Inca Lagoon in Andes Mountain Range - Visit Local Vineyard with Tasting included

This was a great opportunity to spend some time outside of the city. Alvaro was a great guide. He explained a lot of the history of Chile along with anecdotes about where we were headed. A little wine tasting at a local vineyard was also enjoyable!

We had a great trip up into the Andes to the spectacular lagoon at the Portillo ski station. Our guide, Alvaro, was very friendly and informative along with his excellent driver, Angelo. We learned a lot about the history of Chile and stopped at one of the war of independence battle sites. Thank you! On the way we stopped for wine tasting at a small vineyard, In Situ, and my only suggestion would be that this would be better on the way back in the afternoon. Wine tasting at 10 a.m. is a bit early for me when it’s followed by a long minibus drive up into the mountains! The Pan American highway was very busy with lorries from all over South America but our driver navigated it expertly. The many hairpin turns are spectacular and not as tight as they look on a map! Lunch in the bar was ok and we stopped on the way back for scenic photos of the mountains and at a llama sanctuary. We were also lucky to see a couple of wild llamas crossing the road on our way down! A long but very pleasurable day and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the magnificent Andes without going too far off the beaten track.

First, I have nothing but good things to say about the hosts. Rodrigo was very informative, and had plenty of interesting things to say on the drive up. (He let us, and his voice, relax on the way back.) There was good communication on the pickup details, and he even shared his realtime location so we could see him coming. With this said, as far as the destinations, your experience will probably vary greatly depending on when you go. We went on a weekend, in winter. Winter meant that at the winery, there were no leaves or grapes on the vines, and no activity either. It was really just a place to stop and sit and have some wine. And as for the destination (Portillo ski lodge), the fact that it was a Sunday and in winter meant that every family in Chile seemed to be up in the mountains with their kids playing in the snow. Cars were parked on the side of the road and it seemed like a mad house. On top of that, this is a major crossing for trucks into Argentina. And it is only one lane each way, with numerous curves. We spent a LOT of time stuck in traffic, and returned far later than expected. I didn't mind. (I slept a lot while waiting to move.) But don't plan anything for that night in case you don't get back in time. If you go at some other time, you might not face the same issues we did. Even with the traffic and winter at the winery, I personally think it was all worth it. The mountains are incredible. They are huge and steep and so close to the road. The Caracoles (switchback portion of the road at the end) is crazy. And the llamas at the rest stop were... llamas. :-) Definitely take motion sickness pills if prone to that.

Alvaro was an awesome guide and highly recommend! This tour gives you so much as you get to enjoy a winery, enjoy being in the Andes, see the Inca Lagoon, visit Portillo lodge, and visit with llamas! Along with visiting these places, Alvaro would provide history and facts of country and cities!

Amazing day. We had booked this tour previously but the road was closed due to snow. The company immediately offered reimbursement or to rebook. We chose to reschedule. Alvarado was our guide and he is WONDERFUL, we cannot express how much he went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable and it truly was. Alvarado is good vibes and very knowledgeable. Angelo our driver was terrific also! Seriously, book now and request Alvaro!

We had an amazing time on this tour! We not only got to drive through the beautiful countryside outside of Chile but we also got to see a great winery for a tasting. The drive up to Portillo was just a beautiful, and we got to truly see the Andes up close. Once at the hotel, I recommend getting lunch on the second floor bar/lounge because it is much less busy than the cafeteria and from there you can get a beautiful view of Inca Lagoon. Alvaro was a great guide with lots of information and was incredibly nice and punctual. We also felt really safe in Angelo’s hands as he drove us around. We would definitely recommend this tour!!

Alvaro was a great guide! We received history of the city as we were driving to the ski resort. I loved the llamas!!!! It was a beautiful trip from ski lodge to vineyard. I definitely want to return to pet more llamas.

This was an excellent tour with an excellent guide Alvaro and driver Angelo. It was well organised and adjusted based on weather conditions.

We had a fantastic exploring the Andes and stoping at sights on the way. The winery was great and seeing the Caricoles was breathtaking. The lagoon itself is beautiful and was worth the wait. Alvaro and Angelo were great hosts, very knowledgeable and friendly, they made us feel part of the group and took an interest in everybody's background. Alvaro showed fantastic energy from 7am right through to 8pm despite facing challenges along the way. The only downside for us was the travel time, which was completely out of their control. With the pass being shut the day before, we experienced heavy traffic to and from the lagoon and spent considerable time in the van. Again, this is out of anyone's control and it didn't dampen the experience, but it was a big travel day.

Highly recommend! Alvaro was an amazing guide. The scenery was beautiful, he was knowledgeable and passionate about everything we did. We ran into some snowy weather, but powered through. Stunning day and would not miss doing this!