South American Glaciers, Forests, Lakes, and Cruise from $4,699

Uncategorized > South American Glaciers, Forests, Lakes, and Cruise from $4,699

Day 1: Arrive Buenos Aires
Arrive in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires; transfer to your hotel. The city’s beauty is apparent as you drive through this 19th century “Paris of South America” with its elegant architecture, wide tree-shaded boulevards, striking monuments and sprawling parks. The rest of the day is yours to get acquainted with this city that has a distinct European flavor. Tonight, enjoy a festive Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers and Tour Manager at a local restaurant to celebrate your arrival in Argentina.
Stay 2 Nights:The Brick Hotel Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires

Day 2: Buenos Aires
Discover the city’s highlights on a tour that includes the Plaza de Mayo, Metropolitan Cathedral and Casa Rosada (government palace); see the balcony where Eva and Juan Peron made their speeches. Then, to the colorful La Boca neighborhood, a working class barrio, and the old quarters of San Telmo and Caminito, a mix of colonial style homes, narrow lanes, artists’ lofts and very trendy cafes. Explore some of Buenos Aires neighborhoods. Enjoy tango lesson with professional Argentinean Tango Dancers. The evening is at leisure to discover the vibrant nightlife, or, join the group for an optional Argentinean Dinner and Tango Show at famed Café de los Angelito.

Day 3: Buenos Aires to El Calafate
Depart sophisticated Buenos Aires this morning to contrasting El Calafate, a small city strategically nestled on the shores of Lago Argentino, named for the berry that, once eaten, guarantees your return to Patagonia. Upon arrival, a short walking tour of this once-quaint city, gateway to Los Glaciares National Park and the great Perito Moreno glacier. Time on your own to explore this ever-growing city, dotted with shops, restaurants and cute cafes that perfectly combine leisure and adventure.
Stay 2 nights: Kosten Aike Hotel, El Calafate

Day 4:Perito Moreno Glacier
An unforgettable day filled with astonishing scenery as we travel to the Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciares National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This park, created in 1937, is the largest ice cap outside of Antarctica and Greenland with an ice field that controls the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water. We’ll observe the glacier’s massive ice wall, almost 3 miles wide and over 240 feet high above the lake’s surface, from a cliffside promenade that overlooks the constantly shifting ice. The easy access to this site has crowned Perito Moreno as one of the most visited glaciers in the world. Return to El Calafate.

Day 5: Torres Del Paine National Park
Travel from El Calafate to Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile with its soaring granite pillars above the Patagonia steppe, dominating the landscape of what may be South America’s finest national park and surely one of the most impressive sights in the Southern Hemisphere. The main attractions of this National Park is its world-famous mountains and glaciers, as seen on hundreds of photos of Chile. Pass through customs and spend the afternoon exploring Salto Grande and Cascada del Paine. Stand in awe at this unparalleled landscape with its jagged peaks, azure lakes, emerald forests, thundering waterfalls, roaring rivers and huge ice-blue glaciers. Get settled into your hotel and the rest of the day is yours to prepare for tomorrow’s fabulous adventure. Tonight, dinner together at the hotel.
Stay 2 nights: Hotel Rio Serrano, Torres del Paine

Day 6: Torres Del Paine
Be prepared for magnificent panoramas as you travel into breathtaking Torres Del Paine National Park, one of the most unspoiled and beautiful nature preserves on Earth. The first experience of the day takes you on a short hike to Lago Grey Beach and Grey Glacier. This guided walk takes you across hanging bridges into the dark Patagonian forest before arriving to Lago Grey beach. View the electric blue icebergs that have broken off of Glacier Grey, from here observe Grey Glacier in the distance, an enormous, over three mile wide wall of ice. After lunch at a lovely local restaurant, we continue to Laguna Amarga and Sarmiento Lake where you’re sure to see some of the park’s permanent residents.

Day 7: Puerto Natales
This morning depart for Lago del Toro and observe the Paine and Serrano River deltas, also visit the Torres del Paine Interpretative Center. Stop for a short hike before a scenic drive from Torres Del Paine to Puerto Natales. On the way, you stop to enjoy a seafood lunch at Cormoran de las Rocas, with its ship-like dining room. Arrive in Puerto Natales, the geographical and cultural center of Chilean Patagonia, now a thriving adventure-sports center. View the old-fashioned corrugated tin houses strung shoulder to shoulder in the colorful downtown, a relic from the past. Stroll the channel’s coastal road in the late afternoon to see the black-necked swans and the spectacular brilliant red sunset. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for dinner at the hotel.
Stay: CostAustralis Hotel, Puerto Natales

Day 8: Patagonia Cruise
Travel to Punta Arenas, a sprawling metropolis on the edge of the Strait of Magellan for embarkation on the expedition cruise to Patagonia on the M/V Stella Australis. You’ll be welcomed on board by the friendly crew with time to get ready for tonight’s Welcome Cocktail Party and Dinner. Afterwards, the ship sets sail and begin a great adventure. The journey will take you through the Strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel to explore one of the most breathtaking wilderness regions in the world: Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.
Stay 4 nights: Patagonia Cruise

Day 9: Sail to Ainsworth Bay and Tuckers Islets
At dawn, the ship navigates through the Almirantazgo Sound, arriving at Ainsworth Bay within Alberto De Agostini National Park. This is the perfect spot from which to see the Marinelli Glacier descending from the Darwin Mountain Range in the distance, and appreciate how the land returns to life after glacial retreat. Here, you will walk to a beaver dam in the stunning sub-polar Magellan Forest. Whether on the beach or the island, there’s a good chance of sighting Southern Elephant Seals. (Please bear in mind that sightings cannot be guaranteed due to the colony’s unpredictable movements.) Later, sail to Tuckers Islets, and after lunch, board well-equipped Zodiac boats to get close to a colony of Magellan Penguins.

Day 10: Pia Glacier and the Beagle Channel
You will navigate along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel before disembarking at Pia Fjord. From there, a short hike takes you to a panoramic viewpoint from where you can enjoy spectacular views of Pia Glacier. After this extraordinary experience, continue your voyage along the Beagle Channel through the majestic Glacier Alley.

Day 11: Wulaia Bay and Cape Horn
Arrive ashore this morning at historic Wulaia Bay, originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yamana aboriginal settlements. Charles Darwin landed here in 1833 during his famous voyage on the HMS Beagle; this area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. Take a walk through the enchanting Magellan Forest to reach a panoramic viewpoint. In the afternoon, the ship sails through the Murray Channel and Nassau Bay to reach Cape Horn National Park, where (weather permitting) you go ashore. At tonight’s dinner, say thanks to the crew on the M/V Stella Australis.

Day 12: Disembarkation in Buenos Aires
Disembarkation this morning in Ushuaia, and transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. On our last night in Argentina, share memories of your fabulous journey through Patagonia and bid goodbye to your Tour Manager and new-found friends at a Farewell Dinner.
Stay: The Brick Hotel Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires

Day 13: Tour Ends
After breakfats, transfer to the airport for your ongoing flight.