SKI TRAVEL SPECIALISTS LTD 99 Nuffield Street Newmarket Tel: 09-307 1350 Fax 09- 524 9865 [email protected] The Ski-in/Wine-Out trip combines breathtaking descents at the best ski destinations in the Chilean Andes with personally guided tastings of top notch, innovative wines led by your host, Derek Mossman, the founder of MOVI (Movement for Independent Vintners), leading boutique wine producer of Garage Wine Co,, and former Portillo ski instructor. You will stay in chic, intimate settings of small hotels, lodges and haciendas, sample finest Chilean cuisine from home-cooked classics to avant-garde dining, go Cat skiing at Ski Arpa and attend private tours of outstanding wineries both established and off the beaten track. Tour outline: 05 August Maipo Valley & Dinner At Santiago Airport you will be welcomed by your host. From here you will be taken to your hotel to freshen up before heading to Maipo Valley, Chile’s second-oldest wine growing region. In the late afternoon we’ll head back to Santiago for a one of a kind tasting and pairing evening. After dinner you will be transferred to your hotel for the evening. Meals: Lunch, dinner Accommodation: Hotel Magnolia 06 August Skiing La Parva Part of the Tres Valles Ski Resort, La Parva is a popular ski destination in Chile. Despite its proximity to Chile’s capital, its beauty, amenities and trails attract many skiers of all different levels and from all over the world. La Parva is known For its high-quality, natural conditions. Meals: Breakfast, dinner Accommodation: Powder Lodge 07 August Skiing Valle Nevado Spend the day skiing Valle Nevado. The stretch of the Andes mountain range which lies just to the east of Santiago is home to some of the best skiing in the country. Modeled after the style of European resorts, Valle Nevado straddles the imposing peak El Plomo and has the largest skiable domain in Chile. The complex provides a complete experience, including shops, 3 hotels, apartments 6 restaurants, a spa and fitness Centre, cinema, and bars & restaurants. The quality and size of the terrain, good chairlifts and service make the resort a very worthwhile destination. At an altitude of 3,670m (12,040ft) and with an average snowfall of 7m, Valle Nevado has some of the most consistently great snow conditions among the major resorts in the region. 1 | P a g e Meals: Breakfast, dinner Accommodation: Powder Lodge 08 August Full day Casablanca Valley & Valparaiso This morning you’ll be picked up at your hotel and head for the renowned Casablanca Valley. You’ll be visiting Kingston Family Vineyards for a tour and tasting. Since its first vintage in 2003, Kingston has been turning heads with its small production Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc. While coastal Casablanca is known for its white wines, Kingston is pioneering the production of cool-climate, artisan-style reds. Afterwards we’ll make our way to Villard, one of the Casablanca Valley’s premium boutique wineries. This winery was founded in 1989 by Thierry Villard and is still run by this French-Chilean family which prides itself on making traditional, elegant wines. Here we will tour the grounds and enjoy a 3 course meal paired with Villard’s best wines. You will then be transferred to the colorful city of Valparaiso, one of the first Chilean cities founded by the Spanish. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 for its architectural & cultural significance, the city is also one of Chile’s most interesting. Century-old hillside ascensores transport you up into the city’s steep hills, where a labyrinthine maze of streets reveals brightly colored buildings, bohemian cafes, elegant restaurants and spectacular views of the harbor below At the end of the day you’ll be transferred to Hotel Casa Higueras where you’ll be spending the evening. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Accommodation: Hotel Casa Higueras 09 August Full day Zapallar & Lunch at El Chiringuito Today will be spent in the charming coastal town of Zapallar, where the rocky coast and crystal clear waters of the Pacific Ocean invite a stroll along the winding sea paths. Zapallar is known for its elegant buildings, beautiful gardens and magnificent vistas. Enjoy free time to relax or walk on the beach before we make our way to El Chiringuito for lunch. This restaurant serves a variety of local fresh seafood while offering incredible views of the Pacific. In the late afternoon you’ll be transferred to Hotel Portillo where you will be staying for the next 3 nights. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Accommodation: Hotel Portillo 10 & 11 August Skiing Portillo The next two days you’ll spend at Portillo, South America’s oldest and most famous ski resort, first opened in 1948. Portillo has the ambience of a “Boutique” ski resort with limited hotel capacity, no lift lines and wide-open slopes. There are trails to accommodate any level of expertise and skiers and riders with more experience have access to a variety of back-country bowls. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Accommodation: Hotel Portillo 12 August Aconcagua Valley-Von Siebenthal, Flaherty and San Esteban 2 | P a g e Today we will make our way to Los Andes. Along the way you will visit 3 different vineyards. The first sop will be Von Siebenthal: a boutique, family run winery and the biggest producer in the MOVI (an independent group of winemakers in Chile) This vineyard produces about 200,000 bottles annually and their wines are still hand-harvested. The 2nd visit will be to Flaherty Winery for a tour tasting and lunch. This winery is owned by two Californians. Since 2012 Flaherty has produced a single red blend and in 2016 they introduced a second. After the tour you’ll enjoy a California-Chilean style meal using fresh ingredients from their garden. Last but no least it’s off to San Esteban. San Esteban is a sizeable family business. They have vines on both banks of the Aconcagua River with each location having a different terroir. In the late afternoon you’ll check into the Inca Hotel, conveniently located on the international highway in Los Andes making for easy access to Ski Arpa. Meals: Breakfast, lunch Accommodation: Inca Hotel 13 August Ski Arpa & departure Your last morning will be spent on the slopes. Experience Snowcat Skiing at the incredible Ski Arpa. Unparalleled vertical snow conditions and views of both Mt Aconcagua and the Pacific Ocean make for an unforgettable adventure. Over the course of just one day you will ski over 13,000 vertical feet of some of the best untracked powder in the world. Intermediate or advanced level of skiing experience required. Afterwards you’ll be transferred to the Santiago Airport Meals: Breakfast, box lunch Costs: NZD$9,900.00 per person double What’s Included Private transportation with a bilingual driver 8 nights lodging as detailed in Itinerary Meals as detailed in Itinerary Skiing at La Parva Skiing at Valle Nevado Skiing at Portillo Cat skiing at Ski Arpa 5 winery visits Other costs Due to the flight schedules and distance (nearly 14 hours) from NZ to Santiago we suggest you consider having one or two nights in Santiago before starting the Tour on 05 August. 3 | P a g e Your Host: Derek Mossman Derek will share his inside knowledge on Chilean snow, wine, beer and everything in between. Derek originally ventured to Chile as a ski coach when he started following snow down to the southern hemisphere during summer breaks to pay his way through university. Eventually Derek moved to Chile full-time, married a local winemaker and began making small lots in the garage with family and friends, Word spread and the wines became a coveted urban myth. The name Garage Wine Co was coined. Ski Portillo the first stop on your trip soon sought out bottles for their cellar and the Garage began to grow to fulfill export inquiries. Today the label produces 125 barrels a year in Caliboro in the Maule Valley. Over the past 5-6 years GWCo has also been busy helping to form MOVI (the Movement of Independent Vintners, many of whose wines you will be sampling on this tour. Flights: You will need to add an airfare. The cost of Airfares will depend on the route you choose, the Airline of choice and the class of travel you prefer. LATAM presently have economy fares starting around $1455 + tax of approx. $114 to Santiago round trip however there are many routes and other carriers to South America. We are happy to make any flight arrangements for you. We charge a ticketing fee of $115 for Economy, $200 for Premium and $250 for Business Class fares. HOW TO BOOK: Deposits: We require a completed and signed booking form at the time of booking along with a $500 per person deposit. Final Payment will be required on or before 01 July 2017. We accept payment by Cheque, cash, MasterCard or Visa. We do not accept payment by Amex or Diners for this Tour without incurring a 3% surcharge. Travel Insurance A fully comprehensive Travel Insurance policy including snow cover is a pre-requisite when joining one of our ski Tours. You can obtain a quote on our website www.skitravel.co.nz Clink on Links and then click on the Allianz Logo. You will receive an Automatic 15% discount by booking through our Website. Travel Insurance should always be taken out at the time you pay you Non – Refundable deposit. We do hope this information is of assistance and we’ve got you thinking about joining this Tour however please do not hesitate to contact me should your require further information.