Patagonian Perfection

This incredible itinerary can start in Santiago de Chile or Buenos Aires, whichever you prefer. For this version of the tour we’ll begin in Santiago, Chile’s modern & bustling capital – watched over by one of the most epic, picturesque backdrops imaginable… the snow covered Andes mountain range. Depending on when your flight arrives (and depending on how long your journey down was!) you might have time for a half day city tour showing you the highlights of this historic metropolis, this can be a private tour or you can join a small group if you prefer. Santiago and the surrounding areas of Chile have a lot to offer, so we highly recommend extending your stay if you have time – the Maipo valley wine region is just a short drive south of the centre, or why not take a trip to the popular picturesque region of Valparaiso which is just over an hours’ drive from the capital. A spot of skiing, you say? Santiago’s got that covered too – in less than 2 hours you can be speeding down the Andes mountain range, James Bond style!

Santiago is a very safe and modern city, so you’ll probably want to have a walk around yourself and check out the area close to your hotel, or take a quick taxi to places of interest, such as the Plaza the Armas(central square) or the Central Market, where you can get a real flavour for the city’s culture and cuisine. The hotel staff are always happy to oblige, or you can of course check with us for some suggestions of must-see landmarks. There are a number of great lookout points such as the ‘Cerro San Cristóbal’ (reached by cable car) and ‘Cerro Santa Lucía’, from which you’ll enjoy panoramic views out over this modern Latin American metropolis . If you’d prefer to book a tour and learn more about the city with an expert local guide, then let us know and we’ll see where we can include it in your itinerary.

After a hearty Chilean breakfast we’ll pick you up from the hotel for your short flight to Puerto Montt, in the North of Chilean Patagonia. We’ll be waiting for you in the airport once you land to take you on the short and scenic drive down to Puerto Varas, an extremely photogenic city on the shores of Lake Lanquilhue – known as the ‘City of Roses’. This picturesque city was founded in the 19th Century by German immigrants who turned a thickly forested area into the beautiful town you see today, overlooked by the snow capped Osorno Volcano. The German influence is very evident in the architectural styles found throughout the city and you’d be forgiven for feeling that you might be walking through a quaint town in the Bavarian Alps. After your short flight, transfers and hotel check in you’ll have the rest of the day free to explore and soak in the surroundings.

For your second day in Puerto Varas, there are a multitude excellent activities available to you – we can take you on a tour of the city, a visit to Petrohue Falls – a popular beauty spot, and a tour up the snapped capped classic cone shaped Osorno Volcano – these can be visited as part of a trek if you want to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, or you can take you to each location in comfort with some short walks in each location. For the adventurous among us, you can enjoy some Fjord Kayaking on the Reloncavi Estuary, if you want the full local Chilean/Germanic cultural experience, how about the bike ride along the lake shores to the small town of Frutillar, making some refreshing stops along the way at local microbreweries where you can learn about their history and the brewing process. There are many options to chose from, these are just a few of our top picks, and some activities depend on the season you’ll be visiting, so check with one of our ‘Sightseeing Sensei’s’ for suggestions!

This full day tour over land and lakes is one of the ‘must-do’ experiences in this region, offering the best views of the beautiful region – from volcanoes, to glistening lakes, to quaint villages dotted along the shores … national parks, lush forests, waterfalls and volcanic geological formations … this experience has a bit of everything and is a great way to travel from Chilean Patagonia to Argentinean Patagonia, offering some epic vistas throughout. The experience begins with a visit to the Petrohué Rapids, inside the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, forged out of titanic prehistoric volcanic stirrings and sculptured by eons of flowing emerald green water. Have your camera ready because the backdrop to these rapids is the majestic snow capped Osorno Volcano. After visiting the park it’s time for the first lake crossing on the ‘Los Andinos’ catamaran, taking you to the small village of Peulla on the other side.

As we approach Puella you’ll be treated to some breathtaking views of the Osorno and Puntiagudo volcanoes, among other delights, and after disembarking the catamaran in Peulla it’s time to visit an ecological lodge for an opportunity to have some tasty lunch in amongst the natural paradise-like surroundings of the lodge.

After lunch it’s time to cross the border into Argentina; after a short bus ride to the border crossing and a quick stop in a customs we’ll continue our journey over the Andes Mountain range to Puerto Frias – the views, as you might expect, are stunning. Open arrival it’s time to board your second boat of the day, the ‘Victoria del Sur’ for a scenic 20 minute crossing of Lake Frias to Puerto Alegre, followed by a short bus ride to Puerto Blest and your final sail across the stunningly scenic Lake Nahuel Huapi towards Puerto Pañuelo where you’ll take the last bus on the final leg of your journey to popular and picturesque Argentinean ski resort town of San Carlos de Bariloche. considered to be one of the most charming towns in Patagonia.

When you arrive, we will be waiting to take you to your chosen hotel or lodge, where (depending on where you stay) you can finish off a long and memorable day with a relaxing dinner by a roaring log fire.

Now it’s time to go on one of the most sought-after tours in this region with a half day trip that will take you, with your friendly local guide and driver, to highlights of all the beautifully serene vistas of lakes, mountains and forests in the Nahuel Haupi National Park (the oldest and largest in the region) that Bariloche is famous for. From the shoreline of Nahuel Huapi Lake, where you’ll see the picturesque Huemel Island from Playa Bonita (beautiful beach), we’ll take you up to the top of Mt. Campanario (1050 meters, 3445 ft above sea level) via the relaxing chairlift where you’ll be treated to views stretching as far as the eye can see over the lakes of Nahuel Huapi and Perito Moreno, with Victoria Island, the Otto, López, Goye and the Catedral hills, the San Pedro Peninsula, plus downtown Bariloche; and all with the snow peaked Andes as the ever imposing backdrop … it’s no exaggeration to say that this might be one of the most magnificent landscapes you will ever see … you’ll want to give yourself sufficient time to soak it all in.

Afterwards, if that wasn’t enough, we’ll visit San Eduardo Chapel – a quaint, wooden, and distinctly English remnant of a bygone era when the British Empire held sway in South America. The chapel is located near to Llao-Llao: one of the most exclusive and iconic hotels in the area and the site of one of the most popular pictures of Bariloche that you’re likely to find on the interwebs. Finally, on the last part of our journey we’ll visit Pañuelo port on lake Nahuel Huapi, before crossing the bridge at lake Moreno and, on our way back, passing the lakes of El Trébol and Nahuel Huapi once more before dropping you off at your hotel, or perhaps a restaurant or downtown site of interest if you prefer, giving you the rest of the afternoon free to enjoy a traditional lunch and explore downtown Bariloche on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake.

Your ‘Short Circuit’ tour includes: Lakes: Perito Moreno, Escondido, El Trébol and Nahuel Huapi; Playa Bonita, Huemul Island, Bahía Serena, Mt. Campanario, San Pedro Peninsula, Llao Llao Peninsula, San Eduardo Chapel, Puerto Pañuelo, Llao Llao Hotel & park, Villa Tacul, Angostura bridge … among others.

Top tip: If a half day tour of this beautiful area isn’t enough for you, why not try the full day ‘Big Circuit’ version instead for 8 hours of spectacular scenery – get in touch for more details.

For your second day in Bariloche, you have a free day to explore or we can help you pick from a long list of available tours and activities in this region. What is available for you will depend on the season you are visiting and the weather conditions on the day.

In Patagonia there is no shortage of sights, activities, lakes, forests, valleys and mountains for you to enjoy, as you might expect! Activities and tours can include: trekking, kayaking, mountain biking, sailing, fishing, golfing, foodie tours, relaxation spas… etc. It’s a quite an extensive list.. check with us for the available options.

Today you’ll travel deep into the land of mountains, lakes and glaciers. The town ‘El Calafate’ is named after a berry (commonly known as a barberry) that, once eaten, guarantees your return to Patagonia … but with the world famous Perito Moreno glacier nearby in the ‘Parque Nacional Los Glaciares’, and it’s strategic location between the popular trekking locations of El Chalten and Torres Del Paine (in Chile), it’s probably not the berries that keep bringing people back to El Calafate!

We’ll pick you up from your hotel and take you to the airport, and be waiting for you when you land, of course, and your friendly guide will give you an introduction to the area whilst explaining what exciting activities lay in store for you over the next few days. As you drive into the town on the southern shore of Lake Argentino, you’ll notice the main strip is lined with restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, tourist offices and outdoor stores, chocolate shops and so on … but don’t be fooled by all these chic touristic niceties, because just beyond this town’s perimeter lies the remote Patagonian wilderness.

Your day’s itinerary will depend on the available flights – you may get some free time in Bariloche before your flight, for example – but once you arrive in El Calafate after your 1h 45m flight, you’ll have the rest of the day to check out your hotel and explore this quaint lakeside town.

Hotels here range from budget offerings and homely wood constructed buildings and log cabins overlooking the lake, all the way up to luxury boutique spas and resorts – ask your advisor about options and availability.

When you think of Patagonia, one of the first images that springs to mind will invariably be one of the Perito Moreno Glacier … no trip to Patagonia is complete without getting up close and personal with this UNESCO National Heritage Site of exceptional natural beauty – for good reason it’s Patagonia’s most famous attraction.

With a bit of luck you’ll get to witness the awesome spectacle of seeing brilliant blue chunks of ice on one of it’s huge walls (up to 60 meters, 200 ft) tearing off, collapsing and thundering into the glacial waters below, creating mini icebergs and huge waves before your eyes. It is one of the few glaciers in the region where you can get up close and personal and even walk on top of it (for the more adventurous among us!).

After an early pick up and an 80 km (50 mile) drive into the Los Glaciares National Park through the Patagonia-Andean forests, you’ll get to see this immense mountain sculpting force of nature in all it’s glory from a variety of vantage points (have your camera at the ready!). After this beautiful introduction to wet your appetite, you now have two options… take a boat trip on what’s called the ‘Nautical Safari’ on Lake Rico for a closer view of the glacier wall from the water. Then, after sailing to the southern end of the Canal de los Témpanos (about 300 m from the canal wall, 984 ft), we’ll have an hour or so to walk around this area and have a boxed lunch or eat at the Nativos Restaurant (depending on availability and what tour options you choose).

The second option is for the slightly more adventurous: mini-trekking on the glacier itself. This begins in a similar way with a boat trip to the southern wall of the glacier, before disembarking to begin our 1.5 hr hike on this great mass of blue ice, fully equipped with crampons, and with our enthusiastic guide explaining all the different ice formations we’ll encounter en route, such as cracks, seracs, drains, and small ponds. The mini-trekking option is medium difficulty and suitable for most agile people between the ages of 10-65 years old. A boxed lunch is included. On the way back, we’ll pass by an extensive Magellanic forest, sail through the Canal de los Tempanos, and then disembark at an observation point with full of footbridges and observation decks for some last looks at the ice before the days end.

After this unforgettable experience, with cameras full of incredible vistas and memories to take with you for life, it’s time to head back to your hotel in El Calafate … you’ll be forgiven for taking a nap on the way back, but if you can keep your eyes open they’ll be treated to some late evening views of the Glacier National Park.

Your tickets, park entrance fees, transport and lunch are all included

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a full day exploring the Perito Moreno glacier is a hard act to follow, but we’ve got another treat in store for you in a different but equally as beautiful region of the national park. This full day tour begins with an early pick up and a 47 km (29 miles) drive to Punta Bandera Port, where a well equipped and modern catamaran will be waiting to take you towards Upsala Glacier, the largest in the region.

After travelling on the northern arm of Lake Argentino and navigating the ‘Boca del Diablo’ (the mouth of the devil), the lake’s narrowest area, we’ll head up Upsala channel towards the mountain of ice. As the journey progresses we’ll be increasingly surrounded by mini icebergs, forests, and immense mountainous terrain with hanging (or ‘Gem’) glaciers all around us, until we reach the glacier’s edge, where you’ll be treated to panoramic views of Upsala glacier itself. After soaking in the sights of the park’s largest glacier, we’ll head up the Spegazzini Canal to see the park’s highest glacier … its walls topping out at an incredible 130 m (427 ft) and extending for 25 km (15.5 miles).

The catamarans are heated so you don’t need to worry about the cold except for times when you might want to go out on deck for a closer look and take some pictures. For those who like a spot of luxury, there is even a VIP ‘Captain’s Club’ ticket option with an open bar, cafeteria, 3 course meal and an exclusive seating area, or there is another option which swaps the 3 course meal for a boxed lunch. After another full day of getting up close with icebergs whilst surrounded by jaw dropping scenery, it’s time to head back to El Calafate … when you get back we’ll pick you up from the pier after disembarking and take you to your hotel.

Tickets, transport, and park entrance fees are all included

This is the last day of the itinerary but it needn’t end here, why not fly back to Buenos Aires and spend a few days in the ‘Paris of South America’ for a rich injection of history, culture, and beauty. Or how about a trip to the incredible Iguazu Falls, or the wine regions of both Argentina and Chile … endless possibilities, none of which will disappoint – get in touch with us to help plan your perfect itinerary.

Today, of course, we’ll be picking you up from your hotel and taking you to the airport for your outbound flight to wherever you decide will be your next destination.