Tour Highlights

Find custom tours in: Argentina, Chile, 

• Enjoy cosmopolitan Santiago on a guided walking tour that includes the city’s famed subways, where you see murals created by some of Chile’s most important contemporary artists 
• At historic Estancia Cristina, enjoy trekking and horseback riding excursions
• Experience Patagonia from two countries for unique perspectives on this precious ecosystem, including two of its signature attractions --  El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier
• Take in Buenos Aires, often called the “Paris of South America,” for its European feel and atmosphere
• Discover Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve encompassing almost 1,000 square miles of breathtaking landscapes.  Biosphere reserves are established by countries and recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science

 
Day 1:  Arrive Santiago, Chile
Welcome to Chile.  Upon arrival, you are met by your Big Five Chile representative and transferred to your hotel.  Santiago, the capital of Chile, is a focal point of Latin American commerce.  The city is clean and modern and sits in a basin between the Coast Range to the west and the Andes to the east.  Enjoy an out of the ordinary half-day guided walking tour of Santiago.  Explore the cities subways for a true sense of the city.  You see murals created by some of Chile’s most important contemporary artists.  Visit La Bolsa Street facing the Stock Exchange building; La Moneda Presidential Palace, which has a changing of the guard ceremony every 48 hours, and an art exhibition in its Cultural Center.  Absorb the flavor of the old district with its provincial atmosphere; the sophisticated, European-style modern districts of Vitacura, Las Condes and Providencia; the Spanish colonial churches, gardens and government palaces off the Plaza de Armas.  See the elegant racetrack, university, and gracious estates dating from the 17th century.  Rising above the streets of the capital, Cristoval Hill has panoramic views; Santa Lucia, site of Santiago’s founding in 1541, and the crumbling ruin of the 16th-century fort.  You also explore the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art, which houses a collection to rival any in the world.  At night, visitors may choose from a variety of restaurants serving all types of regional and ethnic cuisines.  Ritz Carlton Santiago

Day 2:  Santiago / Punta Arenas / Puerto Natales
Depart this morning for your flight to Punta Arenas.  On arrival, you are met by the staff from The Singular and transferred to your Patagonia hotel accommodation.  Built from the Bories Cold-Storage Plant founded in 1915, where millions of sheep were processed, frozen and exported as meat and wool to the European markets.  The Singular Patagonia is a prime example of the meticulous refurbishment undertaken, which culminated with the government of Chile declaring it a “National Historic Landmark.”  The Singular Patagonia (B,L,D)

Day 3-5:  Puerto Natales
You will discover Patagonia during included excursions that have been designed for all types and interest levels of guests.  The guides are fluent in both Spanish and English.  The most well-known attraction of the area is the Torres del Paine National Park.  Located just two hours north of Puerto Natales, the park encompasses almost 1,000 square miles of breathtaking landscapes that have been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.  Here, too, are the Milodón Cavern, where prehistoric fossils were found, and the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers.  You will be awed by the breathtaking scenery unique to this part of the world.  The Singular Patagonia (B,L,D)

Day 6:  Puerto Natales / El Calafate, Argentina
You are transferred Argentina.  Upon arrival, you will be met by the staff of Eolo and transferred to their facility.  Eolo embodies the spirit of Patagonia:  its indigenous roots, the personal experiences of the first Europeans and Criollo settlers, and those of the adventurers from the world over.  Just 30 minutes away from El Calafate, on the way to Perito Moreno Glacier, Eolo is strategically located in La Anita valley on the eastern side of Mount Frías.  It stretches over 3,000 hectares.  Eolo's comfortable facilities evoke images of Patagonian estancias.  Lago Argentino is to the north, with La Anita Valley to the east and the Torres del Paine and the Rico branch of the same lake towards the south.  Eolo staff are from the region and offer a wealth of experience to share.  The lodge's water supply comes from a natural spring located at 800 meters over the sea level.  Settle in today and get acquainted with Eolo.  Eolo Lodge – Superior Suite (B,L,D)

Day 7:  El Calafate – Perito Moreno Glacier
One of the must-see destinations of South America is the Perito Moreno Glacier, a massive stream of ice, with its towers of ice exploding mid-air and tumbling into the lake in multiple icebergs.  Enjoy a mini trekking glacier excursion at Perito Moreno.  The tour starts from Bajo de la Sombra Bay, some seven kilometers from the glacier.  Board a boat that takes you through Rico Lake.  As the craft gently glides across the lake, you notice the colorful flora splashed across the massive hills.  You disembark on the opposite shore, where specialized bilingual mountain guides welcome you and lead you to a small shelter.  After checking the last details, groups of not more than 20, follow their guides along the lake’s shore towards the edge of the glacier.  Once on the ice the guides put each participant a pair of crampons on, and explain how to use them.  The two hours circuit that follows introduces you to the fascinating landscape of the glaciers:  streams, small lagoons, gullies, crevasses and plenty of ice formations of the most incredible blues.  The trekking is moderate.  The ice surface over which you walk is irregular, but firm and safe.  You will receive explanations about flora, fauna and general glaciology of the region and also about the particular phenomenon that happens in the Perito Moreno Glacier and eventually produces its rupture. 
 
WHAT TO BRING
• Outfit:  Sport shoes or trekking boots. Rubber and apres ski boots, as well as high heel shoes are not allowed. Comfortable sports wear, long trousers, warm sweater or pile, water or windproof jacket, sun glasses, sun block, gloves.

• Lunch:  Passengers must bring their lunch boxes.
 
IMPORTANT: Due to safety concerns and the degree of difficulty of trekking on ice, this excursion has restrictions on participation.  Women who are pregnant, and people with heath problems, disabilities or physical limitations, and those under 10 or over 65 years of age are not permitted to participate.  If you have questions, please discuss your particular situation with one of our Destination Specialists.
Eolo Lodge – Superior Suite (B,L,D)
 
Day 8:  El Calafate
This morning, depart through Brazo Cristina, towards Estancia Cristina.  At the estancia, enjoy trekking and horse riding activities, of diverse degree of intensity.  Returning from the trekking, an excellent Patagonian lunch will be waiting for you at the Estancia.  A walk through the Estancia will be enjoyed later in the day to discover its history and past, visiting the Chapel and the Shearing shed.  At the end of the day, navigate back to Puerto Banderas, and transfer to your hotel.  Eolo Lodge – Superior Suite (B,L,D)

Days 9:  El Calafate / Buenos Aires / Depart
Depart this morning for Buenos Aires.  On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel.  This afternoon you will have a fascinating four hour tour of the elegant turn-of-the-century districts that earned Buenos Aires the title of the “Paris of South America.”  You will visit the charming cobbled alleys and colonial architecture of San Telmoo and the colorful Boca district. Continue along to the Plaza de Mayo, dominated by the Casa Rosada (Government House), the Nación Bank, the Cathedral and original Parliament House.  Proceed up the leafy Avenida de Mayo towards the imposing grandeur of the Palace of Congress.  Finally, your tour finishes at the historically fascinating Recoleta Cemetery where you will discover the facts, stories and anecdotes that make up the colorful tapestry of the history of Buenos Aires.  This evening transfer to the airport for your flight home.  Alvear Palace – Day Room (B)

Rates / Departures

Departure Dates:  Mar 21 - Apr 21, 2012

Land price, per person, double occupancy:  Starting from $4780

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