Patagonia In Style

Sunday. Bienvenido a Chile! Upon arrival at Santiago airport you will be met and transferred to our start hotel. Santiago is a very clean, modern city, located in a broad valley below the snow-capped Andes. If arriving into Santiago before 10am, join an afternoon walking tour where we visit a few of the many museums, markets and parks of this cosmopolitan capital. The evening is at leisure. For a panoramic view over the city, visit Cerro Santa Lucía, a central park, or head towards the Italian quarter Bellavista for a beer in one of the pavement cafes.

Today is free for you to spend at leisure in Santiago or there is an optional visit to Valapariso, Chile’s second city, where you can wander around the winding streets passing brightly coloured colonial homes or take a wooden funicular to one of the cliff-top communities. There is also an option to visit a local vineyard to sample some delicious Chilean wine.

Santiago - Punta Arenas. This morning we embark on a 4 hour flight to Punta Arenas in southern Patagonia, looking out for the fjords, ice caps, volcanoes and glaciers that can easily been seen from the air on a clear day. After being transferred to our hotel and freshening up we have the rest of the day at leisure to explore the port city. Walk around the promenade walkway along the beach or head to the Plaza de Armas for some of the many bars and restaurants available.

Punta Arenas - Torres del Paine. Our morning begins with a private transfer to the Milodon Cave, which is famous for housing the extremely well-preserved remains of exotic, enormous animals including the ground sloth Mylodon Darwini. We take some time to explore the cave and spectacular scenery of lakes dotted with icebergs and condors soaring above our heads before continuing our journey to Torres del Paine National Park where we check in to one of the best located lodges within the park, which offers incredible views of the towering granite massif from the property. From the lodge we can explore extensively, on foot and by boat, and to enjoy the peace and beauty of this national park, deservedly one of South America's most acclaimed attractions.

On day 5 we include a famous boat trip to see the giant Grey Glacier. We cruise past vivid blue icebergs that crowd Lago Grey as we make our way right up to the face of the Glacier Grey. Marvel at the monumental ice field that extends almost as far as the eye can see, with a cracking, calving wall of azure pinnacles.

Day 6 is at leisure. There are plenty of optional hikes on offer including a hike to Glacier Grey or to the base of the three monumental granite slabs of the Torres (towers) which takes approximately 8 hours return. Alternatively there are more leisurely trails through the forest which lead to other glacial formations or you can take a horse riding trip along the trails.

Torres del Paine - El Calafate (Argentina). We bid farewell to Chile today and make our way north to El Calafate in Argentina. We stop en route at Salto Grande waterfall and Laguna Amarga as we leave the park and then continue our journey across the remote Patagonian steppe and along the shore of Lago Argentino until we reach the town of El Calafate. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to explore this small fast-growing town which is the perfect place to unwind and relax.

Our day begins with an excursion to the most dynamic glacier in the world, the Perito Moreno Glacier. We start by driving through the Los Glaciers National Park, and along the shores of Lago Argentino until we reach Patagonia’s most famous attraction. We then have some free time to walk across one of the many wooden walk ways for the perfect spot to view the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier which is 5km wide and towers 60m above the water surface. Listen out for the unforgettable sound of the glacier calving, with vast wedges of ice cracking and crashing into the lake below, forming icebergs.

There is also an optional mini-trek to walk on the glacier. This 2-hour walk is led by a local guide who will provide the crampons so you can walk on the immense ice sheet to explore the desolate landscape.

Today is free for you to relax or enjoy one of the optional excursions on offer. There is an optional full-day trip to explore ice fields which passes the still waters of Lago Onelli, dotted with icebergs. Other excursions include taking a tour of a local estancia, horse riding or driving to the El Chalten for a view of the Fitzroy range, a mecca for hikers and climbers.

El Calafate - Ushuaia. Our journey continues to the ‘End of the world' today. We take a flight from El Calafate to Ushuaia, located in the southernmost tip of South America. Upon arrival we’re transferred to our hotel to freshen up before take a boat trip along the Beagle Channel, which was named after the ship that carried Charles Darwin as he travelled through these waters. We head out of Ushuaia Bay to explore the other bays of the channel, stopping so we can get a better view of the fauna including sea-lions, cormorants and if we’re lucky an albatross gliding over the water.

Today we visit Tierra del Fuego, Argentina’s first coastal national park, which is a spectacular expanse of wild, forested peaks, pristine blue lakes and vast tundra. We discover some of the park’s most stunning natural sights including Pipo River, Ensenada Bay, Redonda Island, Roca Lake, Verde and Negra Lagoons and Castores Dam. Rich in flora and fauna, the park also offers ample variety of wildlife. Later, we continue our journey to Lapataia Bay to wander along the winding narrow hillside baths, through the bright green beech forests, and along the silvery lakes in hopes of seeing some of the fjords populated by water birds and beavers.

Ushuaia - Buenos Aires. For history enthusiasts, a visit to Harberton Ranch is a must (available November to February). This half-day excursion takes us on a scenic 85km journey through the rugged interior of Tierra del Fuego to the island’s first ranch, established by English missionaries and still operated by their descendants. Lucas Bridge's book "The Uttermost Part of the Earth" vividly recounts the ranch's history and the lives of the now-extinct Yamana and Ona people. Although sheep-rearing is now secondary to tourism, the ranch's picturesque setting remains a highlight.

Please note this excursion is subject to flight schedules from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.

We then fly to the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. Upon arrival we’re transferred to our hotel where we have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to explore this historical city known as the "Paris of South America" due to its lovely green parks, plazas and wide boulevards.

On day 13, we become acquainted with the city on a guided tour, visiting quirky neighbourhoods and artistic markets, where European and Latin American influences have mixed together to create a city like no other. Spend the rest of your time in the capital at leisure. Whether you are a culture lover, bargain hunter or night owl, Argentina's capital city has plenty to keep you busy.

You can opt to travel by motor catamaran across the River Plate border to Colonia in Uruguay (don't forget your passport) where you can wander cobbled streets and admire the squat colonial houses from the top of the lighthouse.

Saturday. Our tour comes to an end today with an included transfer to the airport, or we can arrange post tour accommodation if you wish to extend your stay.