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Heart of Patagonia - Classic Group
Travel through South America on this Patagonia guided tour, crossing Chile and Argentina to experience one of the world's most remote and striking regions. Visit Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares national parks, cruise past towering icebergs and walk beneath the peaks of the Andes. Learn about traditional ranch life at an estancia, meet a glacier expert and discover how climate change is shaping the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Along the way, explore Santiago and Buenos Aires, gaining insight into the political and cultural histories of South America's southern capitals.
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Touchdown in Chile
Welcome to Santiago, Chile's cosmopolitan capital framed by the snow-capped Andes and the Pacific coast. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Upon arrival, settle in, and meet your Travel Director and fellow guests. Enjoy a relaxed dinner together, it's a chance to get to know your traveling companions and look ahead to the experiences that await.
Hotel: NOI Vitacura, Santiago
Sights of Santiago Relaxed Start
Explore Santiago with your Local Expert, uncovering stories etched into its neoclassical landmarks. Admire the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral, a symbol of colonial endurance, and browse the bustling Central Market, renowned for its ironwork and seafood heritage. Take in panoramic views from San Cristobal Hill, once sacred to the Mapuche and now watched over by the Virgin Mary statue. At Pueblito Los Dominicos, meet artisans from southern Chile who transform horsehair into traditional crafts inspired by the nation's heritage on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience. Learn about their techniques, try your hand at the delicate weaving process and support a community keeping this rare tradition alive.
Hotel: NOI Vitacura, Santiago
On to Puerto Natales
Fly south to Punta Arenas, a historic port once vital to Antarctic exploration. From here, journey across the windswept Patagonian steppe to Puerto Natales, a quiet frontier town on the fjord-like Seno Ultima Esperanza. With its glacier-fed waters and distant granite peaks, this remote outpost offers your first glimpse of Patagonia's awe-inspiring scale and solitude.
Hotel: Remota Patagonia Lodge, Puerto Natales
Ultima Esperanza Fjord
Cross the glacier-fed waters of Ultima Esperanza Fjord by boat, arriving at Estancia La Peninsula: a working Patagonian ranch set amidst breathtaking southern scenery. You're welcomed with traditional sopaipillas, crispy fried pumpkin dough, served with homemade jam before choosing your own way to explore the landscape. Ride horseback along trails once used by gauchos or join a guided hike through wetlands and evergreen forest, rich in birdlife and native flora. Later, gather for a slow-roasted lamb barbecue, then watch skilled sheepdogs at work and learn about shearing techniques that have shaped rural life in Patagonia for generations.
Hotel: Remota Patagonia Lodge, Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine Relaxed Start
Journey through the Patagonian steppe toward Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where granite peaks, glacial rivers and sweeping plains define the landscape. As you arrive at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, the scenery shifts to towering spires and wind-brushed grasslands. You may wish to discover the traditions of Patagonian horsemen, whose bond with the land and their horses is central to life in the south, or explore the hotel's organic gardens and learn how sustainable practices support the fragile local ecosystem. Both experiences offer a unique window into the spirit of Patagonia.
Hotel: Las Torres Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park
Torres del Paine National Park
Explore the contrasting landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park. Visit panoramic lookouts at Puente Negro, Nordenskjold, Sarmiento and Lake Pehoe, and witness the force of Salto Grande waterfall. Learn how the park's unique geology and ecosystems have evolved over millennia. Pause for a gourmet al fresco lunch set against jagged peaks and open steppe. Later, follow the trail along the southern shore of Lago Gray, where calving icebergs drift from the glacier into the lake. In the evening, gather for dinner and reflect on a day immersed in Patagonia's raw, elemental beauty.
Hotel: Las Torres Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park
El Calafate and Los Glaciares National Park
Travel across the vast Patagonian landscapes as you journey from Chile into Argentina, heading toward the frontier town of El Calafate. Named after the native Calafate berry - a small, dark blue fruit said to ensure your return to Patagonia - this town is the gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. Along the way, watch the scenery shift from windswept steppe to glacial lakes and rolling hills, revealing the scale and solitude that define this southern region. With the Andes behind you and new landscapes ahead, the journey offers a striking transition between two of South America's most remarkable wildernesses.
Hotel: Posada Los Alamos, El Calafate
Glaciers of Patagonia
Set out on a full-day exploration of Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to some of Patagonia's most iconic ice fields. Cruise across Argentino Lake, passing massive icebergs en route to the Upsala Glacier, one of the largest in South America. Continue through the Spegazzini Channel to view its towering namesake glacier, the park's tallest. Disembark at Puesto de las Vacas for a guided nature walk with your Travel Director through native lenga forest, offering a chance to learn about the region's unique ecology. Enjoy a scenic lunch aboard the boat before approaching the dramatic northern face of Perito Moreno Glacier - a constantly evolving wall of ice that captivates with its scale and presence.
Hotel: Posada Los Alamos, El Calafate
Perito Moreno Glacier
Today offers a closer look at Patagonia's most iconic natural wonder - the Perito Moreno Glacier. Begin with panoramic views from the boardwalks, where the 30-kilometer-long glacier spills into Lake Argentino. Observe the shifting ice and, if lucky, witness a calving event. Later, visit the Glaciarium Patagonian Ice Museum, where interactive exhibits, audiovisual displays and scientific models explore the formation, movement and future of these ancient ice masses. Gain a deeper understanding of glacial systems and their role in the region during a talk with a local glacier expert, who shares insights on climate change and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
Hotel: Posada Los Alamos, El Calafate
Off to Buenos Aires
Fly north from the wilds of Patagonia to Argentina's vibrant capital, Buenos Aires. As you leave behind the glaciers and open steppe, the landscape shifts to leafy boulevards, grand architecture and the energetic rhythms of city life - a striking contrast that highlights the diversity of Argentina's cultural and natural landscapes.
Hotel: MGallery Palladio, Buenos Aires
Explore Buenos Aires
Take a deep dive into Buenos Aires on a city tour that reveals the capital's layered history and cultural contrasts. Travel along Avenida 9 de Julio past the Teatro Colon, then visit Plaza de Mayo and see Casa Rosada before stepping inside the Metropolitan Cathedral, resting place of independence hero General San Martin. Continue to the colorful streets of La Boca, then head north through Palermo to Recoleta, where the cemetery's elaborate mausoleums house notable figures including Eva Peron. This evening, gather with your Travel Director and fellow guests for a farewell dinner at El Viejo Almacen in San Telmo. Enjoy traditional cuisine and an evocative tango show in one of the city's most iconic venues - a fitting finale to your South American adventure.
Hotel: MGallery Palladio, Buenos Aires
Depart Buenos Aires
Your journey comes to an end as you bid farewell to your Travel Director and fellow guests before your transfer to the airport.
Departure Dates
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Start: October 19, 2026 End: October 30, 2026 Price: $8,495 pp | Land Only Price My Trip |
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Start: November 9, 2026 End: November 20, 2026 Price: $8,495 pp | Land Only Price My Trip |
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Start: November 30, 2026 End: December 11, 2026 Price: $8,495 pp | Land Only Price My Trip |
Price My Trip
Product Code: IVUSAS-ZPATN26
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