Chile: Go wine sipping, then hit the rapids in northern Patagonia
If you’re looking for the trip of a lifetime, National Geographic Traveler has 50 to choose from. Its best guided expedition list for 2013 singles out tours that ignite the “inquisitive spirit” of travel. Among the adventures: an eight-day tour of Chile that pairs wine touring by bicycle with white-water rafting in northern Patagonia.
Bikes, Wine and Patagonia begins in Santiago with a tour of the presidential palace and the former home of poet Pablo Neruda. On the second day, participants take to their bikes to begin two days of winery-hopping in the Casablanca and San Antonio valleys.
From there, it’s a high-energy day in the Lake District in northern Patagonia with a hike around the base of glacier-covered Osomo Volcano and rafting Class III and IV rapids on the Petrohue River. The last three days are spent on bike rides to Llanquihue Lake, Petrohue Falls, the rain forest along the Southern Highway and other stops. Participants stay in regional hotels along the way.
Dates: The tour is available Nov. 10 and Dec. 8 and 22.
Price: $3,290 a person, based on at least six participants. It includes ground transportation, guide, bicycles and bike support, lodging, most meals, some winery visits as well as rafting and hiking excursions. International airfare is extra.
Info: Santiago Adventures, (802) 904-6798
Mary.Forgione@latimes.com
Follow us on Twitter @latimestravel, like us on Facebook @Los Angeles Times Travel.
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
