CHILE
4 - 21 Apr 2018
Map of our roadtrip:
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Day 1: Torres Del Paine
Pick up 7am from Calafate to TDP. Stopped at YPF gas station for toilet break before driving towards TDP. Route 40, then route 5, route 7, and join back route 40 (dirt road) towards the Chile custom. Arrived at our accommodation Hotel Rio Serrano just outside TDP National Park. We booked an inclusive package for four nights which included free pick up from Calafate and drop off at Punta Arena. The package also included most of the excursion in TDP exclude the ferry to do the French Valley hike. We managed to get a 60% off from normal rate and paid USD430 a night. The first thing we did was horse back riding around the lake area near the hotel. |
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Day 2: Torres Del Paine
Did the Full Day Paine where we were driven to few major scenic spots in TDP National Park. Set off 830am and back to hotel around 6pm. |
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Day 3: Torres Del Paine
Did the hike to Base of Torres. Set off hotel 730am and reached the carpark 9am. Walked about 1.5-2km to the start of the hiking trail. Reached the Chilean camp around noon and the base 245pm. Had packed lunch there and left the base about 325pm. Reached the carpark before 6pm and back to hotel 730pm |
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Day 4: Torres Del Paine
Did the hike to Mirador Frances today. Left the hotel about 1020am and reached the ferry terminal 1055am and took the 11am ferry (28000 return fare) to the beginning of the French Valley hike. The ferry ride is about 30mins. Started walking 1150am and reached the Italian camp 210pm. Reached the Mirador about 3pm. It’s steep hike to the Mirador. Spend 10-15 mins here and headed back to the ferry terminal to catch the last ferry at 630pm. Arrived at the terminal around 530pm. Should have spend more time at the Mirador as we were afraid to miss the last ferry. |
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Day 5: Torres Del Paine - Punta Arena
Left the hotel around 815am and arrived Punta Arenas around 12pm. Checked into the B&B and after settling in, we set off to walk around the city. Pretty small city centre, and is easy walk. We walked to the market first, which is quite near to the Casino hotel. Had late lunch (popular for Hake and Conger eels) and bought a packet of king crab meat (22000 for 850g) at the market. After that, went to supermarket to buy some instant noodle and walked along the coastline for some photos before walking back to our accommodation to rest and relax. Had king crab meat instant noodle in the B&B for dinner |
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Day 7: Punta Arena - Puerto Montt - Puerto Varas
Took a taxi to airport at 75 8am (CLP10,000) and arrived 822am. Checked into SKY airline and the flight took off 10am. We arrived Puerto Montt around 1220pm. Collected car around 1pm plus and headed to Puerto Montt. Visited Angelmo Fish Market and had seafood lunch here and drove around the city before driving to Puerto Varas to check in to our hotel. Rest and relax in hotel |
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Day 8: Puerto Varas
Drove around the lake and visited few old towns. Unfortunately, weather was bad, and we could hardly see the nearby volcanoes. Spend 7000 pesos on chocolate, 6,500 on petrol, and 24,000 on dinner. |
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Day 9: Puerto Varas
After breakfast, we drove towards Chiloe Island. Departed hotel at 9am and arrived port 950am. Toll 700 and 1950 peso. Car ferry 12600. Arrived Chiloe island 1015am ( 25mins ride )12:15pm. Castro Mirador Gamboa & church , stroll the streets & another mirador. 15:10 departed Castro. Petrol 5900. 15:45 arrived Dalcahue; visted handicraft mkt and fish mkt ( but closed ). Had late lunch 4:15 ; Chilean local dish Curanto 6000 peso. Local church. Departed 5pm towards Ancud. 6pm arrived Ancud. Visited Fuerte San Antonio. Church, Plaza & Museum (closed ). Departed 6:30 to car ferry. Boarded ferry 7pm. 12,600 peso. Disembarked 7:35pm. Same toll road back, plus 600 peso to enter Puerto Varas. 55mins drive. Arrived hotel 8:30pm |
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Day 10: Puerto Varas
Set off from hotel around 10am towards the chairlift to Orsono Volcano. Took us about an hour, and is toll free, and no parking charges. The road is still icy at the top and hence we had to park few hundred meters from the chairlift and walked there. Spend about 3-4 hours up here and had our lunch. Then we set off to Petrohue waterfall. Parking fee 1000, and entrance fee 4000 each. |
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Day 11: Puerto Varas - Puerto Montt - Santiago
Set off around 9am from hotel to the fish market in Puerto Montt and bought a tub of Uni (2500), crabmeat (2000) and 2 empanadas (1200). Thereafter, set off to the airport. Reached about 10am and returned the rental car. Checked into SKY airline and went to the airport lounge to rest and relax. Had my Uni with rice for lunch and boarded the plane around 1220pm. Plane set off around 105pm and arrived before 3pm. One of the luggage wheels broke off and hence have to spend time to make a report. Departed the airport at 321pm and arrived the apartment 355pm. Settled in and set off to a Korean restaurant for early dinner. After dinner, we strolled around Plaza del Armas before heading back around 8pm+ |
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Day 12: Day drip to UNESCO listed Sewell Mining Camp
Joined a Sewell Mining camp tour for 47,000 pesos each. Walked about 31 mins to the pick up point from our apartment for the tour. Bus arrived 833am and left 835am. Reached Rangcagua 957 for toilet break and supermarket to buy water and breakfast. Dep 1025am and arrived at the camp around 1130am. Spend 3hours + here and drove down to Rangcagua for lunch at 4pm+. After lunch, drove back to Santiago. Reached Santiago around 8pm |
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Day 13: Day trip to UNESCO listed Valparaiso from Santiago
Joined a Valparaíso tour for 25,000 peso each, pick up 830am. 932am reached the vineyard, left 1040m. We arrived Viña Del Mar close to noon, had a few photo stops and had lunch (29,000 pesos) here. After that, it was just a 15-20mins drive to Valparaíso. Spend about 2-3 hours here and headed back to Santiago. Along the way, we stopped by a pastry shop for coffee break. Arrived at the apartment 830pm |
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Day 14: Santiago
Left the apartment around noon. Bought a metro ticket (1550 for the card and 7000 stored value) and took the metro to the Train Station (Estarcion station) for shopping and to buy a replacement luggage. Many shops here, just like Bangkok and Taipei. Done shopping around 4pm+ and headed to Baquedano metro station and walked the funicular station to Cerro San Cristóbal. Return ride 2,000 each. For the metro ride, it’s 680 per ride regardless of the distance. 780 during peak hours. We stayed at Cerro San Cristóbal Tull 620pm and went back to apartment. |
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Day 15: Day trip to Maipo Canyon
Joined a tour to reservoir El Yeso for 35,000 pesos each (Morande Turismo & Transport). Picked up 625am and left Santiago 715am and arrived breakfast area 755am for break. Set off 830am. Maipo canyon has five volcanoes around, three active and two extinct. Reached the reservoir 1015am and left 1235pm. Next we visited San Antonio, w place where an 18 year old committed suicide but miracles happened here and people pronounced him saint. After that, lunch break at a local joint. Depart for Santiago at 235pm and arrived back in apartment 430pm |
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Day 16: Santiago - Calma - Atacama Desert
Left apartment 815am to airport to catch 1115am flight to Calama. Arrived around 2pm and start of our private tour. Transfer-In Calama Airport – Hotel San Pedro de Atacama In the afternoon our tour will continue at 16:00 o’clock towards the cordillera of the salt. We moved on to one of the most beautiful natural monuments in the world, the Moon Valley, located close to the cordillera of the salt, 4km west of San Pedro de Atacama. After appreciating this incredible place with its forms and figures of salt we will visit the Death Valley, where we will discover incomparable and majestic landscapes. After this probably most remarkable experience of the tour we returned to San Pedro de Atacama at around 20:30 o’clock. |
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Day 17: Atacama Desert
Pick up 630am from hotel to the salt flat. Traveling time about 1.5hrs to the Highland lagoons Miscanti and Meñiques, located over 3.500m over sea level and surrounded by the mountains of the Andes. cross the graven of the Salt Lake of the Atacama to visit the village of Toconao with its colonial church and the old fruit gardens. Also we visit the Lagoon Chaxa, part of the Flamingo National Reserve. The excursion continues to the village of Socaire, located at 3,250m over sea level. We returned to San Pedro, arrival around 14:30 hrs. |
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Day 18: Atacama Desert
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Day 19: Atacama Desert - Bolivia
Picked up 9am and headed to the boarder of Chile and Bolivia. Reached Bolivian boarder around 950am and waited for the guide to apply the visa for us. Paid US$120 each for the visa. To apply visa, need photos, copy of the hotel bookings, etc. we did not have these but fortunately they allowed us by giving them the hard copy of our itineraries in Bolivia |
TRIP PHOTOS - CHILE