This holiday visits the places ticked below. You can design your own itinerary by adding destinations. Select the destinations you would like and click the red button to see full details of the holiday you have chosen.
This 22 day holiday combines the Chilean capital, Santiago; the beautiful Lake District; the wilderness of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia; the breathtaking Perito Moreno glacier; the fantastic Torres del Paine; the sophistication and culture of Buenos Aires; the stunning Iguazu Falls; and the tropical beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
* If the river is too low to enter the Torres del Paine by boat, you will enter by road.
Santiago, the capital city of Chile has an incredible backdrop of 6000 metre snow capped mountains. Today, Santiago is a modern city; however the centre has retained some of its historic buildings. The vineyards around Santiago produced some of the best wine in all of Chile, and many of the vineyards are open to the public for tours. The colourful port of Valparaiso is a two hour drive away on the Pacific coast.
Puerto Varas is located in the heart of the Chilean Lake District, with a spectacular setting on the edge of Lake Llanquihue, with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and volcanoes. The region has a strong German influence due to mass immigration in the middle of the 19th century. The Lake District is an excellent destination for outdoor activities with hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and white water rafting all available.
Torres Del Paine is one of the great national parks in South America, with mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. The park is home to foxes, guanacos (a type of llama), condors, rhea and even the rarely-seen puma. The park is a beautiful place to explore, either by road or on foot: the trekking is exceptional, with many excellent day hikes. The nearby town of Puerto Natales, beautifully set on the Last Hope Sound, is an excellent base before visiting Torres del Paine.
El Calafate, a small town in south Patagonia, is the perfect base for visiting the Perito Moreno glacier. The glacier is one of the most impressive in all of Patagonia, and it is possible to watch giant chunks of ice break off to the 60m face and crash into Lago Argentino below. El Calafate is on the shores Lago Argentino, and you can take a boat ride through the icebergs, as well as visit old haciendas and explore other glaciers.
Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is located on the windswept island of Tierra del Fuego. Nearby is the Tierra del Fuego National Park, which boasts dramatic scenery ranging from gushing waterfalls to snow-capped peaks. The park is often reached by the ‘end of the world’ tourist train. Ushuaia is on the Beagle Channel, and boat trips allow you to see penguins, sea lions, and different species of birds.
Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, possesses a rich cultural identity, and is one of most visited cities in Latin America. The city is divided up into various neighbourhoods, ranging from the colourful streets of La Boca to the wealthier region of Recoleta, and the city is best explored on foot. The Tango dance originates from the working class neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, and no visit would complete without a trip to one of the many evening Tango shows, or to a milonga if you fancy a dance yourself. If you are looking to escape the bustle of the city, then a visit to one of the Estancias on the nearby Pampas makes an excellent day trip.
The Iguazu Falls are a series of over 270 waterfalls stretching for over one and a half miles through lush forest. The falls culminate in the incredible Devil’s Throat, the 700-metre long, 82-metre high horseshoe-shaped falls. The area around the falls is a national park, and there many trails through the jungle, allowing you to spot the local wildlife. The Iguazu Falls are on the border between Argentina and Brazil, and the falls can be visited from both countries.
Rio de Janeiro is an incredible city in a stunning location, with beautiful bays, hills rolling into the ocean and tropical beaches. The popular Copacabana beach is a great place to soak up the sun or watch a game of beach football. Overlooking the city is the 30-metre high statue of Jesus Christ, and it is one of the most iconic images of Rio. Rio is blessed with one of the most famous natural landmarks in the world; the Sugarloaf Mountain. At 394 metres high, it is reached by cable car, and from the top there are spectacular views over the city.