This incredible 9-day Patagonian comfort adventure is the perfect pre-expedition addition to an Antarctic cruise. Starting in Santiago and staying in handpicked hotels, this superior styled itinerary will show the natural beauty of Southern Patagonia and finish in El Calafate, where you can fly directly to Ushuaia to connect with your Antarctic adventure (flight not included).
This package starts with a tour of Chile's capital, Santiago, before flying to the world epicentre of natural beauty –Patagonia. A unique and unrepeatable landscape where mountain glaciations, rivers and lakes, waterfalls, native forests, snowdrifts, fjords, archipelagos, ice fields, and Magellanic steppes make up a wild nature that awes and inspires. Stay in a Patagonian Lodge, a world-class refuge that includes daily excursions in the company of a bilingual guide. Choose from a horseback ride guided by a traditional gaucho through the Patagonian landscape, hikes in the Ventisquero Valley and to archaeological monuments, a field day to a typical Patagonian Estancia to enjoy an authentic lamb roast, mountain biking to the shore of Balmaceda Lake or a hike through Torres del Paine National Park and to the incredible Las Torres peaks.
This itinerary is also offered in reverse - Signature Patagonia - El Calafate to Santiago
On this all-encompassing personalised itinerary, Chimu will provide travel logistics for your travel party for the duration of your journey, plus expert guides for all the major sightseeing as per itinerary. Each night you will stay in superior accommodation, handpicked by our experienced team for their creature comforts, convenient locations, and impeccable service.
Trip Code: MCFHSP
Travel Style: Personalised Itinerary
Location: Chile, Patagonia, Argentina
Flights: Includes an internal flight from Santiago to Puerto Natales. International flights are not included. Ask us about booking your flights to/from South America to save money by creating an 'airpass'.
This itinerary is an ideal extension to lead into your Antarctic voyage, with the possibility to fly from El Calafate to Ushuaia for embarkation.
This itinerary showcases the highlights of Patagonia, one of the world's most show-stopping regions!
You will experience the breathtaking beauty of Torres del Paine National Park, with a range of daily options that allow you an in-depth exploration of the mountains, glaciers and pampas by horseback, motorboat, on foot or by vehicle.
You will discover the fascinating town of El Calafate, situated on the shores of Lago Argentino and on the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
Arrival day in the Chilean capital of Santiago. You will be collected from the airport and transferred to your hotel by private car transfer. The rest of the day is yours to recover from your flight.
Spend your morning getting to know Santiago on a half-day city tour. You will visit the highlights this cosmopolitan city has to offer. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the local area where your hotel is located. Barrio Lastarria is an upmarket, vibrant, and safe neighbourhood, home to some of Santiago’s best cafes, bars and restaurants with lots of boutique retail stores. (B)
You will be collected from your hotel and transferred by private transfer to Santiago airport to meet your flight to Patagonia. On arrival, a shared transfer will transport you to a hotel located on the shores of Chile’s world-famous fjords. Spend the evening relaxing in your lodge, taking in the water views and enjoying a typical Patagonian dinner. (B)
Today you begin your journey into one of the world’s most beautiful and pristine national parks, Torres del Paine, where you will spend the next three nights in an all-inclusive lodge. The transfer time will take approximately 2 hours and you will be offered incredible views of the Patagonian landscape as you watch estancias, lakes and snow-capped mountains pass you by. On arrival at your lodge, check in and the rest of the day is free for you to organise the following day’s activities. (B,D)
Choose from one of the many activities included in your lodge stay. Activities on offer include hiking one of the many world-class trails or to Las Torres base viewpoint, horseback riding, taking a cruise on a lake to view the Grey glacier, or a cultural visit to an estancia and learn about the gaucho culture that is unique to Patagonia. (B,L,D)
With one of the many activities included in your lodge stay, there are plenty of excursions available to suit your tastes to help make your last day in Torres del Paine a memorable one. (B,L,D)
Today you say bid farewell to the Chilean Patagonia and say hello to the Argentinian Patagonia. A shared transfer van will help with immigration formalities when crossing from Chile and into Argentina and deliver you safely to El Calafate, Argentina. Transfer time is approx. 6 hours. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the tourist shops, restaurants, and cafes of El Calafate, one of Argentina’s premier tourist destinations. (B,L)
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred via the beautiful Patagonian and into Los Glaciers National Park, home to the world-famous Perito Moreno Glacier. Join a boat cruise on the lake where you will get up close to Mayo, Negro and Perito Moreno Glaciers and bear witness to the 74-meter-high glacier calving right in front of your eyes. Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the only glaciers left in the world that continues to advance forward. On return to El Calafate, enjoy the rest of the afternoon soaking up the atmosphere in this beautiful village. (B,L)
There are no activities planned for today and a private airport transfer will collect you from your hotel and deliver you to El Calafate airport. Continue north to Buenos Aires or southwards to Ushuaia, the world’s most southern city. Ushuaia is also famous as the gateway for tourists travelling to Antarctica. Speak to our reservations staff about linking this itinerary to one of our 26 small ship expeditions to Antarctica from Ushuaia. Alternatively, you can choose to extend your Patagonian stay with a visit to El Chalten. (B)
Take a direct flight from El Calafate to Ushuaia to create an ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime experience by adding a small-ship expedition cruise to Antarctica. With over 30 ships and dozens of different itineraries to choose from, our Destination Specialist can help you find the expedition of your dreams to visit the most remote and awe-inspiring destination in the world, Antarctica!
For the complete Patagonian experience, our 4 day / 3 night El Chalten Extension is a must for hiking enthusiasts or for those wanting to visit one of Patagonia's top-rated National Parks; The Glaciers National Park. Located 200km north of El Calafate, El Chalten offers breathtaking views of Mount Fitz Roy and the challenging 23km hike to to the viewpoint consistently ranks as one of South America's best hikes.
Finish your Patagonian experience with our 4 day / 3 night Buenos Aires Extension package. This package combines history, tango, restaurants and stunning architecture to showcase the very best this cosmopolitan city has to offer and is a perfect itinerary to the start or finish of your time in Argentina.
Tried & tested upmarket properties with above average facilities and service
9 Days FROMLuxurious properties with impeccable facilities and service.
9 Days FROMAirport transfers
Internal flight as part of this itinerary*
Accommodation with breakfast daily
All meals at the Patagonian Lodge
Tours as detailed in the itinerary
Other meals where stated
EXCLUSIONS:
International flights
Visa and reciprocity fees (if applicable)
Travel insurance
Beverages
Personal expenses
Gratuities for tour guides and drivers
Any items not mentioned as included
A single supplement surcharge applies. Please contact us for more information.
This itinerary is only available between October to April due to the Patagonia season.
This itinerary can be done in the reverse. Contact us for more details.
Season and availability
We believe that appropriate accommodation should add to the authentic travel experience, as well as providing utmost enjoyment. For that reason our accommodation is scrutinised by our staff on the ground frequently, ensuring the properties adhere to our high standards. This key will help you understand the levels of accommodation available on this tour.
Comfortable properties with dependable facilities and service.
Upmarket properties with above average facilities and service.
Luxurious properties with impeccable facilities and service.
Talk to one of our Destination Specialists to plan your South American adventure and turn your dream into a reality. With exceptional knowledge and first hand experience, our consultants will piece together one of our Signature packages and customise your travel plans by adding extension packages.
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Being environmentally accountable is a crucial part of our organisation. Chimu is currently striving towards using less paper, taking several initiatives to do so and tracking our progress along the way. Our goal: A paperless organisation. For this reason, all information given to you will be sent electronically. We encourage those who choose to travel with us to support our aspirations and actions and ask that you reconsider printing out documentation. To view these documents, you can download them to your iPad or portable computer before and during your trip.
Chimu is passionate and dedicated to sustainability measures and understands the crucial part sustainability plays within the tourism industry.
We use local guides and office staff to both maximise local employment opportunities and minimise carbon footprint. Local guides also ensure you benefit from the intimate knowledge, passion and culture of the country you’re visiting. Our guides are all highly qualified (most with university degrees) or equip with many years of experience and are paid above the standard wage. Whether it be our knowledgeable local guides, locally produced meals or the transport on tour, we do not use imported goods when local products are available. We aim to minimise our impact on the environment and give as much back as possible to the communities we work in.
During your tour you will stay at Hotel Las Torres. Protecting the wilderness of the Tierra del Fuego National Park is at the heart of Las Torres philosophy. On top of critical conservation activities such as trail maintenance and waste management, Hotel Las Torres also engages in scientific investigation and provides essential educational services in the region. They also work regularly with Chilean schools to improve environmental performance through expeditionary educational programs.While visiting the many national parks, heritage sites, museums and landmarks our travellers are encouraged to explore remain culturally aware and sensitive. We further encourage you to buy appropriate souvenirs and discourage the buying of anything wrongfully made or taken from the environment i.e. shells and endangered species products. Information on how you can be environmentally conscious, and travel responsibly will be made available in our Travellers Guides and provided during your travels by guides and staff
For more information on our sustainability policies, including how we are striving towards being a paperless organisation, click HERE