Day 1: Santiago de ChileWelcome to Latin America! You’ll arrive in the capital of Chile, the city of Santiago. Our guide will meet you and accompany you to the hotel.
Depending on the time of arrival, you have a free day/evening for adaptation and independent exploration of the city.
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Day 2: Santiago de ChileIn the morning after breakfast, you will have a sightseeing tour with an English-speaking guide.
The tour begins in the city center with a visit to La Moneda, the governmental building square, recognized as a historical monument. It was erected in the traditional neoclassical style in 1799, during the last years of Spanish rule, to house the royal mint. In the mid-19th century, the building was allocated for the Chilean government, and since then, La Moneda Palace has been the residence of the country's government. Then, you will visit Plaza de Armas - the central square of Santiago. The history of the city began here. The square is surrounded by the Governor's House of Chile, Santiago Municipality, Main Post Office, Royal Audience Building, and the Cathedral. Next, you will ascend Santa Lucia Hill, which offers a magnificent panorama of the entire city. Then, visit the modern districts of Santiago: Vitacura, Las Condes, and Providencia, driving along the Mapocho River and acquainting yourself with the majestic architecture of the main avenues of Santiago.
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Day 3: Valparaíso and Viña del MarAfter breakfast, a full-day excursion to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar awaits you.
The road to the coastal cities of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar passes through olive plantations, fruit orchards, and vineyards of the Curacaví and Casablanca valleys (120 km from Santiago). Valparaíso is located on 42 hills, characterized by its architectural style, and recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage site. Various levels of the city are connected by a system of historic elevators, funiculars, stairways, and pedestrian paths. You will visit Plaza Sotomayor with the Maritime Authority building, which is a national monument. Then, take a walk to Concepción Hill along Gervasoni and Atkinson boulevards, during which you will enjoy a magnificent view of the sea port - one of the main symbols of Valparaíso. Transfer to the city of Viña del Mar, known as the "Garden City", where its coastline boasts beautiful beaches and mighty cliffs. The main attractions of the city are the flower clock, Renaca beach, the promenade, and the Fonck Museum. Visit Pablo Neruda's house - La Sebastiana. After the tour, return to Santiago.
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Day 4: Santiago de Chile - Puerto NatalesAfter breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Puerto Natales - one of the southernmost points of Chile. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the hotel.
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Day 5: Torres del PaineBreakfast at the hotel. Excursion to Torres del Paine National Park (individually with an English-speaking guide).
Rising almost vertically over 2000 meters above the Patagonian steppe, the granite spires of Torres del Paine (Paine Towers) dominate the landscape of South America's premier national park. Before the park's creation in 1959, the area was part of a large sheep pasture, and it is still recovering from almost a century of excessive grazing, logging, and wildlife poaching. Most people come to the park just because it's considered a hit, but when you get here, you realize that there are other attractions: azure lakes, trails meandering through emerald forests, wild rivers, fragile bridges, and one big, shiny blue glacier. As part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve System since 1978, the park is home to rhea (known as ñandú), Andean condor, flamingos, and many other birds. The star of the park is undoubtedly the guanaco, which grazes on the open steppes where pumas cannot approach them unnoticed. After more than a decade of effective protection from poachers, these large and growing herds don't even pay attention when people or vehicles approach them. A full-day excursion to visit the amazing Torres del Paine National Park, including the Milodon Cave, located on Benitez Hill, 25 km from Puerto Natales, where in 1895 the skeletons of a saber-toothed tiger, American horse, and giant sloth were discovered. The name Milodon comes from the ancient animal Mylodon Darwini, which lived here 8-10 millennia ago. To imagine the appearance and size of this huge herbivorous fossil, there is a sculpture of it at the entrance to the cave. Upon arrival at the park, a biosphere reserve with an area of more than 242,000 hectares, the landscape changes dramatically - dozens of lakes with birds and huge granite mountains appear. Emerald water lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers-covered mountains are typical landscapes of this area. A 15-minute walk is necessary to see Salto Grande - a waterfall connecting two lakes - Nordenskjold and Pehoe. On the way back, we will drive along the beautiful route, passing through the Rio Serrano rivers and the Toro and Porteño lakes. Overnight at the hotel.
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Day 6: Puerto Natales - El CalafateAfter breakfast, you will be transferred from Puerto Natales (Chile) to El Calafate (Argentina). Along the way, passing through mountain peaks and steppe landscapes, you may encounter various representatives of the local fauna - llamas, hares, foxes, and alpacas. Upon arrival in El Calafate, transfer to the hotel.
One of the main tourist attractions of Patagonia is located in El Calafate - the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. About 40% of the park is covered by gigantic ice fields, with 47 major glaciers, 13 of which flow eastward in the park to feed two large lakes, Lake Viedma to the north and Lake Argentino to the south. There are also about 190 smaller glaciers that are not connected to the ice fields. You will have the opportunity to see an excellent spectacle in Calafate - a small town in Patagonia, located on the shores of Lake Viedma and Lake Argentino. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. A very beautiful and unforgettable sight. Amazing nature, the calm waters of the lake where the town is located, small cozy bars and restaurants, souvenir shops. You simply won't want to leave these places.
Evening guided jeep tour "Nativo Experience", including dinner in a cave.
During this anthropologically inclined excursion, you will embark on a journey through time and learn how indigenous tribes and later colonizers settled these lands. Driving along the shore of Lake Lago Argentino through picturesque landscapes, you will find yourself near caves where indigenous people of Patagonia left their traces thousands of years ago. After many years, these cave paintings were discovered by scientists. At the end of the tour, you will be offered an unparalleled dinner in the caves: feel like part of millennia-old history and enjoy the pleasure of traditional dishes in a truly unforgettable setting!
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Day 7: El CalafateBreakfast at the hotel. Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park.
This park has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The glaciers (about 47) that gave the park its name show us a 10,000-year-old world: cold and wild. The most famous glacier, Perito Moreno, is located in the southwest part of Lake Argentino, 80 km from El Calafate. This glacier is named after a great Argentine explorer of the last century and is one of the few glaciers in the world that is still moving. That's why it has become one of the most spectacular sights in South America. From time to time, its front wall, 60 meters high, releases several ice walls, as huge as buildings, which fall into Riko Bend or the Canal de los Tempanos (Iceberg Channel) and then continue floating along the channel in the lake area. However, that's not all. As the glacier advances, it approaches the Magellan Peninsula on the opposite shore of the lake, as well as the footbridges and observation platform.
This cycle takes from 4 to 6 years and eventually divides the lake into two parts. Riko Bend becomes dammed up, and it rises about 35 meters above the average level. Its waters slowly carve their way through the glacier until they force it to collapse. This is a breathtaking sight!
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Day 8: El Calafate - BarilocheTransfer to the airport, flight to Bariloche. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel with a driver. In the second half of the day, you will have a tour to Victoria Island and the Myrtle Forest. On this excursion, you will visit the largest island of Lake Nahuel Huapi – Victoria, a true natural gem with its fauna and flora, both native and exotic. It has several lagoons that are home to cormorants, pheasants, and peacocks. We will also visit the last Myrtle Forest of Arrayanes, unique in the world due to its large size and density. After the excursion, return to the hotel.
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Day 9: BarilocheBreakfast at the hotel. Today you will go on a tour of the "7 Lakes" with an English-speaking guide and private transportation for the whole day. Our route will pass through the valley of the Limay River. 35 km from the hotel is the "Amphitheater," where a viewpoint is located, allowing you to observe a picturesque scene with rivers and peninsulas from a bird's-eye view. On the way to Cuyin Manzano, which is 5 km away, you can enjoy endless rocky forms and magical rivers. Then, together we will cross Lake Traful and reach the Traful viewpoint. Here you can enjoy a beautiful view and take magnificent photos that will stay in your memory forever. Next, we will go to the small town of Villa Traful, just a few kilometers away, where we can enjoy a good lunch with exquisite tea or try chocolate from local production and homemade sweets. Before leaving the lake, we will visit a beautiful sandy beach, and then head to Villa La Angostura, surrounded by a part of the beautiful Lake Correntoso. Finally, we will enjoy the beautiful landscapes as we return to Bariloche.
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Day 10: Bariloche - Foz do IguaçuAfter breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Iguaçu. The flight is via Buenos Aires. Upon arrival in Iguaçu, you will be transferred to a hotel on the Brazilian side.
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Day 11: Foz do IguaçuBreakfast at the hotel. You have a packed itinerary of excursions awaiting you. You'll head to the Brazilian side of the Iguaçu Falls, which border the canyon of the Iguaçu River. To say that this is a magnificent sight would be an understatement of the emotions you'll experience. The falls are located within a national park with unique flora and fauna. They were formed by volcanic eruptions and shifting tectonic plates. The name "Iguaçu" in the Guarani language means "big water." 275 waterfalls, each with its own name, merge into one, thundering down into the "Devil's Throat" gorge. The spectacle of water sprays in a rainbow halo is simply mesmerizing. On the way to the most powerful waterfall called "Devil's Throat," you'll see numerous smaller waterfalls. The rainbow mists of billions of drops of falling water and the magnificent landscapes evoke unparalleled delight.
Next, you have three more excursions - Macuco Safari, Bird Park, and Helicopter Flight over the waterfalls.
Macuco Safari - you'll embark on an exciting Macuco safari through the jungle in a jeep. You'll be accompanied by a guide providing information about this national park. Through the jungle, and then on foot, you'll arrive at a specialized platform on the Iguaçu River, where an impressive boat journey awaits you under the waterfalls. There, on a specially equipped boat, you'll get very close to the waterfalls. Unique views not only of the waterfalls but also of the slopes of mountains covered in tropical greenery await. Your breath will be taken away, and adrenaline will surge as you find yourself under the continuous flow of water cascading from above, providing a unique view of the waterfalls.
Bird Park is located near the Iguaçu National Park. This exotic bird park covers 4 hectares of pristine subtropical forests. Here, you can see (or even feed) more than 500 species of exotic birds from various continents in their natural habitat. Crocodiles, monkeys, and other animals also inhabit the reserve. You'll enter huge aviaries where amid the tropical forest, amazing, fairy-tale birds of exotic colors fly freely or stroll.
Helicopter Flight over the waterfalls. Unique panoramic view! The helicopter takes off from the Iguaçu National Park on the Brazilian side and flies around the waterfall quite low, providing a wonderful opportunity to see all the splendor of the raging natural elements.
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Day 12: Foz do Iguaçu - Buenos AiresBreakfast at the hotel. Next, you'll have an excursion to the Argentine side of the waterfalls with a guide. The Argentine side differs from the Brazilian side - here, you'll be directly above and below the waterfalls. You'll feel the power of the falling water up close and be able to enjoy the natural park surrounding this magnificent beauty! You'll witness the birth of the "Devil's Throat." Numerous trails and passages created by human hands allow you to observe this natural phenomenon from a very close distance. After the excursion, transfer to the hotel and check-in. After the excursions, you'll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to the hotel.
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Day 13: Buenos AiresBreakfast at the hotel. City tour with a guide (4 hours). You'll see the unique capital and touch the legendary centuries-old culture of Argentina - a combination of history and art. Buenos Aires concentrates most of Argentina's landmarks. The sophistication of its architecture is comparable only to Paris. But the city is unique in its beauty. Buenos Aires is widely known for its numerous museums, and art enthusiasts will find plenty of museums, galleries, theaters, and architectural monuments in this city. Among the main attractions of the city are the old district of La Boca, the historic area of San Telmo, where you can find a large number of bars, restaurants, and an authentic antique market at Plaza Dorrego. The true heart of Buenos Aires is the central square Plaza de Mayo - the largest shopping center in the world. Among the main attractions of the city is the "Pink House" (the presidential palace Casa Rosada), associated with the name of Eva Perón, and many other monumental monuments. Among them is the city's symbol - the 67-meter obelisk erected in honor of the proclamation of Argentina's independence, standing on the widest street in the world, Avenue 9 de Julio. You'll also visit the elegant Recoleta neighborhood with its famous cemetery, the colonial-style Church of El Pilar, and the nearby cultural and commercial center. The tour program also includes visits to the modern districts of the city: Puerto Madero and the parks of Lezama and 3 de Febrero. In the evening, you'll attend a Tango Show (with dinner, without a guide). Tango is hugely popular worldwide. But Argentina has one undeniable advantage - it originated here. The amazing world of tango... The dance on stage with its passion and virtuosity transports you to a world of love and graceful performance. This dance originated in the ports of the city among poor immigrants, gauchos, and other unsettled people. Initially, the dance was performed by two men quite loosely and was named after the Latin "tangere" - to touch. Over time, Tango became slower and acquired new tones of intimacy. Orchestras performing tango appeared. The dance rapidly gained popularity, and now Tango is one of the most sensual dances on earth, teaching sincerity to men and reminding women of tenderness. The restaurant's interior creates a tango atmosphere, and a menu of several traditional dishes with excellent Argentine wines complements this romantic evening.
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Day 14: Buenos AiresAfter breakfast at the hotel, you'll be transferred to the airport for your flight home!
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