Tierra Chiloe Hotel Adventure

Arrive Castro Airport. A guide will be waiting for you in the arrivals area and will assist you to the vehicle for the drive to the hotel which takes around 40 minutes.

The hotel is located on the banks of the Rilan peninsula with great views out to sea and a nearby wetland.

Check in to your room on arrival, and have a meeting with one of the guides to plan the excursions you will be enjoying during your stay. The daily excursions are designed for you to discover the magic of the archipelago, its culture and natural landscape. There are different types of excursions, half-day or full-day, at different levels of difficulty; multi-disciplinary outings which combine different activities in one excursion. The number of guests per activity is limited to eight per guide, thus ensuring you receive personalized and appropriate attention along with a sound level of safety.

Depending on time available you may have chosen a half day activity in the afternoon.

In the evening you can relax in the bar, enjoy the spa or rest in the lounge – maybe all three.

In the evening a three course fine dining dinner awaits with choices from a fixed menu.

the following day’s excursions will be displayed on a board in the lobby along with their respective departure times.

After a plentiful buffet breakfast set off on your chosen excursion.

This might be a full day excursion with a packed lunch or a half day excursion returning to the hotel for a 3 course lunch and another excursion in the afternoon.

All excursions include a hearty snack.

Backyard Pullao: An introduction to the area around the hotel including the Pullao wetlands. There is an option to kayak too. Half day, difficulty level easy.

Rilan Peninsula: Explore the culture and rural life of the peninsula taking in watermills, fish pens, the patrimonial church and boat builders at work. Half day, difficulty level easy.

Historic Castro: Visit the capital of Chiloe including the colourful market, the multicoloured “stilt houses”, San Francisco Church on the main square and a boat building yard. Half day, difficulty level easy.

Bosquepiedra – Chonchi: Visit Bosquepiedra private park, a 12 hectare plot of land, with evergreen native forest, including canelos, coigues, avellanod and mañio trees. Continue towards Chonchi, a traditional fishing town, one of the most important on the Island. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Muelle De Las Almas: Drive across the Island to the Pacific coast. Hike to cliffs where the “Pier of Souls” sculpture is to be found in honour of a local legend. Full day, difficulty level moderate.

Duhatao: Trek along the Pacific coast from Duhatao to Chepu. The trek takes in 4 hills with cliff top views and finishes with an hour beach walk. Full day, difficulty level high.

Guabil Beach: Drive across the Island to Chepu and sail down river to the sea. Walk to Guabil beach for pic nic lunch. Return the same way. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Isla Quinchao:  Drive to Dalcahue and visit the century-old craft market. Take the ferry to Quinchao Island and meet a Chilote farmer. Continue with visits to Curaco de Velez and Achao. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Mechuque: Drive to Tenaún, board the boat Williche, sail to the Chauques Islands. Visit Mechuque and optional afternoon activities such as kayak or an easy walk. Sail back to the hotel. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Chelin – Quehui: Board the boat “Williche” at the hotel. Sail to the island of Chelin for a visit including the church and cemetery. Sail to the island of Quehui and optional afternoon activities such as kayak or an easy walk. Sail back to the hotel. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Bicycle, Horseback Riding and Kayaks Trips: Guests can discover the nearby areas of Pullao, San José and Quilquico by bike, on horseback or in a kayak. Depending on the experience and interests of our guests, the activities can take between 2 and 5 hours, whilst taking in the countryside and daily life of the island.

After a plentiful buffet breakfast set off on your chosen excursion.

This might be a full day excursion with a packed lunch or a half day excursion returning to the hotel for a 3 course lunch and another excursion in the afternoon.

All excursions include a hearty snack.

Backyard Pullao: An introduction to the area around the hotel including the Pullao wetlands. There is an option to kayak too. Half day, difficulty level easy.

Rilan Peninsula: Explore the culture and rural life of the peninsula taking in watermills, fish pens, the patrimonial church and boat builders at work. Half day, difficulty level easy.

Historic Castro: Visit the capital of Chiloe including the colourful market, the multicoloured “stilt houses”, San Francisco Church on the main square and a boat building yard. Half day, difficulty level easy.

Bosquepiedra – Chonchi: Visit Bosquepiedra private park, a 12 hectare plot of land, with evergreen native forest, including canelos, coigues, avellanod and mañio trees. Continue towards Chonchi, a traditional fishing town, one of the most important on the Island. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Muelle De Las Almas: Drive across the Island to the Pacific coast. Hike to cliffs where the “Pier of Souls” sculpture is to be found in honour of a local legend. Full day, difficulty level moderate.

Duhatao: Trek along the Pacific coast from Duhatao to Chepu. The trek takes in 4 hills with cliff top views and finishes with an hour beach walk. Full day, difficulty level high.

Guabil Beach: Drive across the Island to Chepu and sail down river to the sea. Walk to Guabil beach for pic nic lunch. Return the same way. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Isla Quinchao:  Drive to Dalcahue and visit the century-old craft market. Take the ferry to Quinchao Island and meet a Chilote farmer. Continue with visits to Curaco de Velez and Achao. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Mechuque: Drive to Tenaún, board the boat Williche, sail to the Chauques Islands. Visit Mechuque and optional afternoon activities such as kayak or an easy walk. Sail back to the hotel. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Chelin – Quehui: Board the boat “Williche” at the hotel. Sail to the island of Chelin for a visit including the church and cemetery. Sail to the island of Quehui and optional afternoon activities such as kayak or an easy walk. Sail back to the hotel. Full day, difficulty level easy.

Bicycle, Horseback Riding and Kayaks Trips: Guests can discover the nearby areas of Pullao, San José and Quilquico by bike, on horseback or in a kayak. Depending on the experience and interests of our guests, the activities can take between 2 and 5 hours, whilst taking in the countryside and daily life of the island.

At the agreed time share transfer to Castro airport for your departure flight. There is the option of transfers to Puerto Montt airport for an additional cost.

The excursions are led by qualified and experienced guides who will join guests in a variety of activities such as hikes, horse rides, scenic journeys or bike rides in order to discover the most interesting parts of the archipelago.

Activities are divided into three different levels;

• Easy: Suitable for all ages and abilities.
• Medium: Requires a reasonable level of physical condition and some experience.
• High: Requires excellent physical condition, experience and ability.

Every day you can choose 2 half day excursions or one full day activity.

• Half Day: takes place in the morning or afternoon, with lunch in the hotel.
• Full Day; Starts in the morning and includes a box lunch. Return to the hotel is in the afternoon, generally speaking after 18.00 hrs.

If you would like to arrange a massage or therapy and enjoy some time in Uma Wellness, we recommend you check the return time of the excursions with the guides, and pre-book treatment times.

Land Excursions Half day:

Backyard Pullao – Easy

This activity is ideal as an introduction to the area around the hotel, and the Pullao wetlands which make up part of the “Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network”- WHSRN. Depending on the time of year, it is possible to spot scientifically important migratory bird species such as godwits, Chilean flamingos, cormorants, ducks and gulls. There are salmon farms, mussel farms and seaweed collectors who’s paths we may cross on our journey. This excursion can also be done by kayak.

Rilan Peninsula – Easy

Discover the cultural wealth and rural life of the peninsula in this tour which takes us past watermills, fish pens, the patrimonial church and boat builders at work. We will visit the recently restored Santa Maria de Rilán church, inspired by the neo-gothic style with a shingled exterior typical of the area. We will also learn about the Water Mill Project that has restored 4 (of the 48 on the island) traditional mills introduced by the Spanish. Depending on the season, we will see honey producers, large-ship builders or farmers. Rilán is one of Chiloe’s 3 pilot sites participating in a UNESCO project that seeks to recognize and promote the conservation of areas whose agricultural and cultural characteristics are unique. It is known as GIAHS or Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. Following a visit to the village of Rilán, with its beaches, we return to the hotel via a scenic route over looking the Castro fjord.

Historic Castro – Easy

This tour follows the tides and invites you to discover the island’s capital with its traditional houses on stilts. We will visit the picturesque Mercado Yumbel where typical regional products such as Chilote potatoes, elephant garlic, basketry, woven goods and a wide variety of seafood are sold. We will see the inspiration for Chiloé’s classic postcard: the colourful stilt homes and charming main street with small craft shops and wood-shingled stores. We continue on our way to San Francisco church, the capital’s main Catholic church, declared a National Monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will also visit the shipyard where our boat “Williche” was built, and see others being built. An optional trip to nearby Nercon church is available, which lends valuable testimony to the Chiloe Wooden Architecture School. The interior, built by local carpenters, reveals the island’s imagery and the devotion of the Chilote sailors.

Land Excursions Full day:

Bosquepiedra & Chonchi – Easy

We leave the hotel heading southwest to Huillinco Lake, where we visit the Bosquepiedra private park which is a 12 hectare plot of land, with evergreen native forest, including canelos, coigues, avellanod and mañio trees. There is also a wide variety of ferns and a lichen garden, where we can view the minature “forests” through a magnifying glass. There is also a geological fault line, which has left the rock strata exposed and where the water has sculpted rounded forms and deep pools. We then head towards Chonchi, a traditional fishing town, one of the most important on the Island. We visit the historic church whose vaulted roof is painted blue, sprinkled with white stars. We walk along the coast road, declared a National Monument for its traditional large wooden houses, which reflect a period of wealth resulting from the growth of forestry. We can visit the local museum of “Chonchina Tradition” which was founded by the villagers to preserve their own history and show how their ancestors lived. We can also discover the traditional accordion music of the

island, in a museum founded by Sergio Colivoro, an avid collector of the instrument and well loved folklorist. Following the coast road we pass by the craft fair where as well as artisan wares, local doughnuts are sold, together with the traditional “golden liquor” of the island.

Muelle de las Almas – Medium

Driving across the island, along the shore of Huillinco Lake with its lush vegetation dominated by large ferns and native trees, we come to the open sea, and wild Pacific coast of the island. Here we hike through low forests, stunted by the wind, until we reach the clis at the edge of the island. Here, a local sculptor has paid homage to the legend of the boatman Tempilcahue and his “Pier of Souls” with a special wooden sculpture.

From the highest point on the cliffs, you can see a colony of sea lions below, as well as a wide variety of ocean birds. On the way back to the hotel in the van, we will stop along the way to visit a Chilote woman, Morelia who is renowned for her fresh empanadas.

Isla Quinchao – Easy

We will drive to Dalcahue, “place of canoes” in the indigenous Williche language. Every week, artisans travel from far away islands to sell woven items, basketry and carved wood at this not-to-be-missed, century-old craft market. We will catch the ferry to Quinchao Island to meet a Chilote farmer, who grows native potatoes and elephant garlic. We will stop at a clearing in the woods to try some farm products. Next, we travel to Curaco de Velez with its colorful, wooden-shingled homes built about 100 years ago. We will lunch in the area before heading to Achao, capital of this island and meeting point for the inhabitants of the smaller surrounding islands.

This is home to the oldest church in the archipelago, a World Heritage Site, built entirely of wood. Depending on the season, we may meet some local artisans. We may also continue toward the end of the island to Quinchao, a tranquil village that once a year receives hundreds of tourists for one of the archipelago’s most important religious festivals. For this reason, its church, built in the midst of the countryside, is Chiloe’s largest (nearly 11,000 square feet). We return to the hotel by van.

Duhatao  – High

This trail, which goes from Duhatao to Chepu, is part of the “Sendero de Chile” a trail which when finished will run the length of the country. We start our hike at sea level in the Bay of Duhatao, climbing up to natural lookout points to view the surrounds and the ocean. When we reach the woods, the sound of the sea retreats and birdsong takes its place, including that of chucaos, hued-hued, fio-fio, rayaditos, cometocinos, and hummingbirds. We lunch at a viewpoint where we can see the mouth of the Chepu river in the distance. We follow the track through the forest until we start the descent, heading down to sea level again, to the islet of Aulen, with its distinctive form. We walk along the beach for about an hour, until we reach the mouth of the river where we take a boat upstream to meet the van which will take us back to the hotel.

Guabil Beach – Easy

We travel by van until we reach Chepu, where we sail down the river until it meets the sea. Here we walk to the south of the river, through native forests and low lying trees blown by the wind until we reach Guabil beach, with its green rolling hills, characteristic of the Pacific coast of the island which fall suddenly into the sea. There is an ancient boat here, stuck in the sand. We return by the same path, sailing up the river through submerged woods. Following lunch, we return to the hotel by van.

Sea Excursions Full day:

Mechuque – Easy

We will travel north by land along the coast between Dalcahue and Quemchi, towards Tenaún, the town of the “three hills” where we can visit the church which is decorated with stars and has three towers, like its namesake.

Time permitting, we may also stop at the Tocoihue Waterfall which is considered a ceremonial place in Chilote mythology.

We will then take our boat, the Williche, towards the Chauques Islands, considered the most beautiful chain of islands in Chiloe, which conserve the essence of the archipelago. We arrive at the charming town of Mechuque, which takes us back to another time, with its traditional houses on stilts, a church, an ancient bridge and a maze of passageways that will take us to a private collection of historic maritime, agricultural and ranching artefacts, which reflect typical Chilote family life. Following lunch there is a choice of activities for the afternoon – kayak through the canals, like the indigenous people did in their dugout canoes, or you might opt to hike up to the Mechuque viewpoint (an easy 1.5 hours) where you can see all the splendor of the Chauques Islands. We will return to the hotel aboard the Williche.

Chelin & Quehui – Easy

We will board our boat the “Williche” and sail towards the southwest, moving away from the Rilán Peninsula to the island of Chelin. Here, we will stroll through rustic streets past traditional homes until we reach the World Heritage Site church that is currently being restored. Here, we can see with our own eyes the work of artisans and architects who seek to preserve the history of this area with its neoclassical style and imitation marble paintings. Next, we will discover the Chilote cemetery that still has niches imitating the traditional wood-shingled homes of the village – a miniature town of the dead, lost in time. After visiting a lookout we walk through a small wood and take the boat over to the island of Quehui. This area’s unique geography allows us to sail to the heart of the island by way of the Pindo Estuary’s calm waters. Here, we can try our hand at kayaking, sail the shoreline in our Zodiac or bicycle on nearby trails to clis with gorgeous views. We can also walk in the picturesque streets of Quehui, which every year received many visitors for the “Ocean Festival”. This traditional

gathering maintains the cuisine, folklore and customs of the archipelago alive. Lunch is taken on board.

Bicycle, horseback riding and Kayak excursions:  

Guests can discover the nearby areas of Pullao, San José and Quilquico by bike, on horseback or in a kayak. Depending on the experience and interests of our guests, the activities can take between 2 and 5 hours, whilst taking in the countryside and daily life of the island.

Chile is the land of contrasts, from verdant vineyards to driest desert, deep fjords and towering glaciated volcanoes.

A narrow but incredibly long, snake-like country, Chile’s unusual geography features more than 5,000km of South Pacific Ocean coast. The country is almost 4,400km long but barely more than 160km at its widest.

It is best divided into general regions, all of which offer spectacular landscapes and identities of their own.

This variety means Chile is the land where almost every activity is possible. Hiking, biking, rafting and kayaking.

Or climbing, cruising, fishing, horse riding, wine tasting.

Or simply eating great food, relaxing and exploring.

Official name: Republic of Chile

Country population: 17,000,000

Capital city: Santiago (6 million)

Largest cities: Santiago, Concepcion, Valparaiso

Languages: Spanish (official)

Official currency: Chilean Peso

Major industries: Copper mining, agriculture, fish

Time zone: GMT-5 in winter (Mar-Sep) and GMT-4 in summer (Sep-Mar)

Good kit is vital for every trip.

Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high performance outdoor gear.

For this trip you will need clothing apt for the different activities you will be taking part in plus clothing for relaxed times.

Feet : Trainers  or comfortable shoes for hotel wear, good walking shoes, boots (worn in), sandals.

Legs: Shorts, Trekking trousers, Waterproofs, Jeans/Casual trousers, Swimming costume, Thick and thin socks.

Body: T shirts, Shirts, Fleece, Light sweater for evenings, Insulated Waterproof jacket.

Head and neck: Broad-brimmed sunhat, Sunglasses with UV filter, warm hat.

Hands: Gloves

Technical kit: Daypack .  Comfortable and with waterproof lining or cover.

Other kit: Wet Wipes/antiseptic hand-wash cream, Sunscreen (factor 40+) and lip salve,

Camera  and plenty of memory, charger, binoculars , Spanish phrasebook, Sunglasses.

Andean Trails has 25 years of experience of putting together the best South America holidays.

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We also offer ATOL (Civil Aviation Authority) protected holidays to give our customers peace of mind when booking and travelling.

When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Andean Trails Ltd you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 6275.

You can read more about ATOL, who is covered and what protections you have if not ATOL-covered, on our ATOL page.

What is ATOL?

The CAA’s ATOL scheme offers protection to your money and your holiday if you book with us. Not everybody is covered (see ‘Who is covered?’ for more), as you must purchase an ‘air package holiday’ with Andean Trails to be protected.

And  ‘air package holiday’ is defined as including a flight and some ground services (hotel, transfer, trek etc). This is also known as an ‘ATOL-protected holiday’.

Who is covered?

To be covered by ATOL, you must book a flight and some ground services with us and be from the UK. If you are from the UK and only book ground services and no flights, you are not covered by ATOL (see below for more on how non-ATOL clients are covered).

If you are outside the UK and buy flights with us, you will be ATOL protected IF any of the flights booked with Andean Trails touches/stops in the UK at any point during your holiday package booked with us.

If you buy your flights elsewhere, please check with that agent if you are ATOL protected. Be careful with online flight purchases and make sure you know what protection you have, if any, before paying for flights.

Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

For land only holidays not involving any air travel, in accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992”, all UK passengers booking with Andean Trails Ltd. are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Andean Trails.

I’m not ATOL covered, what protection do I have?

If you are not ATOL covered, any payments you make to us go to a Trust account.

We can only access this money once your tour has been completed, meaning that if anything happens to Andean Trails Limited while you are on holiday, then your money is secure and you can either complete the trip or be able to make it home.

If you pay for your holiday with a credit card, some offer payment protection – please check with your cardholder.

You also should have cancellation protection written into your insurance (which we recommend you have at the time of booking) in case you need to cancel.