Chile Honeymoon Adventure: Wine, Atacama, and Patagonia

Your Chile honeymoon begins in the capital city of Santiago. A private driver picks you up at the airport and takes you out to the hilly seaside city of Valparaiso. Check in at Casa Higueras, a hillside boutique hotel with sweeping bay views, and take a few hours to rest. Then, set off on a guided walking tour of Valpo’s art-filled alleys, cerro-climbing funiculars, and colorful creative districts before a free evening on the town. 

Today, travel to one of the heartlands of Chilean wine, the Casablanca Valley, set a short drive from Valparaiso. A driver brings you to a boutique winery out among the vines for a tour of the grounds and a tasting some of their signature vintages. After a farm-to-table lunch at a renowned restaurant, a family-run winery opens its doors to you for an afternoon full of sampling and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Your driver returns you to Valparaiso in the evening. 

Drive to the Santiago airport and board a plane to Puerto Natales, gateway town to Torres del Paine National Park. A further two-hour drive past mountains and guanaco-dotted grasslands brings you to Tierra Patagonia, a one-with-nature retreat hidden among the pampas. Take the rest of the day to unwind; go for a swim in the massif-view pool, ease travel aches in the spa, and toast the start of the Patagonia adventure with a Calafate sour. 

Three days, tens of ways to discover Torres del Paine. Each day, pick from a selection of half- and full-day excursions for your daily dose of adventure. Hop in the saddle to set off horseback riding with gauchos, hike the spectacular trails around the Paine massif, or seek out the king of the pampas, the puma. Days end with hearty Patagonian meals, Chilean wine, and star-speckled nights back at the lodge. 

Drive back across the pampas to Puerto Natales and fly north to Santiago. Your urban hideaway is the Singular Santiago, a regal hotel in the cultural Lastarria district. Romance fills the air here; wander arm-in-arm through art markets, sip coffee at sidewalk cafes, or roam leafy parks. From wine bistros to old-school eateries slinging traditional Chilean dishes, a wealth of dinner options is within walking distance as night falls, with a nightcap up on the Singular’s rooftop terrace.  

Drive to the Maipo Valley, a hill-hemmed wine region home to some of Chile’s finest wineries. We’ve played the sommelier and picked a winery we know you’ll love for a guided tour and curated wine tasting. Then, cycle along vineyard-lined lanes on a leisurely bike ride. Appetite awakened, wine and dine on locally-sourced dishes paired with complementary vinos for lunch before returning to Santiago. Tonight, try more of the capital’s culinary delights with a dreamy night out. 

Fly north to the otherworldly expanses of the Atacama, a stark desert that feels more like an alien world than planet Earth. Landing in Calama, a driver picks you up for the journey to the high desert adventure capital of San Pedro de Atacama. Check in the Hotel Desertica, whose villas are inspired by traditional dwellings. Slip into the pool, repose on sun-soaked patios, or stroll down dusty lanes to explore the historic town center. 

Today is an early start, but it’s worth the pre-dawn alarm to see the sunrise from high above the desert. Soar skyward in a hot air balloon, Atacama landscapes unfurling below in the growing light. Back on the ground, celebrate with sparkling wine and snacks before heading to Vallecito, a crowd-free corner of Valle de la Luna. Play astronaut in Martian valleys, climb up sand dunes, and snap photos at the abandoned Magic Bus.

Set off for a full day discovering some of the Atacama’s most beguiling geological wonders, starting at the Salar de Atacama salt flats. Crunch across the salty expanse and stand on the shores of the Chaxa Lagoon, watching volcanoes shimmer on the horizon and flamingos strut. Pause in a traditional village before climbing into the clouds to the volcano-flanked Miscanti and Miñiques altiplanic lakes. Try classic Atacama dishes in the 12,000-year-old town of Toconao before returning to San Pedro. 

Stand among steaming fumaroles and erupting geysers on an early-morning jaunt around the primordial El Tatio geyser field. Later, enter another world seemingly trapped by time in the village of Machuca, a tiny adobe village, where vendors sell llama kebabs and savory empanadas. In the afternoon, soak in natural hot springs along the floor of a gorge at El Puritama before an evening looking at the skies with ancient eyes on an Andean astronomy stargazing session.

Your Chile honeymoon draws to a close with a drive to Calama and a flight back to Santiago for your international departure. Even though you’re bidding Chile farewell for now, you take a trove of new memories home with you, plus hopefully a new keepsake bottle of wine or two to save for a special occasion.