High Altitude Wine Adventure in Chile and Argentina

Chile and Argentina offer wine lovers a wide range of wine tasting experiences - but this Travel Crafter journey focused on some that were off the beaten track. After visits to boutique wineries in Chile’s San Antonio and Casablanca Valleys near Santiago, the group flew north to luxury Relais and Chateaux property, Awasi, located in the Atacama Desert – the world’s highest and driest desert. This stunning landscape of dramatic wind-carved rock formations and sandy dunes makes you feel like you just landed on the moon! Activities included visits to salt flats with thousands of pink flamingos, 4WD excursions, hiking to see ancient petroglyphs carved into rock walls, and a horseback ride through the canyons and up to the top of a mountain where Travel Crafter arranged a surprise “asado” or barbeque lunch for the group. From the Atacama, the group drove up to 14,000 ft and over the snow-capped Andes mountains and descended into Argentina to taste high altitude wines in Argentina’s Salta region. Founded in 1582, Salta is an exquisitely preserved colonial city. Visits with vineyard owners and winemakers brought to life the challenges of winemaking at high altitudes. Stays in Cafayete and Colome in charming estancias and haciendas allowed the group to hike in the vineyards, visit local artisans, saddle up on criollo horses for a ride with the resident gauchos, and toast the trip at a private farewell dinner.