A desert 4200 metres in altitude with hundreds of bubbling, steaming geysers – yet freezing cold at the same time – was just one of the surprises for personal travel manager Anna Bayley, representative for Sandy Bay, on a recent famil to Chile.
Bayley enjoyed a wonderful ten-day itinerary, thanks to partner supplier Natural Focus Safaris. She indulged in Chile’s many historical, cultural and geographical experiences, but the Atacama Desert was a standout.
“I’ve been to deserts before but never anything like the Atacama Desert. It is truly stunning, unique and full of surprises. Who would have thought there would be pink flamingos in the middle of the world’s driest desert, along with volcanoes, geysers, gigantic cacti, salt plains and so much more? It’s a unique environment and a must see for those who love nature and adventure,” said Bayley.
Natural Focus Safaris ensured the group experienced the best that Chile has to offer, exploring the Atacama Desert in the north, Patagonia in the south and Santiago and Valparaiso in the central region.
Bayley enjoyed her visit to the picturesque port city of Valparaíso, an hour from Santiago.
“The oldest part of town has been declared by UNESCO as patrimony of humanity due to its eclectic architecture and urban development. Although historic, it really is quite a groovy place with lots of very bright street art, a hotchpotch of market stalls and activities and I found just people watching provided plenty of entertainment.,” said Bayley.
“Valparaiso is built on 43 hills, which are reached by narrow windy streets, staircases and a series of funiculars, so the views are stunning, particularly from the Pablo Neruda Museum, which is located on one of the hills overlooking the bay.
“I was simply wowed by the wonderful meals we experienced throughout our Chile adventure. The seafood in particular is incredible, wild salmon tastes so fresh and delicious, quite different to the farmed salmon we have in Australia. I can also highly recommend the local drink pisco sour. There are many variations throughout the country, all equally sour and potent!”
Bayley discovered early on that USD currency is not as widely accepted in Chile as she thought.
“I took all my money in USD thinking that was the acceptable currency but it was not the case. My advice now to clients is to have enough USD to pay for their visa on arrival and then exchange their AUD into Chilean Pesos in Santiago. It is this type of personal recommendation that ensures I add real value to my clients experience and what being a personal travel manager is all about.”
She said being able to share her personal famil experiences is proving valuable.
“The Chileans are very friendly people, it is safe to travel around with excellent transport options, it’s affordable and there’s an incredibly diverse range of sights. I am so inspired and being able to relay my passion and my recent personal experiences of Chile to my clients is the best-selling tool I have. I’m now confident to juggle an itinerary, minimise flights and make the most of my client’s time on the ground.“
The group flew LAN Airlines from Sydney direct to Santiago and the airline provided another delight for Bayley.
“My perception of LAN Airlines has definitely changed. I used to think they were quite a tired airline, but this is definitely not the case. They have brand new Dreamliners that operate the Sydney to Santiago route, and paired with their great service it makes for a fantastic option. It was an extremely comfortable and quiet flight on a spacious aircraft with great food and service.”
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