Patagonia Explorer by Avanti: Santiago, Patagonia, and Buenos Aires

Patagonia, Argentina & Chile: A Trip of Lifetime!

12 Days/11 Nights

Departs Daily from Santiago

Combine the culture and sophistication of two South American capitals with the rugged beauty of adventurous Patagonia. Explore the remote, spectacular landscape of Patagonia, a nature lover’s paradise shared by Chile and Argentina at the southern tip of the Americas. Centuries ago, this was the end of the known world. You’ll never forget the sights here; jaw-droppingly beautiful mountains, calving glaciers, turquoise lakes and abundant wildlife. This adventure in the wild is bookended by stays in two of South America’s most fascinating cities, Santiago and Buenos Aires.  Truly, the trip of a lifetime.

Santiago, Chile

Day 1: Arrive Santiago:

Airport greeting and transfer to your hotel. Free time to relax or explore on your own - easy using Santiago's extensive, safe metro system. This city of contrasts is surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks and miles of vineyards. Check out the neighborhoods of Bellavista, Providencia, Lastarria, and Barrio Brasil for art galleries, cafes, shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Overnight Santiago.

(Accommodations, Santiago)

Day 2: Santiago:

You are met at your hotel by a guide for a half-day private walking tour of central Santiago. Founded in 1541, Santiago is a fascinating combination of old and very new building styles. See the late 18th century La Moneda Presidential Palace, nearby Art Deco buildings from the 1930s, neoclassical National Congress, old Customs House (now the Pre-Columbian Art Museum), baroque Metropolitan Cathedral, National Historical Museum, Stock Exchange and Club de la Union. The city's oldest building is the 16th century San Francisco Church and monastery. Afternoon and evening on your own. Visit any of the museums you walked past on the tour, or try the Fashion Museum, Museo de la Chilenidad, featuring Chilean artists, the strikingly modern Museum of Visual Arts or the sobering Museum of Memory and Human Rights, which documents the repressive rule of the dictator Pinochet. Check out the hip Paris-Londres district – built in the 1920s to resemble both cities. Step back in time at Calle Concha y Toro, one of the oldest parts of the city. Or take the cable car or funicular up the hill of Cerro San Cristobal for a panoramic view of the city. Fans of the poet Pablo Neruda should go to La Chascona, his second house, built to resemble a ship interior and located in the Bellavista neighborhood. Good thing you have another day here – there's so much to see. Overnight Santiago.(Breakfast, Accommodations, Santiago)

Day 3: Santiago:

Avanti offers a variety of optional half-day and full-day tours in and around Santiago. Themes and activities include biking, walking, wine-tasting, cooking, dining, history and architecture. Or take a day trip to the charming seaport of Valparaiso and nearby beach resort Vina del Mar. Or do all those things you meant to do yesterday! Overnight Santiago.(Breakfast, Accommodations, Santiago)

Day 4: Santiago to Torres del Paine:

Transfer to the airport to fly to Punta Arenas. You are met at the Punta Arenas airport by a driver guide who will take you to your hotel of choice in Torres del Paine while providing information on this fascinating area enroute.(Breakfast, Santiago; Dinner, Accommodations, Torres del Paine)

Day 5: Torres del Paine:

After breakfast, enjoy a daily excursion of your choice to discover the unforgettable wilderness of Torres del Paine National Park, designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Accommodations, Torres del Paine)

Day 6: Torres del Paine:

After breakfast, enjoy a daily excursion of your choice to discover the unforgettable wilderness of Torres del Paine National Park, designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Accommodations, Torres del Paine)

Day 7: Torres del Paine to El Calafate:

There is regularly scheduled bus service (5 hours) between Puerto Natales and El Calafate and many properties offer the transfer on a shared or private basis. A picturesque town overlooking Lake Argentina, Calafate is the gateway to Glaciers National Park. The glaciers in this southernmost part of the Andes were formed more than 20,000 years ago. The Southern Patagonian ice field, shared by Chile and Argentina, is the world's largest outside of Antarctica.(Breakfast, Torres del Paine; Accommodations, El Calafate)

Day 8: El Calafate:

Depart early morning for a full-day excursion (with lunch) to Perito Moreno glacier, which measures close to 20 miles long and some 200 feet high. While other glaciers are retreating, Moreno advances up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) every day. Against the backdrop of snow-covered Andean peaks, glaciers dazzle the eye with shades of blue and turquoise reflecting in the ice. You spend 3 hours on the glacier balconies and walking along pathways. Icebergs the size of buildings calve off the glacier's face. You've never seen anything like it. Late afternoon return to El Calafate and overnight.(Breakfast, Accommodations, El Calafate)

Day 9: El Calafate to Buenos Aires:

Transfer to the airport for a 3 hr flight north to Buenos Aires, known as the “Paris of the South”. You are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. After several days spent contemplating a stark wilderness, the energy, sights and sounds of this vibrant, sophisticated city may come as quite a culture shock. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring on your own – it's a highly walkable city that combines Latin American passion with European influences – especially that of the many Italian immigrants. Traditional Argentine cuisine revolves around beef – check out a typical parilla (grill) – or the trendiest fusion cuisine. Nightclubs, bars and tango halls (milongas) abound. (Breakfast, El Calafate; Accommodations, Buenos Aires)

Day 10: Buenos Aires:

A perfect introduction to the most elegant capital city in South America, this half-day city tour will show you the highlights of Buenos Aires. Overnight Buenos Aires.(Breakfast, Accommodations, Buenos Aires)

Day 11: Buenos Aires:

Avanti has nearly 40 optional half-day and full-day tours in Buenos Aires, so whether your passion is tango, Evita, wine tasting, biking, shopping, museums, bars and cafes, artists' studios, Jewish heritage or a gaucho fiesta, you'll find plenty to see and do. Included with this vacation is a dinner and tango show at La Ventana. Overnight Buenos Aires.(Breakfast, Dinner, Accommodations, Buenos Aires)

Day 12: Depart Buenos Aires:

Enjoy a private transfer from your hotel to the airport back home or for your next Avanti destination. (Breakfast, Buenos Aires)

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Travel to South America: Travel, Tour, Cruises Packages

Warm, vibrant, and beautiful, only begins to sum up the essence of South America.  From the mystique of the Amazon Jungle to Peru’s remarkable Machu Picchu, the continent is blessed with a diversity of attractions, imprinted with the footprints of its namesake Amerigo Vespucci, inhabitants, and many other individuals from all walks of life.  South America beats to the sound of its own drum, as colorful rhythms make their way through its façade during Brazil’s Carnival and Inti Raymi in Ecuador.  Its passionate locals also make this continent a pleasant surprise, welcoming you with open hearts to explore their culture.  It is easy to become entranced by South America, where its hidden treasures of undiscovered territories, pristine beaches, archeological findings, and natural wonders make their way to the forefront of the continent’s highlights.
South America is the fourth largest of earth’s continents, stretching from the Gulf of Darien to the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.  It is the prime destination for travelers seeking a natural playground, immersed by the melodious spirits of fiestas bouncing off of the dramatic cliffs of the Andes. With an array of adventures appearing along its vast landscape, its sites can enlighten even the most mundane traveler.  Its unforgettable memories includes trekking the Inca Trail, scuba diving in Colombia’s Caribbean blue, climbing the jagged rocks of the Colca Canyon, as well as basking in the spray of the Iguaza Falls, which  are also among the different ways South America shows off its unique beauty for all to see.   It is also a cultural phenomenon, enticing food lovers with the best eats from Argentina’s grilled temptations, Brazil’s tapioca pancakes, Peru’s ceviche, in addition to Ecuador’s tropical fruits.
With approximately three quarters of South America’s landscape set below the Equator, the continent experiences its warm season during the months of December to March, with the weather averaging around the mid-70s to a low in the mid-60s.  During its winter months of June to September, the temperature fluctuates between a high in the mid-60s to a low within the 50s.  However, the Amazon’s climate is typically humid and hot whilst its high altitude locations experience mild temperatures.
South America is accessible through its international airports in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, as well as Peru.  Domestic flights also make travelling in between its countries fast and easy.  With many bus routes, South America’s array of cities can also be reached via bus