Exploring Patagonia

TRAVELER FAVORITE

12 DAYS FROM $12,995

• Discover Patagonia’s incredible wonders by land and sea. • Sail the Chilean fjords on a four-night cruise and see thousands of Magellanic penguins. • Go hiking and horseback riding with naturalists in Torres del Paine National Park.

Signature Land Light/Moderate

DAY 1 I BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA Arrive this morning in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, and transfer to our hotel in the heart of the stylish Recoleta neighborhood. Enjoy a tango performance, followed by a welcome dinner. Sofitel Buenos Aires Recoleta | Meals: 1D DAY 2 I BUENOS AIRES Spend the day discovering this cosmopolitan city, known as the Paris of South America. See the Recoleta Cemetery, the final resting place for Eva “Evita” Perón. Continue to the historic presidential palace, Casa Rosada, and the cathedral in Plaza de Mayo. After lunch, explore the cobblestoned lanes of San Telmo and the colorful artists’ quarter of La Boca. Sofitel Buenos Aires Recoleta | Meals: 1B, 1L

DAY 3 I USHUAIA/TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK Fly to Ushuaia and visit Tierra del Fuego National Park. Embark our ship and sail toward the famed Beagle Channel. M.V. Stella Australis or M.V. Ventus Australis Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

DAY 4 I CAPE HORN, CHILE/WULAIA BAY Weather permitting, take Zodiacs to Cape Horn for panoramic views from the southernmost tip of South America. Later, explore Wulaia Bay, where Charles Darwin landed during his voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle. Choose one of two walks through the surrounding Magellanic forest. M.V. Stella Australis or M.V. Ventus Australis Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DAYS 5–6 I MAGDALENA CHANNEL/ AGOSTINI SOUND As we navigate the Magdalena Channel, spot penguins, dolphins, albatrosses, and other seabirds. After entering the Pia Fjord, board Zodiacs and enjoy a shore excursion on Pia Glacier. Continue along the Beagle Channel to Garibaldi Glacier. Embark on a challenging hike through the Magellanic forest if you choose. The next day, cruise majestic Agostini Sound, and disembark for a closer look at Águila Glacier. During an easy walk, take in spectacular views of the brilliant blue-and-white ice set off by black mountains, and learn about the geologic forces that shaped this dramatic land. M.V. Stella Australis or M.V. Ventus Australis Meals: 2B, 2L, 2D

DAY 7 I MAGDALENA ISLAND/ PUNTA ARENAS Take a morning walk on Magdalena Island, home to a colony of more than 100,000 Magellanic penguins. Disembark in Punta Arenas and continue across the southern Pampas, looking for herds of guanacos, as well as rheas, gray foxes, and black-necked swans. Settle into our spectacular hotel in Torres del Paine National Park. Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

DAYS 8–10 I TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK During the next three days, tailor your exploration to your interests, choosing from among a variety of hiking and horseback-riding excursions in the park. Discover Grey Lake and its incredibly blue sculpted ice; hike through beech forests along the shore of Blue Lagoon; and marvel at rock paintings left by the indigenous Aónikenk people, some of the earliest inhabitants of the region. Enjoy evening lectures, and cap off your stay with a festive barbecue in the company of local gauchos, getting a glimpse into traditional Patagonian cowboy culture. Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa | Meals: 3B, 3L, 3D

DAY 11 I PUNTA ARENAS/SANTIAGO/ MAIPO VALLEY Today, drive to the Punta Arenas airport for the flight to Santiago. Arrive this evening and check in to our hotel, located on the famed Viña Santa Rita—one of Chile’s most prestigious wineries. Hotel Casa Real | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DAY 12 I MAIPO VALLEY/SANTIAGO Embark on a private tour of the estate’s 40-hectare park and gardens this morning. Later, enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Viña Santa Rita that includes the estate’s vineyards, stone-and-mortar cellar, and tasting room. Continue to the nearby Andino Museum to peruse an impressive collection of pre-Columbian art. This evening, transfer to the airport for your flight home. Meals: 1B, 1L

ABOUT THE SHIPS

The M.V. Ventus Australis (built in 2017) and M.V. Stella Australis (built in 2010) are sister ships designed specifically to cruise the spectacular Patagonian waterways. Facilities include an open deck, three lounges, a library, a game room, and a single-seating dining room. All cabins in our allotment are the same size. Visit our website for details. A National Geographic Expert and Expedition Leader will accompany this trip, and local guides will join us along the way.

Diego Pol Paleontologist Diego Pol is head of the science department at the Egidio Feruglio paleontology museum in Patagonia. He has worked on multiple international projects and published over 90 papers on fossils from Patagonia to Madagascar and Mongolia to Brazil. Diego and his team have discovered fossils of over 20 new species in Patagonia, including the largest known dinosaur, titanosaur Patagotitan.

INFORMATION

Dates: This expedition is offered from November through March. Prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement applies; please see our website. Airfare is not included in the price. Internal flights are an additional $1,400 per person. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change. This itinerary is for informational purposes only and is subject to change at any time without notice.