12 Days/11 Nights Departs Daily from Santiago Patagonia Explorer: New Ventus & Stella Australis Cruises Santiago, Patagonia, Calafate & Buenos Aires 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. ACCOMMODATIONS
2 Nights Santiago 4 Night Australis Cruise with all Meals 2 Nights El Calafate 3 Nights Buenos Aires INCLUSIONS All Ground Transfers Private Santiago Walking Tour Perito Moreno Glacier Tour with Navigation and Lunch Tango Show & Dinner Buenos Aires City Tour Daily Breakfast 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) 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)
SANTIAGO TO PUNTA ARENAS: 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 the Australis Pier to check in to the cruise. (Breakfast, Santiago; Dinner, Accommodations, Australis) Sail down the spectacular Admiralty Sound to Ainsworth Bay. Chose from one of two guided hikes offering amazing mountain views. In the afternoon, sail west to Tucker Islets. After lunch, head out on a Zodiac to spot penguins and many other bird species. Enter the Beagle Channel and enjoy a Zodiac tour of the stunning Pia Glacier. Hike around the ice to get the best views of this amazing remote destination. On board again, head through Glacier Alley. Navigate through Wulaia Bay, known for its rare aboriginal settlements and European missionaries. Visit the local museum and walk along the forested hills to spot local flora and fauna, as well as beautiful views. In the afternoon, pass through Cape Horn National Park, truly the End of the Earth. USHUAIA TO EL CALAFATE: Arrive to Ushuaia in the morning and transfer to the airport. Hop on a flight to your
next Patagonian destination, El Calafate. (Breakfast, Australis; Accommodations, El Calafate) 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) 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) 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)
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) DEPART BUENOS AIRES: Enjoy a private transfer from your hotel to the airport for your next Avanti destination. (Breakfast, Buenos Aires)