Experience the wonderful opportunities Explora has to offer in Chile

The mysterious and fascinating Easter Island, the vast beauty of the Atacama Desert and the magical sensation of being one with nature in deep Patagonia are the three destinations you can choose and experience with Explora Hotels. A opportunity that presents the visitor with an in-depth exploration of the amazing surroundings in a relaxing and “luxury of the essential” service.

While visiting the driest desert in the world the Atacama Desert, you can stay in Explora´s Hotel de Larache, a beautiful place that has even won architectural prizes. It has a patio area totaling 1,700 meters2 (18,298 feet2) and 50 rooms housed in three long buildings. Here you can relax and enjoy the calm view of the sand dunes, the majestic and vast skies by night –Explora has the most powerful amateur telescope in Chile- or embark in more than 50 explorations available that include horse rides and walking trips.

If you choose Patagonia as your destination, Hotel Lodge Salto Chico is waiting for you to relax and experience this lush part of Chile. Inaugurated in 1993, the hotel is located on the banks of the waterfall Salto Chico and has more than 50 ample and inviting rooms. Here, with the help of Explora highly trained guides you can do activities that include horse rides and walking explorations where you can see the imposing view of the Paine Massif and connect with nature and its elements.

Finally is beautiful and magical Easter Island, a place that needs no introduction. With its enigmatic Moais, fascinating Rapa Nui culture, Easter Island is known among other things for being one of the most remote places on earth. Myths and Legends are a common thing on this island, but is part of the many charms you will find while visiting places like the Moais quarries for example. Here you can stay at Explora´s Posada de Mike Rapu a hotel lodge that opened in 2007 and located on a hill in the Te Miro Oone area, overlooking the ocean. Activities include horse, bicycle and sea explorations, walking trips, and snorkeling among many others.

Easter Island

The programs Explora has to offer in Atacama and Rapa Nui start from 3 nights. Patagonia starts from 4 nights.

Argentina’s Seven Wonders

If you are planning a trip to South America, but specifically to lovely Argentina, then the following list should prove useful. The Argentinean magazine LUGARES has selected seven places that you can’t miss when you visit the country of Tango and good football.

At number one is the Iguazu falls a must see for any person that loves nature and spectacular vistas in an environment filled with lush vegetation. The falls are currently in the race to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World, so this should be on the top of the list of almost everyone that travels to Argentina. The falls have 275 drops of water making this destination an unforgettable sight.

Here you can stay at the wonderful Posada Puerto Bemberg.

Next up is the Glacier Perito Moreno in the province Santa Cruz. Its located in the National Park Los Glaciares, just in front of the Magellan’s Peninsula and at 80km. from the Calafate village. It has been in the World Heritage Site list since 1981 and has a height of 60 meters and a solid ice surface of 257 square kilometers. Here you can find quality hotels with a defined local identity like EOLO, Casa Los Sauces and Los Notros, and enjoy the wonderful experience of being in this majestic place.

The third destination is Valle de la Luna, located in the San Juan province and declared a World Heritage Site in 2000. The park has 275.369 hectares and is considered a paleontological reserve of world importance. The place offers a beautiful landscape without vegetation, but with a wide array of colors in the soil.

The fourth destination is the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a narrow mountain valley located in the province of Jujuy. It has 155 kilometers in length and in 2003 it was selected a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

At number five is the Los Alerces National Park in the Chubut province. The park was created in 1937 to protect the alerce forest and other type of flora present in the zone. It has the largest alerce forest in Argentina –the alerce are one of the longest living trees and can reach heights of 19 to 22 meters-.

Sixth is the Talampaya in la Rioja –the Argentinean version of the Colorado canyon-, declared by UNESCO a World Heritage site in 2000 and at number seven is Salinas Grandes, a vast and extraordinary salt field that expands 212 square kilometers.

For more information regarding South America, please visit www.i-southernworld.com

 

Enjoy Patagonia and Atacama with the Tierra Hotel & SPA

Designed as first class hotels with a premium service for its guests, the Tierra Hotels represent a leap in comfort and style. The company has experience in the business so you can be sure your stay will be pleasant, relaxing and fun; the perfect ingredients for a dream vacation. All this in an environment that invites guests to explore the surroundings with trained guides in multiple and exciting activities.

Tierra Atacama Hotel & SPA, located on the edge of the town of San Pedro de Atacama offers its guests a great array of activities and excursions. On a van you can go to the Altiplanic Lagoons, and delight with the scenery of mountains and the multiple flora and fauna, like the guanacos. The Salar de Tara is another example of extraordinary beauty. There you can see breathtaking vistas of the Licancabur Volcano, salt lakes and do some bird watching. The Tatio Geysers represent a marvel of nature and can also be seen in the excursions as well as the Machuca Village, the Puritama Hot Springs, Moon Valley, Death Valley and the Atacama Salt Flat where you can see three types of Flamingos on the Flamingo Reserve.

The decoration of the hotel is minimalist and makes use of traditional materials of the zone, so you can truly be immerse in the experience that represents this desert area. The hotel also has activities that are family oriented like horse riding, bicycle riding, walking trips and nocturnal sightings of stars and constellations in the magnificent desert sky of Atacama, considered the purest and most favored in the world for astronomical purposes.

The facilities include the UMA SPA which means water in Aymara. There you can relax and do Yoga or enjoy one of the many therapies available, like facials, massages, body wraps and scrubs, body treatments and alternative therapies using natural desert elements. The SPA also has an outdoor swimming pool, a jacuzzi and an indoor heated pool. The indoor swimming pool has water jets

On the other side if, you enjoy the south, then Tierra Patagonia Hotel & SPA just might be the ideal place to go. Its located just 15 minutes from the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine and has a marvelous view to the Sarmiento Lake and the Torres del Paine. The hotel will open at the end of 2011, but some of the excursions you will be able to do include visits and explorations to the western Torres del Paine National Park with views to the Paine river waterfall. Also, you will be able to see Eastern Torres del Paine, Laguna Azul where you can see extraordinary views of the west of the Paine massif and a full day excursion to the Torres del Paine National Park, where you can see places like the Amarga lagoon, lake Nordenskjold and the mirador Pehoé, among others.

The facilities in Tierra Patagonia include a SPA that offers steam baths, a sauna, an outdoor jacuzzi, a heated swimming pool and massage room. Also, for people interested in doing excursions, there is a room where you can see maps of the zone.

For more information, visit our website: www.i-southernworld.com

Hotel Parque Quilquilco: the ideal place to enjoy the wonders of Insular Patagonia

Chile’s Chiloe Island represents a magical and fascinating getaway for anyone looking for a different experience in gastronomy and the learning of interesting myths, legends and the sighting of extraordinary natural landscapes in a relaxing and quiet environment.

Hotel Parque Quilquico is the perfect place to enjoy the natural wonders of Chiloe in a comfortable way. This new hotel offers its visitor’s facilities that include a main restaurant with author cuisine from Chiloe, where you will be able to taste dishes that incorporate local products like the more than 200 types of potatoes found in the island and honey of Ulmo. The gastronomy also has a Mediterranean influence, giving the dishes a special and unique touch.

The hotel has programs of 3 days and 4 nights that include transfers the day of arrival and departure from the Airport El Tepual-Puerto Montt to the Hotel itself. The facilities include a sauna, a heated swimming pool and a buffet breakfast –lunch and diner are also included-. You can do a wide arrange of activities that go from horse riding to trekking and even bird watching.

Inserted in a beautiful park of 10 hectares, the hotel is located in the top of a hill. In the lower part you can find the Wetland of Pullao, an excellent place to see a great diversity of birds like the Zarapito, Swans of black neck and even flamingos. Chiloe also has an interesting flora that includes the Arrayan and Cypress of the Huaytecas.

Insular Patagonia has a lot of attractive points to visit, but perhaps one of the most interesting would be the churches of Chiloe built in the XVII and XVIII century by the Jesuit and Franciscan orders present in the area. The beautiful constructions are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and represent the perfect fusion between local and European cultural and technical styles, without a doubt a perfect complement to the already spectacular landscape of the place.

For more information regarding the hotel and other destinations, please visit www.i-southernworld.com

Experience a Place like no other, Experience Antarctica

If you are looking for a vast and natural landscape where you can not only relax, but live and feel an entirely unique and unforgettable experience, then traveling to Antarctica just might be the place to go. No other place in the world offers the sensation you will find here in this remote, yet exotic location where the ice-cold vistas meet the beautiful fauna.

There are multiple cruises that do routes to Antarctica, some offer a luxurious visit, others tend to focus less on the ship and more in the outdoor experience, the quality of the guide, the type of conferences you can get on board, the activities, and perhaps the most important aspect of all, the places you get to see. The so-called expedition tours specialize in the latter and normally they travel with specialists that can help you with all your questions. Some cruises -for example- include geologists, historians, naturalists and even ornithologists among their staff.

The fauna in Antarctica includes sightings of whales like the Humpback and a great variety of birds like the giant Petrel, Albatross, Kelp Gulls and the Snowy Sheathbill. Leopard Seals and fish specially adapted to live in water conditions below 0 °C are some of the other animals you can see in this place. The Emperor Penguins and Seals are found in parts of the Weddell Sea zone, but not all cruises go there.

An excellent option in expedition cruises is Antartic Dream. It offers an 11 days and 10 nights expedition that ships from Ushuaia, crosses the Drake Passage and visits places like Aitcho Island, Neko Bay, Paradise Bay and Deception Island before returning to Ushuaia in Argentina.

The other program –Fly & Sail- has two itineraries. The first one leaves from Punta Arenas, Chile and returns to Ushuaia, Argentina. The second one leaves from Ushuaia, Argentina and returns to Punta Arenas in Chile. 

With multiple tours to choose from, Antarctica represents a new and original travel location for adventurous and casual travelers that want to experience the extreme side of nature with all its beauty, but in a safe environment and with all the accommodations of home.

For more information regarding Antarctic Cruises, visit our website: www.i-southernworld.com

Visit the Fantastic World of the Floating Islands in Lake Titicaca

Located on the Peruvian side of the lake, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca constitute an attraction that immediately gets the attention of the people that visit this spectacular man made living space. The islands are not as known as other destinations in Peru like Machu Picchu or Lima, but this beautiful place has charms of its own. They were created by the Uros, Pre Incan people that live in the high plains –Altiplano in Spanish- of Collao, and their presence extends to territories in Peru and Bolivia.

The Uros are known for their worship to the moon, the name means “sons of the dawn”, and their main activities are fishing –the Carachi and the Pejerrey being the main fish they catch-, the hunting of birds and the recollection of duck eggs.

The floating islands of Lake Titicaca –there are more than fifty and each one has a name- are constructed using Totora reeds, a plant found in the region that is also used to build vessels and different types of craft art. The islands use an anchor to prevent the abrupt moving by the currents and they must be covered with Totora every year to prevent sinking.

The Uros are friendly people and they welcome the tourism activity every year in this spectacular landscape that combines the blue of the lake with the striking yellow of the Totora islands and vessels that sail the zone. The place also has more than 70 species of birds, ideal for people that enjoy doing bird watching.

Walking the islands is like walking in a water bed, with soft spots that reveal the actual water beneath the Totora reeds, a sensation that becomes normal once you get to see and talk with some of the locals that have being living there for years.

The construction process consists in the careful cutting of the totora and the following creation of blocks from roots that measure 15 centimeters. The multiple blocks are joined with rope conforming a giant living space that gives birth to an island. 

Experience this unique landscape in beautiful Peru by staying in this magnificent hotel: Titilaka

Chile´s Torres del Paine nominated best Choice for Outdoor Activities

The spectacular natural reserve was nominated by Wikiexplora as the best place to do open air activities and trekking. The National Park Torres del Paine is one of the main tourist attractions of the Chilean Patagonia and has a rich flora and fauna, beautiful rivers, a glacier, a lake and the main highlight, the Cordillera del Paine.

Located 112km north of Puerto Natales, this incredible park is dominated by the always-outstanding view of the Paine massif and the exotic and beautiful natural environment. The fauna includes species like the Guanacos -a camelid native to this continent and the most common mammal of the park-, cougars, foxes and pumas. If you choose to do some trekking you can also see the majestic Condor, different types of hawks and eagles, swans and even flamingos!

Torres del Paine was nominated at the top of the list -out of sixty touring circuits- with eight mentions out of nine. The rated points included the scenery, infrastructure available in the zone, places to rest or to find shelter, camping sites and hotels. 

Second place with seven mentions went to Peru´s Camino del Inca recognized for being a place of immense cultural value. Third place corresponded to the Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania for its singular environment and special mentions went to the Argentine Patagonia, Fitz Roy and the Cerro Torres.

The choice of Torres del Paine at the top of this list was the result of a research that lasted more than three months, involving magazines of outdoor and trekking activities.

Discover Santiago, Capital of Chile

Currently considered one of the best destinations to go this year, Santiago is a city that promises excellent gastronomy, world-class hotel options and an incredible selection of cultural activities that you can do during day while enjoying the spectacular mountain landscape that surrounds Chile’s capital.

Santiago is a dynamic and hip city with a growing cultural offer that’s also centered in quality and variety. Perhaps one of the most interesting examples of this is the Museo de la Moda, a privately funded museum located in the district of Vitacura that specializes fashion. It has a permanent collection of 10.000 pieces of different fashion elements that range from clothing to objects and even memorabilia (typically 800 objects are featured in an exposition). Here you can see 1960´s suits that belonged to The Beatles, a jacket and hat from Elvis, a scarf used by Jimmy Hendrix, a dress worn by Princess Diana in 1981 and awards and items that belonged to different rock stars.

Exquisite gastronomy and high fashion go together in Santiago. In the capital’s exclusive and prestigious street Alonso de Cordova you can see top fashion stores, art museums that present modern, classic and experimental art –they also tend do night events- and of course, high level cuisine restaurants, where you can taste and eat delicious dishes accompanied by Chilean red or white wines from the Central Valley.

Other points of interests in Santiago, include visits to the Santa Lucia Hill, the San Cristobal Hill, the bohemian Bellavista neighborhood –excellent restaurants-, the must see Pueblito Los Dominicos for local crafts and the Museo Nacional Bellas Artes (MNBA) for a more traditional look of Chilean and world art, with expositions that feature colonial art with a religious theme, a collection of Spanish paintings from the XVII and XX century and some works by Chilean surrealist painter Roberto Matta.

Chile’s Magnificent Atacama Desert

Used as a spectacular backdrop for the latest James Bond film, the Atacama desert represents a must see if you travel to Chile not only for the beauty of the vast and sandy landscapes, but for the sensation of being in another planet. Most scientists around the globe agree that this place is the closest environment on earth that resemblance the soil of Mars, a unique characteristic that makes it ideal for testing vehicles and even sophisticated robots. In the night, you can marvel with the outstanding view of the sky, extremely clear and pure, ideal for star watching or for a romantic and exquisite evening in one of the many quality hotel restaurants that the zone has to offer. But the driest desert in the world is more than sand dunes, cacti and clear skies.

There is the Salt Flats of Atacama where thick mineral crusts form a large field of salt and beautiful lagoons with exotic pink Flamingos complete the arid but unique landscape. North East of the Salt Flats, we can find the village of Tocanao, special for its architecture as the entire village was built using a special stone called Liparita, a mineral that keeps the constructions cool or warm depending on the season.    

Also interesting to see is the Archaeological Museum Gustavo Le Paige that features ceramics, artifacts and garments of the culture present in Atacama; the painteresque town of San Pedro -with a population that barely reaches the 5000 mark-, featuring landmarks like the Church of San Pedro, surrounded by an adobe wall built in 1774 that has three doors and a central arch and the Tatio Geysers with fumaroles that exceed 85 degrees Celsius.

The hotels that we recommend in this zone are Awasi, Explora Atacama, Tierra Atacama and Alto Atacama.

Relax and Enjoy Chilean Patagonia at Hacienda Tres Lagos

Located in the spectacular Aysen Region, and just 274km south of the city of Coyhaique, this deluxe hotel is designed to make your stay in this magnificent natural paradise an experience you will treasure forever. With a wide arrange of activities to do, Hacienda Tres Lagos is the perfect place if you want to relax, leave the stress of urban life behind, and enjoy nature at its best with the fabulous North Patagonia backdrops.

The hotel has first class accommodations, ideal for adults and even small children. The facilities include a main building that has the reception and two suites with their own balcony, so you can admire the breathtaking vistas. Four cabins and 3 bungalows that have 4 rooms each. All the bungalows look to a beautiful private lake that has 600 meters of beach.

One of the many attractive points of North Patagonia is perhaps the sensation of feeling alone with nature and its elements. A magical place that presents travelers with extraordinary lush vegetation, charming little towns, and the always fascinating and diverse flora and fauna that features animals like the South Andean Deer, locally known as Huemul, the majestic and iconic Condor, or extraordinary birds like the Carpintero Chileno Austral and the Martin Pescador.

Fly Fishing is one of the most popular activities that you can do in North Patagonia –the season often starts the second week of October and lasts till March-. Places like the Baker River and lakes like the Beltran, Cochrane and General Carrera are perfect for a sport that lets you have fun while having a relaxing and pleasant time. Salmon and Trout are the most common types of fish that you can find in this waters -Catch & Release only-. And –if needed- expert bilingual guides can be by your side all time, teaching you the basics -like putting the fish hook, managing the fly rod- or tips on how to improve your skills.

This beautiful zone is only known by 3% of Chileans and some places are virtually untouched by human presence, a plus that adds to the experience of feeling disconnected from city life, surrounded by native woods of Lenga and Coihue, idyllic valleys and snowy mountain tops.

But Hacienda Tres Lagos is more than quality accommodations and first class service. To fully enjoy North Patagonia, the hotel offers a number of activities like Trekking, Horse Rides, Kayaking, Boat Rides with a capacity for 10 people that travel to 4 different lakes, an extraordinary Canopy that stretches 900 meters –unique in Patagonia- and excursions to marble caverns with experienced and trained guides.

The facilities in Hacienda Tres Lagos also have a restaurant, jacuzzi, sauna, massage room and a Quincho where you can taste the exquisite lamb from Patagonia. The hotel is open from September to April 30^th. You can stay a minimum of 2 nights, but the recommendation is at least 5 days to a week, so you can enjoy all the activities without feeling rushed or hurried.

Hacienda Tres Lagos, the perfect choice to see, explore and feel the Chilean North Patagonia.

Experience Chile´s Capital City in This Sensational New Route

Currently considered one of the most attractive cities to visit in South America, Santiago offers tourists a great array of interesting and fun places to visit and see. That’s why today, local authorities in Chile launched the Ruta Capital, a route that presents the very best of this unique and modern city.

The route is part of the Bicentennial Project and its main objective is to present visitors with four of the most attractive areas of the city, this being the neighborhoods of Providencia, Santiago, Recoleta and Vitacura. According to the authorities, the places where selected based on their historic and cultural appeal, but also for the presence of quality service options that can accommodate all visitors. 

The Mapocho River will have a prominent presence in the tour, as it was an important landmark for the founding of the city, and all the traveled circuits will have totems with useful information in order to facilitate the understanding of the different sites that are visited.

The plan will begin with Santiago as the showcase city, but the idea is to replicate it to the entire country. In total, there are 10 planned routes from the city of Arica in the north part of Chile, to Punta Arenas, located in the Magallanes Region -the extreme south of the country-.

With this routes, Chile plans to present travelers with an updated, fresh and interesting look at its marvelous geography and magnificent historical and cultural landmarks located throughout the different cities.

Cruise and Discover Chile’s Magnificent North Patagonia with Mare Australis

With its unique and in some cases untouched locations, this wonderful part of the world offers travelers an experience like no other, where man can appreciate the beauty of raw nature, and relax by sailing through fjords and large bodies of water, discovering places like Chaiten in the Los Lagos Region, or the beautiful San Rafael Lagoon in the Region of Aysen.

The Cruise Mare Australis is thought as an expedition experience where you can interact with nature by doing a variety of outdoor activities and by enjoying the flora and fauna of this spectacular natural paradise. Some options include bus transportation from the city of Puerto Montt, but the Cruise has its starting point in Castro, located in the Island of Chiloe. A magical city that has charming and painteresque little houses built over sticks of wood, known as Palafitos, and Churches built by Franciscan and Jesuit religious orders that are considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Castro is also known for having more than 45 different types of potatoes, making its gastronomy unique and interesting with dishes that include the famous Curanto, prepared and cooked in the open air, with ingredients that include seafood, meat, potatoes and vegetables.

The first stop of the route is Jechica Island, a place with exuberant vegetation and ideal if you enjoy activities such as bird watching, with more than 20 different species, like the albatross Cejas Negras. Other activities include Boat trips, Sea Kayak and Trekking excursions in places like the Jechica Lagoon where you get to enter thick woods, see the lake, different types of birds and millennial trees. All the excursions are designed with different skill levels that go from easy, intermediate and demanding, so you can enjoy the experience that fits you best.

The second stop is the San Rafael Lagoon, located in the Aysen Region. Here you can calmly explore the icy waters and see the San Rafael Glacier in zodiak boats. The groups are small –no more than 4 zodiaks at a time- so you can always feel the important sensation of being at the end of the world. The guides travel in a separate boat and reunite with the tour explorers at the glacier for an interesting chat about the surroundings. 

The third stop is Bahia Tic Toc and the Gulf of Corcovado, a fascinating place where Blue and Humpback whales take the center stage, making this stop one of the most impressive of North Patagonia. A natural landscape, filled with life and beauty.

The final destination of the cruise is the city of Chaiten, located in the Los Lagos Region. Here you can visit the town, the local museum and the marvelous Pumalin Park, Chile´s largest private natural reserve area dedicated to the preservation of biodiversity. Also, you can see the entire city, the nearby volcanoes and the extent of the damage created by the may 2008 eruption of the Chaiten volcano –in a viewpoint-.

You can experience all this and more, in a 5 day 4 nights route. The Mare Australis cruise includes all the comforts of a five star ship with a capacity of 130 people and five decks. It has rooms for exhibiting documentaries and films, a bar, different saloons, a dining room, and comfortable cabin rooms that will make your trip to North Patagonia an experience you will like to remember forever. 

More importantly, the Cruise alternates nights of travel with days of activity, so you can maximize your experience, without loosing valuable time. Magical and idyllic vistas, distinctive regional animal life, and outdoor activities await those who travel to Chile’s North Patagonia with Mare Australis.

August and September Equals Excellent Skiing in South America

There is good news for skiers around the globe. That’s because ski season is open in South America, so if you are looking for fresh mountain air, excellent weather conditions and superb ski tracks with quality snow, then August 15^th to the end of September is your chance to get the best out of this magnificent snowy mountains.

If you have been to South America before, then you will know that during the month of June there is nothing but dirt in the mountains. That of course changes in July, when the snow finally arrives and so does the high season that coincides with the school vacations.

By the second week of August, Ski tracks are practically empty, with kids returning to school and general public going back to their work routines in the city. This means that you will be able to ski more freely, and, because high season prices end in July, by the first days of August, all services and hotel rates tend to be cheaper. A plus that certainly comes handy if you want to save money.

August and September offers skiers that travel South America, clear skies, quality snow and excellent times. The perfect ingredients for an unforgettable and thrilling experience. 

Travel to South America with this Excellent Opportunity!

Planning a trip to South America soon? Here are some great travel offers that might interested you. Explora Hotels is offering until September 30, 2011 a special promotion where you buy a 4 nights program and you receive a complementary night 5 nights program. This applies to Explora Hotels in the following locations:

Explora Atacama, Hotel de Larache, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Looking for an opportunity to get away of the stress of urban life and relax at a remote location with beautiful sights? then the Atacama desert in Chile just might be the right place to go.

Explora Easter Island, Posada Mike Rapu, Easter Island

Rapa Nui or Easter Island is an amazing option for those that like to see and feel the magic of an island with an interesting and intriguing history, while at the same time, enjoy the unique subtroptical climate with surroundings that invite you to explore the island in a joint excursion or independently. 

Explora Patagonia, Hotel Salto Chico, Patagonia, Chile

Interested in having a real adventure? to be in touch with nature in an enviroment that includes spiky mountains, beautiful wildlife and hiking excursions? Then the Chilean Patagonia is an option you might want to consider with this interesting offer.

 For more information regarding the promotions, prices, hotels and other travel locations in South America, please visit us at http://www.i-southernworld.com/promotions

Travel to South America, Mozilla Business Directory

Travel to South America, Mozilla Business Directory

Experience the Wine Route in the Colchagua Valley

Considered one of the most important wine regions in Chile, and located just 2 hours from Santiago, Colchagua Valley represents a must see destination for all wine enthusiasts and lovers. This is a place full of history, breathtaking natural vistas and home of exquisite and world class wines.

Named “2005 World´s Best Wine Regions” by Wine Enthusiast magazine, Colchagua Valley is perhaps best known for producing excellent and unique red wines, a quality that at this point is almost a trademark of this region in Chile, with its beautiful hills, or “Morros” as they are also called.

Warm, dry and with different microclimates, the valley gets its name from a variation of the indigenous Mapuche word “Colchaguala”, which means “place where the sacred Huala bird nests”. This culture, along with other indigenous populations of Chile play a big role in some of the wineries that seek inspiration for wine names.

With tours coming out of Santiago almost daily, this gifted land for wine production offers visitors exclusive and interesting activities to do. Some of this include visiting museums, local and painteresque towns, wineries, and of course, a taste of the fabulous wines.

The region produces red and white wines that are mostly young in age (2 years.) Most of the production is via water drop irrigation, a process that according to experts gives the wine a sweet flavor with strong tannins. The exports are to multiple and diverse countries around the globle, but the demand tends to go to England, the United States, Denmark and Brazil.

The multiple tours offered in Santiago allow the visitors to see the various machines that “clean” the grapes before going to the numerous production steps and barrels. Also, some of the wine companies have special rooms where you can taste different wines accompanied with cheeses, hams and salamis, a process called “maridaje” (the union, or harmony between two foods or flavors that complement each other).

With a wide arrange of wine grapes like the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and the rediscovered Carmenere –originally from France and thought to be lost-, this blessed land offers an exceptional experience filled with adventure and exquisite tasting sensations.