Ultimate Patagonia (29 days)

Morning arrival in Santiago. Meeting and transfer to the Singular Santiago for overnight. Your room is paid for immediate check-in so you can relax this morning. This afternoon visit the highlights of Santiago, fourth largest city in South America. Santiago is beautifully set among a backdrop of the snow-capped Andes. See the diversity of monuments and public buildings such as the Government Palace “La Moneda”, among others surrounding this area. Stop at the Plaza de Armas with the Cathedral of Santiago, the Central Post Office and Historical Museum and drive along the Alameda past San Francisco Church and Santa Lucia Hill, where Santiago was founded In 1541. Also visit the “La Chascona” Museum, the house that Pablo Neruda built for his lover and then third wife, Matilde Urrutia. The house shows the unique world where the remarkable Nobel Prize of Literature recipient once lived.

Morning transfer to the airport for flight south to Puerto Montt, gateway to the scenic Lake District. Meeting upon arrival in Puerto Montt and transfer to Puerto Varas and the lovely Hotel AWA for two night stay. Spend the afternoon visiting this scenic area and the major points of interest in Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas. Puerto Montt was founded in 1852 by German colonists and the nearby fishing village of Angelmo has a bustling fish market and colorful handicraft market. Puerto Varas is often called the City of Roses and has a spectacular setting right on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, with vistas of snow-capped Osorno Volcano.

Drive along the shores of the Llanquihue Lake, pass through Llanquihue town, well known for its sausage and cured meat production. Here the lake becomes the source of the Maullín River. Continue across the Settler’s route to Frutillar, founded in 1856 as a shipping port for the settlers living next to Llanquihue Lake. Here you will enjoy a superb view of the Osorno Volcano and visit the tribute to the German Settlers and the Museo de la Colonización Alemana (German Colonization Museum) that provides an excellent insight into the life of the German settlers. Enjoy a delicious lunch by the lake with the Calbuco, Osorno, Puntiagudo, and Puyehue volcanoes in the background. After lunch continue to Puerto Octay, this small but picturesque town will show you its colonial architecture, beautiful beaches, its Main Square and Church.

Morning departure on scenic full day crossing of the Lake District, using a combination of motor coaches and motor launches. Drive to Petrohue Falls for a visit before motor launch across Lake Todos Los Santos to Peulla for lunch. After lunch a short drive over the mountain takes you to Puerto Frias where you clear customs and board your motor launch for 30 minute cruise to Puerto Alegra where a short motor coach transfer takes you to Puerto Blest for scenic final leg by motor launch to Bariloche. Meeting upon arrival and transfer to your hotel, the spectacularly set Llao Llao Resort and Spa for three night stay in Studio Deluxe Lake Moreno accommodations.

This morning enjoy a scenic 50 km drive skirting Lake Nahuel Huapi and climbing through a forest of coihue trees, a native evergreen, offering views of the Andean peaks. The road then winds along Lake Moreno to a panoramic point which offers breathtaking views of Lakes Moreno & Nahuel Huapi, Victoria Island and the Andes in all their splendor. You'll also take the chair lift up to the summit of Cerro Campanario for spectacular vistas of the lakes and surrounding forests. Afternoon at leisure to explore this charming alpine style town at your own pace.

Day at leisure to explore at your own pace. Optional activities you can arrange include hiking, rafting, biking, horseback riding and culinary experiences.

Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires where you connect to your flight south to Comodoro Rivadavia. Meeting upon arrival by your local host from Bahia Bustamante and transfer 110 miles north, a drive of about two hours, to Bahía Bustamante located on the northern arch of San Jorge Gulf, Chubut Province. This 80,000 hectare retreat with the small town of Bahia Bustamante is well known for its biodiversity. Few places worldwide house as many and as varied a selection of birds and sea mammals and since December 2008 its coasts have been part of the Marine National Park "Patagonia Austral". During your three night stay you will enjoy exclusive use of a Sea House, all meals and daily activities.

Activities at Bahia Bustamante are ideal for nature lovers. Here you can take a motor launch to see colonies of sea lions, penguins and marine birds, go bird watching, visit a Petrified Forest, learn about the seaweed industry, visit a typical Patagonian ranch, enjoy panoramic trekking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Or you can just relax and enjoy the most exclusive sandy beaches and crystal clear water, surrounded by huge red rocks, in an atmosphere of incredibly different textures and colours.

Another day to enjoy the wildlife explorations in this uniquely pristine and remote area.

Today is a spectacular day of overland travel. Stop at Gaiman, the largest symbol of Welsh communities in Patagonia. Surrounded by farms, chapels and houses of traditional Welsh style, Gaiman manages to keep the atmosphere of a small, quiet village. The inhabitants take pride in their tea houses, serving tea prepared to an ancient recipe that gives it a unique flavor, accompanied by fine, home-made confectionery and pastry. Many tea houses are historic houses and are filled with relics and pieces from the original immigrants from Wales. Then continue on to Peninsula Valdes, a UNESCO designated World Biosphere Reserve. Make a stop at the Istmo Amaginho Interpretation Center for an introduction to the flora and fauna of the peninsula before continuing on to your accommodations for the next three nights, the Faro Punta Delgada with all meals and a daily activities and excursions.

Today you will have a choice of activities and visits in the Punta Delgada area, including a visit to the beach area, with a colony of elephant seals and sea lions, in addition to the birdlife, guanacos and rheas of the inland peninsula.

Today you will drive north along the coast to Estancia San Lorenzo, located on the northeastern corner of the peninsula, on the shores of the San Matias Gulf. Here is the most important Magellan Penguin Colony on the peninsula. There are also elephant seals. A circular trail gives you plenty of opportunities to watch the prancing, the discussions and disputes, the nest making activities of these little fellows. You will also see Guanacos, Maras (Patagonia hares) and Rheas. There is a restaurant (not located close to the penguin rookery) where you will have lunch of the traditional lamb BBQ. Then continue on to Punta Norte, a Natural Reserve, offering a refuge to elephant seals and southern sea lions during their reproduction period. For this reason it is also a spot chosen by the orca to feed. There is a tourist information center and interpretative trails. Late afternoon return drive south back to Faro Punta Delgada

As you drive off the peninsula you'll pass by three large dried salt lakes or marshes, Salina Grande, Salina Chica and Salitral, located almost in the middle of the peninsula. These deep depressions go as low as 130 feet below sea level and were an important part of the commercial development of the area during much of the 19th century. Continue on to Puerto Piramedes, a small, quaint town of 450 permanent inhabitants and the only town on the peninsula. Here you will enjoy a boat expedition to see Southern Right Whales (Sep-Dec), before continuing on to Puerto Madryn for overnight at the Hotel Territorio. Later this afternoon make a visit to the EcoCentro Mar Patagonia which offers an experience to encourage visitors to relate to the sea in the widest sense of the word: the sea that gives life to the planet; the sea that supports the biodiversity of marine birds and mammals in Patagonia; the sea that bathes the coasts and creates the dynamic environment of the shoreline with its multiple forms of fish and invertebrate life; the sea as presence.

Morning transfer to the airport at Trelew for flight to El Calafate, gateway to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, the second largest in Argentina, extending some 170 km along the Chilean frontier and covering some 759,000 hectares. It was declared a World Heritage region by UNESCO in 1987. Some 40% of the park is covered by giant ice fields, with 47 major glaciers of which 13 flow east descending into the park to feed the two big lakes, Lake Viedma in the north and Lago Argentino in the south. There are also about 190 smaller glaciers that are not connected to the ice fields. Upon arrival in El Calafate you will transfer to the EOLO, Patagonia's Spirit, a Relais & Chateux property set between El Calafate and the Glacier National Park, on a hilltop with commanding vistas of the countryside. EOLO will be your home for 3 nights as you explore this area.

Today your private guide will take you into Los Glaciares National Park to experience Perito Moreno Glacier one of the few growing glaciers on earth with a 3 mile frontage towering some 180 feet above the water. You can take the boardwalks across from of the glacier and enjoy a motor launch ride in front of it, offering spectacular views of the glacier's front.

Early morning transfer to Puerto Bandera to embark on your motor launch for a cruise to the northwest end of Lago Argentino to Upsala Glacier. As you enjoy the scenic two hour cruise to the Upsala Glacier, enjoy a light breakfast. The Upsala Glacier is considered one of the longest glaciers in South America at more than 36 miles long and more than 2 miles wide. Cruise in front of its massive façade and then continue navigating up the Cristina Channel to the historic Estancia Cristina. Enjoy a visit to the Costumbrista museum in the old sheering shed to learn the history of this historic and secluded estancia. Then board an all-terrain vehicle for a drive along 9.5 km of mountainous roads to the Continental Ice Shelter for a 30 minute walk to the viewpoint to enjoy another vista of the Upsala Glacier, Lake Guillermo, the Andes and the Southern Patagonia icefields. Late afternoon return cruise back to Puerto Bandera and transfer back to your hotel. A box lunch will be provided to you today.

Morning visit to The Glaciarium, a one-of-a-kind center and the first museum in south America dedicated t ice. It is designed to entertain and educate. There are models, dioramas, photographs, screens and interactive presentations. As soon as you set foot inside the exhibit area, natural sound of ice caves, water droplets and breezes help create a special atmosphere and make you forget where you are. There's a surprise around every corner. Stop in at the GlacioBar, where everything inside is made from ice - the walls and glasses made specially, and small icebergs picked out of the lake for the bar, the stools and decoration. The temperature is a chilly 10Celsius (14 Fahrenheit).

After your visit continue your private transfer three hours to the border crossing with Chile. Clear immigrations and customs and meet up with staff from The Singular Patagonia, a drive of about an hour and a half. You'll spend five nights at The Singular Patagonia with all meals, open bar and four full days of activities both inside Paine Towers National Park and outside the park. Uniquely, The Singular Patagonia offers, in addition to the usual hiking and van visits, motor launch trips to nearby fjords and kayaking in their private reserve.

Today you may select from the variety of activities offered by The Singular Patgonia.

Another day to enjoy activities as offered by The Singular Patagonia.

Another day to enjoy activities as offered by The Singular Patagonia.

Another day to enjoy activities and excursions as offered by The Singular Patagonia.

Mid-day transfer to Punta Arenas, a drive of about three hours, for cruise check-in and ultimately embarkation on the Stella Australis for your four night cruise through the Strait of Magellan and along Glacier Alley to Ushuaia in Argentina. Your cruise accommodations are in AA Superior cabin and your cruise includes all meals and activities/excursions as offered. The captain and crew give a welcome cocktail reception on board and afterwards the ship departs for the journey through one of the most captivating wilderness regions in the world.

During the dawn’s early light our ship will continue navigating through Almirantazgo Inlet, until arriving near Marinelli Glacier in Ainsworth Bay where we will enjoy a walk to discover a beaver dam in the midst of a marvelous Magellanic forest. On the beach we will observe a colony of Elephant Seals. Continuing the voyage, we will visit Tucker Islet where we will sight colonies of Magellanic penguins and Cormorants from the zodiac boats.

Today you will navigate the main part of the Beagle Channel to enter Pia Fjord and disembark near the glacier of the same name. We will take an excursion to a look-out point that is ideal for viewing the mountain range where the glacier originates and its flow all the way to the sea. After this unforgettable experience sail again along the northwest arm of the Beagle Channel through majestic “Glacier Alley”: Spain, Romanche, Germany, Italy, France and Holland glaciers.

Sail through the Beagle and Murray Channels to disembark in Cape Horn National Park. Cape Horn, a sheer, almost 425-meter-high promontory, where the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean merge, was discovered in 1616 by the Dutch commercial expedition organized by Isaac Le Maire. The Cape owes its name to the Port of Hoorn, the expedition’s departure point. The park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in June 2005. In the afternoon we go ashore in historic Wulaia Bay, once the site of one of the region's largest aboriginal settlements. This area is also renowned for the mesmerizing beauty of its vegetation and geography. We walk through a Magellanic forest of Lengas, Coigues, Canelos, ferns and other native vegetation to reach a lookout point.

Morning arrival to Ushuaia, the most important Argentine city in Tierra de Fuego, and the southernmost city in the world. Meeting upon disembarkation by your local host and spend the day exploring. You will visit the main points of interest in Punta Arenas including the End of the World Museum, located in one of the oldest buildings, for a historic overview of the city. Board the Train to the End of the World which follows the same tracks as the old convict train did decades ago and covers a total of 14 km. At the station in the Tierra del Fuego National Park there is a small museum displaying historical artifacts from the original train. You'll enjoy lunch en route today and after your visits transfer to your hotel, Los Cauquenes, for overnight stay in Superior Channel View accommodation

Morning transfer to the airport for flight north to Buenos Aires. Meeting upon arrival and transfer to the Alvear Palace for 2 night stay with buffet breakfast daily. Balance of the day at leisure to explore at your own pace. This evening you'll enjoy the Rojo Tango Experience. Tango is the music that best defines the spirit of Buenos Aires, nostalgic but streetwise. Unlike more traditional tango shows, Rojo Tango is a smaller more intimate style show celebrating the history, love, passion and glamour of the tango.

Today you will enjoy a visit to the "Paris of South America" as Buenos Aires is often called. The capital of Argentina, this is a sophisticated city with many excellent museums, art galleries, boutiques and shops from around the world. Visit the main points of interest including famed "Caminito" street in the colorful Boca district. Drive down the widest avenue on earth, 9 de Julio, past Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada, and the famed Teatro Colon, to the fascinating Recoleta Cemetery with the tomb of Evita Peron. You’ll also visit the Teatro Colon, re-opened in late 2010 after a 5-year restoration. Considered acoustically one of the top opera houses in the world and occupying a whole city block, the visit also includes the underground workshops where all the sets and costumes are made – a world unto itself. Enjoy lunch at one of Buenos Aires’ popular restaurants en route.

Day at leisure to explore Buenos Aires at your own pace. The city is very walkable and filled with leather stores, museums and art galleries. Your room is paid for late check-out so no need to hurry through the day. Evening transfer to the airport to check-in for your international departure flight.