Discover the “south” in South America on this spectacular Panorama journey to the end of the world and back. Begin in vibrant Santiago, Chile, where you’ll enjoy guided city sightseeing and two overnights, then continue to Puerto Natales via Punta Arenas, a city which claims to be the world’s southernmost city. Enjoy a scenic drive into Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and your home for the next two nights. Spend time viewing the area’s shimmering waterfalls, glaciers, and abundant wildlife. Then, return to Punta Arenas, where you embark on a 4-night cruise on board the M/V Via Australis. Travel through channels, bays, and fjords on your journey to Ushuaia, the self-proclaimed “End of the World.” Visit Tierra del Fuego National Park before flying to colorful Buenos Aires for two overnights, abundant leisure time, and the perfect finale to your incredible vacation.

Itinerary

Day 1
Board your overnight flight to South America.

Day 2 Arrival in Santiago, Chile
Welcome to Santiago, Chile’s capital. This country is more than 10-times longer than wide, with 2,650 miles of beautiful Pacific coastline. Rooms are ready so that you can freshen up and rest before taking a first look at Santiago. This evening, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions at a welcome dinner. (D)

Day 3 Santiago
Located in the center of the country and perched between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Santiago has evolved as the country’s political, commercial, and cultural capital. Step back into the 16th century as your Local Guide traces the city’s history and heritage. Start at La Moneda, the official Government Palace, and nearby san cristobal hill with its landmark statue of the Virgin Mary. After visiting the pre-colombian art museum, your tour ends at the Plaza de Armas, the main square, with a visit to the 18th-century cathedral. The afternoon and evening are at your leisure. (B)

Day 4 Santiago–Punta Arenas–Puerto Natales
Fly to Punta Arenas, situated on the Strait of Magellan, which claims to be the world’s southernmost city (Ushuaia also makes this claim). A brief city tour takes you along Independence Avenue to Cerro La Cruz vantage point offering sweeping views of Punta Arenas’ colorful roofs, the Magellan Strait, and Tierra del Fuego Island in the background. Travel through the endless Patagonian steppes crossing trout-filled rivers, beech tree forests, and sheep ranches to Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. (B)

Day 5 Puerto Natales–Torres del Paine National Park
A scenic drive takes you into mountainous torres del paine national park. Keep an eye out for guanacos (a member of the llama family), foxes, swans, and a variety of birds. En route, visit the milodon cave, an impressive natural cave where a gigantic prehistoric Milodon fossil was discovered, a replica of which can be seen at the entrance of the cave. Continue through the park, admiring the massive granite peaks that originated more than 12 million years ago, including the iconic Torres and Cuernos del Paine. Stop at laguna azul, named after its blue shimmering waters, and laguna amarga, named for its bitter-tasting water due to high salt content. Also, see Cascada Rio Paine before arriving at your hotel. (B,D)

Day 6 Torres del Paine National Park
Spend a full day exploring this unesco World Heritage site, where wildlife abounds. On today’s sightseeing in the southern part of the park, you may be lucky enough to see hares, foxes, flamingos, guanacos, condors, rheas, or black-necked swans while traversing past glaciers, lakes, and pristine forests. Stop at Salto Grande, a massive waterfall, and grey lake for a walk along the shores with spectacular views of the Grey Glacier in the distance. (B,D)

Day 7 Torres del Paine National Park–Punta Arenas–Via Australis (Embarkation)
Depart this morning for Punta Arenas, where you will embark on a 4-night cruise aboard the expedition ship M/V Via Australis to the “uttermost part of the earth.” The voyage will take you through channels, bays, fjords, and past massive glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and unexplored areas of incomparable beauty. (B,D)

Day 8 Cruising: Ainsworth Bay & Tucker Islet
Navigating through Almirantazgo Inlet, arrive near Marinelli Glacier in Ainsworth Bay where you will enjoy a naturalist-guided walk through a unique Magellanic forest. On the nearby beach, observe a colony of elephant seals. Later, board Zodiac boats to get an up-close view of colonies of penguins and cormorants in Tucker Islet. (B,L,D)

Day 9 Cruising: Pia Glacier & Glacier Alley
Enter Pia Bay to visit the glacier of the same name which originated over 40,000 years ago. Return to the boat to navigate part of the Beagle Channel that Captain Fitz Roy sailed in 1830 during his first expedition to the region (Charles Darwin was also a crew member on this voyage). Continue through majestic “Glacier Alley” with Spain, Romanche, Germany, Italy, France, and Holland Glaciers. (B,L,D)

Day 10 Cruising: Cape Horn & Wulaia Bay
Disembark in Cape Horn National Park (weather permitting) to see cape horn, a sheer, almost 1,394-foot high rocky promontory where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans merge. In the afternoon, we go ashore in historic Wulaia Bay, once the site of one of the region’s largest aboriginal settlements. Here walk through a Magellanic forest of Lengas, Coigües, Canelos, ferns and other native flora. (B,L,D)

Day 11 Disembark–Ushuaia
This morning, arrive at “The End of the World,” Ushuaia, situated on the island of Tierra del Fuego. Once a secluded outpost and penal colony, Ushuaia is now a growing community thriving on timber, fishing, and tourism. Visit tierra del fuego national park to learn about its bountiful flora and fauna. With the Chilean Andes as the backdrop, the scenery is nothing short of spectacular. (B)

Day 12 Ushuaia–Buenos Aires, Argentina
This morning, relax during a scenic flight to Buenos Aires, proud capital of the vast country that occupies most of the southern part of the continent. En route to your central hotel, an orientation drive acquaints you with the “Paris of South America” and its wide boulevards and outdoor cafés. (B)

Day 13 Buenos Aires
Your included sightseeing this morning starts in La Boca a colorful district and site of the city’s first port. Take a short walking tour of this unique neighborhood at the mouth of the river and then on to San Telmo, famous for its late-colonial buildings and as a popular gathering spot for artists. At the Plaza de Mayo, see La Casa Rosada (the President’s Pink House) and the metropolitan cathedral, which houses San Martin’s Mausoleum. Drive past the ornate Colon Opera House before reaching the cemetery of the Recoleta the burial site of Eva Peron. After an afternoon at leisure, savor the atmosphere of this cosmopolitan capital at your farewell dinner at a typical restaurant featuring Argentine steaks and other specialties, followed by a flawless performance of Latin America’s most sensuous dance—the tango! (B,D)

Day 14 Buenos Aires–Homebound Flight
Enjoy a full day at leisure. Your homebound flight departs late this evening. (B)

Please Note: Homebound flights may be booked for any time this day; accommodations are not provided this evening.