The second half of the trip is centered on Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley. The fertile region is known not only for its wines, but also for picturesque lakes, rivers, and beaches. You'll stay two nights at the Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza across from the town's main square. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily are included at the hotel.

The trip continues with guided visits to the nearby Colchagua Museum and tours of two wineries along the Colchagua Wine Route, where you can stroll in the vineyards and taste the local wine. While at the Santa Cruz Winery, you'll also see exhibits of Aymara, Easter Island, and Mapuche art, and take a cable car to nearby indigenous villages. The scenery viewed from the cable car is an attraction in its own right, so be sure to have your camera handy.

Santiago skyline (Bertrand Gardel/Hemis/Corbis) [enlarge photo]

A driver will pick you up at your hotel in Santa Cruz to take you back to Santiago to catch your U.S.-bound flight. Not ready to leave? You can extend your stay at Hotel Galerias in Santiago from $73 per person per night and at Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza from $105 per person per night.

Before you go, visit Chile's official tourism website.

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• Trip Coach Transcript: Chile Advice

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