Travel to the stars with travelArt. With more than 300 clear days a year and little to no light pollution in the north of the country, Chile is the ideal place for stargazing. The programme takes you to Chile's "small north" to visit the Tololo Observatory. In this region, you’ll find the most observatories of the country - located on the star route.
CHILE: STARRY MAGIC & WINE
A 10-DAY ASTRO PROGRAMME
Experience breathtaking, starry nights in the Elqui Valley, one of the world's first international dark sky sanctuaries of the world and an idyllic place with vineyards and small, picturesque villages. Further north, enjoy the magic of gazing at the stars paired with the unique panoramas of the Atacama Desert. Visit the ALMA Observatory with the largest telescope in the world. On your return journey to Santiago, you will review your experiences while tasting the country's best wines in one of Chile's central wine valleys.
Our 10-day ‘Chile: Starry magic & wine“’ tour is priced from USD 2.548,- per person (double room) including private transport from/to airport, private excursions, accommodation, expert guide and some meals. Visit the scientific observatories are subject to be confirmed and are free of charge. Excludes international and domestic flights.
NOTE: During the day, ALMA opens its doors to visitors to give them an understanding of astronomy. In the Operations Centre (OSF) located 2900 m above sea level, visitors can immerse themselves in the world of ALMA’s staff and follow the work of an astronomer in the control room. The facility on the Chajnantor plateau (at an altitude of 5000 m) is not accessible to tourists.
SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024 ON EASTER ISLAND
In 2024, Chile will again be the perfect place to observe a solar eclipse, this time on Easter Island. Two total solar eclipses have already taken place in July 2019 and December 2020.
On October 2, 2024, you will observe an annular eclipse, best visible from Easter Island, Chile´s mystical island Rapa Nui in the middle of the pacific ocean.
What’s an annular eclipse
An annular eclipse occurs when the sun and moon are exactly in line with the earth, but the apparent size of the moon is smaller than that of the Sun. Hence the sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the dark disk of the moon.
Here you will find more information about this natural phenomenon
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We recommend booking well in advance due to low hotel availability. For more information, please contact your travelArt representative or email info@travelart.com.
WHALE WATCHING IN THE SOUTH OF PATAGONIA
A TRIP TO THE SOUTH MOST POINT IN AMERICA
Discover Cape Froward, the southernmost mainland point in the Americas, and the Strait of Magellan, home to humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, sea lions, albatrosses and some dolphin species such as the Commerson's dolphin.
With travelArt you will experience nature in its most pristine form during a full-day excursion in this southern zone of the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego. The adventure starts early in the morning when you drive to Carrera Bay, which is about 50 kilometres south of Punta Arenas.
From there, start an unforgettable boat trip to Cape Froward, where you can enjoy the unique landscapes surrounded by mountains, glaciers and southern beech forests. Let yourself be enchanted by the wildlife there and experience the incredible moment when a whale jumps out of the water. By the way, Chile is one of the most important whale-watching areas in the southern hemisphere.
Alternatively, it is also possible to stay overnight on Carlos III Island or a campsite near Cape Froward and start excursions from there into the surrounding area for whale watching.
Note: Between December and March there are usually more whales in the area and the chances of a good sighting are higher.
VIÑA SANTA ROMINA – WINE OF THE DESERT
The second highest vineyard on earth is located in the middle of the driest desert in the world. A few kilometres from San Pedro de Atacama in the Toconao sector is the Santa Romina vineyard, the highest vineyard in Chile at an altitude of 2350 metres above sea level. Nearby is the famous salt flat Salar de Atacama.
A visit to this exceptional vineyard not only gives you the opportunity to learn about the winemaking process but also to taste this unique wine. The extreme climatic conditions and the volcanic soils give this wine very special characteristics.
Here you can see a short video about the Santa Romina vineyard.
Furthermore, this year, for the first time, the "Vino de Altura" (Wines of Altitude) festival was held in San Pedro Atacama on May 29, 2021, a grape harvest festival to celebrate the special wines of this high altitude - this time online.
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Get in touch and let us help develop some amazing programs in Chile!
Best.
Daniel
