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Trip Inspiration

*16 Days: The Highlights of Argentina + Chile (with JAO)

Discover two South American favorites

Explore the best of Argentina as you travel from the majesty of Iguazu Falls, to cosmopolitan Buenos Airies and to the glaciers of El Calafate. But the wonders do not end there...continue through Chile with visits to Torres del Paine in Patagonia and the country's famous wine region before ending in the spectacular Atacama Desert. Whether you are looking for awe-inspiring natural beauty, interesting cultural exploration, some of the world's best wine and cuisine - or all of the above - these diverse destinations will take your breath away as you turn each new corner.

Trip Highlights

Locations

  • 2 nights at Iguazú Falls at Awasi Iguazú
  • 3 nights in Buenos Aires at Hub Porteno
  • 3 nights at Awasi Patagonia
  • 2 nights in Chile’s wine region at La Casona Matetic
  • 3 nights in the world’s driest desert at Awasi Atacama

Activities

  • Get up close and personal to Iguazú Falls
  • Participate in an interactive dining experience in Buenos Aires
  • Enjoy a privately guided city tour in Buenos Aires
  • Visit the Tigre Delta to see this unique and lovely natural area
  • Experience the breathtaking Perito Moreno Glacier
  • Hike, kayak and explore Torres del Paine National Park
  • Discover a new favorite wine as you visit two Chilean wineries
  • Hike, stargaze, and discover beauty in the Atacama Desert
What does “Trip Inspiration” mean?

At Travel Beyond, we believe your trip should be designed just for you, not for the masses. Our travel consultants create a custom itinerary for each client, offering recommendations for places and experiences that best fit your style. The itinerary below was planned for a past client, but we’re sharing it for travel inspiration and as an example of what a trip to Argentina and Chile might look like. Let us know when we can design a trip just for you!

Day 1

Arrive Iguazú Falls, Argentina

Welcome to Iguazú Falls! Upon arrival, you will be met for your private transfer to Awasi Iguazú. You will spend three nights, including all meals and private excursions.

Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure. Dinner will be served at the lodge.

Awasi Iguazú Meals: Dinner

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Day 2

Iguazú Falls

Your stay at Awasi Iguazú will give you unique opportunities to learn more about the Falls and Argentina’s Misiones Province.

Awasi Iguazú is situated on the banks of the Iguazú River, surrounded by the Atlantic Rainforest. Your villa includes a private guide and 4-Wheel Drive vehicle, allowing you to explore at your own pace. You may choose between a full-day excursion with lunch included, or two half-day excursions, returning to have lunch at Awasi between.

Awasi has worked with renowned biologists to create a series of excursions that go beyond the falls.

From landscape to history, flora and fauna, the Misiones Province is a melting pot of contrasts and diversity.

Awasi Iguazú Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day 3

Iguazú Falls to Buenos Aires

This morning you will be met for your private transfer to the Iguazú Falls Airport for your commercial flight to Buenos Aires.

Credit: @travelbuenosaires

Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, make your way to the arrivals hall where you will be met for your private transfer to Hub Porteno. Accommodations will be reserved for three nights, including breakfast daily.

This evening, you will be met for your transfer to the Argentine Dinner Experience.

Credit: @travelbuenosaires

Forget everything you know about going to dinner: this unique dining concept is like no other, where exquisite food and wine are interwoven with local culture in a fun and interactive way. Argentine culture is very much centered around communal dining, which is exactly what you will experience. The dinner takes place in a warm, inviting space where you will meet fellow travelers from all around the world, along with a team of international and Argentine guides who want to show off their culture the best way possible, through food! The concept is simple, to host the best dinner party you have ever attended while taking you on a gastronomical journey of the country famed for its impeccable beef, delicious empanadas, decadent alfajores, stunning wines and, of course, the nation’s favorite pastime, mate.

Following dinner, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of your evening at leisure.

Hub Porteno Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

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Day 4

Buenos Aires

This morning you will be met by your private guide for a half-day tour to explore the most important neighborhoods of beautiful Buenos Aires!

The morning’s exclusive tour serves as the perfect introduction to four of the city’s most distinctive districts, offering a fascinating insight into its history, contrasts and culture. Your expert guide will draw on their extensive knowledge to show you the true highlights of Buenos Aires, including political centers, artist meccas and neighborhoods rich in European architecture. You’ll become acquainted with the site of the capital at Plaza de Mayo, undisputedly Buenos Aires’ political heart.

Credit: @travelbuenosaires

Next, delve into one of the oldest districts, Parque Lezama and La Boca in the south, where artists’ ateliers and brightly colored houses jostle for space; before moving on to Plaza San Martin and Retiro. Here you will notice the transformation of Buenos Aires’ architecture from the rambling style of the south to the European-influenced residential quarters of the 19th century. Finally, you’ll come face to face with the sophisticated neighborhood of Recoleta, whose buildings and avenues were inspired by the French. You will also stop at the world famous Recoleta Cemetery and Evita Peron’s Mausoleum.

Credit: @travelbuenosaires

Following your tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

Hub Porteno Meals: Breakfast

Day 5

Buenos Aires

This morning after breakfast, you will be met for your private Tigre Delta Tour.

From the city center, it’s less than an hour to reach Tigre, a vast region spread over 5,400 square miles and you will marvel at this pristine natural environment located so close to the bustle of Buenos Aires.

At Tigre, the Parana River flows down into the Rio de la Plata in the form of a delta, creating countless sedimentary islands that are carpeted in lush forest and grassland. Your expert guide will fill you in on all the exotic flora and fauna that thrive here and you will enjoy learning more about the people who make this natural wonderland their home.

Along the way, you will encounter riverside villas, Victorian docks, English gardens and traditional rowing clubs. Visit the Museo de Arte de Tigre, encased in a beautiful Belle Epoque building. Visit the atelier of Sebastian Paez Vilaro, a Uruguayan artist who now lives and works in Tigre and who will be delighted to show you his impressive bronze and copper sculptures. You will also spend time exploring the area from the water, as you enjoy a one-hour private navigation along the river delta.

En route back to Buenos Aires, stop at the small village of San Isidro, where you can visit the Gueridon Farm, San Isidro Cathedral and Victoria Ocampo’s mansion, a retreat for the most prestigious writers, artists and philosophers of the 1940s.

Following your tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

Hub Porteno Meals: Breakfast

Day 6

Buenos Aires to El Calafate

This morning after breakfast and checkout, you will be met for your private transfer to the Buenos Aires Airport for your commercial flight to El Calafate.

Upon arrival in El Calafate, you will be met for your private transfer to EOLO where you will spend two nights. All meals and many on-site activities are included in your stay.

EOLO embodies the spirit of Patagonia. Built on the land where the first creole and European immigrants of the area initially set foot, one can’t help but sense the aura of adventure that the thousands of travelers who journeyed through this area have left behind. The 10,000 acre property is a paradise for horseback riding, mountain bike rides, trekking, bird watching and, of course, for fully enjoying the subtle elegance of the installations. From anywhere on the property, you can witness the magnificence of a scenery that exposes its soul to the privileged eyes that contemplate it, and to the hearts that wish to feel its true essence.

EOLO Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

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Day 7

El Calafate

Today after breakfast, you will be met for your full-day, privately guided Perito Moreno Glacier Tour, including a shared mini-trek atop the ice.

Perito Moreno Glacier is Los Glaciares National Park’s most famous and imposing resident. Visitors travel from around the world to set eyes on the magnificent sight of this ever-growing natural phenomenon, which stretches 3-miles wide and 200-feet high above Lake Argentino. Watch as the evolving landscape takes shape in front of you, with huge chunks of ice breaking free from the main body, booming into the lake below and sending a mesmerizing shower of water hundreds of feet into the air. The waves and dramatic crashes caused by these continual movements are a display of true natural beauty.

Your tour begins at El Calafate, setting off on a comfortable one-hour drive, which leads you to the national park, with the first breathtaking glimpse of Moreno coming into view as you travel towards Lago Argentino; the unforgettable scenery is further enhanced by the imposing Andean Mountains in the background. In addition to the stunning views of the Perito Moreno, you will also have an opportunity to uncover the National Park’s wildlife, with a walk among their native surroundings. A guided hike through the National Park will offer the chance to spot Andean Condors, Buff-Necked Ibis, Black-Chested Buzzard Eagles, Ashy-Headed Geese and many other unusual species known to inhabit the myriad scenic trekking trails which dissect the rolling hills and plains surrounding the lake.

During your visit, you will also have the unique chance to trek on the glacier! Your shared journey begins as you board the boat to cross Argentino Lake, navigating through the ice blocks recently carved away from the glaciers, and traveling along the ice walls which tower above you as you sail.

Expert guides will be waiting to welcome you when you arrive at a captivating, uninhabited beach. Before heading out along the lake’s shore and towards the edge of the glacier, you will receive your crampons, which will provide a more comfortable trekking experience. You will then set out on an unforgettable two-hour adventure across this fascinating landscape, entering another world of the most incredible blue ice formations, hidden crevasses and gentle streams winding through gullies and pooling into small lagoons. The level of trekking here is considered to be ‘moderate’, and although the ice surface is irregular, it is also firm and perfectly safe.

Having conquered your trek on the glacier, you will enjoy a gentle stroll through the forest, as you make your way back to the pier, the lake, and ultimately back to the hotel in El Calafate.

EOLO Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day 8

El Calafate, Argentina to Torres del Paine, Chile

This morning after breakfast and checkout, you will be met for your shared transfer to Awasi Patagonia in Torres del Paine National Park. Accommodations will be reserved for three nights, including all meals and private activities.

Awasi Patagonia is situated in a private reserve overlooking Torres del Paine National Park, the crown jewel of Chilean Patagonia. The park is home to some of the most dramatic mountain scenery on the planet, replete with alpine lakes, waterfalls, glaciers, and wildlife.

Every evening before dinner, meet your private guide who will share with you the activity options for the following day. Your guide will ensure that you explore at your own pace and according to your individual interests and abilities.

Awasi Patagonia Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

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Days 9-10

Torres del Paine, Patagonia

Spend your days at leisure, to enjoy the activities and facilities of the hotel and its private reserve. Your private guide will be available so you can explore the region and enjoy the breathtaking panoramas of Patagonia. Enjoy hikes, horseback riding, biking, picnics or scenic drives in your private 4×4 vehicle. Your guide will be trained in archaeology, history, flora, and fauna, ensuring you enjoy these unique Patagonian experiences in the most rewarding possible way.

Awasi Patagonia Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day 11

Torres del Paine to Casablanca Valley

Today you will be met for your shared transfer to the Punta Arenas Airport for your commercial flight to Santiago.

Upon arrival, you will be met for your private transfer to La Casona Matetic. Accommodations will be reserved for two nights, including a tour of the wine cellar, activities on offer, dinner with wine, and breakfast. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

Set among the Matetic vineyards, La Casona Matetic is an ten-room boutique hotel located in a typical 1900’s colonial construction in the Chilean countryside.

La Casona Matetic Meals: Breakfast

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Day 12

Casablanca Valley

This morning, enjoy activities on offer from Matetic. Discover the surrounding vineyards on foot, bicycle or horseback. This afternoon, enjoy a tour of two local wineries.

A visit to Chile wouldn’t be complete without exploring its flourishing wine country. Perfect climatic conditions of hot summers, cool coastal breezes and gentle rainfalls ensure bountiful grape harvests that create delectable varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Carménère, the emblematic grape of Chile which hails from France and is now exclusive to Chile. After your tour you will be returned to the hotel.

La Casona Matetic Meals: Breakfast

Day 13

Casablanca Valley to Atacama Desert

This morning after breakfast, you will be met for your private transfer to the Temuco Airport for your flight to Calama.

Upon arrival, you will meet your private expert guide, who will accompany you on your adventures in the region. Your guide will be with you for the duration of your stay and will help you select activities according to your interests and preferred pace. Your guide is professionally trained in archaeology, history, flora, and fauna, so you can enjoy the unique experiences in Atacama in a safe and pleasant way. A variety of half-day and full-day privately guided activities are available, and range from tranquil nature walks to vigorous hikes.

Awasi Atacama Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

 

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Days 14-15

Atacama Desert

Spend your days at leisure enjoying Awasi Atacama and the activities on offer. All meals will be served at the hotel or with your activities

San Pedro de Atacama has been an oasis for travelers for thousands of years, a place to stop and refresh their mind, body and spirit before continuing their journey through the world’s driest desert. Geysers, valleys, canyons, petroglyphs, giant cacti, flamingos, vicunas, and foxes share the area with you. Cultural excursions, horseback riding, archeological discoveries and journeys to the amazing Atacama landscapes are a wonderful introduction to this unique region.

Awasi Atacama Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

 

Day 16

Depart Chile

This morning after breakfast, enjoy your morning at leisure.

This afternoon you will be met for your shared transfer to the Calama Airport for your commercial flight to Santiago. A boxed lunch will be provided for you to enjoy en route.

Upon arrival in Santiago, make your way to your connecting overnight flights home.

Overnight Flight Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

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