DESCRIPTION:

Boasting an awesome geology of pampas, lakes, mountains, and glaciers, abundant wildlife, and a wealth of fossils. Patagonia is a rare gem, a land of wonders at the end of the earth.

 

Spend several nights at Torres del Paine National Park, set amidst monolithic granite spires, azure colored lakes, and glaciers. Across the border in Argentina, we will explore Glaciers National Park and marvel at Perito Moreno, an enormous glacier reaching back though the Andes. Also visit Estancia Cristina, a ranch set in one of the most remote and beautiful valleys in Patagonia. For the cruise portion of this compelling voyage, board a 129-passenger exploration vessel, the M/V Mare Australis, to cruise from Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel to Cape Horn, the fjords of Tierra del Fuego, and the mythical Strait of Magellan. For the world traveler eager to explore pristine wilderness, South America’s Patagonia is undoubtedly one of this hemisphere’s top destinations.

 

This expedition begins in Santiago, Chile's cosmopolitan capital. Then fly to Punta Arenas, the historic capital of the Magallanes region, a bustling port at the bottom of the world. Travel through the Patagonian pampas to Puerto Natales, gateway to Chilean Patagonia. Spend three nights in Torres del Paine National Park, set amid monolithic granite spires, azure lakes, and glaciers. Condors ride on currents above the Andes, and foxes, rheas, and guanacos give chase in the windswept pampas.

 

For the cruise portion for the voyage, board a 129-passenger expedition ship, which combines well-appointed accommodations and personalized service with meticulous environmental sensitivity. ail through the mythical Strait of Magellan, Cape Horn, the fjords of Tierra del Fuego, and the Beagle Channel. Across the Beagle Channel are Chilean islands that nestle against a backdrop of rugged peaks and glaciers. Conclude the program in Santiago from where we visit the nearby valleys of Chile's central region where well-known Chilean wines are produced. This is a journey into Patagonia's unforgettable magnificence.

 

CONSIDER:

This trip can be as active or relaxed as you like.

 

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS & ADD-ONS:

The breathtaking Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. It lies at the base of the Andes, just outside the oasis of San Pedro. Explore some of the most extraordinary landscapes in the world––volcanoes, geysers, evaporated salt lakes, hot springs, and petroglyphs–– and ancient pre–Columbian cultures.