Imagine the stories 2021 CHILE Small Group Journeys | INSIDER JOURNEYS · 1 INSIDER JOURNEYS • HAND PICKED TOURS • ALL AROUND THE GLOBE Imagine the stories Welcome to Insider Journeys! For over 25 years we’ve been helping travellers like you create unique experiences and stories that will last a lifetime. Explore Chile your way with our independent travel collection. Whether you want to discover the breathtaking nature of the chilean Andes, an amazing wildlife in several national parks, uncover the traditional way of life of the local people, taste great wines and food, or do all of the above, our selection of private itineraries, short stays, and trekking tours will give you real insight into these amazing destinations. All our experiences are designed with flexibility in mind by our Chile experts. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, we will tailor-make an itinerary to suit your exact requirements. Let us help you discover Chile as an insider. 2 · INSIDER JOURNEYS | Small Group Journeys CONTENT Why Travel with Insider Journeys… 4 The Insider Journeys Difference – 25 years of amazing stories 6 Journey Styles 8 TOURS Chile Natural 12 Patagonia Pure 14 The Four Giants of Patagonia 16 The world‘s southernmost trekking “Dientes de Navarino” (extension) 18 Chile‘s Best Wine Valley Valle Colchagua 19 Footsteps of the Aymara culture 20 Atacameño Experience 21 Authentic Easter Island 22 Mapuche Life at Budi Lake 23 Chiloé: Magic, myth and nature 24 Huilliche Traditions in Condor‘s Creek 25 Active Chilean Lake District 26 Mapu Trek 27 Trekking Cochamó Water Slides 28 Trekking El Callao Hot 29 Trekking Pumalin & Yelcho 30 Trekking Tagua Tagua Valley 31 Descendants of the Inca 32 The Greatest National Parks Torres del Paine & Los Glaciares 33 Volcanoes, Forests and Fjords 34 Secrets of Araucanía 35 Pumalin National Park Trek & Drive 36 Puelo‘s Hidden Valleys Trek & Drive 37 Aysén Untouched 38 Contrasts of Chiloé 39 El Patagón 40 INSIDER EXCURSIONS 41 INSIDER HOTELS 46 Important Booking Conditions 48 Small Group Journeys | INSIDER JOURNEYS · 3 WHY TRAVEL WITH INSIDER JOURNEYS… At Insider Journeys we make it easy to holiday anywhere in the world. Our private travel collection lets you experience each country as an insider with the flexibility to explore at your own pace. Whether it’s getting up early to beat the crowds, staying longer to watch that amazing sunset or spending time chatting Thank you for giving us with a local, it is this level of flexibility that makes such an amazing holiday. all the difference. We can’t even describe the experience we had in We know that to truly experience a country, you need to Bhutan and Nepal. We’ve wander off the tourist trail occasionally. Our collection of never seen anything like that before and this was private itineraries will provide you with experiences that a easily the best holiday of guidebook alone simply cannot offer. Whether you’re travelling our lives! with your partner, family, a group of friends or solo, connecting Mark & Kristin, Melbourne, Australia you with your destination’s heart is what we do best. Let us help you experience the country you visit as an insider! PRIVATE ITINERARIES Each of our unique, private itineraries are designed by our team of passionate travel experts. Every itinerary includes the must-see highlights and genuine experiences. From the moment your trip begins, our private itineraries provide a seamless travel experience. Our tour programs will sometimes take you off the tourist trail while ensuring you don’t miss any of the essential places. With plenty of free time and the services of knowledgeable local guides in each destination, you’ll really feel like an insider. 4 · INSIDER JOURNEYS OFF THE BEATEN PATH An unforgettable experience starts with the unexpected. We’ll make sure you see the most popular highlights of our destinations... but then we’ll show you the places you wouldn’t find on your own, and each country is full of these hidden treasures. From conversations with local families, feasting in street food stalls, and shopping in hidden local markets, we’ll make sure you go home with amazing memories. It is impossible to choose one highlight as we enjoyed everything so much. This was our fourth tour with Insider Journeys and we will have no hesitation in recommending the company to all our family and friends. Anne & Bruce, New Zealand LOCAL EXPERTS Your local guides are one of the most important elements of your trip. They are the people you see the most, the person who answers your questions, the person who helps to shape your impression of a destination. In recognition of this important relationship, our guides are truly passionate, local experts who are carefully selected and trained to look out SAFE AND for you, to share the history and knowledge that only a local RELIABLE can provide, and to expect the unexpected. Many of our guides have worked with us for years, and feel like a part of For more than 25 years, our family, just as they will soon feel like a part of yours. Insider Journeys has been safely and reliably sharing the beauty of the world with travellers. We are the only Tour Operator with our own offices in several countries throughout Asia for example. Our local partners live and work in the destinations we serve, bringing you the perfect combination of local authenticity while still providing the high level of service and support you expect. INSIDER JOURNEYS · 5 BESPOKE ACCOMMODATION A quality hotel is an essential element of an enjoyable holiday. We offer an extensive range of accommodation options and experiences, so you can customise your vacation. Our hotels have INDEPENDENCE AND been handpicked for charm, comfort, location and to provide you with an insight into the region. FLEXIBILITY From the forts and palaces to beach resorts, we An ideal tour is a balance of activity have accommodation options to suit all tastes and and relaxation. We know sometimes budgets. you want to explore on your own, eat on your own, or relax on your own. We can include moments of leisure without any scheduled activities, where you have the freedom to be spontaneous, to choose your own meals, to choose your own experiences, and to enjoy your holiday as you see fit. Our guides were really good at making the history of India come alive. You could tell that they obviously love their country, and this comes across. We would definitely use Insider Journeys again. Henry & Lisa, Wellington, New Zealand GETTING AROUND We don’t do ‘bus tours’… we do Small Group Journeys. Whether it’s a tuk- tuk, jeep safari, or bullet train, you’ll get a local experience when it provides the best sightseeing or transport opportunity. Otherwise, road journeys are in our comfortable air-conditioned vehicles. We keep it small and never use large coaches. 6 · INSIDER JOURNEYS | Small Group Journeys TAILOR-MADE FOR YOU You can use our Small Group Journey itineraries as inspiration, or you can create your own completely customised holiday. Either way, you will get a tailor-made holiday where you take control of your experience and we create a holiday exactly the way you want. I just returned from Sri Lanka and wished to say how much I enjoyed this trip! It was the first time I had used Insider Journeys and I was very impressed with the level of organisation, quality of the hotels, tour guides, vans, cyclos, etc. It was a truly memorable 12 days and thank you to the Insider Journeys team for organising it. Debbie, Wagga Wagga, Australia For guests who prefer to travel with SMALL others, we offer our popular Small GROUP Group Journeys. We limit these groups JOURNEYS to a maximum of 16 people (and only 12 in Japan) so you can enjoy a personalised, authentic experience. Smaller groups ensure more time with your local expert, more time to make new friends, less time waiting, and more time for you to enjoy the amazing destinations throughout your journey. Whether you’re gathering your family for a reunion, your friends for a dream PRIVATE wedding, or your co-workers for a GROUPS rewards trip, let us design the perfect custom itinerary for your group’s needs. Large groups come with large expectations, and our dedicated Groups department specializes in these unique requirements. We offer advice and support at all times, so you have peace of mind that we are here for your group. INSIDER JOURNEYS · 7 x CHILE Chile is one of the world’s longest and narrowest accessible Santiago. countries but still offers you many adventures: But there is something that has not yet been From stargazing in the driest desert in the world, mentioned. In this vast country full of wide visiting thousands of years old glaciers in the horizons, you will feel alive. Reconnect with nature southernmost region of the world, and trekking and discover untouched landscapes. At the same through magical forests and lakes at the foot of time, enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the impressive volcanoes, the country has it all. Expect Chilean people. A completely new experience islands full of legends, traditional wine production, in a peaceful place – visit Chile and enjoy this challenging climbing routes and a modern and extraordenary country. 8 · INSIDER JOURNEYS CHILE COUNTRY What makes Chile special is that, with its length of approximately 4300 km (2670 mi), it features almost all climate zones on earth, PEOPLE with the exception of the tropics. Chile has The cultural and climatic differences have approximately 19 Million inhabitants, almost characterized the identity of the country half of them living in Santiago and the central and its people.