Complete Patagonia: Mountains + Glaciers

Upon arriving in the Chilean capital this morning, you’ll be warmly greeted and chauffeured to your choice of elegant hotel. Our accommodations are located in either Providencia or Las Condes—upscale Santiago neighborhoods that are ideal for exploring the capital and offering some of the city’s finest dining and shopping. This afternoon, we offer a choice of privately guided sightseeing tours so you can tailor your exploration of Santiago to your own personal interests and style:
 
Santiago Walking Tour: With hotel pick-up and drop-off included, this privately-guided tour blends history, culture and poetic charm. Begin at La Moneda Palace, a striking example of Colonial-era architecture, before making your way to the Plaza de Armas—where you’ll see the grand Metropolitan Cathedral and City Hall. Discover some of Santiago’s loveliest and most avant garde districts, and enjoy a peaceful stroll along the tree-lined paths of Parque Forestal beside the Mapocho River. Pause for a cup of coffee or ice cream at a local café. Then explore La Chascona, the former home of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda—now a museum filled with his personal collections and eccentric spirit. Conclude your day atop San Cristobal Hill, where panoramic views stretch across the city to the towering Andes. Includes use of chauffeured vehicle, entry to La Chascona, and San Cristobal cable car.
 
Photography Tour—Santiago Landmarks + Hidden Gems: Whether you're working with a DSLR or just your smartphone, this privately guided experience invites you to explore the city’s rich textures, bold contrasts, and striking light from a fresh, creative perspective. Start atop Cerro San Cristóbal, where sweeping views of the city and Andes offer stunning shots—especially in the golden hour. Then head to Plaza de Armas to capture lively street scenes, colonial facades, and the grand Metropolitan Cathedral.
 
At La Moneda Palace, frame its neoclassical lines and, if timing allows, the ceremonial changing of the guard. Continue to the cobbled streets of Barrio París-Londres, a hidden gem of early 20th-century charm perfect for moody urban compositions and architectural details. Wrap up in Parque Bicentenario, where you can capture captivating images of flamingos wading through a pond and city residents enjoying the park’s open spaces—against the backdrop of Santiago’s cosmopolitan skyline. Throughout the tour, your expert guide offers tips and insights to help you capture Santiago at its most photogenic.
 
Santiago’s Beguiling Barrios: Discover the spirit of Santiago through its distinctive neighborhoods, guided by a local expert who shares the stories, history, and insights that only insiders know. Begin in Barrio Italia, a relaxed and charming district known for its vintage shops, artist studios, independent boutiques and courtyard cafés. From there, head to Barrio Lastarria, the city’s cultural and culinary heart. Mingling with city residents, you’ll love this vibrant neighborhood with its elegant restaurants, arthouse cinemas and unique shops.
 
End your sightseeing in colorful Barrio Bellavista, long known as Santiago’s bohemian quarter. Admire its bold street art, experience the vibrant atmosphere, and see how tradition and innovation come together in its architecture and public spaces. Along the way, take time to pause at a neighborhood café or artisan ice cream shop—an ideal moment to relax and experience the local rhythm of daily life.
 

Spend the day discovering two of Chile’s most captivating destinations—the vibrant port city of Valparaíso and the fertile vineyards of the Casablanca Valley. Begin with a scenic chauffeured drive to the coast and arrive in Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage city known for its steep hills, colorful facades, and bohemian energy. Ride one of the city’s century-old funiculars to the upper districts for sweeping views and winding alleyways adorned with some of Latin America’s most impressive street art. Visit La Sebastiana, the quirky hilltop home of Chile’s beloved poet Pablo Neruda, and gain insight into the life and literary legacy of this Nobel laureate. Your tour also includes the lively harborside wharves and Plaza de la Victoria with its Neptune Fountain.
 
Next, you’ll head inland to the Casablanca Valley—one of Chile’s premier wine-growing regions. At the acclaimed Casa del Bosque estate, enjoy a guided tasting of their cool-climate varietals, particularly celebrated for crisp Sauvignon Blancs and elegant Pinot Noirs. Then sit down to a seasonal lunch at Tanino, the winery’s contemporary restaurant, where fresh local ingredients and award-winning wines come together in perfect harmony. Return to Santiago where the evening is yours to relax, enjoy and dine as you wish. Note: La Sebastiana is closed on Monday and Tuesday.  Meals B+L

Your private car and driver will take you to the airport today for your included flight to Puerto Natales. Deep in Chilean Patagonia, this is the gateway to spectacular Torres del Paine National Park. On arrival, our staff will be on hand to ensure that you have a seamless connection to the transfer service provided by your lodge.
 
For your three-night stay in Patagonia, we offer a choice of luxury accommodations. Handpicked for their distinctive ambiance, they offer unbeatable locations for exploring the spectacular landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park. Our lodgings are superb—offering fine dining with a complimentary selection of local wine, beer and spirit beverages. Your stay also includes a complete program of tours, excursions and expeditions designed to reveal the mountains, glaciers, rivers and lakes of Patagonia. Accompanied by your lodge’s expert guides and naturalists, these activities range from gentle hikes and van excursions to challenging treks deep into the wildly beautiful landscapes of Patagonia.  Meals B+D

Your first full day in Torres del Paine invites you to experience its rugged grandeur on your own terms. Choose from a curated selection of guided excursions, each designed to immerse you in the park’s diverse landscapes and ecosystems. You might hike through lenga forests to scenic overlooks, photograph wildlife along shimmering lakes, or travel by vehicle to reach some of the region’s most iconic viewpoints.
 
With expert naturalists and local guides enriching the journey, even the most remote corners of the park become accessible. Whether you prefer an easy-paced nature walk or a more strenuous backcountry trek, every outing offers a fresh perspective on Patagonia’s extraordinary scale, solitude, and splendor. Back at your lodge, you’ll have time to unwind, reflect, and enjoy another evening of warm hospitality and fine cuisine.  Meals B+L+D
 

Another day of exploration offers the chance to experience more of the grandeur and majesty of Torres del Paine National Park —one of the most iconic wilderness areas in South America. Perhaps you’ll follow a glacier-fed river through a remote valley, visit a windswept lookout where condors soar, or walk along ancient geological formations shaped by ice and wind.
 
Depending on your interests and taste for adventure, activities today might include a horseback ride led by an experienced naturalist guide or a peaceful paddle across a glacial lagoon. For those seeking a more relaxed pace, scenic drives and shorter interpretive walks provide ample opportunity to appreciate the park’s beauty. How ever you choose to spend the day, the constantly changing light, weather, and terrain ensure that no two outings are ever the same. Back at your lodge, you’ll sit down to another delicious dinner accompanied by local wine, beer and spirits.  Meals B+L+D 
 

This morning, depart your lodge in Torres del Paine and set out on a scenic overland journey across the southern Andes. Traveling by shared transport, you’ll cross remote stretches Patagonia, moving from the dramatic peaks and valleys of Chile into the wide-open steppe of Argentine Patagonia.
 
The journey takes approximately five hours, including the border crossing from Chile to Argentina, and concludes with drop-off at your chosen accommodations in El Calafate. This inviting town on the shores of Lago Argentino is your base for exploring Los Glaciares National Park, home to the legendary Perito Moreno Glacier and other natural wonders. Settle in and enjoy the warm hospitality of your hotel.  Meals B
 

This morning, your chauffeured vehicle will be waiting to take you on an exciting, privately guided full-day adventure. Sit back and enjoy the scenery on the 50-mile drive from El Calafate to Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to one of Argentina’s most astonishing natural wonders: the Perito Moreno Glacier.
 
Stretching 19 miles in length and rising nearly 200 feet above the turquoise waters of Lago Argentino, Perito Moreno is a 3-mile-wide spectacle of ice, light, and sound. What makes it truly remarkable is that it’s one of the few glaciers in the world still advancing—creaking forward by nearly 7 feet each day. If you’re lucky, you may witness a dramatic calving event as enormous chunks of ice sheer off and crash into the lake below, sending up plumes of spray and echoing through the valley.
 
Spend time walking along the network of boardwalks that wind through native forest and lead to a series of panoramic viewpoints. Each offers a different angle on the glacier’s vast, undulating surface—alive with ridges, crevasses, and astonishing hues of blue. After taking the time to experience the might and majesty of this towering wall of ice, your car and driver will take you back to your hotel in El Calafate where the evening is free to dine as you wish.  Meals B
 

Today’s full-day adventure begins with a transfer to the port of Punta Bandera, where you will board a comfortable excursion vessel for a scenic cruise across the iceberg-dotted waters of Lago Argentino. As you glide through the northern arm of the lake, striking views of the vast Upsala Glacier’s western face begin to emerge—a breathtaking introduction to Patagonia’s glacial frontier.
 
Continue through the dramatic Cristina Channel to reach remote Estancia Cristina, a historic 54,000-acre ranch established in 1914 by an English settler. Once a thriving sheep farm in the shadow of the Andes, the estancia now welcomes visitors seeking both natural beauty and cultural heritage. Upon arrival, set out in specially equipped 4WD vehicles for a guided drive through rugged terrain to panoramic viewpoints overlooking the Upsala Glacier and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Back at the ranch, take time to explore the grounds, soak in the scenery, and enjoy a congenial lunch showcasing traditional Patagonian fare—often featuring local lamb and accompanied by fine Argentine wines. In the late afternoon, board your vessel for the return cruise to Punta Bandera and continue to your hotel.  Meals B+L
 

After breakfast, your car and driver will take you to the airport for your onward flight.  Meals B