Be amazed at Chile’s dynamic Santiago, agriculturally rich central valley, spectacular coast and beautiful lake district. Savor  unforgettable cuisine and fine wines. Discover unique cultures and friendly people. Learn about potato history, production, processing,  marketing and agricultural policy. Interview growers, managers, and experts.

Day 1, Sunday
Arrival at Santiago’s International airport and greetings by Anglatin. We transfer to our hotel in the best residential and commercial district of Santiago. Fred guides us on our comprehensive city tour, including all the important sights of Santiago. We continue to a special crafts exhibition, and then to the largest and newest wine store in the country. Our welcome dinner features Chile’s best native cuisine. Overnight Santiago

Day 2, Monday
Buffet breakfast. We travel to Chile’s largest farmer’s market. After a guided tour through this lively market, we meet with the director. Next is a comprehensive tour of Viña Undurraga, including vineyards, caves and original estate gardens. Our group lunch features barbeque with plenty of fresh vegetables and salads. We then visit a regional  potato producer who explains the challenges of a lively domestic market. In the evening we enjoy the sidewalk cafes and street entertainment close to our hotel. Overnight Santiago

Day 3, Tuesday
Buffet breakfast. Casablanca valley, west of Santiago, is the newest wine producing region of Chile. Here we tour the spectacular Indómita winery. As we arrive at the coast, Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and  the sparkling Pacific stretch out before us. We are welcomed with a typical Chilean lunch, Chilean folk music and dancing. We finish the day with a comprehensive tour of garden city Viña del Mar, and International Heritage for Humanity city, Valparaiso. The evening is free to enjoy nearby beaches and the casino. Overnight Viña del Mar

Day 4, Wednesday
Buffet breakfast. Following our short flight to Valdivia, in the Lake District, and lunch, we visit the University of Austral Potato research center to learn about reviving ancient potatoes. In the afternoon we travel south through forested hills, berry patches and potato fields to Osorno, the center of Chile’s potato research and production. Overnight Osorno

Day 5, Thursday
Buffet breakfast. The main government potato research station is just a few miles north of town. Here we have a workshop with the station director and potato experts. We return to Osorno for a group lunch. Next is a visit to a breeding station of the famous Chilean horse. The “Huaso” demonstrates the outstanding handling qualities of this fine horse. Later in the afternoon we visit the major farm supply store of the region. Free evening. Overnight Osorno

Day 6, Friday
Buffet breakfast. We are hosted this morning by one of Chile’s top angus breeders. He explains his breeding program as we ride a hay wagon  through the meadows. For lunch, we enjoy delicious BBQ, farm vegetables and Chilean wine at the homestead. Our next stop is in Puerto Octay, and one of the largest seed potato growers in Chile. Traveling south, we pass green meadows and potato fields on our way to Llanquihue, where we find another seed potato grower. He hosts us as we visit several potato fields in the area. We continue to Puerto Varas and our lakeside hotel. Overnight Puerto Varas

Day 7, Saturday
Buffet breakfast. Our excursion today takes us to Chiloé island, the largest in south America. In the small village of Quemchi we meet the ancient potato project’s leader. This project is helping local subsistence farmers grow and market potatoes that were thought to be extinct. These farmers proudly show us their fields and unusual potatoes. Curanto is the native cuisine and an unforgettable experience. Shellfish, meat, and vegetables (including ancient potatoes) are cooked in a pit with layers of native plant leaves for seasoning. We savor these exquisite flavors with our hosts. Overnight Puerto Varas

Day 8, Sunday
Buffet breakfast. Today we have a relaxing day touring along Lake Llanquihue, visiting the roaring waterfalls on Osorno Volcano and enjoying a delightful lunch in the national park. We can see across lake Todos los Santos and the Andes to Argentina. There is time to stroll the beaches or paddle a boat. On our return we visit a small, but progressive potato farmer on the shores of lake Llanquihue. This grower is diversifying into tourism, taking advantage of his beautiful location. Free afternoon at Puerto Varas’ beach, casino, clubs and shops. Overnight Puerto Varas

Day 9, Monday
Buffet breakfast. This morning we tour a potato processing plant and interview the manager. Next we tour Chile’s most modern sausage plant. Lunch at the plant featuring their own products. After lunch we visit a typical dairy farm and potato grower. From here we go to Puerto Montt, the principal port of the Lake Region. There is free time to visit the crafts markets and stroll the fishing village of San Angelmó. Overnight Puerto Varas

Day 10, Tuesday
Buffet breakfast. We celebrate our last day in Chile with a relaxing cruise on Lake Llanquihue. Included is an open bar, lots of Chilean snacks, great fishing and a special guided tour of salmon rearing pens. We arrive at the Puerto Montt airport in time to catch our flight to Santiago and make our connections back to the USA, or other destinations in South America.