Chile and Argentina Highlights

Includes domestic flights, accommodations, transfers, meals and guided excursions as specified

Day 1: Santiago de Chile
Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Accommodations at the charming Hotel Orly, buffet breakfast included. This is a small, boutique style hotel which has 28 rooms. A converted mansion, the Hotel Orly is superbly situated in one of the city's more exclusive areas, Providencia. Everything you may want to see is close by - shops, restaurants, downtown, museums, banks, the cable car up the hill.

Day 2: Santiago - Punta Arenas - Torres del Paine National Park
Hotel pickup and transfer to the airport for your flight to Punta Arenas. Airport reception and transfer to Torres del Paine National Park. Along the way, you’ll pass by Figueroa Lagoon and several beautiful lakes, keeping your eyes peeled for guanacos, ostriches, black-necked swans, flamingos and condors. Accommodations at Hosteria Lago Grey for 4 nights.

Upon arrival at Hosteria Grey, you will be assigned to your comfortable accommodations. After settling in you will be orientated to the lodge and the surrounding region. The impressive Andean massifs of Torres del Paine are surrounded by glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, and lagoons, which together make this national park famous throughout the world for the richness of its natural beauty. Accommodations are in standard room with daily breakfast included.

You will have the option to sign up for half and full day excursions while at the hosteria.

Days 3-5: Torres del Paine
The impressive Andean massifs of Torres del Paine are surrounded by glaciers, waterfalls, lakes and lagoons, which together make this national park famous throughout the world. Cruise out on Grey Lake, where you may witness huge chunks of blue ice breaking off from impressive Grey Glacier. (B)

Day 6: Torres del Paine - El Calafate
This morning, transfer to Cerro Castillo, Chile where you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to Estancia Alice, located 20 kms from El Calafate, Argentina. After a welcome of hot tea, coffee and homemade snacks, a walking tour of the estancia will introduce you to the estancia and surrounding area: trekking paths to Lago Argentino, sheep herding by trained dogs, birdwatching flamingo, swan and over 40 migrating species. Balance of the day at leisure to enjoy the estancia. The estancia offers lots of activities that are included in your stay (horse rides, guided hiking trails, mountain bikes, etc.). The day ends with a delicious Patagonian lamb barbecue. (B,D)

Example of horseback ride (not included in package price): Begin a full day ride to Mt. Frias. Following a valley to Mt. Frías, at 1100 m. up a canyon, through a Nothofagus forest, we reach the ridge with spectacular views to Lakes Roca and Argentino. If the weather is fine we will be able to see as far as the Torres del Paine in Chile. Return to the ranch, for a cup of tea and cakes and having experienced the typical patagonian steppe, with the possibility of wildlife watching (guanacos, pumas, and condors). Box-lunch included.

Day 7: Los Glaciares National Park
The Park is located in the sub-Antarctic Continental ice-cap, known as the "third pole", which extends over 23,000 sq. miles and gives birth to several major glaciers along the Patagonian Andes. The main wall is over 200 feet tall and almost 3 miles wide. Every now and then enormous pieces of ice breaks off and falls with thunderous noise into the lake. Don crampons and hike on the glacier for 2 hours among breathtaking scenery. (No additional equipment nor previous experience needed!). Overnight at Estancia Alice. (B, box-lunch,D)

Day 8: Estancia Cristina and Upsala Glacier
Board a modern catamaran on Lago Argentino. The boat gets close to Spegazzini arm of the lake to enter the channel leading to Estancia Cristina, surrounded by towering ice-capped mountains and glowing ice-blue bergs floating in the lake. Choose between a sightseeing drive to Mirador del Glaciar Upsala in a comfortable 4x4 vehicle (3 hours) or a 5-6 hour horseback ride. Lunch is included (lamb barbecue for the 4x4 group and box-lunch for the riders.) Return to Calafate at the end of the day, spending the night at Estancia Alice. (B,L,D)

Day 9: El Calafate - Buenos Aires
Transfer to the El Calafate Airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your Buenos Aires hotel. Overnight accommodation at the Hotel LoiSuites in a Studio Junior, breakfast included. The LoiSuites Hotel is located in the Recoleta area of Buenos Aires. All rooms are suites with air-conditioning and two phone lines. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool, sauna, gym, restaurant, and business center and an atrium dining area where breakfast is served. The location in the heart of La Recoleta allows close access to shopping, restaurants and cafes and outdoor craft markets. Afternoon at leisure. You may want to see a play at the theater or take in a tango show and dinner. (B)

Day 10: "Four Balconies OF Buenos Aires"
Set off on a half-day, privately-guided tour of Buenos Aires in which a professor of the University uses four parks and plazas of Buenos Aires (Plaza de Mayo, Parque Lezama and La Boca, Plaza San Martin and Recoleta) to introduce visitors to Argentina, its history, contrasts, contradictions and the peculiar psychology of its inhabitants. This tour is a great way to introduce you to the different, colorful districts of Buenos Aires and determine where you may wish to return. (B)

Day 11: Int'l Departure
Day at leisure. At the appropriate time transfer to the airport for your departing flight. (B)

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