DESERT TREASURE & LA FUERZA DEL SOL CARNIVAL – 8 DAYS 7 NIGHTS

Meeting at Arica airport and transfer to the hotel. Welcome lunch and we will enjoy a city tour, visiting San Miguel Archaeological Museum, home to the famous Chinchorro Mummies (1st wonder), preserved for several millennia by the dry heat of the desert. Modern analysis of the mummies have revealed are the oldest body predates the Egyptians by some 3,000 years. In the afternoon we will spend time at the colourful La Fuerza del Sol Carnival (2nd wonder) Night in Arica. (L)

Today we will cross the Atacama Desert (3nd wonder), the driest desert in the world according to studies by NASA, a huge landscape that sometimes suffers the struggle of water and rain of the Altiplanic Winter. We will stop at Gigante de Atacama Geoglyph (4rd wonder), the largest ancient anthropomorphic geoglyph in the world, presuming that its authors were representatives of the same indigenous cultures of the area between 900 to 1,450 dc. We will also see Chiza and Tiliviche Geoglyphs, to see the sprawling human and llama geoglyphs here, thought to have been created as a guide to caravans descending from the mountains to the coast. Arrival to Iquique in the afternoon. Night in Iquique. (B , L)

We will have a soft walking City tour, to understand how is to live in the Atacama Desert but next to the sea. We will also appreciate the local fauna at caleta Riquelme, where fishermen offer their products. Lunch at Casino Espanol (5th wonder) and free afternoon to have a nice walk by the seashore on your own. Night in Iquique. (B, L)

This morning our journey takes us through the Atacama Desert again. On our way, we will visit Humberstone ghost town (6th wonder), declared World Heritage by Unesco. Here you will understand in a fantastic open museum, the importance on nitrate for development of agriculture in USA and Europe 100 years ago. Continue to La Tirana. This village of 1000 people get over 250.000 visitors during celebration. Continue to Hotel. Dinner. Night in La Huayca. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we will offer 2 optional activities at Pica (7th wonder), a real oasis in the middle of the Atacama Desert: for those who are good bike riders, 45 minutes “downdunes” in fat bikes (8th wonder) -should be booked in advance-, for those who brought bathing suit and wants to enjoy local and popular hot springs, we take you to La Cocha at Pica, or if you just want to enjoy the Hotel with a good book or pisco sour, is also possible. Lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit the impressive Pintados Geoglyphs (9th wonder), ancient rock art preserved by the rain dearth at Pampa del Tamarugal, the largest collection of its kind in South America. Back to La Huayca and dinner. Night in La Huayca. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we will have a 4 hours drive towards Calama, taking Panamericana highway and crossing the Atacama Desert again. Stop for ice creams at El Rotito restaurant -the only place we will find in this road. At Calama, we will have a nice lunch and continue to San Pedro de Atacama (10th wonder). Free afternoon in San Pedro. Night in San Pedro. (B, L)

After breakfast, we will visit Atacama Salt flat to understand the geology and history of the site and, if we are lucky, see flamingos. Back to San Pedro, free time to enjoy the village, do some shopping or have a nice coffee in the main little square. Lunch and tour to Moon Valley (11th wonder), a colourful and textured valley that contains unusual wind-carved formations and dry lakes that gleam with salt. Free dinner. At night, Star Gazing Experience (12th wonder). Night in San Pedro. (B, L)

Transfer to Calama airport Optional extension to Antofagasta to enjoy an unforgettable astronomical experience! (B)