Heart of Patagonia

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.

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 Cristóbal 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.

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 Última 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.

Cross the glacier-fed waters of Última Esperanza Fjord by boat, arriving at Estancia La Península: 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.

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.

Explore the contrasting landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park. Visit panoramic lookouts at Puente Negro, Nordenskjöld, Sarmiento and Lake Pehoé, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Colón, then visit Plaza de Mayo and see Casa Rosada before stepping inside the Metropolitan Cathedral, resting place of independence hero General San Martín. 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 Perón. This evening, gather with your Travel Director and fellow guests for a farewell dinner at El Viejo Almacén 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.

Your journey comes to an end as you bid farewell to your Travel Director and fellow guests before your transfer to the airport.