Tauck
OFFER ID 1494495
Patagonia
In the southern Andes mountains lies one of the most beautiful places on Earth… Patagonia. Astonishing landscapes of jagged Andean peaks and deep fjords carved by glaciers... panoramic vistas of living ice that changes shape and color by the angle of the sun, amid deep water lakes of emerald and turquoise. No wonder some local legends hold that extraterrestrials once lived here.
Join us for a remarkable 11-day journey through stunning fjords, glaciers, turquoise lakes, jagged, dramatic mountains valleys populated by exotic wildlife - with an opportunity to experience a slice of daily life in the Patagonian outback. Experience the exotic flora and amazing wildlife of Torres del Paines National Park; Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the wonders of the world; cruises on the Ultima Esperanza Fjord and the Lago Argentina; a private visit to one of the world's most famous silversmiths; a private lunch at a ranch where gauchos demonstrate their skills; a private wine pairing dinner in Puerto Natales; excursions led by local guides and naturalists, and so much more... on a Patagonia travel experience that's second to none.
10 nights from $8,990 per person
Tauck World Discovery: Patagonia
Day 1 Santiago, Chile
Arrive Santiago
Tour begins: 6:00 PM, The Singular Santiago. We'll meet you at the airport. A transfer is included upon arrival from Santiago International Airport to The Singular Santiago, a five-star luxury hotel in the city's Lastarria district - an intimate, "green"-designed oasis in the heart of a sprawling metropolis set against stunning backdrops of the Andes Mountains. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel.
Fly this morning from Santiago to Punta Arenas, deep in the southern tip of the continent, near Tierra del Fuego. This "city of red roofs," established in the 19th century as a penal colony and coaling station for steamships, is usually a jumping-off point for Antarctic expeditions, but today it's a leg on your Patagonia travel adventure to the otherworldly landscapes of Torres del Paines National Park. From here you travel by land to Puerto Natales, a town on the shores of the Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope) Sound. Named by a 16th-century Spanish explorer who became lost in the maze of channels and fjords while searching for the Strait of Magellan, the area was later settled by European immigrants as a shipping port for the local wool and meat-packing industry in the early 20th century. Arrive in late afternoon and check in to your accommodations at the Singular Patagonia hotel, formerly a waterfront factory built in 1915, now a luxury resort with dramatic floor-to-ceiling views of the sound and mountain ranges. This region of rolling plains and turquoise lakes is frequented by an anomalous assortment of wildlife, in a panorama bordered by ice-capped Andean peaks.
Spend the day as you please at the resort - a variety of activities* are included, such as kayaking, biking, condor-watching, hiking, cave exploring, and horseback riding. The Singular hotel is officially a national monument for its significance to the heritage of the region, so in addition to its amenities it harbors a museum of fascinating exhibits on local history and restored machinery from its factory days. You can also visit the town, to learn about its unusual mix of European and indigenous cultures, where there's also a wide choice of cafes and drinking establishments that cater to international tastes; or embark on a half- or full-day excursion to explore more of Torres Del Paines National Park. This evening, dinner is served family style at the hotel's restaurant.
Your Patagonia travel adventure continues as you cross the border into Argentina this morning and arrive at El Calafate in time for lunch. A small, picturesque village on the shores of Lake Argentino, El Calafate is named for a wild bush with yellow flowers and blue berries that flourishes here; it is also known as the "Village of the Glaciers," the gateway to Glacier National Park. Lunch in the town, which retains some of its original character as a pioneer outpost for wool-traders. Then continue on to your accommodations at Xelena Hotel & Suites. Check in, then pay a visit to a local museum, the Glaciarium, dedicated to the science of glaciers and the geological history of the area, an entree to the astonishing world you'll meet in Glacier National Park.
Board a private boat at Punta Bandera for a cruise on Lake Argentino. The vast freshwater lake is fed by runoff from dozens of glaciers in the Southern Patagonian Icefield. You'll sail by one of the largest of them, Upsala Glacier, a towering wall of ice (100 feet higher than Niagara Falls) that meets the water and stretches for miles through an alien landscape of wildly sculpted granite peaks and icebergs, and a startling palette of colors; the green of the lake beside the vivid blue, white and gold hues of the mountains, forests and ice offer dramatic photo ops like nowhere else on earth. Disembark at Estancia Cristina, a cattle and sheep ranch founded in the early 1900s for a hike up to a high vantage point rewarding you with unparalleled panoramic views of Upsala Glacier, then get a close-up look at life on the ranch, including a visit to a museum dedicated to the first family that settled in this area and their lifestyle. Enjoy a lunch of local cuisine, and learn the art of making mate tea (the national drink), traditionally brewed and served in a calabash gourd with a metal straw. Marvel again on the scenic return trip to your hotel for an evening spent as you wish.
Drive into Glacier National Park to witness one of South America's most breathtaking natural wonders, Perito Moreno Glacier. Fronting Lake Argentino for three miles, rising 240 feet from the water in dense clusters of jagged white skyscrapers, Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers in the icefield that is advancing, its restless movement unseen but sometimes heard in its eerie groaning, cracking, and rumbling. From high walkways on the shore opposite the glacier, you can appreciate its overwhelming scale and even have the chance to see an iceberg calve away from the ice wall, collapsing like a tall building in an explosion of thunder and water. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the presence of this immense, mystical phenomenon; its majestic landscape mesmerizes with the changing light, as the ice morphs in color, from white to turquoise and sapphire, and even deep indigo blue. Return to the hotel this afternoon for time at leisure, or explore the shops and markets in the center of El Calafate; enjoy an included dinner tonight at your choice of three local restaurants in El Calafate.
An excursion takes you to the lush farmlands outside the city, and the artists' community at San Antonio del Areco. In this town of charming Spanish colonial-style houses and streets, you'll meet members of the Draghi family, world-famous silversmiths who have crafted treasures for all walks of life, from gauchos to heads of state and Hollywood stars; visit their shop and studio, where you'll view their exquisite silver and saddlery, which evoke the cowboy culture and heritage of the region. Next up, naturally, is a private lunch and "gaucho fiesta", where cowboys of the Argentine outback demonstrate their legendary equestrian skills: acrobatic riding, herding, ring-racing and horse dancing. Return to the hotel to freshen up, then join us for a farewell dinner and tango show in the city, where this once-scandalous dance form was born and elevated to an art.
Tour ends: Buenos Aires. Checkout time is noon. Transfers are included from Art Hotel to Buenos Aires International Airport. You should allow 3 hours for flight check-in.
Buenos Aires - Full Day Sightseeing Tour - 7 hours
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Explore some of the most recognizable landmarks in Buenos Aires. Find out about the history and culture of this city, as you take in some of the most significant spots. Start at the most important square in the country: Plaza de Mayo. The country was founded here in 1580, and today the most important governmental buildings are located here including Casa Rosada (Government House), Cabildo (City Hall) and Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral). Continue through the cobblestoned streets of San Telmo neighbourhood, where the original porteños (Buenos Aires residents) settled in the early days. The next stop is picturesque La Boca, home to Caminito, perhaps the city's most photographed street thanks to its corrugated iron and brightly coloured houses. This block houses one of the few outdoor museums in the world, where artists exhibit work, related to the influence of mainly Italian immigrants who arrived at this port at the end of the 19th century. La Boca is home to the legendary football (soccer giants) Boca Juniors, whose colours of blue and yellow adorn most of the houses and stores in this neighbourhood. Drive towards Palermo, passing through Puerto Madero, a regenerated area where redbrick warehouses have been transformed into trendy restaurants and bars.
Once in the northern area of the city, drive past Palermo Chico with its impressive townhouses, tree-lined boulevards, and parks. Palermo Soho, on the other hand, combines the flavour of an old, working-class neighbourhood with some contemporary details, including ethnic restaurants, design stores and bars. The bohemian atmosphere makes it popular with Argentines as well as foreign visitors, and restaurants cater to all palates. Continue to Recoleta, one of the most elegant and sophisticated districts, visit Nuestra Señora del Pilar Church and Recoleta Cemetery, known for its rich architecture and famous personalities whose mortal remains it treasures.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- May square
- Old quarters at San Telmo neighborhood
- Caminito street at La Boca
- Palermo neighborhood and parks
- Recoleta Cemetery
Inclusions
Buenos Aires sightseeing tour with shared visit to Colon Theatre - Half Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Familiarize yourself with some of the most recognizable landmarks, as well as history and culture in the Paris of the South, on this half-day private guided city tour. Kick off at Plaza de Mayo square, the heart of the city both from a historical and political point of view, and site of its foundation in 1580 by Don Juan de Garay. The next stop is San Telmo with its cobbled stone streets and colonial buildings. Also visit La Boca neighbourhood, the tough port barrio and colourful working-class area. Before returning to the hotel, visit Colon Theatre, one of the world's greatest opera houses, with its sublime interior, every piece of marble, furniture and crystal, imported from Europe. The theatre took 80 years to be completed and finally opened in 1908. It combines many European architectural styles and influences, including Greek columns, French stained glass and Italian marble. The house seats up to 2,500 people and the Colón has hosted opera celebrities such as Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Callas and Placido Domingo. Shared guided tour to Colon Theatre.
Tour highlights:
- May square
- Old quarters at San Telmo neighborhood
- Caminito street at La Boca
- Colon Theatre (shared visit)
Inclusions
Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour North - half day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Familiarize yourself with some of the most recognizable landmarks in the northern area of Buenos Aires. Drive through Palermo, a district with several different areas such as classic Palermo Chico and contemporary Palermo Hollywood. Start in Palermo Chico with its impressive townhouses, tree-lined boulevards, and parks, then continue to Bosques de Palermo parks; past the Japanese and Rose Gardens with their lakes and sculptures, which can be visited independently. From here continue past the Palermo racetrack and polo grounds where the famous Argentine Polo Open is played every December. Palermo Soho, on the other hand, fuses the flavour of a working-class neighbourhood with contemporary twists such as ethnic restaurants, design stores and bars. Its bohemian atmosphere makes it popular with Argentines as well as foreign visitors. Gastronomy options appeal to all palates. Finally, visit Recoleta neighbourhood, home to many a mansion, which takes one back to Argentina's glorious days. The tour ends at the Recoleta Cemetery, renowned for its rich architecture and sculptures that makes it more of an open-air museum than a final resting place.
After tour you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Palermo trendy area
- Japanese and Rose garden in Palermo
- Recoleta cemetery
Inclusions
Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour & Evita Museum - Half Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Explore the highlights of the 'Paris of South America' in a four-hour tour accompanied by one of our experienced representatives who will introduce you to the history and culture of this magnificent city. Beginning with the historical areas of Buenos Aires: Plaza de Mayo, the historical and political heart of the city, laid out by Don Juan de Garay in 1580 during the second founding of Buenos Aires. Continue to La Boca, the tough port barrio and colourful working-class area of Buenos Aires, Palermo with its gardens and mansions; and finally, Recoleta, where you will visit its world famous cemetery and see the tombs and mausoleums of the most important personalities of Argentine history. Finally, visit the Evita Museum, a living museum where people can learn, understand and appreciate the life of one of the most important women in Argentine history.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- May square
- Caminito street at La Boca
- Palermo neighborhood and parks
- Recoleta Cemetery
- Evita´s museum
Inclusions
Buenos Aires Tigre Getaway - Half Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Escape the hustle and bustle of central Buenos Aires on this relaxing half-day getaway, featuring fashionable riverside suburbs and a cruise along sheltered waterways. Drive to Tigre passing through neighbourhoods such as Vicente López, Olivos, and San Isidro, and past elegant homes of these residential suburbs, including the Presidential Residence in Olivos, official home to Argentina's president. On arrival at the Paraná River, board a private river boat and head out along the Delta's waterways. An array of colourful sights awaits as the boat cruises past islands, turn-of-the-century homes, yacht clubs and a fleet of watercrafts, including canoes and sailboats. A soft drink and snack are served while you enjoy the scenery. Re-join your vehicle when the river cruise ends and transfers you back to the hotel.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Parana river
- Sail in the Delta
Inclusions
Buenos Aires Tango Show & Dinner at Rojo Tango
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
At Rojo Tango, a unique venue designed by Philippe Starck located within the Faena Hotel, enjoy an evening of “Porteño” (residents of Buenos Aires) music and dance. After a three-course dinner with wine and without moving from your seat, the band will strike up and the dancers will appear on scene, to recreate nostalgic times when Tango was danced in the streets of Buenos Aires. A majestic performance full of fantasy and sensuality and incredible skill.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
- Tango show at Rojo tango
- First class venue
Inclusions
Buenos Aires: Gaucho celebration - Full Day
Meet your local guide at local pier and start with your visit.
Join a Gaucho celebration at Estancia Santa Susana, a typical ranch only 80 km from Buenos Aires. The estancia has 1,200 hectares (2965 acres) dedicated to agricultural activities and has been a popular tourist destination near Buenos Aires for the last 30 years. Experience the genuine Gaucho lifestyle with various activities, such as a delicious typical Argentine barbecue with drinks, horsemanship show, a visit to the main house, the colonial museum, and the chapel. A short horse-back or carriage ride is also available before lunch. This tour provides an insight to the most fascinating traditions of Argentina.
After the sightseeing you will be transferred back to the pier.
Tour highlights:
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.