The Best of Patagonia

Overnight flight from the U.S to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Arrive this morning in Buenos Aires and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy an afternoon walking tour including the historical Plaza San Martín with its monuments, the famous Calle Florida with its fine shops, and Calle Arroyo with its art galleries. (3 Nights)

Today continue your exploration of the capital. Highlights include the Plaza de Mayo, the National Cathedral, and Casa Rosada, the famed pink building from which Eva and Juan Domingo Perón addressed the masses. See the Recoleta district, which includes the Recoleta Cemetery, a much-revered resting place of patriarchs, presidents, and the beloved Eva Perón. In the evening enjoy dinner and a tango show.

This morning travel to La Boca neighborhood and the famous Caminito, an area of colorfully painted houses where many artists display their wares. See the bohemian San Telmo, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore this fascinating city on your own.

Fly to El Calafate on the southern shore of Lake Argentino and transfer to the hotel, your base to explore Patagonia’s Glacier National Park. The remainder of the day is to explore the quaint town of Calafate. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant with live music. (3 Nights)

Explore Glaciers National Park, bordering Chile and the Andean crest declared by UNESCO as part of the Natural Heritage of Humanity. View the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier up-close during a boat ride on Lake Argentino. Time is available for those interested in donning crampons and taking an optional mini-trek over the glacier’s surface.

Early morning transfer to Puerto Bandera to board a boat on Lake Argentino to Estancia Cristina, a historical sheep ranch. Marvel at Upsala Glacier, the largest of all the lake’s glaciers and truly spectacular. Upon arrival at Estancia Cristina, you will learn about the geology of the area and the history of this ranch.

Depart Calafate today and ascend the high Patagonian plateau from where you can appreciate the whole Santa Cruz River valley, the Argentine Lake, and the Andes Mountains in the background. After driving through typical Patagonian windswept landscapes, arrive at the Argentina/Chile border at Cancha Carrera pass. Along the way watch for guanaco and other wildlife. (3 Nights)

Known as the crown jewel of Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. Explore the park and look for guanacos, flamingos, condors, foxes, and black-necked swans.

Lakes and lagoons in hues of blue, green, and gray abound. The park is surrounded by impressive mountains that include the famous Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Granite). Hike or ride horses or relax in the park or surrounding wilderness.

In the morning, drive along the Strait of Magellan’s shoreline to a large colony of Magellanic penguins where you can watch the antics of these delightful creatures. Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city located on the Strait of Magellan opposite Tierra del Fuego. Enjoy an exclusive dinner at the Sara Braun house, a mansion-turned-museum. (1 Night)

See the sights of Punta Arenas, including its historic cemetery, on the way to the airport for a flight to Santiago. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. (1 Night)

Today tour the city including the pre-Columbian Museum that chronicles 4,500 years of pre-Columbian civilization in the Americas. You will explore the city’s historical center, including La Moneda, the reconstructed Neoclassical building which housed the executive branch of Chile’s government, and the colonial San Francisco Church. Mark the journey’s end with a farewell lunch at a vineyard in the Maipo Valley just outside of Santiago. Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Arrive in the U.S. and transfer to flights home.

Roaring out of the jungle and hurtling over cliffs between Brazil and Argentina, Iguazú Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world. This extraordinary place offers time to relax and see cataracts surrounded by luxuriant rain forests, exotic birds, (toucans, caracas, and parrots) bromeliads, and butterflies. Walk along the upper and lower trails for close-up views of the many different falls. Exploration from the Brazilian side is thrilling. Take a Zodiac boat to see the falls from the lower river. Fly back to Buenos Aires and overnight there before beginning the main program. (3 Nights)