Tour Overview
Argentina, the country boasts a wide variety of cultural attractions, but for many travelers, its natural wonders are the primary draw. From the northern deserts to the southern Andean Cordillera, from Iguazú Falls to the magnificent desolation of Patagonia, Argentina's geography is varied and stunning. The elegant capital, Buenos Aires is a fabulous city renowned for its sophistication, although travelers expecting a more 'South American' experience are sometimes disappointed with its European feel. Argentina is one Latin American country where Europeans and North Americans can feel at ease and travel relatively inconspicuously. Chile's distinctive culture has survived the violence and repression of its recent history and is thriving once again thanks to a people noted for their warmth and resilience. Despite having the most European community in South America, indigenous traditions persist in the Andean foothills and in the southern plains, while some of South America's finest national parks draw trekkers and guanaco spotters alike.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01: Buenos Aires, ArgentinaArrive Buenos Aires International Airport. Upon clearing customs and immigration, you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Buenos Aires continues to be a wonderful combination of sleek skyscrapers, ornate friezes and turn-of-the-last-century grandeur - at once ultrachic and tumbledown, up-to-date and firmly planted in the past. Even before the recent financial troubles, there was always a spirit of malaise in B.A., as it is affectionately known locally, which may help explain the devotion to that bittersweet expression of Argentine popular culture, the tango. Performed in the streets, on stages, in cafes, the sorrowful and romantic nature of the dance is integral to the city.
Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires. The Argentine capital, welcomes a new gem to its fashionable Recoleta district. Ideally located on the famed Avenida Alvear, Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires is situated in Buenos Aires' most exclusive and fashionable residential and shopping district.
This afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Buenos Aires. Visit all the major sights including a behind-the-scenes visit to the Teatro Colón Opera House, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Government Palace (Casa Rosada), the colorful La Boca district, the tough port barrio and colorful working class heart of Buenos Aires, and San Telmo, home and birthplace of the sultry tango.
This evening enjoy a superb Tango Show and dinner at the exclusive VIP area of Esquina Carlos Gardel Tango Hall.
Dinner
Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau Day 02: Buenos Aires - Bariloche
Transfer to Buenos Aires Airport for your flight (not included) to Bariloche. Upon arrival to Bariloche, you are met and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.
One of the must-see sights in Argentina is the ski resort of Bariloche. This Andean village looks like it belongs in Switzerland. Located on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, in the midst of Nahuel Huapi National Park, Bariloche is surrounded by dense forests, alpine lakes and 12,000-ft mountains.
Llao Llao Hotel is located within Nahuel Huapi National Park, in Argentine Patagonia. It is situated on a crest of the Llao Llao Peninsula and surrounded by rugged peaks. It is one of the finest hotels in Latin America, both for its magnificent location as its luxurious interiors and refined service.
Breakfast
Llao Llao Hotel Day 03: Bariloche
Enjoy a morning tour of Bariloche, Argentina’s “Little Switzerland,” a region with strong ties to Central Europe. Many local families originally immigrated to this area from Germany, Switzerland and northern Italy.
Sightseeing in Bariloche will take you up into the surrounding mountains for breathtaking views of the Catedral, Lopez and Otto Mountain peaks, descending to Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Moreno. A visit to Cerro Campanario with a chairlift up gives you one of the most spectacular views of the area.
Breakfast
Llao Llao Hotel Day 04: Bariloche - Lake Crossing - Puerto Varas, Chile
Embark on a full-day excursion across the scenic alpine lakes of Frias and Todos Los Santos, to Petrohue.
Without a doubt the "Lake District Crossing" is one of South America's most popular surface crossings. Traverse via a series of (non-exclusive) motor launches and motor coaches through spectacular scenery - snow-capped mountain peaks, gloriously green forests and azul blue lakes.
Your unforgettable ride through the Andes ends with a late afternoon arrival at the small town of Petrohue. You are met and transferred to your hotel in Puerto Varas.
Melià Patagonia Hotel. The elegant, 91-room hotel was designed by architect José Domingo Penha Fiele. Most of the hotel’s rooms provide scenic lake views in one of the most well known tourist areas of the country.
Breakfast, Lunch
Meliá Patagonia Hotel Day 05: Puerto Varas & The Lake District
Enjoy a day of independent exploration in the Lake District, you can choose activities (cost additional) between horse back riding, Rafting on the Petrohué River, Hiking to the Osorno Volcano, or kayaking on the Yanquihue Lake. (We suggest booking your excursion in advance to secure space.)
Breakfast, Lunch
Meliá Patagonia Hotel Day 06: Puerto Varas - Torres del Paine National Park
Morning transfer to Puerto Montt Airport for flight (not included) to Punta Arenas.
Arrive Punta Arenas. Lodge staff will meet you for (non-exclusive) transfer to Torres del Paine National Park (approximately 5.5 hours.)
Torres del Paine National Park is one of South America’s newest nature reserves, created in 1959 (with the last addition of acreage in the early 1970’s.) and declared UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1978.
The wildlife and scenery, both inside and nearby the park, are spectacular. Glaciers creep down mountainsides, breaking off into fjords; waterfalls tumble over short cliffs; huge Patagonian hares scurry across the dry terrain; and pink flamingos flock alongside icy blue lakes dotted with icebergs.
Herds of sheep and guanacos, fields of wildflowers, lush, green forests, fantastic bird life (including rheas and condors) and rapidly flowing rivers round out a spectacular scene.
Arrive at your hotel late afternoon for check-in formalities.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explora Lodge Day 07 - 09: Torres del Paine National Park
Enjoy three full days of guided exploration in Torres de Paine National Park. Choose from the many activities available to you:
Peninsula Lago de Grey hike. Easy. Half-day.hike through mature forests of Lenga. View the magnificent Glaciar de Grey and icebergs next to the beach.
Glaciar de Grey hike. Difficult. Full-day including picnic lunch. Beautiful views of Glaciar de Grey and of Macizo Paine Grande. Icebergs. Walk through forests, rivers and brooks. Great vista-points. Notes: The possibility of crossing by motorboat is always dependent upon the weather.
Las Alturas del Toro hike. Medium. Half-day including snack. Hike through mature Lenga Forests, lagoons, unforgettable view of the enormous Lago del Toro with its deep blue color, emerald waters of Río Paine and golden plains of the valley of Río Serrano. Watch for condors.
Excursion to the North Park. Easy. Full-day including a stop at Laguna Azul, and BBQ lunch. Easy and enjoyable exploration, plus the delicious barbecue. Along the way it is possible to observe a variety of fauna: guanacos, rheas, condors, foxes, ducks, geese, etc. You’ll also have a chance to see the waterfalls of Río Paine.
Mirador de Nordenskjold hike. Easy. Half-day including snack. Great views of the spray and roar of the falls of Salto Grande. Breathtaking view of Valle del Francés, Macizo del Paine Grande, Cuernos del Paine. Close-up views of guanacos and condors. Note: Strong winds.
Mirador del Toro hike. Easy. Half-day including snack. Interesting and complete scientific presentation about the geography, geology, fauna and flora of the park presented by CONAF park rangers. Observation of birds, local fauna and characteristic elements of the regional aquatic flora. View of Lago Toro, Río Serrano and Río Grey flanked by large mountains such as Cerro Ferrier, Cerro Donoso and others.
Las Cornisas hike. Medium. Half-day including snack. During the winter, flocks of guanacos can be found along the path, all along the way there are views of the southeast section of the park, including Lago Pehoé, Lago Nordenskjöld, Cuernos del Paine, Valle del Francés and different lakes. Pass by the nesting areas of the condors, and walk by the Cornisas to Mirador Alto which drops to Quebrada La Feria, remarkable for its small lakes and forests.
Glaciar del Valle del Frances hike. Medium. Full-day including picnic lunch. Valle del Francés is one of the most popular areas of the park, penetrating into the Cordillera del Paine. Marvelous view of the Cuernos del Paine, the Macizo Paine Grande (3,050 m), the Cerro Paine Grande, the Glaciar del Francés, the Lago Nordenskjöld and numerous other lakes and lagoons. Note: The possibility of crossing by motorboat is always dependent on the weather.
Torres del Paine Base hike. Difficult. Full-day including picnic lunch. One of the most complete and challenging explorations that one can do in the park. Hike into habitat for many animals and birds and see lakes of many colors. View of the imposing Almirante Nieto (2,640 m), and Lago Nordenskjöld, Laguna Amarga and Río Paine. Century old Lenga forests, and the best view of the famous Torres del Paine. Note: This exploration demands a high degree of physical effort.
Guarderia Sarmiento to Guarderia Laguna Amarga Archeological hike. Easy. Half-day. The exploration allows wide overview of landscape. Primitive paintings of the Tehuelches, native inhabitants of the region, can be observed on the rock walls. Abundance of guanacos, and the expectation for a visit from the puma. Note: Normally offered before the Quincho barbecue.
Lago Sarmiento hike. Easy. Half-day, including snack. Visit bizarre lime formations on the shore, and, during the winter, you’ll spot guanaco flocks on the way.
Refugio Pehoe horseback riding. Medium. Half-day, including snack. Spectacular view of Macizo del Paine and Lago Pehoé. Notes: The possibility of crossing by motorboat is always dependent on the weather. This exploration requires basic horseback riding experience.
Quincho horseback riding. Medium. Half-day including snack. Spectacular view of Sierra Baguales, Torres del Paine, Río de Las Chinas. Note: Normally offered immediately before or after Quincho barbecue.
Laguna Azul hike. Medium. Half-day including snack. Relaxed contemplation of lenga and ñirre forests, views of the Torres del Paine and Laguna Azul. Notes: Normally offered before or after the Quincho barbecue.
Mirador Donoso horsback riding. Medium. Full-day with lunch or half-day with snack. A varied trail which weaves in and out of Magallanic woodlands and pass the open pampas. Spectacular views of Cerro Donoso through a virgin landscape in one of the least explored areas of the park.
Laguna la Cal-Sarmiento hike. Medium. Full-day including picnic lunch. Initially passing through spectacular native woodlands the trails arrives at Laguna La Cal. Surrounded by hill, and rugged rocks and home to condors (Las Buitreras) this is often a place to experience the Patagonian winds. An abundance of lagoons give way to a wide variety of aquatic birds. Spectacular views of the Cuernos del Paine.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explora Lodge Day 10: Torres del Paine National Park - Santiago
Lodge (non-exclusive) transfer to Punta Arenas Airport for your flight (not included) Santiago. Upon arrival in Santiago you are met and transferred to your hotel for check-in and overnight. Santiago was founded in 1541 by the Spanish, and it shows - in the language, the culture and in the richness of the architecture. Stately old buildings advertise a decaying grandeur that has been rescued by one of the world's fastest growing economies. The focal point of the city is Providencia, cosmopolitan and tree-lined, where the new brings out the beauty of the old. Shops, bars and art galleries contrast with museums and theatres.
The Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Ritz Carlton, Santiago strategically located in the capital's most prestigious and refined neighborhood, El Golf. The 205-room hotel is just 30-minutes from Santiago International Airport and within walking distance to exclusive boutiques and restaurants.
Breakfast
Ritz Carlton Hotel Day 11: Santiago - Departure
Morning tour of Santiago. This comprehensive tour begins with a visit to the neoclassical La Moneda Palace. Also visit the Pre-Columbian Art Museum. After, walk with your guide to the heart of Santiago and to the recently remodeled Plaza de Armas, from here view the Cathedral (finished in 1789) and the buildings housing the Central Post Office and City Hall, both national monuments of colonial vintage. Nearby, housed in an exquisite 19th century wrought iron building, is the Central Market, a colorful conglomeration of seafood, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Enjoy a stop for lunch and end your tour with a visit Blue Stone jewellery store and El Mundo del Vino wine store. This afternoon, you are transferred to Santiago International Airport.
Breakfast
Ritz Carlton Hotel - Day room *Flights are not included in land price.
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