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DAY 1: ARRIVE SANTIAGO Upon arrival in Santiago, you will be taken to the Ritz Carlton Hotel for three nights. One of South America's most sophisticated cities, Santiago is experiencing a period of dramatic economic prosperity. With soaring skyscrapers and expanding neighborhoods, it is the center of Chilean business and social life. Santiago has almost 6 million inhabitants and the entire country of Chile has just over 15 million, meaning that nearly half of Chile’s residents live in Santiago. With a backdrop of the beautiful snowcapped Andes cordillera, Santiaguinos can hit the ski slopes in under an hour and, in the other direction, the beautiful beaches of the Pacific coast are only an hour and a half’s drive. This afternoon you will begin your private city tour of Santiago. Visit Casa de Cousino to catch a glimpse of the Chile’s colonial past and then visit the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art to examine some indigenous artifacts. Next is La Moneda, the seat of the Chilean government and the location of the famous coup of September 11, 1973, when General Pinochet took power. Make a stop at El Centro with its lively shops, comfortable park benches, street vendors, and the magnificent Cathedral. Finish the tour by taking the cable car up San Cristobal Hill. Atop the hill you will be afforded the magnificent panoramic view of Santiago spread along the base of the Andes. DAY 2: VIÑA DEL MAR & VALPARAISO EXCURSION Today you will enjoy a full day excursion to Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. Travel by car for approximately 1.5 hours to Viña del Mar, one of Chile’s most popular beach destinations. Tour the city’s lovely beaches and resorts. Visit the Fonck Museum, which has an original Moai brought over from Easter Island. In the afternoon you will tour the unique port city of Valparaiso. Valparaiso is Chile’s most historically rich port and it has a style all its own – houses are built on the steep hills that surround the downtown area and look out to sea. Probably the most popular coastal destination in Chile, Valparaiso was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Take a cable car to the top of one of the cerros for a spectacular view of the port and bay area. See the house of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) before returning to Santiago. (B) DAY 3: WINELANDS EXCURSION Today you will travel to the Maipu Canyon for a visit to the fertile Maipo River Valley. Here the excellent soil quality and the stable climatic conditions combine to form an ideal area for wine-producing vineyards. Visit the vineyard of Concha Y Toro, one of Chile’s premiere producers of wine. Take a tour of the grounds to see the vineyards, distilling apparatus, and cellars. Your guide will give you a detailed description of the wine making and bottling processes. Enjoy two wine tastings while you learn how to judge a good wine. Next you will be taken to the Santa Rita winery, another of Chile’s top wine producers, for a lunch during which you will have the opportunity to savor the exquisite Santa Rita wines. Tour the facilities and see the vineyards and the cellars of Santa Rita. Return to Santiago this afternoon. (B,L) DAY 4: SANTIAGO – PUERTO MONTT – PUERTO VARAS This morning you will be transferred to your flight to Puerto Montt. Known as the “lake district,” this region is full of dazzling lakes and grand volcanoes. It is one of the most beautiful regions in the country, where the abundance of rain gives life to a verdant landscape teeming with wildlife. This afternoon you will have a short tour of Puerto Montt before being transferred by road Puerto Varas, where you will continue your touring. After a full day, you will be delivered to the Cabañas del Lago for one night. Spend this evening at leisure. You may wish to try dinner at one of the local restaurants (make sure to have the salmon!). (B) DAY 5: TODOS LOS SANTOS LAKE CROSSING TO PEULLA This morning you will travel by bus (join-in, your guide will accompany you) to a picturesque local group of waterfalls from which you will have an excellent view of the region’s volcanoes – Osorno and Calbuco are the most visible and imposing. Continue by road for about 20 minutes to Petrohue, where you will board the boat for the crossing of the Lago Todos los Santos (All Saints Lake). The boat ride lasts about two hours, during which time you will have close view of the surrounding volcanoes and mountains. Upon arrival in Peulla, you will have lunch at the Peulla Hotel. After lunch, spend the afternoon enjoying the many activities available at Peulla, such as horseback riding, fly fishing, trekking, floating, and canopy. You will spend the night at the Hotel Natura. (B,L,D) DAY 6: PEULLA – BARILOCHE This morning continue by road (join-in, your guide will accompany you) over the Perez Rosales pass to reach Puerto Fria. After passing through Argentine immigration and customs, you will board a launch to cross Lake Frias to Puerto Alegre, where you will continue by bus for a short ride to Puerto Blest. Upon arrival you will again board a launch and cross the beautiful Lake Nahuel Huapi, finally arriving at Puerto Panuelo. Upon arrival you will be transferred to the Llao Llao Hotel, where you will spend the next three nights. The hotel sits in an idyllic, alpine setting located near the Nahuel Huapi and Moreno lakes and surrounded by the Andes cordillera. The hotel was built in 1940 by the renowned architect Ezequiel Bustillo and was renovated in 1993. The Llao Llao is luxurious, welcoming and, best of all, cozy. Spend the evening relaxing at the hotel; we recommend having a glass of wine in the lobby, where each night they have live piano music – the perfect way to wind down after spending all day outdoors. (B) DAY 7: LLAO LLAO RESORT This morning enjoy a scenic tour alongside the Nahuel Huapi Lake visiting Melipal, Playa Bonita, Moreno Lake, the Llao Llao district (which affords a great view of the snow-capped Cerro Tronador), Puerto Pañuelo, Lopez Bay, and Panoramic Point. This afternoon is at leisure to relax at the hotel or enjoy one of the many activities available for guests, including mountain biking, trekking, archery, fly fishing, canoeing and horseback riding. Of course, you may also wish to arrange a massage in the spa. (B) DAY 8: LLAO LLAO RESORT Today you have the option of spending the day at leisure in Llao Llao Resort or taking either of the two private touring options outlined below. (B) Victoria Island Excursion: This morning you will be transferred to Puerto Pañuelo Pier to board a catamaran for a beautiful scenic trip that crosses Nahuel Huapi Lake, arriving at Quetrihue Peninsula. After disembarking, take a short walk to the lovely Arrayanes Woods. A 600-year-old forest filled with tall cinnamon and cream-colored trees that the locals claim provided Walt Disney with the inspiration for the film "Bambi." After returning to the catamaran, continue to Victoria Island (Puerto Anchorena). About half the size of Manhattan, this is the largest island in Nahuel Huapi Lake. Walk along some of the many beautiful paths that cross this island full of virgin forests. Later this afternoon you will return to Puerto Panuelo and be transferred back to your hotel. (B) Mount Tronador Excursion (October – March): Enjoy a full day excursion to Mount Tronador and Los Alerces Cascade. After heading south from Bariloche along the beautiful lakes and rivers of the area you will pass Lake Mascardi and Lake Moscas. At this point, continue by foot until you reach the River Manso. Here you will find the picturesque 2,000-foot waterfall known as Cascada los Alerces. Next, you will return to your vehicle and continue on to view the magnificent Mount Tronador (11,847 feet). Tronador, which means thunderer in English, was named for the thunder-like sound produced by ice falling from the mountain's peak. Finally, visit the ‘Ventisquero Negro’ (The Black Glacier), a fitting way to end such a lovely day of sightseeing. (B) DAY 9: BARILOCHE – IGUAZU FALLS This morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Iguazú Falls. Here you will find the breathtaking cataracts of Iguazú. A brilliant range of waterfalls with a power and beauty unmatched anywhere else in the world, Iguazú Falls is 2.7 kilometers long and is comprised of 275 falls, some over 70 meters high. Visitors quickly discover why UNESCO declared this unforgettable natural wonder a World Heritage Area in 1984. Iguazú Falls are split by Argentina and Brazil, and Paraguay is nearby. Upon arrival you will be transferred to the Iguazú Grand Hotel Resort & Casino for two nights. This afternoon, take a privately guided walking tour along the walking circuits that line the Argentine side of the falls, enjoying the thundering noise and inescapable mist. (B) DAY 10: IGUAZU FALLS Today enjoy a tour of the Brazilian side of the falls.* You will take the path along the canyon that offers a stunning panoramic view of the falls, taking you above and below the waterfalls. This afternoon, join a small group for a cruise that takes you right up to the very base of the falls. Enjoy the falls from very close – the roar of the Parana River crashing into the water below magnifies the intensity of these magnificent waterfalls. Make sure to wear a bathing suit, as it will be impossible to stay dry! Later this afternoon return to your hotel. (B) * Please note that US citizens need a visa to enter Brazil. DAY 11: IGUAZU FALLS – BUENOS AIRES This morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, you will be met and transferred to the Alvear Palace for three nights. Considered by many to be the most cosmopolitan city in South America, Buenos Aires is a city of immigrants. Waves of European immigration throughout the first half of the twentieth century and before have contributed greatly to the city’s rich history and culture. The city has a distinct European flavor that mingles nicely with its Latin heritage. Though Buenos Aires has endured periods of economic hardship, it is quickly returning to its former glory as the center of Latin American sophistication and luxury. Enjoy this morning at leisure to rest after a long flight. This afternoon, begin your private city touring with the Plaza de Mayo, where the city was first founded. Here you’ll see the imposing Pink House, the Cathedral and the Cabildo ( Colonial Town Hall). Next, stop in San Telmo to visit the Plaza Dorrego. Later, visit La Boca to see the brightly colored houses on Caminito Street and then visit Puerto Madero, the newly renovated docklands area that has become very trendy. Visit the beautiful district of Recoleta, where you will stroll along Alvear Avenue, stopping at the Paseo del Pilar to admire the Church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar and the well-known La Recoleta Cemetery. Finally, pass through the parks of Palermo before returning to your hotel. (B) DAY 12: BUENOS AIRES This morning at around 11:30 you will be picked up for a tour of the cultural heritage of Buenos Aires. You will see a selection of the best art collections of the city. First you’ll go to the MNBA, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. After that you’ll visit the new and magnificent museum of Latin American modern and contemporary art (MALBA, Costantini Collection). Afterwards, you’ll visit a private gallery on Arroyo street were you can see the last aesthetic challenges in contemporary art. This evening enjoy a tango show at Rojo Tango, located at the Faena Hotel. The tango originated around 1880 as a vulgar dance performed in the brothels of the lower class neighborhoods. It was a blend of gaucho verse with Spanish and Italian melodies brought by the newly arrived immigrants in the La Boca district. Today it is the most famous and representative music of Buenos Aires, danced in the local milongas (tango salons) as well as in some of the city’s most exclusive restaurants and dance halls. Enjoy a dinner of Argentine beef or tasty salmon with domestic wine. (B,D) DAY 13: ESTANCIA EL ROCIO EXCURSION Today visit the land of the gauchos. Travel by road to Estancia El Rocío (approximately 1.5 hours). Here you will have the opportunity to see the traditional estancias that were the center of Gaucho life – A culture of a bygone era that lives on only in the legends and stories found in the nation’s cultural heritage. The estancia offers many activities to its guests, including horse riding and polo lessons. Polo has become one of Argentina’s most revered sports. Enjoy a traditional Argentine lunch at the estancia. This afternoon return to the city. (B,L) DAY 14: DEPART BUENOS AIRES This morning you will have a guide and driver at your disposal for some flexible touring or some last minute shopping. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight departing Buenos Aires. (B) |