DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Buenos Aires

You will be met at Buenos Aires Airport and transferred to your hotel in this exciting city, situated on the estuary of the Río de la Plata - the 'River of Silver'.

Check in and relax in this capital of Argentina, known for its wonderful architecture, tango dancing and rich culture, including the highest concentration of theatres in the world.

Day 2: City Tour & Tango Show

This morning enjoy a half day shared coach tour of Buenos Aires - a cosmopolitan city that has been influenced by the many immigrants who helped form it and offering beautiful architecture, history and culture.

Your tour starts at the Plaza de Mayo, the historical, political and cultural centre of the city. Here you can see the Pink House (Presidential Palace), the Pyramid de Mayo and Metropolitan Cathedral. We continue down Avenida de Mayo, with its wide avenues and spacious green areas, past the Obelisk to the neighbourhood of San Telmo, one of the oldest in the city with cobbled streets and colonial houses. Every Sunday an antiques fair takes place here around the Plaza Dorrego. The vibrant area is the centre for most of the tango parlours, restaurants and bars of the city.

Going further south, we visit the Italian port neighbourhood of La Boca, with its colourful houses in Caminito Street and many 'cantinas' (small restaurants). Also the trendy modern neighbourhood of Puerto Madero, where the old piers have been converted into upmarket offices, apartments and restaurants with views of the Rio de la Plata. We visit the residential neighbourhood of Palermo with its elegant mansions surrounded by spacious parks, before arriving in glamorous Recoleta, where there is the option to visit the famous cemetery where Eva Peron is buried, with its rich architecture (pay locally). Next to the cemetery is the church of Our Lady of Pilar, the Recoleta Cultural Centre (originally a convent) and the Palais de Glace exhibition centre.

In the evening you will be collected for a Tango Show. Born in the brothels of the city amongst a racial mix of Gauchos, Italian, Spanish and African immigrants, this dance and its music originated as a combination of Cuban and Spanish rhythms, with some polka and African beat. Enjoy the show and dinner, including mouth-watering Argentinian beef and Malbec wine.

Note: Shared day tours have a maximum of 25 people.

Day 3: Free Day

At leisure to explore the city of Buenos Aires independently.

Alternatively enjoy a full day optional excursion to Santa Susana Ranch to admire the skills of the Argentinian gauchos (cowboys) who live in these fertile pampas grasslands about 2-hours from the city. With a distinctive culture that combines their European and Native American heritages, gauchos play an important role in regional cultural tradition - including folk songs, dancing and equestrian shows of traditional gaucho skills, such as ring races, 'cuadreras' (horse races) and 'entrevero de tropillas' (horse games).

Note: The ranch is closed on Mondays.

Day 4: Fly to Ushuaia

Transfer to Aeroparque Airport for your flight to Ushuaia, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Surrounded by the spectacular mountains and fjords of Patagonia, this southernmost city in the world is located on the shores of the Beagle Channel, at the southern tip of the island of Tierra del Fuego (or 'Land of Fire').

Regarded  by Argentinians as the true capital of the Malvinas (the Falkland Islands), here you can visit the memorial to their citizens who lost their lives fighting in the Falklands War.

Day 5: Embark on Expedition Cruise

Morning is at leisure to explore Ushuaia or enjoy an optional catamaran ride to Bird and Sea Lion Islands.

In the afternoon you will be transferred to the cruise office for check in. Board your Patagonia Expedition Cruise at 18:00 and after a welcoming cocktail reception hosted by the captain, we set out across the Beagle Channel to one of the remotest parts of the planet - the breathtaking wilderness that is southern Patagonia, which includes the islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

As the lights of Ushuaia disappear, we sail into the narrow Murray Channel between Navarino and Hoste islands. Passport checks will be required, as we enter Chilean waters soon after leaving port.

Note: You need to be relatively fit to enjoy a Patagonia expedition cruise, as you will be embarking and disembarking by inflatable zodiac, accessed by steep gangway. All sightseeing with a naturalist guide, marine fees and medical care aboard the boat are included, but not the cost of medicines. Children < 12 years are not allowed on an expedition cruise.

Please pack suitably for your Expedition Cruise - including waterproof jacket & waterproof trousers (these are essential, as you will be sitting on the inflated sides of open panga boats), warm hat, scarf, gloves, good walking shoes & socks. Dress in layers & don’t forget your binoculars, sunglasses & sunscreen.

Day 6: Cape Horn

At dawn we sail across Nassau Bay to the remote archipelago that includes Cape Horn National Park.

Weather and sea conditions permitting, we go ashore on the windswept island of Cape Horn. Discovered in 1616 by a Dutch maritime expedition and named after the town of Hoorn in West Friesland, this sheer 1,394 ft (425 m) high rocky promontory overlooks the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage. For many years this was the only navigation route between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans - referred to as the 'End of the Earth' - and today it is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The Chilean navy maintains a permanent lighthouse on the island, staffed by a lighthouse keeper and his family. There is also the tiny Stella Maris Chapel and Cape Horn monument.

Sailing back across Nassau Bay, we drop anchor at beautiful Wulaia Bay, one of the few places in the archipelago where the human history is just as compelling as the natural environment. Originally the site of one of the region’s largest Yámana aboriginal settlements, it was described by Charles Darwin and sketched by Captain FitzRoy, who landed here in 1833 during their voyages on the HMS Beagle.

There is a choice of three hikes here of varying difficulty, walking through the heavily wooded Magellan forest of lengas, coigües, canelos, ferns and other endemic vegetation to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Wulaia Bay. Afterwards visit the small museum in the old radio station, that tells the story of the Yámana people and the European missionaries who landed here. Before leaving, drop a postcard in the wooden barrel in the old maritime tradition.

Day 7: Glacier Alley

Leaving Wulaia Bay, we retrace our route to the Beagle Channel and sail westward along the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego into a section of Alberto de Agostini National Park called Glacier Alley. Living up to its name, the passage features a number of impressive tidewater glaciers flowing down from the Darwin Mountains and Darwin Ice Sheet. Most of them named after European countries - Holland, Italy, Germany, Spain and France.

We then enter the narrow Pia Fjord and board the zodiacs for a shore excursion to the Pia Glacier. After disembarking you can choose either a short or long hike, both offering panoramic views of this spectacular glacier which extends from the mountain tops down to the sea.

In the afternoon we sail between high rocky walls until we reach the Porter Glacier, which we view from our zodiac boats.

Day 8: Agostini Sound

After nightfall we continue sailing westwards around the Brecknock Peninsula, where we are briefly exposed to the open Pacific Ocean.

We then navigate a zigzag route through the Cockburn Channel, Magdalena Channel and Keats Fjord to reach the scenic Agostini Sound. Named after an Italian Salesian priest who worked among the region's indigenous people during the first half of the 20th century, this sound is flanked by numerous glaciers and saw-toothed peaks. After landing on the beach, we hike around the edge of a lagoon to the base of towering Águila Glacier ('Eagle Glacier'). Giant condors can sometimes be seen flying high above and there is always abundant bird life around the lagoon.

In the afternoon we approach Condor Glacier by zodiac, where we hope to see Andean condors, a vulture that is the largest flying bird.

Day 9: Disembark at Punta Arenas & transfer to Puerto Natales

After an overnight cruise that takes us back into the Straits of Magellan, we anchor off Magdalena Island, which lies halfway between Tierra del Fuego and the Chilean mainland.

Crowned by a distinctive lighthouse, the island used to be an essential source of supplies for navigators and is inhabited by an immense colony of Magellanic penguins. Many other bird species are also found on this island. Weather permitting, at dawn we go ashore and hike along a path that leads through thousands of these penguins to a small museum in the old lighthouse. In September and April - when the penguins live elsewhere - this excursion is replaced by a zodiac ride to Marta Island to see South American sea lions (Note: selfie sticks are prohibited on Magdalena Island).

After a short sail south along the strait, we disembark at Punta Arenas in Chile around 11.30. Here you will be met and transferred 2.5 hours to Puerto Natales - the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park.

Check in to your hotel in this former fishing town situated on the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) Sound.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 10: Serrano Glacier

This morning transfer to the jetty at nearby Puerto Bories for a full day excursion by boat to view the spectacular Serrano Glacier.

We navigate through the beautiful Last Hope Sound, passing remote cattle and sheep estancias (ranches) until we enter Bernardo O´Higgins National Park. At certain times of the year you may see sea lions taking refuge in the cliffs and Andean condors (the largest vulture) soaring high above the cliffs. You will also see cormorants and other sea birds.

The first glacier we see is the icy blue Balmaceda Glacier that is over 1,000 years old, but is now receding due to global warming. At the end of the fjord we disembark at Puerto Toro and walk 30-minutes each way through a tranquil indigenous forest to the foot of the astonishing Serrano Glacier, a fantastic natural wonder that is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. If you are fortunate you may see a large chunk of ice detaching and crashing into the waters below, a process known as "calving". If you have mobility issues and do not wish to walk to the glacier, there is a lookout point close to the jetty.

Afterwards we return to the boat, stopping on the way back at a traditional estancia to enjoy an included 'asado al palo' (typical Magellanic barbeque). We continue sailing back to Puerto Bories, arriving in the late afternoon.

Note: Wear good walking shoes and dress warmly for this excursion with a fleece, waterproof jacket, gloves, beanie and scarf as Patagonia often has four seasons in one day.  From May to September this excursion is only available on a Sunday.

Day 11: Torres del Paine National Park 

Today enjoy a full day shared excursion, driving 2 hours across the dry scrubland of the Magellanic Steppe to Torres del Paine National Park - a 242,000 hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its soaring mountains, electric-blue lakes and many glaciers.

We drive past Figueroa Lake and several large cattle estancias, which are home to the Chilean 'baqueanos' (also called 'huasos' or cowboys), who drink a distinctive caffeine-rich herbal tea known as 'mate', served in a round cup, and love to compete in local rodeos. Along the way we stop at the village of Cerro Castillo where you can see the Monument of the Horse sculpture, enjoy a coffee and buy typical handcrafts from the region. A variety of rare wildlife can be seen in these pampas (lowlands) including the elegant guanaco, a type of humpless camel related to the llama, and the lesser rhea which is related to the ostrich and emu. You may see giant condors soaring in the thermals, as well as eagles. Grey and red fox also live here, but are rarely seen.

After seeing our first postcard views of the Paine Massif across the waters of Lake Sarmiento, we enter Torres del Paine National Park. Here the landscape changes dramatically to spectacular turquoise glacier lakes frequented by marine birds, lofty waterfalls and magnificent granite mountain peaks covered by ice. The enormous Campo de Hielo Sur ice cap gives the park four main glaciers - Grey, Dickson, Zapata and Tyndall. Two other glaciers descend from the west side of the central massif.

Weather permitting, from the viewpoint at Lake Amarga ('Bitter Lake') you will have one of the best views of the three granite Torres del Paine ('Towers of Blue') from which the park takes its name. Guanaco are plentiful on the open plains of the eastern sector of the park, as are their main predator - the puma (also called mountain lion, or cougar), but as they are nocturnal and have excellent camouflage they are rarely seen.

Our next stop is at the Lake Nordenskjold lookout, with its view over the different peaks of the Paine Massif, including the famous 'horns' (Cuernos del Paine) and Paine Grande, the highest mountain in the park at over 10,000 ft (3,050 m). We then take a 15-minute walk to the powder blue Salto Grande Waterfall that flows into Lake Pehoé, after which we stop for an included lunch.

In the afternoon we continue driving along this beautiful chain of glacial lakes to Grey Lake, where we walk across a hanging bridge over the Pingo River to its shores. From here you can walk 30-minutes each way to get closer views of the spectacular blue icebergs that have fallen from the Grey Glacier, which can be seen in the distance.

We then leave Torres del Paine, stopping on our return journey at the Milodón Cave on Benitez Hill, where the remains of several extinct animals have been found - including a sabre-toothed tiger, an American horse and a gigantic herbivorous mammal known as the milodon. We walk 30-minutes to the main cave which is 200 meters deep, 80 meters wide and 30 meters high and has a life-size replica of the milodon. You will also see stalactites. We return to Puerto Natales in the late afternoon.

Note: Sometimes this tour operates in the reverse direction. Shared day tours have a maximum of 30 people.

Day 12: Fly to Santiago

Transfer 2.5 hours to Punta Arenas airport for your flight to the capital of Santiago de Chile.

Here you will be met and transferred to your hotel in this sophisticated and cosmopolitan city, situated in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes Mountains and the beautiful Chilean Coastal Range.

Note: Your airport drivers will only speak Spanish.

Day 13: City Tour

This morning enjoy a half day private tour of the modern city of Santiago. We start in the downtown area of this relatively compact city, where modern buildings have transformed the landscape, and visit Santa Lucia Hill where the city of Santiago was founded in 1541.

We continue to the Plaza de Armas in the heart of the old colonial city and bustling Ahumada Boulevard with its many shops, street performers and vendors. Here you will be able to see some beautiful Neo-classical buildings – including the 18th century Cathedral of Santiago and the early 19th century Royal Court Palace, which now houses the National History Museum. Also enjoy outside views of the Municipal Offices, the Post Office and the current Presidential Palace, La Moneda. You will have the opportunity to taste a ‘Pisco Sour’, see local handcrafts and walk through some of the more traditional streets of the city, before being dropped off at your hotel.

Your afternoon is at leisure to explore more of this lively city independently.

Note: Most museums are closed on Mondays.

Day 14: Winelands Tour

Enjoy a half day shared tour today, travelling 1 hour to the beautiful Maipo Valley Winelands in the foothills of the Andes.

Discover the history of some of these 'New World' wines and learn more about their production, as we visit Concha y Toro Winery, one of the most famous vineyards in Chile and one of the largest wine exporters in all of South America. Tour the old mansion with its beautiful park and lagoon, view the vineyards and visit the wine cellar where the famous Casillero del Diablo is stored.

Enjoy a wine tasting and the opportunity to purchase some wine, before returning to Santiago.

Note: Shared day tours have a maximum of 30 people.

Day 15: Fly Home

Transfer to Santiago Airport for your flight home.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing a twin cabin on a full board basis, with bed and breakfast in Buenos Aires and Santiago. All transfers and specified sightseeing with English-speaking guides are included. International and domestic flights are not included and will be quoted separately.

We offer a choice of hotels and cruises at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All accommodation is subject to availability.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.