Hiking Tour - Ladies Trekking Club The Lake & Volcano District Chile 15 Days / 12 nights
www.amity-tours.com
www.amity-tours.com
Highlights Discover a hikers’ paradise in South America, Chile’s Lake and Volcano District. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will hike the trails of the Andes mountains, Patagonia Temperate Rain Forest and through national parks, visit local ethnic villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs. During 15 days you will visit the following places:
Chile’s First Geopark “Kutralkura”, Lonquimay Volcano and Malalcahuello National Reserve Conguillio National Park and Llaima Volcano Pucon and Villarrica Volcano; Huerquehue and Villarrica National Parks. Pacific Ocean Coastal Trail and Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve www.amity-tours.com
HOTELS HOTEL 1 (2 nights): Corralco Mountain Resort & SPA – 4
Location: Malalcahuello National Reserve Web: www.corralco.com
HOTELS HOTEL 2 (1 night): La Baita Conguillio EcoLodge
Location: Conguillio National Park Web: www.labaitaconguillio.com
HOTELS
HOTEL 3 (5 nights): Geronimo Hotel – 3
Location: Pucón Web: www.geronimo.cl/en-us/
HOTELS HOTEL 4 (2 nights): Naguilan Hotel – 4
Location: Valdivia, river front. Web: www.hotelnaguilan.com
HOTEL 5 (2 nights): Nothofagus & SPA – 4
Location: Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve Web: www.huilohuilo.com
DAILY SCHEDULE Breakfast Time: 8:00 – 8:30 am Kick off: 8:30/9:00 am most days Dinner Time: 8:00 pm or earlier when possible
www.amity-tours.com
FOOD & WATER Meals: 12 breakfasts, 9 picnic lunches, 3 lunches, 7 dinners. Breakfast Buffet; Picnic & Lunch Set Menu, Dinners with 2 or more options. Soft Drinks & Beverages always included at lunch. Drinks & Beverages always included at dinner. Special diets: Vegetarian, Pescaterian, Dairy Free and Celiac OK. Vegan and Kosher food not available. www.amity-tours.com
FOOD & WATER Dinner Day 2: Welcome dinner in Corralco Mountain Resort Dinner Day 3: Nalcas Restaurant in Malalcahuello Dinner Day 4: La Baita Lodge in Conguillio National Park Dinner Day 5: Free night to explore Pucon Dinner Day 6: Mapuche cuisine in traditional Ruka Dinner Day 7: Free night to explore Pucon Dinner Day 8: Huife Hot Springs Restaurant Dinner Day 9: Free night to explore Pucon Dinner Day 10 and 11: Free nights to explore Valdivia Dinner Day 12: Huilo-Huilo Restaurant Dinner Day 13: Farewell dinner, Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve
FOOD & WATER
In The Lake & Volcano District, Tap Water is SAFE and tastes great!! www.amity-tours.com
DRIVING IN THE VAN
From 15 minutes to 3 hours Consumption of alcoholic beverages in the vehicles is prohibited by Chilean Law www.amity-tours.com
MONEY ATMs Tips 10%, Gratuities are included at hotels & restaurants 1 USD = $600 Chilean Pesos 1 € = $700 Chilean Pesos www.amity-tours.com
MONEY = € 1,4
Chilean Notes = € 2,85 =€7 www.amity-tours.com
MONEY = € 14
Chilean Notes = € 28 www.amity-tours.com
ITINERARY
www.amity-tours.com
DAY 1, DEPART FROM EUROPE to SANTIAGO DE CHILE Recommended International Flights: Air France AF 406 @ 23:20 from Paris, Charles de Gaulle - to Santiago de Chile, arriving @ 08:50 (+1 Day).
Lan Airlines LA705 @ 23:55 from Madrid (MAD) - to Santiago de Chile, arriving @ 08:40 (+1 Day).
Recommended Domestic Flights:
Lan LA233 @ 12:00 from Santiago (SCL) to Temuco (ZCO), arriving at 13:20 Lan LA235 @ 14:15 from Santiago (SCL) to Temuco (ZCO), arriving at 15:35
DAY 2, ARRIVE TO CHILE – CONECTION TO TEMUCO – LONQUIMAY VOLCANO
DAY 2, LONQUIMAY VOLCANO – HIKE NAVIDAD CRATER
DAY 03 HIKE IN MALALCAHUELLO NATIONAL RESERVE
DAY 04 HIKE CONGUILLIO NATIONAL PARK – TRUFUL CANYON
DAY 05 CONGUILLIO NATIONAL PARK – SIERRA NEVADA TRAIL
DAY 05 DRIVE TO PUCON
DAY 06 VILLARRICA NATIONAL PARK – LANIN VOLCANO
DAY 07, VILLARRICA VOLCANO CLIMB(2,847m)
www.amity-tours.com
DAY 08 HUERQUEHUE NATIONAL PARK + HOT SPRINGS
DAY 08 HUERQUEHUE NATIONAL PARK + HOT SPRINGS
DAY 09 PICHILLANCAHUE GLACIER + HOT SPRINGS
DAY 09 PICHILLANCAHUE GLACIER + GEOMETRICAS HOT SPRINGS
DAY 10 PILONKURA AND CURIÑANCO INDIGENOUS RESERVE
DAY 11 COASTAL RESERVE – VALDIVIAN FOREST
DAY 12 – HUILO-HUILO RESERVE
DAY 13 – HUILO-HUILO RESERVE
DAY 14 – HUILO-HUILO RESERVE – TEMUCO AIRPORT – FLIGHT FROM SANTIAGO BACK TO EUROPE DAY 15 – ARRIVE TO EUROPE
www.amity-tours.com
Thank you and… ENJOY !!!
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 01, Depart from Europe Today you’ll take the international flight from the closest airport to your home and fly to Santiago de Chile in South America. Day 02, Santiago (SCL) - Temuco (ZCO) – Malalcahuello and Christmas Crater hike You will arrive to Santiago early in the morning and you’ll have 3 to 5 hours layover in this airport (depending on your connection). Then at the domestic terminal (same building as the international terminal), you’ll take the flight to Temuco (75 minutes flight). Our local staff will meet you at Temuco Airport and transfer you to a small quaint mountain village called Malalcahuello. This village is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Araucarias”. Your hotel is located in a national park, with Lonquimay volcano at sight and surrounded by ancient araucaria trees. It is a modern hotel with SPA and a small ski resort. Your guides will meet and greet the group and then we’ll take a warm-up hike to the incredible Christmas Crater. In the evening, we’ll have an orientation and briefing session before our Welcome Dinner together . Accommodation: CORRALCO HOTEL & SPA, 4 www.corralco.com Meals: Afternoon snack and Welcome Dinner at the hotel. Time hiking: 1 to 3 hours depending on the route taken. Day 03, Kütralkura Geopark and Coloradito Hill hike Today we start hiking from the hotel. We’ll hike towards Cerro Coloradito (redish hill), a natural view point of 4 volcanoes: Lonquimay, Llaima, Sierra Nevada and Villarrica. The hike is quite fun, with fantastic views and almost no other people in the trails. We’ll be surrounded by an ancient forest of araucaria trees, some of them dating over 2.000 years old. After the hike, we’ll return to our hotel and enjoy the evening in the SPA. Finally, we’ll eat dinner at a local restaurant in Malalcahuello village. Accommodation: CORRALCO HOTEL & SPA, 4 www.corralco.com Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch and Dinner at a local restaurant in Malalcahuello Time hiking: 3 to 5 hours
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 04, Conguillio National Park; Truful Truful Canyon and Woodpeckers’ hike We'll drive approximately during 3 hours, passing through old-fashioned little towns like Cunco and Melipeuco until we get to Conguillio National Park, one of the most attractive and outstanding parks of the Lake & Volcano District in Chile. This area is part of Kütralkura, the First Geopark in Chile”. During the visit, you will witness how the Llaima volcano has permanently shaped the landscape of the area with its eruptions and you'll have the fantastic opportunity to walk on the lava flows that once came from the heart of the Earth. We'll visit the Truful-Truful Canyon and its waterfalls. This is the most important geosite of all the geopark, where you can see 13.000 years of eruptive activity of Llaima volcano. We'll visit the pristine Arco Iris (Rainbow) Lake with its clear waters that reflect stunning colors. Then we'll hike a very beautiful trail called the Woodpecker’s trail, where you can spot the Magellan woodpecker, which we will see searching the tree trunks for insects. After spending some time taking pictures and enjoying the amazing view, we'll hike back to the bottom of the trail and then drive 20 minutes to our eco-lodge, where we enjoy a welcome dinner and stay overnight. Accommodation: LA BAITA ECOLODGE www.labaitaconguillio.cl Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch and Dinner at the lodge. Time hiking: 4 to 5 hours
Day 05, Conguillio National Park and Sierra Nevada hike Today we’ll drive 20 minutes to Playa Linda located at the shores of Conguillío Lake; followed by hiking along the Sierra Nevada trail surrounded by native trees, including ancient monkey-puzzle trees or araucarias and Nothofagus. We'll also be able to spot endemic birds such as the chucao tapaculo and the noisy slender-billed parakeet. After spending some time taking pictures and enjoying the amazing view, we'll hike back to the bottom of the trail and then head back to our eco-lodge. Later, we’ll get in the vans and start traveling to Pucón (2 hour drive), the main adventure tourism destination in the Lake & Volcano District. Enjoy the Villarrica Volcano and Lake views at your hotel. Free night to explore Pucon and eat out. Ask our guides for tips about shopping and dinning. Accommodation: GERONIMO HOTEL , 3 www.geronimo.cl Meals: Breakfast, and Picnic Lunch. Time hiking: 5 to 6 hours
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 06, Villarrica National Park – Lagos Andinos trail We'll head to the heart of The Andes Mountains, driving to the border with Argentina. Here, we'll be surrounded by an ancient forest of araucaria trees (Araucaria araucana) and we'll visit 2 or 3 Andean lake that offer great birdwatching. We’ll have an easy hike and be surrounded by native trees (mostly of the Nothofagus family) and with striking views of Lanin volcano, the highest volcano in all of the Lake & Volcano district. Later we'll head back to town and do the mountain gear fitting for the volcano climb next day. Finally, we’ll go to eat dinner with the Colipi Family, part of the Mapuche community. The will be our host this evening, they will cook for us and share their culture and stories. Accommodation: GERONIMO HOTEL , 3 www.geronimo.cl Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch and Dinner with Mapuche family in their teepee. Time hiking: 3 to 4 hours
Day 07, Villarrica Volcano Climb Today you will have to be ready at 6:30am and if the weather conditions are favorable, we’ll start driving to the Ski Resort located at the base of the volcano at 1.400 meters. Ascending the active Villarrica Volcano is without a doubt a once in a lifetime experience, the climb is not technical, but you need to be in good shape to reach the summit. Once we arrive at the parking lot we can take the chairlift that will take us to the higher part of the ski resort at 1.800 m., saving us almost 1 hour of climbing. From the top of the lift we begin ascending the slopes of the volcano, stopping briefly every 30 minutes, having a longer break to eat our food when we are half way to the crater. If we find hard snow or ice we’ll put on the crampons and use the piolets and after 4 or 5 hours we’ll reach the live crater at 2847 meters above sea level. The views from the top are absolutely mind-blowing, overlooking five lakes and several volcanoes in the distance such as Llaima and Lanín. The descent is quite fun, especially when we can slide down the snow on our rear ends. We’ll return to the vehicles around 5 pm and immediately head off to Pucón, where we hand back the gear. Free night to explore Pucon and eat out. Ask our guides for tips about shopping and dinning. Accommodation: GERONIMO HOTEL , 3 www.geronimo.cl Meals: Breakfast, and Picnic Lunch. Time hiking: 6 to 8 hours
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 08, Huerquehue National Park and Huife Hot Springs Each day brings new beauty on this tour, and today is no exception. We’ll head southeast in the direction of Huerquehue National Park, located at the foothills of the Andes, 35 km from Pucón. The park covers 12.500 hectares with various lakes, dense vegetation and gigantic trees that are the habitat of several endemic birds. The hike starts easy but after a short distance the trail becomes rougher and sometimes steeper, but is still considered a relatively easy hiking level. After 30 minutes at an easy pace, we’ll get to the Nido de Aguilas (nest of eagles) waterfall and then we’ll keep hiking on a steeper terrain, surrounded by gigantic coigües and mañíos trees. We have arrived at the first lookout point where the views of Villarrica Volcano and Tinquilco Lake are absolutely stunning; here you’ll find great photo opportunities as well as chance to reenergize with a snack. As we continue hiking, our guide will point out some wild flora of the area (i.e. mutisias, orchids and alstroemerias), and if luck is on our side, we can spot some birds that live in the forests of Nothofagus, such as chucao tapaculo, black-throated huet-huet and the magellan woodpecker among others. We catch our breath again and resume the hike along the trail; now that we are over 1000m. above sea level we begin to see the first araucarias (Araucaria araucana). Soon we will walk through a mixed forest with many of these trees, considered to be a national monument for their exceptional characteristics. We have hiked around 2½ hours when we arrive at the first lake called Chico (small), with its clear waters reflecting the image of hundred of araucarias and snow-capped peaks. The trail gets more even and in only 15 minutes we arrive at Lago Toro (Bull Lake). Here we eat our well deserved box lunch and spend some more time taking pictures or simply resting. We can watch the breathtaking landscape and spot some of the birdlife that inhabits the shores of this lake, such as the Andean ducks. Following the break, we keep going through an easy terrain and visit the third lake called Verde (green) which is the last attraction of our hike. Now we can commence a two-hour decent by the same trail to the parking area. We drive 40 minutes through a scenic rural road to visit and unwind at Huife Hot Springs, which will be the perfect end to this active day. The thermal center is located by the Liucura River and is surrounded by stunning native forests. The place offers three outdoor thermal pools at different temperatures, a good restaurant and a cafeteria. In addition, the center also includes massage and beauty therapy services for an additional cost. In this place you can enjoy the scenery while relaxing in the therapeutic thermal waters. Here we’ll eat dinner and then drive back to your hotel. Accommodation: GERONIMO HOTEL , 3 www.geronimo.cl Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch and Dinner at the Hot Springs. Time hiking: 5 to 6 hours
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 09, Pichillancahue Glacier trail and Geometricas Hot Springs Departing from Pucón, we drive 60 km by van to Coñaripe, a small village located in Los Rios Region. Here we take a dirt road that leads us by the Llancahue river valley to the National Park Villarrica. We will see several majestic snow-capped volcanoes such as Quetrupillan and Rucapillan. The vegetation changes from rauli and hualle forests (Nothofagus trees) to gigantic thousand-year old araucarias as we ascend to Chinay, the higher point of the day at 1.250m above sea level. Here we can take an amazing trail towards Pichi Llancahue Glacier, a phenomenal glacier which is absolutely covered by the blackish volcanic ashes of the Villarrica volcano. Once again you’ll enjoy the stunning views of four volcanoes. Back to the entrance of the trail, we’ll visit the fantastic Geometricas Hot Springs. Free night to explore Pucon and eat out. Ask our guides for tips about shopping and dinning. Accommodation: GERONIMO HOTEL , 3 www.geronimo.cl Meals: Breakfast, and Picnic Lunch Time hiking: 4 to 5 hours Day 10, Pacific Coast, Valdivian Jungle at Pilonkura & Curiñanco Indigenous Reserves We'll head-off from Pucon towards the city of Valdivia located by the Pacific Ocean. Followed by driving to the Community Conservation Area of Pilunkura, located near the Pacific coast in Pilolcura. Here we'll meet the local guides (indigenous Lafquenche people). They will be expecting us with a big smile and a delicious lunch. Every ingredient of the food that it is served here is local and very tasty. Then they will lead us along the trails of the coastal forest, considered a reservoir of the Mapuche Medicine. Later, we'll head to Punta Curiñanco to visit a very special Coastal Forest. We'll hike down to the beach, and look for marine birds such as cormorants and seagulls. If we are lucky we can spot an endemic specie of otter called chungungo. Return to your hotel in Valdivia and evening at leisure. Free night to explore Valdivia. Ask our guides for tips about shopping and dinning. Accommodation: NAGUILAN HOTEL , 4 www.hotelnaguilan.com Meals: Breakfast, and Picnic Lunch Time hiking: 3 to 4 hours
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 11, Reserva Costera Valdiviana – The Nature Conservancy land trust Today we will visit the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, a conservation project developed by the American NGO The Nature Conservancy. We will cross the delta by ferry from Niebla to Corral and we will drive along a section of the Coastal Route until we reach the river Chaihuin. Here the local guides await us and lead us to hike in an amazing trail with ancient 3,000 year-old Larch trees. Return to Valdivia and evening at leisure. Free night to explore Valdivia. Ask our guides for tips about shopping and dinning. Accommodation: NAGUILAN HOTEL , 4 www.hotelnaguilan.com Meals: Breakfast, and Lunch Time hiking: 3 hours Day 12, Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve Huilo Huilo Nature Reserve is a private ecological initiative located in the heart of the ancient temperate rainforest at the tip of South America. Its wide variety of native trees (mainly of Nothofagus genre) covers 90% of its sixty thousand hectares. The Reserve boasts of nearly 250 kilometers of roads and trails that allow you to discover pristine beaches, streams, waterfalls and lakes. We can truly say that Huilo-Huilo is one of those places that “has everything you need". The Mocho and Choshuenco volcanoes with their glaciers that allow for the practice of skiing and snowboarding (it has the only Summer Snowboard Park of South America), spectacular waterfalls, native forest, rivers and a wide array of activities ranging from canopy, horse-back riding, 4x4 overland and hiking trails for all levels. Here during our first day in the reserve, we’ll hike alongside the “waterfalls trail”, visiting 3 waterfalls: Huilo Huilo, La Leona and El Puma. In the evening you’ll have time to relax and enjoy the Lawenko SPA and then eat a great dinner at the hotel. Accommodation: NOTHOFAGUS HOTEL & SPA, 4 www.huilohuilo.travel Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch and Dinner Time hiking: 2 to 3 hours
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 15 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS Discover South America’s hikers paradise. Hiking in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the ultimate green tour. This well supported hiking program has been especially made for intermediate and advanced hikers. ITINERARY Day 13, Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve Today we’ll hike the trail from Los Planchados to Laguna de los patos. A fantastic hike that offer views of volcanoes Mocho and Choshuenco, including views of Pirihueico lake and the Pampas. In the evening you can one more time at the Lawenko SPA and finally we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner. Accommodation: NOTHOFAGUS HOTEL & SPA, 4 www.huilohuilo.travel Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch and Farewell Dinner Time hiking: 4 to 6 hours Day 14, Huilo Huilo – Temuco – Santiago – Flight to Europe Sadly, it’s time to say good-bye to the beautiful Lake & Volcano District of Chile. After breakfast, we’ll ride in vans to Temuco Airport to catch your flight back to Santiago. Once you arrive to Santiago will have a couple of hours before your international flight back to Europe. It’s been a trip you will always remember! End of services. Meals: Breakfast Day 15, Arrive to Europe.
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS 2. - PROGRAM INCLUDES Professional tour guide (01 guide for every 9 clients) Private transportation with trailer for luggage. 12 nights accommodation at 3* and 4* hotels and lodges Meals as per itinerary (12 breakfasts, 09 picnic lunches, 03 lunches and 07 dinners) Unlimited water, and a glass of beer or wine during lunch and dinner. Gratuities at restaurants and hotels Accidents insurance (Basic Plan) All activities according to the itinerary. Entrance fees to hot springs and national parks 3. - NOT INCLUDED International and local flights Extra beverages & cocktails Laundry Travel insurance 4. – ACTIVITIES INCLUDED Hiking, volcano climbing, ethnic visit , SPA and hot springs 5. - DIFFICULTY Intermediate / Advanced: You love hiking. These hiking tours are physically demanding and best suited for people with previous experience. These tours are intended for active people who are comfortable participating in up to 6-8 hours hiking per day. A typical day may include hiking over fairly hilly terrain offering lots of challenges. Trails are along high meadow paths and/or maintained cliffside or Andean trails, with some steep ascents to make you feel exhilarated. All our guided hiking tours include natural interpretation and focus on the history, volcanology and the native flora and fauna of the wilderness areas.
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS 6. – PACKING TIPS Underwear: Synthetics are easier to wash and dry. Synthetic thermal underwear. You need a lightweight long underwear top and bottom of a polyester-type fabric. Wool and wool/synthetic blends are also suitable. Clothing: Long-sleeved, synthetic or wool shirt. Short-sleeved synthetic or cotton/synthetic T-shirts. Medium-weight sweater or jacket of synthetic fabric, such as fleece. Gore-Tex wind parka for rainy weather. Full-length pants, preferably of quick-drying synthetic fabric. Hiking shorts, preferably of quick-drying synthetic fabric. Pile/fleece pants, ideal for relaxing time after hiking. Accessories: Sun hat with wide brim, preferably with a chin strap to keep it from blowing off. Bandanna. It will keep your neck from getting sunburned and can double as a hand towel. Wool or pile hat or ski cap. Gloves or mittens (wool or pile). Foot wear: Sturdy, properly fitting footwear can make your trip much more pleasurable. If you’re buying new boots for this trip, please break them in beforehand by wearing them as often as possible before the trip. Medium-weight, all leather, sturdy trekking boots with padded ankle, good arch support, and a lug sole traction. Your trekking boots should be well broken in, and suitable for prolonged walking on sandy and rocky terrain. Running shoes are NOT appropriate for this trip. Medium weight synthetic socks (we recommend Thorlo® Lt. Trekking). Athletic socks (synthetic for easy washing and drying) that are suitable for the shoes you’ll be wearing while in towns. Inner socks (synthetic) that can be washed and dried quickly. Other Items: Swimsuit (for hot springs and SPAs); One set of casual city clothes that are dressier than your trek clothes (for the cities); Hiking sticks (optional but highly recommended). These are helpful, if not essential, to relieve the impact on your knees during long downhills; Camera with plenty of memory!; and Binoculars. Travel Accessories: Wide mouth water bottles, 1-liter capacity. Bring two and make sure they are leak-proof, heavy duty plastic (preferably Nalgene brand). Toiletry kit—soap, toothbrush, and so on; Moisturizing lotion; Ace bandage or brace if you’re prone to sore knees or ankles; Sunglasses (very important); Sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. The sun in Chile can be much more intense than you probably imagine, even in Patagonia!; Sunscreen lipstick of SPF 15 or higher; Small flashlight with spare batteries, or small headlamp with spare batteries; Zip-lock bags (they’re great for camera gear); Personal first aid kit; Swiss Army-type pocket knife with can opener and scissors. Your favorite snack food. We’ll have plenty of excellent food, but you might want to bring along your favorite snack food (such as raisins or chocolate).
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS 7. – VISAS Visa to enter Chile: No advance Visa application is needed for entry into Chile. Australian and New Zealand citizens entering Chile for tourism purposes will be charged a $160.00 processing fee payable on arrival. Cash and credit card accepted. US and Canadian citizens no longer need to pay the reciprocity fee ($160.00)to enter Chile. A valid USA or Canada passport is required travelling as a tourist for 90 days. 8. - HOTELS As indicated in the program or similar 9. - VEHICLES Modern van or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2014 minibus according to group size, air-conditioned 10. - ITINERARY MODIFICATIONS Slight itinerary modifications might occur due to weather and or road conditions, or force majeur. 11. - FAQ's Food Food in Chile is great and healthy. Likewise, it is one of the highlights of this tour. Great wine, fresh and flavorsome produce, seafood and all kinds of meat (beef, pork, chicken, lamb and wild boar) will be part of the daily menus. We are prepared to cater vegetarian, pescaterian and gluten free food, however if you are vegan you may have to be flexible because in Chile we have very limited vegan options. Unfortunately, kosher food is not available.
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS 11. - FAQ's Currency In Chile, the local currency is called peso. The current exchange rate is $1 USD = $600 Chilean Pesos (CLP). Travel checks are not convenient because only few places accept them and the exchange rate is 10% lower than dollar bills. Most credit cards are accepted at shops, restaurants and hotels. The most common cards are Master Card, Visa and Dinners Club. American Express is less commonly accepted that the others. There is no need to bring a large amount of cash; there are ATMs almost everywhere we go on the tour. The maximum amount of money that you can withdraw per day is equivalent to $300.000 CLP. For up to date information we suggest you visit the website www.xe.com/ucc/ Gratuity In Chile, the gratuity for hospitality services is normally 10% of the bill. People usually tip in restaurants, hotels and the local staff of guides. You shouldn't tip taxi drivers, baggage carriers and bar tenders, they do not expect any tips. At the end of the trip gratuity for the crew for a job well done is highly appreciated. We encourage you to use your discretion and tip according to the caliber of service you receive. As a guideline, the industry standard is $120 dollars per person, per guide.
Weather notes We suggest visiting the web for current conditions in Chile and doing your own research on this topic. www.meteochile.cl/reg09.html and www.meteochile.cl/reg10.html or www.accuweather.com Generally the weather in this area is very similar to Northern California, specially the coast side. Late October and November (spring time in the southern hemisphere) present milder temperatures (50°F / 77°F) with some scattered rain. During December you can start feeling the beginning of the summer with temperatures around 50°F / 81°F. In January, February and March temperatures range between 60°F / 95°F. Remember that you are visiting the Lake & Volcano district, so always expect some rain!
In Chile there are no insects or animals that represent a threat to human beings.
HIKING TOUR IN CHILE’S LAKE & VOLCANO DISTRICT - 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS 11. - FAQ's Airline Information We highly recommend getting the Chile Airpass ticket with Lan Airlines, which includes the international flight from San Francisco or Miami to Santiago (Chile) and the domestic flights Santiago(SCL)- Temuco(ZCO) / round trip. This Airpass is definitely less expensive than buying the flights separately and what's more important it is very flexible if there are some unexpected last minute changes. Lan Airlines Airpass can be purchased at any IATA travel agent.
We are happy to help you find and book your domestic flights, without extra cost.The international terminal at SCL is located in the same building than the domestic terminal. Note: The local flights in Chile have a luggage allowance of 23kg. You will need to pay excess if your baggage exceeds this. There is an allowance for cycling equipment charged at 3kg (approx $5 per kg). Insurance Any policy you purchase should, at the very least, cover trip cancellation, loss of baggage, accident/life coverage, travel delays, and non-refundable airline tickets. Carriers for travel insurance include World Nomads, Travel Guard and Travelex. You may also consider insurance that covers emergency medical evacuation. Search the web to find the best deal that suits your needs- read the fine print Altitude sickness There is nothing to be worrying about altitude sickness. We will never get higher than 2,850 Meters.
