Private Full Day Tour of Viñas Tarapacá and Santa Ema Isla de Maipo

Wine country feels close to Santiago. This private day tour pairs Viña Tarapacá and Santa Ema with a relaxed stop for lunch in Isla de Maipo, giving you two different winery visits in one outing. I like the private transportation and the personal feel, and I also like that both tastings include several wines rather than a single sample. The main catch is simple: lunch is not included, and the $180 price per person is a serious spend.

The schedule lasts about six to seven hours, with roughly two hours at each vineyard or restaurant stop. I would choose this tour if you want a smooth, private day with no large group, but I would compare the cost carefully if you mainly want wine tasting and do not need private service.

Key points at a glance

• Two established Isla de Maipo wineries: Visit Viña Tarapacá and Viña Santa Ema, with tours and guided tastings at both.
• Four wines at each vineyard: Tarapacá includes Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere, Cabernet, and an organic Gran Reserva wine. Santa Ema offers wines from its Select Terroir, Reserva, Gran Reserva, and Amplus lines.
• Lunch at Zinfandel: The restaurant sits at Viña TerraMater, but you pay for your own meal.
• Private transportation: Only your group participates, which makes the day more flexible and comfortable than a shared coach outing.
• Strong service record: The available feedback praises punctuality, organization, transport, friendly service, and personalized attention.
• Plan around the timing: The advertised duration is six to seven hours, but winery visits and the lunch stop each take about two hours.

Why This Private Santiago Wine Tour Works

I like the shape of this day. You do not spend the whole outing at one winery, and you are not rushed through a string of tiny tastings. Instead, you visit two major producers, pause for lunch, and get time to see how wine moves from vineyard to bottle.

The private format matters here. Wine tours can feel awkward when a large group is waiting for one late person or when everyone is pushed through the same schedule. With only your own party, you get private transportation and a more personal arrangement. The company describes its service as customized, and the feedback points to punctual pickups, good organization, and a friendly guide and owner.

The price is $180 per person. That is not a budget wine excursion, especially since lunch comes separately. Still, the cost includes private transport and wine tastings at both Viña Tarapacá and Viña Santa Ema. If you are traveling as a couple or small group and value comfort, privacy, and a full-day outing, the price can make sense. If you simply want the least expensive route to a tasting room, it probably will not.

The experience is offered for around six to seven hours. Each main stop is planned for about two hours, so you should expect a full half-day rather than a quick afternoon sampler. The listed operating schedule runs Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM during the stated booking period, so check the available departure time when you reserve.

Entering Viña Tarapacá Through the Casona

The first stop begins at the winery’s emblematic Casona. That gives the visit a clear sense of arrival rather than sending you straight to a tasting counter. From there, you take a guided walk through the park and along a trail featuring native species.

This part is useful because it connects the wine to its setting. You learn about Viña Tarapacá, its soils, and the surrounding plant life before tasting the bottles. I prefer that order. A little context makes the wine easier to understand, especially when the visit discusses how land and growing conditions shape the finished drink.

The first tasting includes four Gran Reserva Tarapacá wines:

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Carmenere
• Cabernet
• Tarapacá Organic wine

That lineup gives you a broad spread of styles. The Sauvignon Blanc offers a white wine comparison, while Carmenere and Cabernet bring two familiar red varieties into the tasting. The organic wine adds another point of comparison, though the supplied details do not identify its grape variety.

You should allow the full two hours for this stop. The walk, the winery explanation, and the tasting are all part of the experience. If you only want a drink and a quick photo, this may feel long. If you want to understand the production setting before tasting, the pace should suit you.

The grounds and views receive especially warm praise in the available feedback. I would keep your phone ready, but do not let photographs crowd out the guided walk. The native-species trail is one of the more distinctive details of the day, and it gives the first winery visit more substance than a simple indoor tasting.

Lunch at Zinfandel in Viña TerraMater

After Tarapacá, the tour continues to Viña TerraMater for lunch at Zinfandel. The restaurant is described as one of the better dining choices in Isla de Maipo, and the service and food receive particularly positive comments.

This is not a wine tasting stop with a small plate included. It is a proper meal break, and you should budget for it separately. The company makes the reservation, which removes one practical chore, but you remain responsible for the bill.

The two-hour allocation gives you time to eat without turning lunch into a rushed pause between wineries. That matters after a morning tasting. You can sit down, order at your own pace, and reset before the second winery.

I like the idea of having the restaurant located at another vineyard. You stay within the wine region rather than losing time on an unrelated restaurant transfer. At the same time, you should ask about the expected lunch timing and menu costs when booking if you are watching your budget. The tour price does not cover food.

The restaurant stop also helps balance the day. Two tastings back to back could feel repetitive, particularly if you are not deeply interested in wine production. A meal at Zinfandel breaks up the visits and gives you a chance to enjoy the local setting without another formal presentation.

Touring the Vineyards at Viña Santa Ema

The final stop is Viña Santa Ema, where the focus shifts toward vineyard management and winery operations. You begin with a tour of the vineyards and learn how the vines are managed.

The visit then moves into the winery. A notable detail is the chance to look down into the stainless steel vat room from above. That viewpoint lets you see the scale and structure of the production area rather than only hearing about fermentation in abstract terms.

I like this stop as a counterpoint to Tarapacá. The first visit puts more attention on the park, native plant trail, soil, and the winery’s story. Santa Ema adds vineyard care, cellar equipment, and production. Together, they give you a wider picture of wine making in Isla de Maipo.

The visit ends with a guided tasting of four wines from the Select Terroir, Reserva, Gran Reserva, and Amplus lines. A cheese board accompanies the tasting. That pairing is a welcome practical touch, especially at the end of a long day of sampling.

The listing does not specify the exact four bottles poured from those lines, so do not book this expecting a guaranteed set of named wines beyond the stated categories. The important point is that the tasting covers four wines and includes food alongside them.

As with Tarapacá, the planned time is about two hours. You get enough time for the vineyard walk, winery visit, explanation of the vat room, tasting, and cheese board. Wear something suitable for walking through vineyard grounds, though the information provided does not give a required dress code.

What the Private Vehicle Adds

Private transportation is included, and only your group takes part. For a wine day, that is a real benefit. You do not need to arrange separate transport between Santiago and Isla de Maipo, and nobody outside your party sets the rhythm.

The service is also described as punctual and well organized. That is important when the day includes three scheduled stops. A late start can cut into the vineyard walks or make lunch feel hurried. The strong feedback about timing suggests that this operator takes the schedule seriously.

The information does not give a specific vehicle model, pickup address, or transfer time from central Santiago. You should confirm those details before the day begins. Pickup is offered, but the precise pickup arrangement is not fully spelled out in the supplied details.

The private setup suits several kinds of visitors:

• Couples looking for a quieter wine day
• Families or friends who want to stay together
• First-time visitors to Santiago who prefer an arranged outing
• Wine drinkers who want both vineyard scenery and production details
• People who value punctual service and do not want a shared group

It may be less suitable if you prefer to set your own route, linger for hours at one winery, or keep spending low. The schedule is organized around three two-hour stops, so you get variety but not unlimited flexibility.

Is $180 Per Person Good Value?

At $180 per person, this is a premium day trip. The right question is not simply whether the number is high. Ask what you would otherwise need to arrange yourself.

Your price covers private transportation, the Tarapacá tour and tasting, and the Santa Ema tour and tasting. At Tarapacá, you receive four Gran Reserva wines. At Santa Ema, you receive four wines and a cheese board. The company also handles the lunch reservation at Zinfandel.

Lunch is the main extra cost. You should plan for the meal in addition to the advertised tour price. If you select dishes and drinks freely, the total day cost can climb well above $180 per person.

I see the value in this tour when the private format matters to you. A couple celebrating a special trip, a small group that wants door-to-door transport, or anyone who dislikes large bus tours may find the added cost worthwhile. The positive feedback focuses on excellent treatment, personalized service, punctuality, and a comfortable transport experience, which are exactly the features that justify a premium.

If you are traveling alone or mainly want to sample Chilean wine, the price may feel harder to defend. You are paying for the private structure as much as for the wine. That is not a flaw, but you should know what you are buying.

Practical Details Before You Reserve

Confirmation is provided when you book. Pickup is offered, and the experience uses a mobile ticket. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate according to the supplied information.

The tour is listed for Tuesday through Friday during the stated operating period. The published hours are 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM, but that does not mean every departure runs for the entire window. Confirm your pickup time and meeting details directly before the day.

Good weather is required. If poor weather forces a cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. The tour also requires a minimum number of participants. If that minimum is not met, the company offers a different date or experience, or a full refund.

The cancellation terms are straightforward. Cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.

Because the day includes outdoor walks at both wineries, check the forecast and dress for changing conditions. The supplied details do not promise a specific departure time, menu, vehicle type, or exact pickup zone, so those are the points I would confirm before paying.

How the Day Compares With a Basic Winery Visit

A basic winery visit usually centers on one property and one tasting. This outing gives you two wineries with different presentations, plus lunch at a third vineyard property.

That variety is the strongest reason to choose it. At Tarapacá, you get native species, soil information, a park walk, and four Gran Reserva wines. At Santa Ema, you get vineyard management, a view into the stainless steel vat room, four wines, and cheese. You are not simply repeating the same tasting-room routine.

The trade-off is time. Six to seven hours is a meaningful block of your Santiago itinerary. You also need to account for lunch and the cost of a premium private service. If you have only a short stay in Santiago, think carefully about how much of your schedule you want to devote to Isla de Maipo.

The available feedback is uniformly positive, with the tour receiving a top rating from three pieces of feedback. The praise centers on beautiful vineyards and scenery, excellent organization, punctuality, personalized service, and good food at the restaurant. That is a small sample, so I would treat it as encouraging rather than a guarantee. Still, the praise lines up with the tour’s main selling points.

Should You Book This Isla de Maipo Wine Tour?

I would book this experience if you want a private, organized wine day with two substantial winery visits, included tastings, and a reserved lunch stop. It is especially appealing for couples and small groups who want personal service and reliable transportation from Santiago.

I would hesitate if your main goal is a low-cost tasting or if you want to decide your schedule as you go. Remember that lunch is extra, the day needs good weather, and the total time is about six to seven hours.

The best reason to choose it is the combination of Tarapacá and Santa Ema. You get native plant trails and soil context at one winery, then vineyard management and a stainless steel vat-room view at the other. Add the cheese board, the Zinfandel meal stop, and private transport, and the day offers a rounded introduction to Isla de Maipo wine country.

FAQ

How long does the private wine tour last?

The experience lasts approximately six to seven hours.

Which wineries are included?

The tour visits Viña Tarapacá and Viña Santa Ema.

Is lunch included in the price?

No. Lunch is not included, but the company makes a reservation at Zinfandel restaurant at Viña TerraMater.

How many wines are tasted at Viña Tarapacá?

You taste four wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere, Cabernet, and Tarapacá Organic wine.

How many wines are tasted at Viña Santa Ema?

The Santa Ema tasting includes four wines from the Select Terroir, Reserva, Gran Reserva, and Amplus lines.

Is food included with the Santa Ema tasting?

Yes. The Santa Ema tasting is accompanied by a cheese board.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Private transportation is included, and pickup is offered.

Is this a shared group tour?

No. It is a private activity, so only your group participates.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.