Extensive exploration of Patagonia’s top highlights by both land and first class expedition ship
Days: 12 | From: $10,590/per person with 2 passengers or $10,250/per person with 4 passengers
- Includes accommodations at first class properties that reflect the best of local culture and a first class expedition vessel
- Includes excursions and tours with superb private guides
Start in the cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires before flying to Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost city in the world; take a 5 day cruise through remote Patagonian waters on a first class expedition ship. Search for penguins, guanaco, and other rare Patagonian wildlife, and circle the legendary Cape Horn. Land in Chile and spend three days hiking and exploring in iconic Torres del Paine National Park before finishing in Chile's capital of Santiago. A spectacular and unique journey that is tough to equal.
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We tailor itineraries to your dates and interests, adjusting hotels, excursions and length as desired.
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At a glance
- Buenos Aires
2 nights: explore Argentina's bustling capital city - Ushuaia
1 night: stay in the world's southernmost city - Australis cruise
4 nights: cruise Patagonia on a first class expedition ship with top guides - Torres del Paine
3 nights: visit 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.
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Sample itinerary
Welcome to Buenos Aires
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
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.
*Includes: BreakfastUpgrades available: Legado Mitico, Alvear Palace, Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, and others
Get to Know Vibrant Buenos Aires
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 one of 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).
Tierra del Fuego, the “Land of Fire”
Fly to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. The city is located in Tierra del Fuego, so named by European sailors in the 1500s for their sighting of innumerable bonfires built by the native Yaghan people. Windswept Ushuaia is surrounded by the snowcapped Martial Mountains, and your charming boutique hotel offers views out over the Beagle Channel.
Accommodations: Los Cauquenes
Located on the outskirts of Ushuaia and built of natural wood and stone, Los Cauquenes blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings. The hotel’s 54 guest rooms feature picture windows overlooking the Beagle Channel and the snowcapped peaks of the Andes. Los Cauquenes offers a restaurant and bar, fitness center, indoor/outdoor heated pool, and spa. The hotel sits about 4 miles outside of Ushuaia, on the shore of the Beagle Channel, and is a refined and exceptional option as a base for exploring Tierra del Fuego.
*Includes: Breakfast, LunchAlternative lodging options: Tierra de Leyendas, Alto Andino
Hike Tierra del Fuego National Park / Begin Your Patagonian Cruise
Enjoy a a private visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park with your local guide. Hike the coastal trail along the shoreline, with views of the surrounding mountains, forests, and bays. Your guide will help you make the most of your time: taking you to the best highlight areas of the park, identifying plant and animal life, and explaining the history and culture of the region. The hiking can be as active or relaxed as you like. In the afternoon you can enjoy some time to explore a bit of the city before your Australis expedition cruise begins boarding at 6:00 p.m. The Captain and crew will give a welcome cocktail reception on board, and immediately afterward the ship will depart for one of the remotest parts of the planet, through the Beagle Channel and the Strait of Magellan.
Accommodations: Australis Cruise
Australis Cruises let you sail through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to visit some of the remotest destinations on the planet, several of which are accessible only by boat. The excursions combine spectacular scenery and interesting wildlife with first class service on board.
*Includes: Breakfast, DinnerCape Horn & Wulaia Bay
Sail through Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where you will disembark (weather permitting). The mythical Cape Horn was discovered in 1616, and it is a sheer, 1,394 foot-high rocky promontory. For many years it was an important navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and it is known as the “End of the Earth.” The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in June 2005.
In the afternoon, go ashore at the historic Wulaia Bay, once the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlements. Charles Darwin landed here on January 23rd, 1833, during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. This area is renowned for the beauty of its vegetation and geography. Walk through a Magellanic forest of Lengas, Coihues, Canelos, ferns, and other native vegetation to reach a lookout point.
Pía Glacier & Garibaldi Glacier
Navigate along the main part of the Beagle Channel to reach Pia Fjord, disembarking near the Pia Glacier. Take a short hike to a lookout point with a spectacular view of the entire glacier tongue, stretching from high in the mountains all the way to the sea. In the afternoon you enter Garibaldi fiord on the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, where you will have the choice of a hike through the forest or views of the Garibaldi Glacier from on deck.
Condor Glacier & Aguila Glacier
Early in the morning, sail through the Cockburn Channel and enter Agostini Sound, where you can observe the glaciers that descend from the middle of the Darwin Mountain Range. Disembark at the Águila Glacier for an easy walk around the lagoon at its base. Here you can appreciate the beauty of Patagonia’s cold rainforest and its spectacular landscape. In the afternoon you will approach the Condor Glacier via zodiac, keeping a lookout for the Andean Condors that give the area its name.
Magdalena Island / Disembark at Punta Arenas / Torres del Paine
In the early morning you will arrive to Magdalena Island, home of a large Magellanic Penguin colony. You will be able to observe these penguins during a walk up to the lighthouse which guides ships through the Strait of Magellan. The island’s penguins migrate in April in which case if you are unable to visit them you will make a trip to Marta Island to observe a sea lion colony. Later, you will sail to Punta Arenas for disembarkation and transfer to your hotel set on the beautiful shores of Lake Sarmiento and just outside the Torres del Paine National Park Entrance.
Accommodations: Tierra Patagonia, 3 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: BreakfastAlternative lodging options: Weskar Patagonian Lodge, Singular Patagonia
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.
Fly to Santiago
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. Take a private tour of Santiago on your departure day, or add a trip (day or overnight) to nearby wine country or the historic port city of Valparaíso. Just let us know your interests.
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.
Depart for Home or Your Next Destination
Today you will say goodbye to your local guide and head to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.
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Popular Ways to Customize This Itinerary
Add a few extra nights in Buenos Aires. We can arrange a variety of activities, including city tours, culinary excursions, visits to historical sites, and active options such as hiking, biking, boating, 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!
Extend your visit with some time in the lovely Lake District, Easter Island, or the Atacama desert.
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.
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.
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