Captivating Patagonia with Iguazu Extension

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Santiago. Arrive into Santiago’s International Airport, where a private transfer will be waiting to take you to your hotel for the next 3 nights. This afternoon you have the chance to see Santiago in detail through an afternoon City Tour visiting all the key sites, ending with an optional “Pisco Sour”, Chile’s national drink. Transfer back to your hotel.

Day 2: Santiago. After breakfast you will take a day trip to Chile’s coast, 120 km from Santiago, passing through the Curacavi and Casablanca valleys, the latter known for the production of award winning wines. Then you will continue on to the legislative capitol of the country, the hillside port city of Valparaiso with its winding streets, and then on to the beach resort city of Vina del Mar, visiting its casino and beaches. You will get to enjoy a seafood lunch (price not included in program) before returning to Santiago. Overnight back in Santiago.

Day 3: Santiago. Today you will have a half day tour of 2 of the largest wineries in Chile: Cousino Macul and Concha y Toro. The tour will give you the opportunity to learn about the history of wine making in Chile, as well as that of the families who built these enterprises from the ground up. You will also get to taste just what makes their wines so successful. Tonight you can enjoy an Easter Island themed Dinner Show.

Day 4: Puerto Varas. Private transfer to the airport for your morning flight to the southern city of Puerto Montt. Transfer for the short drive to Puerto Varas, the “City of Roses”, where you will check in your hotel with a view of the lake and volcanoes. You will have an afternoon trip up the Osorno Volcano or a tour around the west side of Lake Llanquihue, Chile’s 2nd largest lake, giving you an insight into the daily lives of the original German immigrants who began settling in this far region during the 1850s. You will visit the lakeside towns of Frutillar with its open-air museum and Puerto Octay on the northern corner of the lake where you will have lunch. Then you will return and have the remainder of the afternoon and evening free in Puerto Varas.

Day 5: Puerto Varas. Today you have several options to choose from, including:
- Full day trip to the island of Chiloe, where you will experience the unique culture and architecture, including the construction of houses over the water known as “palafitos”,
- Full day trip through the Perez Rosales National Park, Petrohue Falls and on to Lake Todos Los Santos, where you will take a catamaran across the lake, with unbeatable views of both the Osorno and Puntiagudo Volcanoes, to Peulla, where you can have lunch (price not included) and optional activities before returning to Puerto Varas.,
- Whitewater rafting (level III) on the Petrohue River,
- Canyoning down some of the many waterfalls in the area,
- Various full day trekking trips among other activities. Overnight in Puerto Varas.

Day 6: Puerto Natales. Transfer to the airport outside Puerto Montt for your flight down to Punta Arenas, where you will have a shared transfer of approximately 3 hours to the port city of Puerto Natales on the Last Hope Sound, and check into your room for the next three nights. You will have the remainder of the afternoon free to recharge your batteries for your next adventure.

Day 7: Puerto Natales. Today you will have a full day in the monumental Torres del Paine National Park, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. You will be immersed in a special micro climate filled with unique flora and fauna, witnessing Patagonian foxes, guanacos (American camels) and huge condors, all amid numerous lakes and at the foot of the immense granite “Torres” and “Cuernos”. Late afternoon transfer back to Puerto Natales.

Day 8: Puerto Natales. This morning you will take a day cruise from Puerto Natales through the Bernardo O’Higgins National Park to visit the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. After approximately 4 hours of navigation, you will have the chance to disembark and hike through native forest to arrive at a lagoon filled with icebergs at the foot of the Serrano Glacier. Optional lunch in the Estancia Perales. Late afternoon transfer to Puerto Natales.

Day 9: El Calafate. After breakfast you will be picked up at your hotel and will have a full day shared transfer across the border into Argentina and then on up through the Pampa to the fast-growing tourist town of El Calafate, your staging point to witness one of the most unforgettable glaciers on the planet. Remainder of the afternoon free to explore the great shops and bookstores.

Day 10: El Calafate. Today you will take a tour for a close-up view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the most active glaciers on the planet, often with sections of ice calving off every few minutes. The almost constant sound of ice cracking and shifting inside the glacier is something you will never forget. You will also be able to take a boat trip to get an even closer view of this Patagonian wonder. Overnight in El Calafate.

Day 11: Buenos Aires. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires, then transfer to your hotel for the next 3 nights. You’ll have the remainder of the afternoon free to enjoy the “Paris of South America” with its quaint neighborhoods and great shopping.

Day 12: Buenos Aires. Today you will take a City Tour of Buenos Aires, visiting the National Congress, the Metropolitan Cathedral, around the Plaza de Mayo, into the neighborhoods of San Telmo, La Boca, Palermo, and ending in upscale Recoleta with its elegant cafés and restaurants. Then tonight we have included a Tango Dinner Show to give you a taste of the real Argentinean culture!

Day 13: Buenos Aires. This morning you will be picked up from your hotel to begin your full-day Fiesta Gaucha at a working estancia outside of Buenos Aires. You will get to see Argentinean cowboys and their herding dogs at work in their natural environment.

Day 14: Iguazu Falls. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Iguazu Falls, where you will be met for your transfer to your hotel for the next two nights. Rest of the afternoon free to walk around and explore the thick, jungle environment.

Day 15: Iguazu Falls. Today you will have a Full Day tour of the immense Iguazu Falls, being able to witness the area's wonder from both the Argentina and Brazil sides, which offer very unique perspectives of this unforgettable destination. Transfer back to your hotel at the end of the day.

Day 16: Buenos Aires / Home. Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Buenos Aires to connect to your international flight home, or wherever else your travels take you. We hope you had a wonderful vacation, and thank you so much for your business!