Day 1

Arrive at Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Merino Benítez and transfer to a Santiago hotel. In the afternoon, Viña Cousiño Macul is open for tours and tasting within the city limits.

Day 2

Depart midmorning for Viña Concha y Toro, Chile’s largest winery, in the suburb of Pirque. After tour and tasting, drive up the Cajón del Maipo for lunch at San Alfonso, followed by white-water rafting down the Río Maipo. Alternatively, hike to a glacier at Monumento Natural El Morado, with a late afternoon return to Santiago.

In winter, skiing at Valle Nevado can substitute for the Cajón del Maipo excursion.

Day 3

Leave in the early morning, by rental car, for the Aconcagua valley. Plan on tours and tasting at Viña San Esteban (Los Andes) and/or Viña Errázuriz (San Felipe), continuing to the Pacific coast for Maitencillo’s luxury Marbella Resort or other more economical accommodations. In wintertime, stay in Los Andes for a day’s skiing at Portillo.

Day 4

Start a leisurely day at Maitencillo, with a midday excursion to Zapallar (take binoculars to view the Humboldt penguins at nearby Monumento Natural Isla Cachagua). A longer and more strenuous alternative could be an excursion to Parque Nacional La Campana, climbing its namesake peak for Andes-to-the-Pacific panoramas.

Day 5

Take an almost equally leisurely drive south through Viña del Mar, Chile’s traditional summer vacation destination, to Valparaíso; in winter, come directly from Los Andes to Viña and Valparaíso. Take an afternoon to explore the historic hills and backstreets of Chile’s main port, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Neruda’s La Sebastiana residence.

Day 6

Departure midmorning for the Casablanca valley, southeast of Valparaíso, home to Chile’s finest white wines. Lunch at a winery restaurant such as Viña Indómita or House of Morandé before a late afternoon return to Valparaíso. Alternatively, stay at Viña Matetic’s secluded neocolonial guesthouse.

Day 7

Leave early for Neruda’s Isla Negra home, now a museum. It’s a fairly slow drive by paved back roads or a longer one by four-lane freeway to the Colchagua valley wine district. Look for accommodations in San Fernando, the gateway to Colchagua, or Santa Cruz; if it’s not too late, take the day’s last tour at Viña Montes to enjoy the sunset over the valley.

Day 8

Plan on a full day for Colchagua valley wineries, with a possible extension to the surfing capital of Pichilemu.

Day 9

Return to Santiago, with possible excursions en route to the historic mining town of Sewell or to Viña Santa Rita, just south of Santiago.

Day 10

Sightsee for a full day in Santiago, with options such as the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, including lunch at the Mercado Central or in Barrio Bellavista. Depart in the evening from Aeropuerto Internacional Arturo Merino Benítez.

© Wayne Bernhardson from Moon Chile, 2nd edition