Chile's Easter Island & The Atacama Desert

Start with a flight to Santiago, where you’ll stay at the chic 1920s guest-house, Lastarria. This is an opportunity to rest before your big adventure, and wander the arty district that surrounds your hotel with its museums, bars, galleries, and boutiques.

After flying to Calama, you’ll be driven deep into the Atacama Desert, just outside the small town of San Pedro. Get ready for some of the most surreal and beautiful landscapes you’ve ever seen, and a totally unforgettable experience in the world’s driest desert. Part of the joy of being in the desert is feeling like you’re one of the last people on earth, and that’s exactly what you’ll experience at beautiful Awasi. Far from being a basic desert lodge, this Relais and Chateaux oasis is one of the most gorgeous and magical places we’ve ever stayed. It has just eight rooms, so is ultra-exclusive, and each day you’ll go on amazing trips (included in the price of your vacation, and totally custom according to what you want to see).

Having awoken to eerie silence, and pink-tinged volcanoes in the distance, you’ll head out in a private 4x4 with your personal guide to explore this beautiful and surprisingly varied landscape. One of the most incredible experiences you can have is at the Valle de la Luna: feeling like you’ve crash-landed on the moon as you tuck in to your picnic, and listening out for weird creaking sounds beneath your feet as the minerals react with the heat. Later on you can walk over the glistening salt flats; snap away at the smoke-snorting geysers, and float around in ethereal lagoons. For the perfect finale, you’ll watch the awesome desert sunset, and enjoy some amazing stargazing beneath the clearest of night skies. The following day is all travel, with an early morning flight to Santiago and then a connecting flight to Easter Island.

It’s a five hour flight from Santiago to Easter Island: a tiny pin-prick in the Pacific Ocean, known as ‘the navel of the earth,’ and with its nearest inhabited neighbour lying 1,200 miles away. The moment you touch down on this insanely remote island, and settle in to your stay at eco-lodge Hare Noi, the myths and legends surrounding the ancient Moai will already be flying about. There are loads of amazing treks to do on Rapa Nui, either by mountain bike or foot, and as you’re led around by your expert guide you’ll be introduced to the weird and wonderful theories on the island’s history. One of the treks we’ve included is a sunrise trek to Tongaraki, and here you’ll have your first encounter with the mysterious Moai which are solemnly lined up against the shoreline. You’ll also be taken to Anakena beach, where yet more Moai peer down at you; the path used to transport the statues, and the Rano Rakuru quarry where they lie in a partially finished state.

Spend the night back at the intimate Casa Bueras Boutique Hotel, and have a good night’s sleep before flying back home.