Transportation / +Tour Valpariso to Santiago from cruise dock ?

[Calicokat]

We will be on NCL SUN 3/26 - 4/9 cruise Buenos Aires to Valparaiso . We would like to find transportation and short tour of Valpo by van ( 4 pax) to our hotel in Santiago . Does anyone know of a reputable / reliable co. that will provide this service ? We have contacted our hotel and a couple of tripadvisor sources , but they have not yet responded.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Calicokat
Clarity

[ColinIllinois]

I can't help you but you may find some info on the S. America Ports of Call forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=76

[crayola1932]

We had a small group tour (plus Santiago transfer) from RUTA Valparaiso after disembarking from our cruise. They were fine.

 

You might have to recruit one or two more couples from your Roll Call, to keep the cost down.

 

I don't know if the rules allow me to post their URL?

Edited February 28, 2016 by crayola1932
Keep within rules

[crayola1932]

I just studied the guidelines, and I think it's OK for me to post the Web site for the tour operator. People in our roll call organized two different tours with them. Ours was 8 people and included a tour of Valparaiso, of Vino del Mar, a visit to a winery, dropoffs at the airport and at hotels in Santiago. It was an all-day tour.

The other group was more like 12 people, and I think they substituted something else for the winery.

Here is the info:

http://www.rutavalparaiso.cl

 

info@rutavalparaiso.cl

[Calicokat]

Thank you all for advice, I have already contacted Ruta as well as 5 others , so far 3 have responded saying we are fully booked, even though there no other cruise ship in port that day . Hoping for a positive response to our queries soon .

[crayola1932]

Here is something I posted from our Roll Call that you might find useful (Thank you Mdod!!)

 

The bus station is 5 blocks from the cruise terminal and they will store luggage for you for ~2 US$/bag.

 

The town sits both at the bottom of a steep hill and at the top of a mountain. There are funiculars used by the public for their regular business at the top or bottom. The top is very artsy, with colorful buildings, handicraft and shops.

 

San Cristobal hill is an absolute must. Both a funicular and a cable car go to the top from the base of the hill. They do not run on Monday mornings.

 

All museums are also closed on Monday.

 

Santa Lucia hill is also an interesting walk.

 

Visit the museum home of Pablo Neruda and ride a couple of funicular cars, take the easy 10 minute public bus ride to Vina del Mar for walks around beach and casino.

 

Tours 4 Tips http://www.tours4tips.com/en

Meet us at 10am and 3pm every day at Plaza Sotomayor, Valparaiso's main square, just in front of the huge monument. The guides wear red striped T-shirts. Details here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...7#post40716067

It takes about 3-4 hours and includes a ride on an ascensor and walking up and down some steep hills.

 

Free Walking Tour (for tips) was fantastic - about 3 hours and included a couple of rides in funiculars. http://www.freetourvalparaiso.cl/portada.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com.ar/Attrac...an_Region.html

 

Several bus companies, all reputable, leave from the Valparaiso bus terminal to the Pajaritos (metro station) on the outskirts of Santiago.The bus trip takes about 90 min and is ~US$12 pp. Make sure you get a direct bus to Santiago or the time could be double. These are nice touring buses with secure luggage compartments. They tag your luggage and you have to present the stub to get your bags.

 

From the Pajaritos metro station you can transfer to a bus to the airport, take the subway to the city or you can pick up a taxi to go wherever you want.

 

For a detailed description scroll down to post from Too TallFinn24

http://forum.virtualtourist.com/Valp...-Santiago.html

 

 

I found this bus schedule (in spanish)

http://www.buschile.com/recorrido-de...-de-chile.html

Basically they have multiple buses leaving every 15 min during the day but I don't know which are direct.

[cdnsteelman]

Okay so this goes back to 2010 so not sure if he's still in business but there was at that time a guy called Christian the Van Man (Christian Montenegro). He was fully booked when we went but he arranged for his brother to take the two of us on an amazing day starting at 8am and ending at the airport in Santiago at 7pm. He gave us a tour of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, we had a great winery / olive oil tour at Emiliana organic winery, we stopped for a yummy lunch at a place called Los Hornitos de Curacavi and ended with a tour of Santiago. Back then the two of us paid $125 UDS each plus we paid for lunch and the cost of the wine and olive oil tasting. His email address is...

 

christianroymx AT hotmail DOT com

[Calicokat]

I found all of your responses very helpful. We did get quote from Ruta @ 150 ea. - for tour of Valpo, vina del Mar , lunch and vineyard and then on to our Santiago hotel.

$600 for the four of us. Seems a bit high for just about 5 hrs. But according to cdnsteelman I'm just a bit over 2010 prices of 125 ea. !!

 

Thanks Crayola for the sightseeing tips !

[sjbdtz]

I found all of your responses very helpful. We did get quote from Ruta @ 150 ea. - for tour of Valpo, vina del Mar , lunch and vineyard and then on to our Santiago hotel.

$600 for the four of us. Seems a bit high for just about 5 hrs. But according to cdnsteelman I'm just a bit over 2010 prices of 125 ea. !!

 

Thanks Crayola for the sightseeing tips !

 

 

That sounds right. We're doing the reverse - Santiago to VdM, to winery for lunch/wine, Valpo tour then drop at hotel...8 hours for $150 each (2 of us in the car).

 

 

 

Stephen

 

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