Turismo Milodon

Spectacular Oct-Nov 2026 spring trip to five diverse Chilean regions - Santiago, Atacama desert, Puerto Varas lake district, Patagonia soaring peaks and glaciers, and Valparaiso colorful artistic colony. Each distinct in climate, geography, culture, people, cuisine and experiences.

We traveled as two couples - mainly private tours with our own driver and guide, occasionally small group tours (as in Patagonia glacier boat tour). Stayed in mid-level hotels - all comfortable with excellent breakfasts and great locations, and splurged on a few high-end tasty meals - La Cabrera (Santiago), UNAI (Atacama), Casas due Bosque (Casablanca winery).

Lorena Huidobro (Turismo Milodon) and team, our local Chilean travel specialist, designed and coordinated the 3-week trip, where we spent 3 to 4 days in each region, flying between locations. Their knowledge of Chile, and ability to customize and curate an itinerary based on our unique interests and capabilities, is exceptional, as is their responsive round-the-clock support via WhatsApp during the trip itself, which allowed us to ask questions, clarify details and figure out alternatives when inevitable hiccups arise. Lorena's team made our trip a phenomenal experience of the diversity of Chile.

Each region had its highlights, with friendly and knowledgeable local guides. Santiago included "Taste of Chile" - a unique introduction to Chilean cuisine at Chef Gloria's home. Atacama included sunrise at the other-worldly Tatio Geysers, at 14,000 feet in the desert, and flamingo watching at the Salt Flats., with home-cooked breakfasts and lunches in the desert en-route. Puerto Varas Lake District included a ski lift and hike up the snow-capped Osorno Volcano overlooking the lake, as well as drive out to Choloe Island to view penguins and absorb the local surroundings. Patagonia included an all day tour around the dramatic Torres del Paine National Park, boat ride to Balmaceda & Serrano glaciers, and traditional lamb on spit BBQ lunch. And Valparaiso included a walk around the eclectic artistic street art and a Chilean cooking class, ending with a winery tour and superb lunch in Casablanca Valley.

Logistics were exceptional, as were all our local guides, with special experiences in each region. Highly recommend this trip of a lifetime - orchestrated by Lorena.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Eco Boutique Bidasoa

Santiago

Comfortable boutique hotel

Authenticity & Character

Great restaurant, very popular. Highly rated.

Location

Safe and central, walking distance to park and shopping malls

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

Simple and clean. Superb restaurant. Rooms/batroom are a little small & can be noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Simple and authentic

Location

Walking distance of small downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not much of a common sitting area

Hotel Wyndham Puerto Varas Pettra

Puerto Varas

Excellent location (beautiful view over lake, walking distance to local town). Comfortable lobby and lounge area, great restaurant, large comfortable rooms with lake view.

Authenticity & Character

Though it is a brand hotel, feels like a boutique style and fits well with lake view.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Galos Hotel & Lofts

Valparaíso, Cerro Alegre

Comfortable apartment/hotel with awesome breakfast, and great roof-top deck with 360 degree view over entire Valparaiso city and bay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Safe area up on the hill with beautiful view over the city

Staff

Occasionally front desk was not as responsive as we would have liked

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Valparaiso Tour

Chile

Excellent informative guide, great overview of the best neighborhoods & art areas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was helpful & knowledgeable

Transport

Traditional Chilean Cooking Class

Chile

Great fun, Antonia was a patient & supportive cooking coach

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious empanadas

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Antonia was a great cooking coach

Transport

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

Beautiful views of flamingos in natural habitat, and the eerie color of the Salt Flats.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved home-cooked breakfast en-route

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alberto and Elias made a great guide and driver team combination

Transport

Explore Chiloé Island & Puñihuil Penguin National Reserve

Puerto Varas

A wonderful day exploring Chiloe Island and its surroundings though we only saw a few penguins out on the boat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo was a great guide - humorous and knowledgable

Transport

Tatio Geysers at Sunrise

San Pedro de Atacama

Sunrise in the outer-worldly Tatio Geysers is a unique experience. It is freezing at 14,000 altitude before sunrise - you need to be dressed in layers with beanie, scarves, gloves and down jacket.

Quality of Experience

Food

We stopped at a llama station for home cooked lunch - exceptional

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alberto and Elias are an awesome guide/driver combination. Fluent English, knowledgeable, and helpful

Transport

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

The glaciers are spectacular - especially the khike up to Serrano Glacier after the boat ride up the fjord, and the lamb BBQ lunch is delicious

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wines of Maipo Valley

Santiago

intriguing tours - both the Santa Rita impressive estate, and family owned Perez Cruz winery

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both guides were knowledgable, friendly and helpful

Transport

Day Trip to Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park

Chile

Hiking up the snow-capped Osorno Volcano was a unique experience, with views over the surrounding lake (after taking a chair lift to the mid-station).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo was an informative and humorous guide

Transport

Trekking and Condor Watching

Puerto Natales

Awesome hike up the mountain, but condors were way in the distance

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jorge was patient and helpful as our guide

Transport

Kayaking on Lake Llanquihue

Puerto Varas

Great day, beautiful inlets, professional equipment and helpful guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helpful guide in our sea-kayaking adventure

Transport

Wine Tour & Tasting in Casablanca Valley

Chile

Casablanca wine tour in Casas del Bosque was informative, lunch in their restaurant was superb in beautiful setting, but need reserve 48 hours ahead (we were lucky to get a table).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Taste of Chile

Santiago

Taste of Chile - special intro to Chilean cuisine with delightful Chef Gloria hosting us in her home

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chef Gloria provided a unique experience, graciously hosting us in her beautiful home for a delicious dinner

Transport

Santiago Highlights

Chile

Excellent overview of Santiago by our guide, Soledad.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park

Chile

Spectacular tour of soaring snow-capped Patagonia peaks

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose was terrific guide/driver - knowledgeable and friendly

Transport

Our trip to Patagonia was all that we had hoped for and more. We not only took an amazing cruise but visited areas that others rarely get to see. Our trip to the Marble Caves stands out. It was a challenge to get there but well worth it. Luis, our driver, was excellent. 65Had basically came down to details from our original trip not being set up for our eventual trip. 2 times drivers were expected to pick us up and 2 times they had the wrong timing on their information and we were left stranded. Marcela however, always got the issue fixed. We had a few difficulties with drivers/guides unable to speak English, but we were always able to figure it out.
My favorite part of the trip was our 2 days Puma hunting. Our guide and driver did an outstanding job and we saw 2 Pumas.

Activity Review

Photo Safari Puma Tracking

Patagonia

I really enjoyed this portion of the trip. We spotted 2 Pumas on our 2nd day. They were very far away but it was thrilling nonetheless. It became a bit tedious when we travelled the same area over and over but I know they were looking in the best spots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We booked 2 persons (women) a trip which was including Santiago-Easter Island-Atacama-Salar de Uyuni and Santiago for about 20 days. One more friend (woman) was with use with a little different program (especialy in Uyuni) and after went to Patagonia. From the beginning we talked with Jessie from Milledon Agency. Our communication was a little difficult, with a lot of misunderstandings and corrections again and again of the program. The segment of the Uyuni 4 days and especially the hotels was left for the end causing us an insecurity. Some days before the trip, Jessie sent us the final program with the hotels! Guess! We didnt go to these hotels in two places (Easter Island where we went in a subordinate hotel and cheaper hotel-even the driver who took us from the airport didnt know that and holded a sign with the previous hotel). Also in Uyuni Jessie had sent us photos of a hotel, a little before we go there, named Kasi Wasi in San Cristobal and we finally stayed in other hotel in Uyuni. Also the program of Salar de Uyuni was different of the program we did and was excluding 2 activities.. hot baths and sunrise-but we did sunset. Also we had problem with the booking of a double bed in Santiago hotel...They insisted that the Agency had booked that although we had asked for twin beds everywhere. Almost all the information we had was confusing and contradictory...Even the drivers for our tours eg in Atacama sent information mails for OUR activity, to the other friend who had already left for Patagonia and not to us who were still in Atacama. However, our hotel in Santiag and Pedro de Atacama was satisfactory. Also our guide (Soledad) in Santiago and Valparaiso was excellent!! Also our guides in Uyuni 4days trip (Silveria and the driver were excellent)! Overall, the places were majestic but i would not recommend this agency!!!We gave a lot of money for mediocre services from this tourist agency and with bad communication before and during the trip by their employees

I had an amazing time in Chile and Marcela was the one that set up the trip for me. She was extremely helpful and patient with me setting the trip up for my preferences even with the short notice I gave. I had a once in a lifetime trip filled with amazing memories. From seeing the most stars I've ever seen with my eyes to riding a hot air balloon in San Pedro. To having unbelievable views from a volcanic hot spring near Santiago. And exploring the entirety of Easter Island with very friendly locals with a crystal clear beach! This trip was fantastic from start to finish and was made to be completely worry free for me, every pick up drop off and destination was set up was organized so I didn't have worry about it. Shout out to all the people that helped organized the trip. Manuel and Alex in San Pedro with their very funny and friendly ways of talking and explaining everything. Sebastian in Santiago who was unbelievably knowledgeable and was able to give loads of information about Santiago and Valparaíso and knew the hidden spots for the best stores and restaurants. Luis a local of Easter Island who gave an entire history of the people of the island. Finally Marcela who set up everything for me and was even available to meet up in person, going above and beyond!

Activity Reviews

Stargazing

San Pedro de Atacama

This was one of the things I especially wanted to do. Chile has a lot of other countries observatories in it because of how clear the sky is and the topography is perfect for it. Boy was I not disappointed being able to see the most stars i'll probably ever see with the naked eye. The guide was very informative and gave very cool descriptions and explanations of the various nebulas and stars we were seeing. It was really cool seeing Jupiter as well with its red stripes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Atacama Ballooning - Experience another world

San Pedro de Atacama

Never done a hot air balloon but seeing it as an option I had to try it. Even with having a bit of a love/hate relationship with heights it was an unbelievable experience. For anyone wondering the basket is very secure and solid feeling if you have any fear and it even has seats you can sit down in if you don't want to stand. The views and descriptions were very informative and the guide even let us control the fire for a little bit!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cajón del Maipo & Hot Springs

Santiago

If you are in Santiago this is one of the things you have to do. The views to and from the location itself are breath taking, let alone that you can see them while sitting in a a relaxing hot spring. There are seven pools with varying temperatures so you don't need to worry about any of them being too hot or cold.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jesse was great to work with. We had a great time and wverything went smoothly.

I traveled to Chile for three weeks in March. I spent the first week on Easter Island (Rapa Nui), the second in the Atacama Desert, and in the third week, three friends joined me for a trip to Patagonia.

I have to say, the experience was truly exceptional—far beyond my expectations. I was constantly in awe of the breathtaking scenery and the sheer beauty of the landscapes. I was also deeply impressed by the outstanding service and attention to detail provided by the local specialists, especially Lorena and Vale, as well as the local operators.

What I cherished most was the sense of being fully immersed in nature and present in each moment. I am so glad I made this journey to Chile—it was an unforgettable experience.

Fantastic 2 weeks touring Chile and Argentina .

Lorena did a fabulous job in creating a very full on tour .
Our drivers and guides were very very good and determined to provide a top quality experience .

Our driver on our Puma expedition was a real star. Although we failed to see the fabled creature it was not for lack of trying.
I think we knew our way around the Torres del Paine park as well as anyone by the time he dropped us off at our hotel .

To sum up it was a very busy, entertaining,beautiful holiday in the most amazing places and countries.
Cannot wait to visit again .
Many thanks to All.

This was my first trip to Chile, and thanks to kimkim's assistance, the experience far exceeded my expectations. Lorena helped us with the planning, and especially our local guide in Puerto Natales—Jose—was truly outstanding. Every single day's itinerary was excellent; the nature, the people, and the food in Chile were all even more magnificent than I had imagined.

Let me start by saying how wonderful Marcela was. She replied almost immediately to any questions or concerns that we had...no matter what time of day or even on weekends. I can't say enough good things about her! She was sweet, attentive, and friendly whenever we contacted her. Muchas gracias Marcela!

At every hotel we stayed at, the staff was courteous and accommodating. The hotel properties were lovely. Breakfasts were delicious and so were dinners (when we ate at hotel restaurants.) I have to particularly commend Hotel Simple Patagonia. We arrived there on my husband's birthday and, at dinner, the staff presented him with an absolutely delicious chocolate birthday cake. (I'm sure Marcella was responsible for coordinating that.)

I also want to commend Hotel Ilaia in Punta Arenas. They were very accommodating in holding our luggage after checkout while we went on a city tour. We purchased food while on the tour and the hotel was very gracious in letting us use their dining facilities to eat our meal.

Guides for our excursions all spoke very good English and they were very knowledgable. The only caveat I have, is that some of the guides tended to walk very quickly and the slower walkers sometimes got left behind. And sometimes the guides would start their talks before everyone had caught up.

Jesse planned a wonderful trip and handled the logistics for wonderful accommodations, local transportation and several in-country flights. Moreover, due to a forecast of snow storm hitting Boston on the day of our departure, we rebooked our flights and left two days early. We contacted Jesse that morning and she quickly adjusted the Santiago hotel reservation and our airport transfer.

We began our trip with Eliseo meeting us at the Santiago airport. He provided efficient transportation and great local guidance, all with good humor. Soledad, who guided us through Santiago, Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, was very knowledgeable of the cities, the history Chile and gave helpful advice. Sebastian, who led our hike in the Andes, gave us a pointers for negotiating the terrain; that came in very handy in later hikes.

In the Atacama desert we greatly enjoyed touring the Valley of the Moon and the salt flats, led by Daniel, and the very refreshing swim in the lagoon with Ernie.

We enjoyed our stay in Punta Arenas and visiting with a good friend. While there we also visited the penguins on Magdalena Island and the sea lions on Marta Island; both were well worth the rough sail and gale-force winds.

While we enjoyed trekking Torres del Paine and the views were spectacular, the 3 hikes tested our limits. The next day we sailed to Perito Moreno glacier; the calving was dramatic. Another day of hiking, this time with Renaldo, to Laguna and Cerro Torre; again, pushing us to our limits.

We enjoyed our stay in Ushuaia, a fun town with the unique claim of the southern-most city in the world. While there we were taken trekking and rafting in Tierra del Fuego National Park with Juan Sebastian. We greatly enjoyed his tour; he shared tons of information and made the day very fun.

Our final stop was Buenos Aires, the one place where we wished we had more time. Our tour included a dinner and tango show - better than we expected - and an all-day bike tour led by Pablo through several neighborhoods - one of the highlights of our trip. On our last day in Buenos Aires we squeezed in tours of the Teatro Colon, Palacio del Congreso and El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore.

Hotel Reviews

Ola Santiago Providencia

Santiago

Great staff; very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great neighborhood with easy access to the City's highlights and subway

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

Unfortunately each day there began early so we weren't able to enjoy the breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Carpa Manzano

Punta Arenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Big Sur

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sierra Nevada

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lunajuim

El Chalten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alto Andino Hotel

Ushuaia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kenton Palace Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Moon Valley Sunset

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip to Glacier Grey

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perito Moreno Glacier Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago Highlights

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San José Volcano & Andes Mountains

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cejar Lagoon, Ojos del Salar & Tebenquiche

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

The swim in the lagoon was wonderful!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Trails in Torres del Paine

Chile

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Laguna and Cerro Torre

El Chaltén

Great views. Strenuous hike

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaíso & Viña del Mar

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tatio Geysers at Sunrise

San Pedro de Atacama

The early start left us in the dark for the ride and early visit at the geyser. We didn't see much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The rough seas and howling wind added to the adventure

Trekking & Canoeing in Tierra del Fuego National Park

Ushuaia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan Sebastian made it a great day. Our driver (forget his name) was also a wonderful cook.

Transport

Off-Road Adventure

Ushuaia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner & Tango Show

Buenos Aires

Surprisingly we enjoyed the show.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Late picking us up and forgot us when taking people to their hotels. We rode around the city for a good hour before getting back to our hotel around 1:00 AM. Not fun.

Transport

Buenos Aires Bike Tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pablo was fabulous. He was informative and fun, and set a very comfortable pace.

Transport