modification, any additional costs incurred will be passed on to the passenger.
For questions and to confirm your spot, please contact: Monika or Daniela at Avenues of the World Travel at 928 556 0853 or [email protected] or [email protected].
Extension Ideas:
Friday, November 4 Santiago Le Reve Hotel
Today you fly back to Santiago and overnight at the charming Le Reve Hotel.
Saturday, November 5 Santiago to destinations in Chile
Torres del Paine
Tierra Patagonia/Awasi/Singular Patagonia
Today you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your accommodations.
Awasi Patagonia is situated inside a private reserve neighboring the Torres del Paine National Park, from where you can enjoy imposing views of the Torres del Paine peaks and Lake Sarmiento. The chosen location is protected from the strong Patagonian winds by a luxuriant native forest of local species of beeches called lengas and ñirres.
The indigenous fauna remains intact in these forests and plains, where there are sightings of guanacos, ñandús (rheas), foxes, condors and, occasionally, pumas. The strategic location of Awasi Patagonia invites you to enjoy the Torres del Paine National Park from the privacy of our lodge.
Each private villa enjoys a living room, a covered terrace and outdoor hot tub. Enjoy three nights in this stunning area. You can explore the area in vehicles, by boat, on foot.
Lakes District
Alternatively three nights in Vira Vira near Pucon, or Tierra Chiloe on Chiloe Island would be options for a short extension.
Vira Vira has been designed by the owners to offer spacious, luxurious and above all very cozy and comfortable suites to our international guests. All guests live in beautifully crafted rooms at either the main house (together with the owners of the Hotel) or in nicely decorated and spacious junior suites (35 – 45m2) at the main Hotel building or in carefully designed and decorated senior suites (75m2) in separate apartments most of them located directly at the shores of the Liucura river. All rooms or suites have been individually decorated with a loving eye for the details to make every day special for our guests. All rooms and suites have their own spacious and modern bath rooms and the senior suites have an outdoor Jacuzzi overlooking the river – an unbelievable experience at night with the moon and stars shining in a way you can only experience in Chile.
Tierra Chiloé Hotel is located on the Rilan Peninsula on the Island of Chiloé in the Lakes Region of southern Chile. From the site one has a distant view across an inland sea of the volcano-studded Andes on the mainland. Nearby on the surrounding the peninsula, one can enjoy the picturesque beauty of the waterways, old-growth forests to hike, a wooden vessel that navigates the channels and fjords, sailing by schools of dolphins and stopping at remote island villages, the rich biodiversity of the wetlands of Pullao, and a rich cultural heritage that UNESCO recognized as Chiloé’s “Wooden Churches at the End of the World”. The Hotel offers 12 rooms feature stylish wood furnishing, fabrics and obviously a bottom to ceiling panorama window. The bathroom is elegant, spacious and includes a jacuzzi bathtub. Our daily excursions are designed for you to discover the magic of the archipelago, its culture and natural landscape, from a different perspective. We have worked to find the most special places which allow you to understand and appreciate the wondrous place that is Chiloé.
Easter Island
Fly to Rapa Nui, 3 nights on Explora Rapa Nui
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world, over 2,000 miles west of Chile and over 1,200 miles east of Pitcairn. Perhaps most famous for its massive stone statues called moai, Easter Island holds a wealth of archaeological and anthropological wonders. Touring the island allows you to experience in-depth the early and contemporary culture of this uniquely remote location from the moai and other fascinating ancient structures to white sand beaches where islanders and visitors alike can enjoy surfing and diving activities.
Explora Rapa Nui is not just a hotel on one of the world’s most mysterious islands; it is the perfect base from which to discover the culture and history of this mystifying Polynesian location and to investigate some of its rarely seen wonders for yourself. This fresh look at the enigmatic island features a design based in native volcanic rock and wood from the mainland and picture windows that look out on the broad vistas of the Pacific Ocean and this sparsely inhabited island. Unfinished woods, sumptuous linens, and light splashes of color creating an environment that is both comfortable and elegant, while the central area is an inviting location to share a have a drink, take a dip, and mingle with other adventurers that have sought out this faraway retreat.
Wine Country
Today you are transferred privately to Vina Vik.
Viña Vik is an art filled 22-suite avant-garde retreat and wine spa located in Millahue, Chile on the VIK vineyard. The vineyard retreat is perched on a hilltop above a lake at the center of this spectacular 11,000-acre (4325 hectare) vineyard with panoramic 360-degree views of the vines, multiple valleys, hills, forests and mountains up to 1000 meters with the majestic Andes Mountains in the distance.
Viña Vik welcomes guests through a central, open public living area and garden. Every suite boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing guests to take in the majestic views across the stunning nature. Beyond the public living areas, guests will find a striking cantilevered pool made of Absolute Nero granite extending out over the valleys and lake below, offering the sensation of swimming above the vineyard.
Guests visiting Viña Vik are invited to discover an unparalleled retreat and vineyard experience.
From private wine tastings of our world class VIK wine led by international wine experts to guided tours through VIK winery facilities, to horseback excursions through the vineyard and surrounding mountain trails or tours on mountain bicycles, there are countless leisure activities to appeal to cultured and adventurous travelers. To unwind and indulge, guests are invited to revel in Viña Vik’stranquil wine spa, with treatments inspired by the land and incorporating VIK grapes into one-of-a-kind massage, facial and body-scrub treatments. Following adventurous excursions, guests may savor delicious gastronomic treats from exceptional 4 course high culinary experiences to barbeques set amidst the vineyard hacienda enjoying Chilean inspired foods paired with exquisite VIK wine.
Tuesday, November 8 Return to Santiago Depart
Today you are transferred to airport for scheduled flight to Santiago and onward flights home.