DESCRIPTION:

These trips have been designed to be combined or taken separately, to showcase different explorations of Patagonia:

 

On Extreme Chile, highlights include visits to the Atacama Desert and Torres del Paine National Park. In the Atacama Desert, in Chile’s far north, areas exist that have not seen a drop of rain since recordkeeping began, yet somehow more than a million people squeeze life from this parched land. The landscape is so surreal as to be considered lunar, and yet I can tell you from experience that there is pure beauty. See the world’s third-largest salt flat at sunset—home to flocks of pink flamingos set against a backdrop of majestic volcanoes, some as high as 18,044 feet. See geysers frosted in the morning chill and take a dip in thermal pools; look for vicunas, interesting bird life, and fascinating geology. Then travel to Chile’s far southern region to explore Torres del Paine which is, without doubt, one of the most spectacular national parks in the country and one of the most unique and pristine places on the planet. It boasts snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading rivers and waterfalls, glaciers mirrored in lakes, forests, and wildlife.

 

On the Best of Wild Argentina, highlights include explorations of El Calafate—gateway to the Glaciers National Park—and the Patagonian Lakes District. From the small, charming town of El Calafate we will visit dramatic Glaciers National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the most impressive Perito Moreno glacier, one of the few that is not retreating. A humbling and awe- inspiring experience, watch and listen as ice from this enormous glacier calves into the waters below, a never-ending display of nature. With its tall peaks and crystalline waters, the Argentine Lake District is one of the world's most spectacular mountain playgrounds, yet it is remarkably unknown and unexplored by foreigners. Based in Bariloche, we will visit Victoria Island, where leafy trails lead through forests of giant sequoias, thujas, eucalyptus, and pines, as well as cypresses, coihues, and nires, which are the habitat for various fauna including pudú (the smallest deer in the world), wild boar, red deer, pheasant, and countless birds. We also explore the Enchanted Valley, possessing a rare and beautiful combination of shapes and colors, and the nesting site of Andean condors.

 

CONSIDER:

As always, these trips can be fully customized.

 

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS & ADD-ONS:

Iguazu Falls: Roaring out of the jungle and hurdling over cliffs between Brazil and Argentina, Iguazú Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world.