Private Tour at Maturana Wines and VIK winery with Lunch

Chile pours well. This private day trip pairs boutique Maturana Wines with the grand VIK winery, giving you two very different views of Chilean winemaking in one long outing from Santiago. I like the five-wine Maturana tasting with a cheese board, and I like that VIK includes a four-course lunch with wine pairings, rather than treating food as an afterthought.

The main drawback is the length. At about 11 hours, this is a full day on the road, and the $599 price makes the most sense for a private group that values comfort, privacy, and a generous meal. The schedule also has a lot packed into it, so you should be ready for a steady day rather than a slow, lazy winery visit.

Key points at a glance

• Two sharply different wineries: Maturana offers a boutique family story and a focused tasting, while VIK brings architecture, science, luxury, and a much larger setting.
• Five wines at Maturana: The tasting includes one icon wine and four premium wines, served with a gourmet cheese board.
• A four-course VIK lunch: The Pavilion Restaurant menu is presented as a journey through the geography of Chile, with wine pairings and dessert.
• Private transportation from Santiago: Pickup begins at 8:00 am at Le Reve Boutique Hotel, and only your group takes part.
• A long but polished day: The listed duration is about 11 hours and 1 minute, so this suits people who want to see a lot in one outing.
• A small amount of public feedback: The only supplied rating is five stars, with praise for Maturana’s beauty, unusual character, wine quality, and enjoyable tasting.

Why this tour works as a two-winery day

Many winery outings near Santiago focus on one large estate and a standard tasting. This experience takes a more interesting route. Maturana and VIK represent two ends of Chile’s wine world, and the contrast gives the day a clear purpose.

At Maturana Wines, the emphasis is personal and family-led. The Maturana brothers began their wine project in 2010, after the earthquake that affected Chile, with the goal of making distinctive wines while preserving the character of the places where the grapes grow. That approach gives the first stop a human scale.

VIK is a very different proposition. Its Millahue Valley property covers 4,300 hectares, and its identity combines wine, architecture, science, art, and high-end hospitality. You are not simply moving from one tasting room to another. You are comparing a boutique producer with a large, ambitious wine estate.

I like that structure because it helps you understand Chilean wine through contrast. Maturana is about family, origin, and small-scale character. VIK is about design, innovation, and a complete food-and-wine experience.

Leaving Santiago at 8:00 am

The day begins with pickup at Le Reve Boutique Hotel, at Orrego Luco 023 in Santiago. The early start matters because both wineries are outside the city, and the full program takes roughly 11 hours.

A private tour is useful here. You do not need to coordinate with a larger group, and the day can be enjoyed by only your own party. Pickup is offered, and bottled water is included, which is a small but welcome touch on a long outing.

The supplied schedule identifies San Fernando as the first stop, followed by VIK Winery. It also includes a brief Colchagua Valley segment during the return journey. The exact road timing can depend on traffic and the pace of the visits, so I would treat the listed times as a plan rather than a guarantee.

You should allow the whole day. This is not a quick escape from Santiago that leaves you free for dinner downtown. The tour includes lunch, but dinner is not included, so plan a late meal after your return if you usually eat at a regular hour.

Maturana Wines: a boutique beginning in San Fernando

Maturana is the more intimate part of the day. José Ignacio Maturana, his brother Sebastián, and their family started the project in 2010. Their stated aim is to produce exceptional wines that remain connected to the conditions where the grapes are grown.

That family connection gives the visit a different mood from a large luxury estate. You can expect a winery tour followed by a premium tasting, with the wines taking center stage. The program includes five wines in total, made up of one icon wine and four premium selections.

The gourmet cheese board is important because it gives you something to eat before the larger VIK lunch. It also makes the tasting feel more complete. Wine tasting on an empty stomach is rarely a good plan, especially when the day includes several pours and a long drive.

The strongest praise attached to this stop focuses on its beauty, unusual character, good wines, and enjoyable tasting. One guest described the vineyard as a real stamp of Maturana, pointing to a setting that felt personal and worth repeating. That is useful guidance: you should come here for the boutique atmosphere and the sense of a distinctive family project, not for a huge collection of visitor facilities.

The program allots about three hours to Maturana, including the tour and tasting. That is a substantial visit for a smaller winery. If you prefer quick samples and little explanation, the pace may feel slow. If you want time to understand the producer and taste carefully, the length works in your favor.

A practical point: five wines can add up over the course of a day. Take advantage of the private vehicle, sip slowly, and use the water provided. The tour includes alcoholic beverages, but responsible tasting will make the VIK portion more enjoyable.

VIK Winery and the Millahue Valley setting

VIK introduces a much grander scale. The property sits across 4,300 hectares in Chile’s Millahue Valley, a name translated in the program as the place of gold. The winery was designed and built by architect Smiljan Radic, working in collaboration with a wider creative and technical team.

The appeal here goes beyond the bottle. VIK brings together architecture, the surrounding setting, wine production, science, and hospitality. The property has been planned as a complete experience, so you should expect a more polished and design-focused visit than at Maturana.

The program lists the VIK portion in two parts. First comes lunch at the Pavilion Restaurant. Later, at 4:00 pm, you take part in the VIK Experience. The published schedule gives three hours for lunch and five hours for the VIK visit, although the timing may overlap with the broader afternoon program as the day is organized.

That long allocation suggests VIK is not meant to be rushed. You have time to take in the building, the setting, the wine program, and the story behind the property. Exact activities within the VIK Experience are not specified, so I would avoid expecting a particular production demonstration or technical presentation unless the operator confirms it in advance.

The Pavilion Restaurant’s four-course Chilean lunch

Lunch is one of the strongest reasons to consider this tour. The Pavilion Restaurant serves a four-course menu with dessert, paired with VIK wines. The meal is described as a journey through the geography of Chile, which gives it a clear national theme rather than making it a generic winery lunch.

This matters because the meal becomes part of the cultural experience. You are not only tasting wine in isolation. The food pairing gives you a chance to see how Chilean ingredients and regional ideas are presented alongside the estate’s wines.

The menu of the day can change, so the supplied information does not promise specific dishes. That is helpful to know before booking. You can expect four courses and dessert, but you should not book this assuming a particular menu item will be served.

Lunch is included in the $599 price, along with wine pairings. Alcoholic beverages and bottled water are also covered. Tips for the driver and guide are not included, so keep some extra money available for that customary expense.

I see the lunch as a major value factor for a private tour. A premium meal with wine pairings at a high-end winery can account for a meaningful part of the cost, especially when private transport and a full day of guiding are included. The value is less convincing for a solo visitor, but it becomes more reasonable when two or more people share the private-tour price.

The 4:00 pm VIK Experience

At 4:00 pm, the schedule moves into the dedicated VIK Experience. This is the part designed to show why VIK has earned attention beyond its wines. The program places special weight on the property’s architecture, science, innovation, and connection to Millahue Valley.

You should expect this to be the more elaborate of the two winery visits. VIK has room to tell a larger story, with a 4,300-hectare setting and a purpose-built winery. Maturana gives you the close family perspective. VIK gives you the complete modern wine-estate concept.

The five-hour allocation makes this a substantial afternoon segment. That can be a benefit if you enjoy architecture and wine production, but it may test your energy after an early start, a tasting, and a four-course lunch. I would wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and I would not schedule another major activity for the evening.

The tour information does not specify every stop or activity inside the VIK Experience. That means I can confidently recommend it as a broad winery, design, and wine visit, but I cannot promise a particular cellar route, production demonstration, or tasting list beyond the included wine program.

What $599 buys you

The listed price is $599 for the experience, with group discounts available. Since this is a private tour, the value depends heavily on how many people are in your party.

You are paying for:

• Private participation for your group only
• Pickup from Santiago
• A full-day outing lasting about 11 hours
• Tours and wine tastings at two well-known Chilean wineries
• Five wines at Maturana
• A gourmet cheese board
• A four-course lunch with dessert at VIK
• Wine pairings with the VIK meal
• Bottled water and alcoholic beverages

That is a substantial package. I would not compare the price directly with a basic group winery shuttle, because the inclusions and format are different. A cheaper group tour may give you one or two tastings, but it may not include a high-end lunch, private transport, or the freedom to spend the entire day with your own group.

The price is harder to justify if you are alone or if you mainly want a short tasting. It makes more sense for couples, families, or friends who value privacy and want one carefully planned wine day rather than several separate bookings.

Group discounts may improve the calculation, but the exact discount is not provided. Ask for the current rate before booking if your group is larger than two people.

Timing, comfort, and small practical concerns

The advertised start is 8:00 am, and the total duration is about 11 hours and 1 minute. That is enough time for a full day of winery visits, but it also means you should prepare for a long ride and a late return to Santiago.

The tour is listed as suitable for most participants, and it is a private activity. No special mobility details are supplied, so if anyone in your group has specific accessibility needs, ask the operator before paying.

The itinerary includes a puzzling reference to beginning the drive back after a premium tour at Montes, although the experience described here centers on Maturana and VIK. I would confirm the final route and schedule with Ecotours Chile Private Tours before departure, especially if the identity of every stop matters to you.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Within 24 hours, the payment is not refunded, and changes are not accepted. That is fair, but the long private booking makes it wise to check your plans carefully.

Who will enjoy this private wine day

I would recommend this experience to you if you want a special-occasion wine outing with a private vehicle, a serious lunch, and two contrasting winery styles. It is particularly suited to people who enjoy architecture, food pairing, and the story behind a producer as much as the wine itself.

It also works well for a birthday or celebration. The supplied feedback describes a birthday in Chile paired with good wine and a memorable tasting, and the provider’s response congratulated Minerva on the occasion. That detail fits the format: a private day with a large lunch gives a celebration more room than a quick shared tasting.

You may want a different tour if you dislike long days, prefer a casual pace, or want to spend more time in Santiago itself. You should also look elsewhere if your main goal is to taste a very large number of wines. This tour favors quality, setting, food, and privacy over quantity.

Should you book Maturana and VIK?

Book it if you want the polished version of a Chilean wine day: private pickup, a family-run boutique stop, a five-wine tasting, a cheese board, a four-course VIK lunch, and a major afternoon winery experience.

Skip it if $599 is outside your comfort zone, you are traveling alone, or 11 hours feels excessive. For the right group, the private format and included lunch make the price easier to defend. The best reason to choose it is the contrast between Maturana’s personal character and VIK’s ambitious design-led setting. That gives the day more substance than a simple series of tastings.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

Pickup begins at Le Reve Boutique Hotel, Orrego Luco 023, Santiago 7510105, Chile.

What time does pickup begin?

The scheduled start time is 8:00 am.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately 11 hours and 1 minute.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Which wineries are included?

The experience includes Maturana Wines in the San Fernando area and VIK Winery in the Millahue Valley.

How many wines are included at Maturana?

The Maturana visit includes a tasting of five wines: one icon wine and four premium wines.

Is food included?

Yes. Maturana includes a gourmet cheese board, and VIK includes a four-course lunch with dessert.

Are wine pairings included with the VIK lunch?

Yes. The four-course VIK lunch includes pairings with VIK wines.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded or accepted.