Chile & Argentina Multisport & Wine Adventure

Day 1

We meet you this morning in the upscale neighborhood of Providencia in downtown Santiago. This is an ideal base for exploring, and hopefully you arrived in Chile at least a day early to visit the markets and other interesting locations the city has to offer. We begin our day with a private tour and tasting at Undurraga in the Maipo Valley, the closest wine valley to Santiago. Undurraga produces a variety of wines, including some sparkling wines we love. From there, we head south to the Colchagua Valley, stopping along the way for lunch, and ultimately to our well-appointed spa hotel right outside the wine town of Santa Cruz, the “Napa” of Chile. We’ll celebrate our arrival with a round of Pisco Sours (the national drink of Chile) then enjoy a wonderful wine-paired dinner at our intimate hotel surrounded by vineyards.

Day 2

We spend most of our day in the Apalta Valley, a subvalley of the Colchagua, at a winery you may have never heard of: Viña las Niñas, a boutique winery run by women. Here we have the option to do a relaxed hike through the vineyards or a more strenuous hike to the very top, where we can perch on a mountaintop with an astounding view of the entire valley below. Returning to the winery, we have a fabulous outdoor tasting and lunch at a lovely picnic area under the Eucalyptus trees. This afternoon, you have the option of exploring the town of Santa Cruz or returning to the hotel for a siesta or dip in the pool. We'll have dinner in the town of Santa Cruz tonight.

Day 3

This morning we will check out of our hotel and explore the area by bicycle, ultimately ending at Montgras Winery for a tour, tasting and Chilean BBQ for lunch. We then head north for the cooler Casablanca Valley. This stretch of open coastal land ringed by forested hills has become Chile’s top white wine region and we get to sample a few during a visit to one of its premiere wineries. Afterwards, we continue onward to the Pacific coast, the city of Viña del Mar, and our hotel overlooking the beautiful harbor. Dinner tonight is on your own and you might choose to take the 15-minute taxi ride to the nearby and colorful city of Valparaiso, or order room service and watch the sun set from your hotel room. Cheers!

Day 4

After a morning spent exploring either Viña del Mar (we recommend a walk along the beach) or nearby Valparaiso on your own (visit the house of Chile’s favorite son, Pablo Neruda, or take a fun funicular ride up the hill, or simply walk and wonder at all the colorful buildings), we will depart for our final (and prettiest, we think!) wine valley in Chile: the Aconcagua. Today you can choose to hike or horseback ride through the vineyards of Viña San Esteban to an area of ancient Incan petroglyphs. With a backdrop of snow-capped Andes and the grape-laden vines spread out in front of us, you will wonder if you will ever see a prettier vineyard! Our walk or ride takes us to one of the most scenic wine tasting settings you will ever experience, a shelter (or quincho) that overlooks the valley floor with the Andes looming on the other side. Maria Jose will lead us through a magnificent tasting. Dinner tonight is at a small private wine estate called Flaherty and our hosts will ensure it will be one of the trip’s most memorable.

Day 5

We say adios to Chile today and get an early start for our spectacular drive over the Andes via Los Libertadores Pass. We stop to gawk at the beautiful Laguna del Inca at the ski resort of Portillo, and again near the top of the pass to take a short hike at the base of impressive Mount Aconcagua, the highest point in the Americas. We then make a beeline straight to our first wine tasting in Argentina at Bodega Caelum, located in the Lujan de Cuyo valley just outside of Mendoza. Malbec – the iconic varietal of Argentina – reigns supreme, but excellent Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays and Torrontes are also produced, keeping both red- and white-lovers happy. After reaching Mendoza and checking into our hotel (where we will stay for three nights), we will dine at a wonderful restaurant within walking distance of our hotel. Welcome to Argentina!

Day 6

Today we head south to visit the wine-producing region of the Uco Valley, the highest altitude vineyards in the province, at nearly 6,000 feet, with the massive dormant volcano Tupungato staring down at us! Our first stop is at El Manzano Histórico, an historic location where José de San Martín (their equivalent to our George Washington) is said to have slept. It is here we meet our bicycles and begin our ride. The first 17 kilometers are on a decline, so the pedaling is easy. We continue through agricultural areas, small towns and vineyards. Our final destination is internationally acclaimed chef Francis Mallmann’s restaurant, Siete Fuegos. We enjoy plenty of wine while watching the “artisans of fire” in the open kitchen as they prepare asado (roasted meats – including Argentina’s famous beef – and vegetables) for us. We also tour the property’s unique “build-your-own vineyard” concept and operation. Afterwards, we return to Mendoza, and dinner tonight is on your own. We recommend a visit to the lively Aristides Street, where all the hip Mendocinos go!

Day 7

Today we drive back towards the Andes to the cordillera, the pre-Andes mountains, for a morning of adventure where you can choose to do a thrilling Class III raft trip on the Mendoza River, an exciting zipline circuit that takes you high across the Mendoza River (and back), take a serene kayak trip on the Potrerillos Reservoir, or go for a mountain hike. Afterward, we will stop for a wine tasting before returning to our hotel and the heart of the city this afternoon. Our farewell dinner is a fantastic family-style dinner of local foods at Cava de Cano, as well as plenty of bottled (but not labeled) wine from their cellar.

Day 8

This morning you can choose to join our guide on a walk through the sprawling and beautiful General San Martin Park, or simply relax before checking out and departing for home or other parts of South America.