Air Adventure Australia

Global Expedition - South America

Melbourne/Auckland/Santiago

Fly to Auckland and connect with your flight to Santiago, capital of Chile, set in the shadows of the majestic Andes Mountains, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Your flight arrives around midday, so once we reach the hotel we’ll enjoy a light lunch before a tour of Santiago to see the principal sights: Providencia, San Cristobal Hill, Santa Lucia Hill, Parque Forestal, Santiago Cathedral and the main avenues, plazas and buildings in this picturesque city. Evening dinner at hotel.

Santiago

A continuation of the city tour includes a visit to the interesting Pre-Colombian Museum. A light lunch will be enjoyed during the day, and in the afternoon we will visit a local winery to sample some of the delights. Dinner will be at the restaurant on San Cristobal Hill overlooking the city of Santiago.

Santiago/Calama/San Pedro de Atacama

Morning flight to Calama where we are met and driven to San Pedro de Atacama, to the small lodge where we spend the next 3 nights. The 10-room hotel offers all comforts, in an atmosphere characteristic of the Atacama. Built in keeping with native traditions, it makes use of local rock and timbers, and the hues of the desert. Accommodation includes ensuite bathrooms, and a cooling garden with a pool is a highlight. Located in the heart of the village of San Pedro de Atacama, an hour’s drive from Calama, this hotel offers one of the best options for exploring the Atacama Desert.

Atacama Desert

Excursions in and around the Atacama Desert will be taken every day. Meals included. Subject to weather conditions and availability, we shall explore Laguna Verde, Centinals of Pakana, Ethnotour, the geothermal park of Tatio, “soft trekking” in the salt cordillera, see the Valley of Mars and sunset in the Valley of the Moon. We shall be introduced to the archaeology of the Atacama at Pukara de Quitor and the village of Tulor, see the salt deposits in the Salar de Atacama, and visit the workshops of Toconao.

Atacama Desert/Santiago de Chile

Return to Calama for our flight to Santiago de Chile. Upon arrival we return to our hotel for one night.

Santiago/Quito

Arrive in Quito, capital of Ecuador, a country of great natural beauty. Almost one third of Ecuadorians are Indians and their lifestyle has changed little despite the invasion and occupation by the Spanish. Transfer to our hotel, followed by a tour of this culturally-rich city, with its treasury of religious architecture and decorative arts. UNESCO has proclaimed the city “Cultural Patrimony of Mankind”, and our tour takes in convents, monasteries, and plazas dating back to the 16th century. Religion and art flourished in colonial times under the Arts School of Quito.

Quito/Kapawi

Transfer to airport for flight to Macas or Shell, where we will board our small aircraft to a nearby missionary landing strip, from where motorised dugout canoes take us on a comfortable one hour ride across the lake to Kapawi Lodge. This lodge, located in the most remote area of the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin, lies in the heart of Achuar Indian country, and accommodates 40 in modern single and double cabins with private facilities. Built in Achuar style, cabins have a view of Kapawi Lake. O/n 4 nights.

Kapawi Ecological Reserve

We have 3 days to explore the jungle and lake surrounds. Excursions can be chosen from a variety of easy, moderate or challenging hikes and canoe trips. We have 2 guides: a naturalist, and an Achuar Indian, helping seek out the rare and diverse animal, bird, insect and plant species in this most pristine area of the Amazon Jungle. An Achuar Indian, it is claimed, can recognise every one of the 500 species of birds in Kapawi; can distinguish every tree and explain its uses. His home is this rainforest.

Kapawi/Quito

Morning departure by dugout canoe, light aircraft back to the airport for return flight to Quito. Transfer to our hotel, evening dinner at a local restaurant.

Quito/Otavalo/Quito

Drive through dramatic mountain scenery to the Otavalo region, passing through the villages of Calderon (famous for its bread dolls) and the woodcarving centre of San Antonio de Ibarra. Continue to the leather and weaving villages of Cotocachi and Peguche. Visit the colourful market, before lunch at a local inn. Return to Quito late afternoon.

Quito/Galapagos

Transfer to airport for our flight to San Cristobal Island. We charter our own boat, the Parranda, for the next 7 days. This is a spacious motor yacht, fast, comfortable and elegantly-decorated, and provides all our accommodation and meals.

Over the next 7 days we experience a variety of islands and choose from a range of activities.

Spend a day at Genovese (Tower Island), the bird-lover’s paradise. See tide pools, climb Prince Philip’s Steps and follow a trail between the pools. Visit Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill), where we may see iguanas, pink flamingoes, and sea lions on the rocky island of Rabida (Jervis). Visit Tagus Cove on Isabela (Albemarle Island). Six volcanoes flowed together to form this island, the largest in the group. View the lava fields, explore the cove in sea kayaks, across to Fernandina (Narborough Island), home to penguins, flightless cormorants, Galapagos hawks, sea lions, marine turtles, and marine iguanas. Walk along the shore at Puerto Egas on Santiago (James Island) looking for octopus, starfish and a variety of sealife. Great blue herons, lava herons, oyster catchers and yellow-crowned night herons may be spotted. Swim at the fur seal grottoes. Climb to the summit of Bartoleme, a small barren island in Sullivan Bay. Travel by bus into the highlands of Santa Cruz (Indefatigable Island), visit the twin volcanoes and lava tunnels, the Charles Darwin Research Station to see giant tortoises. Walk along the endless beach at Gardner Bay on Espanola., swim and snorkel with the sealions. Visit Punta Suarez on Hood Island. Drop anchor in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and disembark. Subject to time, visit the Interpretive Centre.

Galapagos/Guayaquil

Overnight Guayaquil.

Guayaquil/Santiago

Tour of Guayaquil then to airport for flight to Santiago. Transfer to hotel for a rest and dinner, prior to late evening transfer to airport for our flight to Australia via Auckland.