Callao to Punta Arenas

Lima was founded in 1535 by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on the banks of the Rimac river that forms a splendid and strategically located valley. At 133 meters above sea level, Lima enjoys mild yet humid weather with almost little or no rain. The city of Lima is one of South America’s largest, and is Peru’s center of political, cultural and economic life. Lima is your gateway to the splendid ruins of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, the ancient city in the clouds.

Pisco is the largest port between Callao and Matarani, Peru. There are two parts of town: Pisco Pueblo with its colonial-style homes; and Pisco Puerto, which, apart from fisheries, has been replaced as a port by the deep-water Puerto General San Martin. This area was also home of the Paracas culture, and in August 1820, the great liberator General San Martin landed on its coast, marking Pisco as the birthplace of Peru’s struggle for independence.

Arica is a port city in northern Chile, known for its surfing beaches. Near the center, a path climbs up to Morro Arica hill, which has sweeping views and the Museo Histórico y de Armas war museum. Designed by French architect Gustave Eiffel in metal and wood, Gothic San Marcos Cathedral dates from 1876. The high plains of the Andes mountains rise to the east, home to Lauca National Park and Chungará Lake.

Founded in the 16th century, Iquique is the capital of the Iquique Province and a popular port city on the northern Pacific coast of Chile. Located west of the Atacama Desert, Iquique was part of Peru until the 19th century. Today the city is known for its duty-free commercial port center, one of the largest in South America, as well as its mild climate, beautiful beaches and archaeological treasures.

Coquimbo nestled in Northern Chile, means “place of calm water”, a happy accident of geography that encouraged its development as an important port. According to legend, the English corsair Sir Francis Drake has buried a considerable treasure in the city. In the early 19th century, Coquimbo was just a small fishing village, but when the railway reached the area joining the copper mines to the sea, the town and population increased dramatically. Today, Coquimbo offers the pleasures of a picturesque seaside promenade, the beautifully restored 19th-century architecture of the English Neighborhood and several fine beaches.

Valparaíso is the principal port and second largest city of Chile. The city is situated on the shores of a sweeping bay and on a crescent of hills behind. Seen from the ocean, it presents a majestic panorama; a great circle of hills is backed by the snow-capped peaks of the distant Cordillera. Due to Valparaiso’s convenient location along the shipping routes circling Cape Horn, the port experienced a tremendous boost when the ports and the Americas were opened to world trade.

The first German colonists arrived to this area in 1852, and have remained to the present day, a small but influential percentage of the 130,000 inhabitants. The town spreads along a narrow seaboard and climbs the slopes enclosing it to the north. Since 1985, the city has experienced considerable growth and development, fueled by more than 30 salmon farms, in addition to forestry, fishing industries and service companies. A gateway to Chile’s picturesque lakes and spectacular indigo mountains.

There is an old Chilean proverb that states, “If you are in a hurry in Patagonia, you are wasting your time.” In Puerto Chacabuco, a Chilean town in the Aysen commune, time passes at the leisurely pace of nature’s cycles. The gorgeously landscaped town is a small, isolated settlement situated along the wild-west fjordland coast. Patagonian ice sheets fall into the sea and the area provides a chance to view Black Necked Swans and the endangered Giant Condor.

Punta Arenas or ‘Sandy Point,’ is the most prominent settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of Chile’s Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region. Founded in 1848, Punta Arenas was originally a remote military garrison and penal colony. Today, it is the charming gateway for a number of exhilarating experiences viewing the awesome majesty of Torres del Paine with its soaring peaks and rugged beauty .

Punta Arenas or ‘Sandy Point,’ is the most prominent settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of Chile’s Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region. Founded in 1848, Punta Arenas was originally a remote military garrison and penal colony. Today, it is the charming gateway for a number of exhilarating experiences viewing the awesome majesty of Torres del Paine with its soaring peaks and rugged beauty .