Highlights of Argentine & Chilean Patagonia

Highlights of Argentine & Chilean Patagonia

Highlights of Argentine & Chilean Patagonia

Highlights of Argentine & Chilean Patagonia

Highlights of Argentine & Chilean Patagonia

The best of Patagonia on both sides of the border

Days: 13 | From: $10,590/per person with 4 passengers

  • Includes accommodations at first class hotels and lodges that reflect the best of local culture
  • Includes excursions and tours with superb private guides

Start in the vibrant metropolis of Buenos Aires, then travel south to hike among incredible mountain scenery in El Chalten. Trek the ice on Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina's Glaciares National Park. Then cross over to Torres del Paine National Park before finishing in cosmopolitan Santiago.

Talk to a Vaya Travel Specialist

We tailor itineraries to your dates and interests, adjusting hotels, excursions and length as desired.

5-Star Reviews

We consistently receive 5 star reviews from our discerning clients.

At a Glance

  • Buenos Aires
    2 nights: explore Argentina's bustling capital city
  • El Chalten
    3 nights: hike the land of legendary climbing peaks Fitzroy and Cerro Torre
  • El Calafate
    2 nights: take in the stunning Perito Moreno Glacier, up close
  • Torres del Paine
    4 nights: stay in an exceptional lodge in one of the world's most beautiful parks
  • Santiago
    1 night: spend a day discovering Chile's capital city

All itineraries are fully customizable. We will send you a personalized variation that reflects your interests and travel dates at no extra cost. Call to discuss your travel plans with one of our Specialists who know this region firsthand.

5-Star Reviews

Find out why our discerning travelers consistently rate us with 5-stars.

Sample itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires - city view through window

Arrive to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s colorful capital, where your private guide will take you to your boutique hotel in the fashionable Palermo district. This is one of the best areas of town for walking around, with charming boutiques and top restaurants.

Accommodations: Mine Hotel , 2 nights

This small, modern boutique hotel has an excellent location in the vibrant Palermo SoHo neighborhood, with many cafes and restaurants right outside the front door. The 20-room hotel offers a restaurant and a private green space with a garden and small pool; most rooms overlook this quaint backyard area.

Upgrades available:
Legado Mitico , Alvear Palace , Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt , and others

Day 2: Get to Know Vibrant Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires - National Congress building

Explore Buenos Aires with your private guide, an engaging bilingual local who will take you through the city’s unique neighborhoods and help you get to know this fascinating metropolis. Discover the charms of Palermo, the Recoleta, the Teatro Colon, the Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, and La Boca. With your private guide, you have the flexibility to explore at your own pace and make detours and stops along the way.

After your tour, you are free to spend the rest of the day exploring on your own, trying out the city’s excellent restaurants and taking in a tango show. (We are happy to arrange tango shows and can help you choose the best one based on your interests.)

Accommodations: Mine Hotel , 2 nights

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 3: Head to El Chalten for Extraordinary Mountain Scenery

Fitz Roy Mountain at sunset

Fly south to El Calafate and enjoy a scenic private transfer to El Chalten, located on the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park. This is the home of legendary climbing peaks Fitzroy and Cerro Torre. A visit to this part of Patagonia is a chance to hike and explore in the midst of some of the most extraordinary mountain scenery on earth.

Accommodations: Hotel Destino Sur , 3 nights

Located at the edge of El Chalten less than half a mile from Los Glaciares National Park, the Hotel Destino Sur offers mountain views from every room. The hotel has alpine-style rooms with wood furnishings, and features a restaurant and bar, hot tub and sauna, and a great location convenient to both the town and the hiking trails.

*Includes: Breakfast

Upgrades and alternatives:
Hosteria Senderos , Los Cerros , Aguas Arriba , Hosteria El Pilar , Patagonia Eco Domes

Day 4: Hike Los Glaciares National Park with Your Private Guide

Road leading to Los Glaciares

Hike the peaks with your knowledgeable private guide, a local who will help you get a deeper understanding and appreciation of this remarkable area. There are plenty of hiking options in this area, most notably the strenuous and rewarding hikes to Fitzroy and Cerro Torre. There is also a shorter hike to lovely Lake Capri. You can discuss your preferences with your guide and tailor the day to your interests and preferred activity level.

Accommodations: Hotel Destino Sur , 3 nights

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Time to Hike and Explore More of El Chalten

El Chalten River with Mt. Fitz Roy in the background

Take advantage of another day to hike and discover this spectacular area. Hiking trails are well-marked and easy to follow, so you have the option of self-guided exploration or arranging another day with your private guide.

Accommodations: Hotel Destino Sur , 3 nights

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 6: Transfer to El Calafate, Land of Towering Glaciers

Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina - December, 7th 2004:tourists stand on a hill overlooking the Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia

Transfer south to El Calafate. Enjoy sweeping views of Lake Argentino from your hotel.

Accommodations: Xelena Hotel & Suites , 2 nights

Xelena Hotel and Suites is located on the shore of Lago Argentino in El Calafate. The hotel offers a restaurant, bar and café, heated indoor-outdoor pool overlooking the lake, and spa.

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Upgrades and alternatives:
Estancia Helsingfors , Eolo , El Galpon del Glaciar , Estancia Nibepo Aike , Estancia Cristina

Day 7: Up Close and Personal on Perito Moreno Glacier

Sunset over Perito Moreno Glacier

Enjoy a unique excursion to the iconic Perito Moreno Glacier. You won’t just view the glacier from a distance – you’ll take a catamaran ride to the front of the glacier and do a short hike on the ice itself. (Crampons will be provided; this is a non-technical and non-strenuous walking excursion. We can also arrange more challenging and strenuous treks on the glacier.) Afterward, visit the viewing areas for great views of the glacier before returning to your hotel for the evening.

Accommodations: Xelena Hotel & Suites , 2 nights

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Transfer into Torres del Paine

Guanaco in Torres del Paine

Cross the border into Chile, enjoying the sweeping Patagonian scenery as you journey from El Calafate to your lodge in Torres del Paine National Park.
Torres del Paine is known for its soaring mountains, sparkling blue icebergs, and golden grasslands that are home to unique wildlife such as guanacos and rheas.

Accommodations: Tierra Patagonia , 4 nights

An exceptional option in the area of Torres del Paine National Park, Tierra Patagonia Hotel sits on a bluff where the pampa meets Lake Sarmiento, with views across the lake to the peaks of the Paine Massif from all rooms. The beautifully well-designed building seems to emerge from the hillside and blends harmoniously with the landscape. Patagonian details decorate its three suites, 34 superior rooms and three standard rooms. The hotel has a restaurant and bar, library lounge, spa with heated pool and hot tub, and one of the loveliest views in Torres del Paine.

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Alternative lodging options:
Patagonia Camp , EcoCamp Patagonia , Awasi Patagonia , Explora Patagonia , and others

Day 9 - 11: Explore Torres del Paine National Park

Enjoy guided excursions each day to see the park’s iconic sites, such as the soaring granite towers from which it takes its name. Each day you can choose from active excursions, such as hiking, and more relaxed ones, such as driving tours and scenic walks. The guides at your lodge will discuss the options with you and help you plan a trip that matches your interests.

Accommodations: Tierra Patagonia , 4 nights

*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12: Fly to Santiago

View of Santiago de Chile with Los Andes mountain range in the back

Fly to Santiago, Chile’s metropolitan capital, where your private guide will take you to your boutique hotel in the charming Lastarria neighborhood. Lastarria is a nice area for walking around, with quiet streets, flowering trees, attractive colonial architecture, and a variety of restaurants and boutiques.
There are plenty of things to see and do in the Santiago area, including culinary classes and bicycle tours. There are also options for special interests, such as tours focused on Jewish Heritage, the city’s interesting street art scene, and independent art galleries.

Accommodations: Singular Santiago

The 62 room Singular Santiago is one of the top boutique hotel options in Santiago, elegantly combining the style of early 20th century buildings with neoclassical French architectural influences. Situated in the historic and stylish Lastarria neighborhood, the hotel features a restaurant and a rooftop terrace with swimming pool and bar.

Alternative lodging options:
Casa Bueras Lastarria Boutique , Hotel Magnolia

Day 13: Depart for Home or Your Next Destination

Take a private tour of Santiago, visiting the colonial and modern highlights, including the Plaza de Armas and the La Moneda Presidential Palace. You’ll also spend time in the Central Market, an enormous, active marketplace, and head to the top of San Cristobal Hill for views of the entire city. After your tour, say goodbye to your local guide and head to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.

*Includes: Breakfast

Popular Ways to Customize This Itinerary

  • Add a few extra nights in Santiago or Buenos Aires, or visit the coastal city of Valparaíso. We can arrange a variety of activities, including city tours, wine tours, culinary excursions, visits to historical sites, and active options such as hiking, biking and horseback riding. We can also arrange activities that cater to special interests, such as a Jewish Heritage Tour, architecture tour, visit to the Boca Juniors Stadium, tango class, or wine tours.

  • Take part in a day of polo at an estancia outside Buenos Aires: Spend the morning on a horse learning the basics of this popular equestrian sport, enjoy a traditional lunch, then put your new skills to use in a relaxed polo match in the afternoon. Great for beginners and experienced riders alike!

  • Take a one-night camping trip out of El Chalten to experience the Patagonian mountains in a unique way.

  • Enjoy an extra day or two in El Calafate. There are plenty of great excursions and beautiful places to visit, such as the isolated Estancia Cristina, located next to the spectacular Upsala Glacier and only reachable by boat.

  • Stay a few nights on a vineyard in the Casablanca, San Antonio or Colchagua wine valleys. Tour and taste the wines from small boutique wineries or bike from one to another and enjoy the culinary tastes of Chilean wine country.

  • Spend some time at Estancia Helsingfors, a first class boutique property in Los Glaciares National Park. The estancia has a stunning location and remote feel, and is a great option for those who prefer to explore Patagonia with a higher emphasis on luxury.

  • Explore the glaciers and fjords at the bottom of South America with the possibility of stepping foot on Cape Horn by taking a small ship Patagonia cruise on the Stella Australis or Ventus Australis.

  • Extend your visit with time at Iguazu Falls or Bariloche.

  • Include some downtime for rest and relaxation! Some free time to unwind or have a massage will allow you to feel refreshed and ready for the remainder of your trip. Many of our properties include excellent spas or wellness centers. We can help arrange these services or include properties that offer health & wellness amenities.

  • Contact us to learn about more options for designing and customizing your trip.

Contact us to learn about more options for designing and customizing your trip.
Contact Us +1 (800) 342-1796

This was the trip of a lifetime, we loved every facet of this thoughtfully planned trip. Everywhere we went, our guides were amazing, personable and spoke English wonderfully. Our every request was met, and exceeded.

Diana & Rick Grandoni

The scenery was unbeatable and the connections for a complicated trip were flawless.

Sally Hughes

Fantastic trip. All the arrangements went perfectly. The guides were excellent. Can't think of anything that could have been better.

Maryellen May

Everything was smooth as silk. We were very impressed with the quality of the people who met us and took care of us throughout the trip.

Karen Sugarman

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