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The best place to see the total solar eclipse in Chile

Have the adventure of your lifetime and experience a rare celestial event in one of the most beautiful settings in the world with Wendy Wu Tour’s Chile Eclipse itineraries this July.

There’s no show like it on Earth. The drama of a total solar eclipse is a beautiful astronomical performance that will long remain etched in your memory. If you’re lucky enough to be in the narrow path of the moon’s shadow as it slips across the sun, you’ll be left awestruck by one of the most unique and rare experiences on our planet.

 

Fortunately, you can be that lucky. This July, in the second oldest city in Chile, La Serena, a total solar eclipse will occur. With Wendy Wu Tours, you can make sure you’re there to witness this fleeting but unforgettable celestial event.

 

Imagine the adventure of arriving to the seaside city of La Serena by private charter plane to immerse yourself in the inspiring beauty of the cosmos. Imagine finding yourself in Chile, with a pisco in-hand, as you wonder at the mystery of our solar system.

 

More than simply enjoying the eclipse, on Wendy Wu’s 8-Day Chile Eclipse Tour you will also acquaint yourself with the vibrant culture of this South American country and explore two of its most spectacular cities. Let the adventure begin…

Day one: meet ‘the jewel of the Pacific’

On your first day, you’ll arrive in Santiago before transferring to the explosion of colour that is bohemian Valparaíso. This coastal city is eclectic, erratic and beautiful in its disorderly array of neighbourhoods that stack colourfully up climbing hillsides. Chile’s much-loved poet Pablo Nerudo fondly said of Valparaíso’s irregular style: “you haven’t combed your hair, you never had time to get dressed, life has always surprised you." Tomorrow, you’ll discover the meaning behind Nerudo’s words.

Day two: explore the captivating beauty of Valparaíso

In 2003, the delightfully mad and completely stunning city of Valparaíso was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Funiculars take you from the seafront to the hillside neighbourhoods where houses painted in a rainbow of colours flank narrow, winding streets. By the time you’ve explored a little, you’ll have newfound affinity with poet Pablo Nerudo’s city. Stop by his house for a visit.

Day three: sip in Santiago

Head back to Santiago today before exploring beautiful vineyards and incredible Chilean wines.

wine glasses on table
Sample some of the best wines Chile has to offer.

Chile is the fifth largest exporter of wine in the world, which would be surprising until you realise the country has been producing wine since the Spanish brought grape vines with them in the 16th century. Today, Chilean wines are much sought-after and you’ll be able to explore many of the varietals on this fascinating tour.

Day four: time to eclipse

Today is a day you’ll never forget. It begins with a one-hour private charter to the adorable seaside town of La Serena. From here, you’ll be taken to a private viewing area in the optimal vantage point of the Elqui Valley where you’ll watch this rare celestial event unfold. Many of us are lucky to witness a handful of total solar eclipses in our lives, but to watch one from such an incredible location is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

solar eclipse
Witness the breathtaking astronomical event.

An eclipse is not simply breathtaking, it is also fascinating, so to enhance this special event you’ll be joined by astronomy expert Dr Stuart Clark. On hand to answer any of your astronomical questions and to explain the event as it unfolds, Dr Clark will help to deepen your understanding of this magnificent show. Don’t forget your camera!

Day five: discover Santiago’s boroughs

Incredibly, 40 per cent of Chileans live in Santiago. This visually stunning city with the incredible Andes Mountains at her back is a thriving metropolis and home to 32 boroughs (comunas), each with its own unique personality.

 

Of course, you won’t meet them all in one day, but you can get under Santiago’s skin with a city tour that takes in some of her most beguiling assets. Visit the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral, and the city’s commercial hub, Ahumada Boulevard, before making your way up San Cristobal Hill to admire that dramatic, mountainous backdrop.

 

Explore the street-side eateries and a lively night scene around Bellavista Road and Lastarria, while a visit to the well-healed neighbourhoods of Providencia and Las Condes will reveal world-class restaurants and high-end hotels

Day six–eight: homeward bound

It’s time to say farewell to the vibrant and colourful beauty of Chile, her people, and her eclectic cities, and start planning your next adventure with Wendy Wu Tours.

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The details: make it happen

The incredible Wendy Wu Tours 8-Day Chile Eclipse Tour is truly an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The tour takes you under the skin of the destination and allows you to explore deeper with cultural and active experiences. Want to make the experience last longer? Wendy Wu has created three custom itineraries spanning 8 – 18 days.

 

All tours include:

Return international airfares

All accommodation

Guides and entrance fees

All transportation and transfers

Internal domestic flights if applicable

Private charter plane to a reserved eclipse viewing area

Guided eclipse viewing experience with renowned Astronomer, Stuart Clarke

 

Prices start at just $6,980pp, visit Wendy Wu Tours or phone 1300 177 506 for further details or to book.

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8 grand journeys across Latin America

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    From camping along alpine meadows in Patagonia to cruising the Amazon, these are the best Latin America journeys to tick off your bucket list.

    1. The Q Circuit in Patagonia

    Travelling with: Emma Ventura

    the Torres del Paine mountains in Patagonia, Chile
    A turquoise lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks at Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. (Image: Getty/ MBPROJEKT_Maciej_Bledowski)

    Tolkienian peaks, pristine lakes and snow-bloated rivers are highlights for most visitors spending a couple of days in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. But for the more intrepid, the real rewards come from a 10-day solo circumnavigation of the Q Circuit, camping along tracks that become more sparsely trodden the further you head into the park’s astonishingly diverse landscape – think glacial passes and granite spires, alpine meadows and forest paths. Five-star lodges might provide a break from Patagonia’s infamously feisty weather, but there’s nothing like carrying your own kit, a chance encounter with an elusive puma, and a crackling wood stove in a remote refugio for delivering the kind of fulfilment that money just can’t buy.

    2. The jungles of Central America

    Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

    women traversing the Mistico Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
    The Mistico Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna are perched above the forest floor.

    Emerging from the seas millions of years ago, the isthmus that is Central America is a tropical sanctuary of jungle-clad volcanoes, thunderous waterfalls and mist-shrouded rainforests, fringed by coral reefs. At its heart, Costa Rica is the land of pura vida (pure life), a tiny country that is home to six per cent of the world’s biodiversity – think toucans, macaws, anteaters, tapirs, jaguars, sloths – with verdant rainforest carpeting more than half the country. It’s a land to explore on two feet, two wheels and with two paddles. Do all three on Intrepid Travel’s eight-day Costa Rica: Hike, Bike & Raft tour and G Adventures’ 16-day Costa Rica Adventure.

    a toucan in the rainforest of Costa Rica
    A rainbow-billed toucan in the rainforest of Costa Rica. (Image: Getty/Freder)

    3. Dance across Latin America

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    samba dancing in the street, Brazil
    Put on your dancing shoes in Latin America. (Image: Getty/Pollyana Ventura)

    Don your tassels and get flirty cha cha-ing in Havana. Feel the heat dancing Argentine tango at a milonga in Buenos Aires. Hear the pulse of percussion as you samba in Rio. In Latin America, movement is an expression of culture, celebration and passion. You don’t have to be a professional to partake, and there are plenty of dance schools where foreigners can learn the basics. It’s easy as one-step, two-step, cha-cha-cha.

    4. Hike to Colombia’s Lost City

    Travelling with: Sarah Reid

    the terraces of Lost City, Colombia
    The Lost City is Colombia’s best-kept secret. (Image: Getty/Charly Boillot)

    Reaching the ancient ciudad perdida (‘Lost City’) of Teyuna hidden within the steamy jungles of northern Colombia is a surreal moment, amplified by the challenging three-to-five-day return trek to get there. Built by the Indigenous Tairona People around 800 CE, this labyrinthine complex of stone staircases and circular platforms has only been partly excavated since treasure looters stumbled upon it in 1972. Limited tourism infrastructure adds to the Indiana Jones vibe. Intrepid Travel’s new Lost City Trekking in Colombia tour includes a respectful visit to a Wiwa community to learn more about their Tairona Ancestors and traditional way of life.

    5. The Galápagos Islands

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    the Observation Lounge at the top of the Silversea ship
    Visit the remote Galápagos Islands on a Silversea cruise.

    Expect the brackish air around the Galápagos Islands to be mixed with the gritty odour of bird droppings and pungent tang of sea lion BO. Twist your binoculars until the black eye of the giant Galápagos tortoise fills the other end, and you might imagine yourself to be quite the adventurer centuries after the inhabitants of these islands inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Get onboard a cruise with operators like Silversea, HX Expeditions, Celebrity Cruises and Metropolitan Touring to see the remote archipelago of 19 islands loom into view just 900 kilometres off the coast of mainland Ecuador.

    a blue-footed booby on the Galapagos Islands
    A blue-footed booby on the Galapagos Islands. (Image: Getty/Bruce Campos)

    6. Pantanal, Brazil

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    a Jaguar walking on the banks of a river, South Pantanal, Brazil
    Spot a jaguar in the world’s largest tropical wetland. (Image: Getty/ Dgwildlife)

    Brazil’s Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is reportedly one of the best places on Earth to spot jaguars. This vast landscape of flooded plains and savannahs also shelters more than 650 species of birds (such as the toucan and hyacinth macaw) as well as various reptiles including the yellow anaconda and cold-blooded caiman (a type of crocodilian). Add capybaras, giant anteaters, maned wolves, giant river otters and South American tapirs to your wildlife bingo card, too. And find a tour that includes piranha fishing, if you dare.

    7. Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    the salt flats in Bolivia
    Immerse yourself in the world’s largest salt flats. (Image: Getty/ Olga Gavrilova)

    Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni covers more than 10,500 square kilometres, making it the world’s largest salt flats. The salt flats of Uyuni were formed more than 40,000 years ago when several prehistoric lakes dried up and left a bed of rich minerals behind. Stay at Luna Salada, where the walls and furnishings are made from dense bricks of packed salt, so you can immerse yourself in this ethereal landscape. Visit southern Bolivia during the dry season when the salt crystallises into mesmerising shapes and patterns.

    8. The iconic sites of Peru

    Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

    scarlet macaws at a cliff in the Amazon
    The Amazon is home to diverse birdlife such as wild scarlet macaws.

    Hiking the Andes. Cruising the Amazon. It’s the stuff of legends. From the vast expanses of Lake Titicaca to the archaeological wonder of Machu Picchu to the Amazon Basin, one of the greatest remaining wildernesses on Earth, you can stitch Peru’s epic sites together on tour with andBeyond or Abercrombie & Kent. To sweeten the experience, both luxury operators are launching new state-of-the-art vessels on the Amazon River in September 2025 and July respectively.

    the superior suite onboard andBeyond Amazon Explorer
    Stay in a superior suite onboard andBeyond Amazon Explorer.