Best of Patagonia
Our best way to get to know the varied and beautiful regions of Patagonia. Travel from the most Southerly city to the temperate rainforest and lakes in the North visiting …
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Trip Itinerary: Chile - Deep into Patagonia
Santiago
Day 1 - On your arrival in Santiago you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel in the leafy neighbourhood of Providencia. Spend your afternoon exploring downtown Santiago either guided or under your own steam.
Hotel: Various options in Santiago
Self-Drive the Lakes
Day 2 - Take an early morning flight south into the heart of the Chilean Lake District. Pick up your hire car and start your 6 day self-drive through this spectacular region. Your first stop will be the lakeside town of Pucon which sits under the shadows of the active and smoking Villarica Volcano.
Hotel: Posada del Rio, Pucon
Day 3 - Choose from a variety of activities - summit the volcano, go white water rafting or take a day hike up into lakes surrounded by monkey puzzle trees. In the late afternoon take a drive out to one of the many hot springs to lounge in the natural pools as the sunsets and the starry sky appears.
Hotel: Posada del Rio, Pucon
Day 4 - Start your journey south through Chile's Lake District passing numerous lakes, rivers and volcanoes of varying and surprising colours. Stop off in the many rural villages to sample freshly made delights or take a dip in the refreshing waters. Spend the evening at the mystical Huilo Huilo biological reserve in a luxury tree house.
Hotel: Huilo Huilo or Marina del Fuy
Day 5 - Take a day to explore the many waterfalls in the biological reserve or take the ferry across the glistening waters of the slender Lago Piriheico deep into the heart of the Chilean Andes
Hotel: Huilo Huilo or Marina del Fuy
Day 6 - Continue your journey south through the central valley to the largest lake in the region which sits at the foot of the conical Osorno Volcano. Notice the style of houses change as you enter this germanic area of Chile. Visit the Petrohue falls in the afternoon before settling in for the night in your lakeside cabin.
Hotel: Lakeside Cabins in Puerto Varas
Day 7 - Spend the day exploring the lakeside villages of Frutillar and Puerto Octay or choose a day hike to the summit of the volcano or the surrounding woodlands.
Hotel: Lakeside Cabins in Puerto Varas
Chiloe Island
Day 8 - After dropping off your hire car you will be met by your local guide and taken by ferry to the mystical island of Chiloe. Spend the day exploring the rugged Pacific coast with its incredible bird life and wildlife. Take a boat trip to nearby islands where Magallanic and Humbolt penguins nest side by side. Overnight and homemade organic meal at La Casita del Mar, surrounded by nature and only meters from the waters of the Bay of Ancud.
Day 9 - After a relaxing night's sleep and breakfast by the beach you'll depart for a day of trekking on the Pacific Coast of the island- we'll visit the area around Polocue for an hour coastal walk, passing by the unique basalt columns of an extinct volcano and climbing to an outlook above the broken coastline and Rosaura beach. Afterwards we'll continue to the 'end of the road' and walk part of the Sendero de Chile, along the rugged coast and into the native rainforest. Returning to your comfortable lodging at night you'll enjoy another fresh homemade meal.
Hotel: La Casita Home-stay, both nights
Torres del Paine
Day 10 - In the morning, transfer to the airport and fly south over the spectacular Southern Patagonian Ice-field to the port city of Punta Arenas. Your guide will be waiting for you to take you deep into the heart of the Torres del Paine National Park. If time allows, take a short hike in the afternoon or simply sit back and marvel and the scenery. Your base for 3 days will be a private eco-dome or yurt which are comfortable but at one with nature.
Day 11 - Take a trek on one of the famous W trek trails or choose a more vehicle based excursion to another part of the National Park. Your excursions will be accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide who will inform you about local history, geology and native flora and fauna.
Day 12 - With another full day, you will again be able to choose one of the W trek trails or perhaps a visit to the Grey Glacier on the other side of the park.
Hotel: Patagonia Camp, all three nights
Glacier Cruise
Glacier Cruise, Southern Patagonia
Day 13 - Take a mid-morning transfer back to Punta Arenas to board your vessel for your Patagonian cruise. Early evening you will weigh anchor from Skorpios Terminal in Puerto Natales, and sail through the Patagonian channels.
Day 14 - In the morning visit the Amalia and El Brujo glaciers - if weather permits you will disembark on a rock promontory in front of the glacier. In the afternoon you will set sail into the Calvo Fjord where excursion will be done in a special motor boat named Capitan Constantino, visiting Fernando, Capitan Constantino and Alipio Glaciers, among others. In the evening you will cruise through the Montanas Fjord.
Day 15 - You will awake in the morning in the Montanas Fjord, where five glaciers slide down from the Sarmiento Mountains to the sea. You will get up close to the Bernal Glacier and disembark for a leisurely hike to the base of the Glacier. In the afternoon, cruise in the bay of the Herman Glacier admiring the beauty of the area and multicolored icebergs (this will depend on the tide). In the evening, enjoy the farewell party and Captain's Dinner.
Day 16 - In the morning, disembark the ship back in Punta Arenas. Spend the day exploring this historic city visiting its many museums and historic buildings. Your hotel, set right in the main square is a historic mansion of the Braun Family, the driving force behind the Patagonian sheep industry.
Hotel: Jose Nogera, Punta Arenas
Cape Horn
Albatross monument, Cape Horn
Day 17 - Take an early morning flight from Punta Arenas airport and do a fly-over of Cape Horn. Your flight will land in Puerto Williams where you’ll be transferred to the Lakutaia lodge - your home for the coming days. In the afternoon visit to the OMORA Ethno-Botanical Park - a bio-cultural conservation initiative that focuses on the communities of people that live in the last existing sub-antarctic forests and in which the Yagan people that lived in Puerto Williams actively participated.
Day 18 - Today you will sail through the channels of Tierra del Fuego visiting Wulaia Bay where a young Charles Darwin met the locals from Tierra del Fuego whom he described as 'the cultural extreme of human evolution'. After sailing the Murray Straits you will disembark and trek to a lookout point. On your way back to the Lodge you will have the chance to see sea-lions on their isles, observe an enormous amount of sea-birds and with any luck, enjoy the sight of dolphins and penguins swimming by the ship.
Day 19 - On your third day on Isla Navarino you are able to choose from a range of activities such as mountain biking, trekking and horse riding, each activity with varying levels of difficulty.
Day 20 - Take a morning visit to the town of Puerto Williams before returning by aeroplane to Punta Arenas. You will arrive in the late afternoon with time to visit any of the sights you missed during your last visit.
Hotel: Jose Nogera, Punta Arenas
Day 21 - Take a mid morning flight back to the capital, Santiago, hopefully catching a final glimpse of the Southern Patagonian Ice-field on your way. Spend the evening at leisure in Santiago savouring the last tastes of Chilean cuisine.
Hotel: Various options in Santiago
Day 22 - Transfer to the airport to catch your return flight home.
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